Digg for Conservatives?

May 25, 2010 3:51 PM

Lately, the organizations that make up the American Republican Party/GOP have been experimenting with going online. The House Republicans have created America Speaking Out, a website for the people to give their ideas to "an arrogant congress." There, visitors can upload ideas they would like the government to carry out.
posted by mccarty.tim (191 comments total)

No relation to McCarthy in the video, BTW.
posted by mccarty.tim at 3:54 PM on May 25, 2010

Congressional hearings on the lizard people (reptilians) and their influence (nefarious) on the American government, economy, and culture.

Geez, you guys are fast.
posted by GuyZero at 3:55 PM on May 25, 2010 [24 favorites]

You got Talk Radio in my JavaScript!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:57 PM on May 25, 2010

Wow! I can earn badges!
posted by jamaro at 3:59 PM on May 25, 2010 [3 favorites]

The government should get out of the way and respect our freedom. They should lift all bans on smoking, guns, hunting, and food. At the same time, they should strengthen the moral fiber by making it illegal to take drugs, teach evolution in schools, and gamble.

posted by Flagwaver

No idea if this was trolling or a sincere opinion. But I find it amusing.

In America's credit, it's getting voted down.
posted by mccarty.tim at 3:59 PM on May 25, 2010 [6 favorites]

Give me my Medicare and Social Security but charge me no taxes.

I know that was posted by a troll but it pretty well sums up the tea-bagger attitude in single sentence.
posted by octothorpe at 4:00 PM on May 25, 2010 [41 favorites]

"STOP THE OBAMA AGENDA OF A GLOBAL GOVERNMENT WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP AND GET BACK OUR FREE NATION . THAT INCLUDES ABAMA CARE, CAP & TRADE, THE UNION BAILOUT, AND THE SPENDING BILLS FOR MORE JOBS THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CREATE JOBS,"

YEAH PREACH IT BROTHER!!!!!!1!!111
posted by fearthehat at 4:03 PM on May 25, 2010

New GOP Initiative Stumbles Early, Poster Calls For Repealing Civil Rights Act.
posted by ericb at 4:05 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Is that modeled on a recycling center?
posted by Brian B. at 4:06 PM on May 25, 2010

Is it just me or is there a strange irony that Republicans seem to be totally unaware of the existance of trolls on the intrwebs?
posted by GuyZero at 4:06 PM on May 25, 2010 [10 favorites]

what the fuck is going on with the weird sixth-grader scrawl typeface on the categories? Is that an approximation of the lettering on the tea party signs?
posted by angrycat at 4:07 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

The only surprise is that it took so long for a party whose political strategy is based entirely on the channeling of self-righteous indignation so long to tap the ultimate mother-lode of self-righteous indignation: the internet.

And if you think I'm wrong, you can cram it up your smug latte-fed elitist ass.
posted by Western Infidels at 4:07 PM on May 25, 2010 [9 favorites]

GOP Launches Yet Another Hollow Effort To ‘Listen’ To The American People For Policy Ideas.
posted by ericb at 4:07 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Try working towards real goals that will help the country, not ideological talking points.
0 Total Votes 0 Responses
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:09 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

From ericb's link:

Within minutes, a poster on the site suggested repealing Section II of the 1964 Civil Rights Act because it was "UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PROGRESSIVE and HITLER." [yes, they used Hitler as an adjective].

That's hilarious. "Nice weather we're having." "Yeah, but tomorrow's going to be Hitler."
posted by brundlefly at 4:09 PM on May 25, 2010 [96 favorites]

My inner 13 year old says, "Gonna troll dis shit so hard"
posted by wcfields at 4:10 PM on May 25, 2010 [8 favorites]

Ben Smith | Politico:

"House Republicans are soliciting policy suggestions on their new website, America Speaking Out.

Suggestion 217: 'Repeal Section II of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, it's UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PROGRESSIVE and HITLER.' (Yes, 'and HITLER.')

The online Rand Paul forces don't seem to have noticed it yet, as comments are running to, 'What an intelligent, coherent, and thought provoking comment. Seriously, is no one monitoring this?'

(The top vote getter, with a still-modest 93 votes, is 'DEFUND, REPEAL, & REPLACE GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE: Defund, repeal and replace the recently passed government-run health care with a system that actually makes health care and insurance more affordable by enabling a competitive, open, and transparent free-market health care and health insurance system that isn’t restricted by state boundaries.')"

posted by ericb at 4:10 PM on May 25, 2010

GOP leadership essentially admitted that no matter the popular sentiment, the major issues of the day are off-limits.

Take, for instance, a group of users who think that the GOP consider raising taxes in certain places. Is leadership willing to accommodate that?

"In terms of someone who wants to come on and make suggestions on how to raise taxes for example, they are welcome to do that but that is not something we are going to take up," said Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.)

