May 17, 2001

2:28 PM

Grand Old Petroleum.GOP. Get it? The DNC really cracks me up sometimes. This is, however, an interesting development in politics. Is every issue going to have its own clever webpage in the future? The mind boggles.
posted by CRS (17 comments total)

This site hits the nail on the head. I voted for Bush, (but I am not republican), but his comments last week about we, the citiznes using our tax cut to pay for high energy bills and gasoline totally pissed me off.

What is the point of a tax cut if the people can't enjoy it? Personally, I would rather use any money I receive towards a new DVD player.
posted by da5id at 2:36 PM on May 17, 2001

I asked this question before, and I'm curious as to the answer because I'm not sure if I am partially to blame for this phenomenon....

I don't think any of the campaigns ever got much traffic to these kind of sites without television advertisments. They just seem to be aimed at firing up the bases, and giving them some talking points.

(GrandOldPetroleum was brought up in another thread, btw.)
posted by jennak at 2:38 PM on May 17, 2001

Yes, every issue will and should have a web site. This is preferable, since the same goddamned issues recur so frequently.
posted by rschram at 2:38 PM on May 17, 2001

Sites such as this one show little faith in our leadership and its ability to deal with the energy problem. I think we ought to give the free market a chance to prove itself. It has worked well in the past.
posted by Postroad at 2:42 PM on May 17, 2001

Oops. Didn't see that link by dnash. Sorry.
posted by CRS at 2:43 PM on May 17, 2001

I'm becoming increasingly amazed by the domains which are actually being registered. For example.
posted by feelinglistless at 2:49 PM on May 17, 2001

What strikes me as odd is that people are acting as if they are surprised by Bush's moves, whether on the environment, abortion, or now energy.

What, you really thought these guys would give a crap about "the average American" when at long last they are in position to represent the interests of the oil industry, the very same industry he and Dick (who really runs the show) come from? Come on, you can't have been that naive?
posted by mapalm at 2:53 PM on May 17, 2001

I, as a die hard party loyalist, am all for rallying up our base...arming them with talking points, etc. And I'm all for communicating my party's message, proposals, and policy.

However, to the 70% of non-loyalists, these kind of websites represent "partisan bickering." I don't classify them as such, but the parties should think about how the independents and opposition will view these sites. They're not just issues sites; they're a lot of rhetoric too.

That being said, I think this is a GREAT site. It makes a good point: Bush will give you a (small) tax break, but you're going to have to write a huge check to his frat brother, Big Oil.
posted by jennak at 2:54 PM on May 17, 2001

Not much need to worry about what "non-loyalists" think about sites like this; the vast majority will never see them. "Grand Old Petroleum" preaches to the choir, a few Republican bloggers, and that's about it. (I like the site too.)
posted by Minneapolis at 3:10 PM on May 17, 2001

Not to be overly critical, but shouldn't the DNC be able to afford a better issue website? The design on that site is about as mediocre as it gets.
posted by Kevs at 3:25 PM on May 17, 2001

That server's slower than Dick Stuart's base-running--just metafilter's promotional value?
posted by steve_high at 3:39 PM on May 17, 2001

That server's slower than Dick Stuart's base-running--just metafilter's promotional value?
posted by steve_high at 3:40 PM on May 17, 2001

CRS:

The site is cute, but it could easily have been made by the GOP about the DNC. American politics is by and for campaign contributors and oil buys power from everybody.
posted by capt.crackpipe at 3:41 PM on May 17, 2001

Looks like more damn hippy crap to me. Seriously though, what better way to of slow down a fast growing economy then to up the coast of fuel. Nothing any more is local, everything is shipped. High fuel cost raises the price of every thing. In turn creating an easily controlled inflation tool. Economy gets on track, lower the cost, grows to fast, raise the cost. It is a conspiracy!!
posted by crackheadmatt at 4:08 PM on May 17, 2001

Did the DNC make this site look amateurish on purpose? It's awful!
posted by ljromanoff at 7:24 PM on May 17, 2001

What is disturbing is that important issues are relegated to Web sites and largely passed over, or superficially treated by television, where, alas, most get their news...
posted by ParisParamus at 7:34 PM on May 17, 2001

What do you mean? It's all anyone's been talking about lately! The percentage of Americans considering energy to be one of the leading problems facing the nation has jumped from 3% to 21% in just the last month.
posted by aaron at 8:34 PM on May 17, 2001