"The key is to remember that we are focusing on... settled principles," he explained later, "in so far as smaller government, more accountability, more transparency and so forth. That is not news necessarily. What is news though is the invitation for Americans to submit their questions and answers within that framework."

So, basically it's a Free Speech Zone?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:10 PM on May 25, 2010 [8 favorites]

They're just pulling put-downs out of a hat now, right?

How was that not made from a game of Mad Libs?
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:11 PM on May 25, 2010

Prediction: the GOP will heartily regret starting this web site.

Apart from the trolls, they're going to get proposals and comments from every right-wing whack job with an internet connection.

Should be fun!
posted by Short Attention Sp at 4:11 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

I can't decide whether to laugh or run away in horror. Maybe both?
posted by rtha at 4:12 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Learn to configure your fucking server.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 4:12 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

"This site is way too liberal. A way to screen is needed. I thought this was for Republicans. "
posted by ghharr at 4:14 PM on May 25, 2010 [13 favorites]

Vote on this idea: Death penalty for teaching anything other than abstinence:

"We need abstinence education for teens and monogamy education for Congressmen with special experts called in to educate Senators Vitter and Ensign and Congressman Souder."

"Forced resuscitation of stillborn infants. Life must be!"

Ya!
posted by ericb at 4:17 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

There ought to be a Constitutional amendment banning cannibalism in every state except Kentucky.
posted by octothorpe at 4:18 PM on May 25, 2010 [10 favorites]

I like the conservatives moaning that there are too many liberals on the site. What did they think "the people" meant? Who do they think elected Obama?

Other than "white, landowning adult male?"
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:18 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

The site wouldn't really load for me. (I mean it did, it just took a gazillion years). Which is too bad, because I'm both bored and in the mood to write some pretty wacky stuff.
posted by angrycat at 4:18 PM on May 25, 2010

"This site is way too liberal. A way to screen is needed. I thought this was for Republicans."

Yeah. I agree. They need to get the Arizona law enforcement community involved to determine one's politcal ideology by way of their "user name/online handle!"
posted by ericb at 4:18 PM on May 25, 2010

hah, "NO state will get more than a $1.20 in federal funding for each dollar in federal taxes paid !!! and no state will get less than 90c back for each federal dollar paid. If bases, federal contracts or parks have to be moved....MOVE THEM !!"

I'd like to get in on that govmint contract to move Yosemite.
posted by jamaro at 4:19 PM on May 25, 2010 [8 favorites]

Yeah, this should end well (if by 'well' I mean tremendously funny).
posted by twidget at 4:21 PM on May 25, 2010

What happened to my Republican Party, the one I remember from my youth? Fiscal discipline, wariness about foreign entanglements and taxes but a sober commitment to the public good. I just don't see it in today's Republican Party with its courting of gun owners, anti-environmentalism, and the religious right. Forget the social issues, forget the divisiveness, put some intellectual heft behind the party in place of Beck, Palin, and Limbaugh. What you are gaining in frenzy you are losing in wisdom and leadership.

Maybe this will work better than I thought.

Then again....

Death penalty for teaching anything other than abstinence.
two entries above
Keep the government out of our personal lives. Government has no business being involved in dictating morality beyond simple public-safety concerns.

....maybe not.
posted by tallthinone at 4:22 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

The Troll is strong in this one.

Also the Lulz.
posted by yiftach at 4:24 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

Random Capitalization makes Things look Important.

It will be Fun to Troll This Site So Hard.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:25 PM on May 25, 2010 [3 favorites]

What is the quickest way that this can be used to laugh at racists oh look ericab found it.
posted by Artw at 4:25 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

upload ideas they would like the government to carry out.

I'm trying to upload the Enlightenment, but it keeps crashing their site. HALP
posted by scody at 4:25 PM on May 25, 2010 [31 favorites]

Left to it's self this site would appear to be self-trolling.
posted by Artw at 4:26 PM on May 25, 2010 [3 favorites]

I like the creepy faceless avatars they make everyone use. I'm guessing they did that to point out that not everyone on the site is a white guy and to prevent people like me from using a hammer and sickle as an avatar, but it also gives off a strong "WE ARE ALL FACELESS UNFEELING AUTOMATONS" vibe.
posted by burnmp3s at 4:26 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

I feel they'd probably get more hits if they included links to lesbian BDSM shows. Or "Meet Rentboys in your area".

You know, family values and stuff.

No better way to practice your abstinence!
posted by yeloson at 4:27 PM on May 25, 2010

88freedomfighter This username already exists.


Holy shit, I was just making up a racist, white-power troll username.
posted by wcfields at 4:27 PM on May 25, 2010 [28 favorites]

Biblical Armageddon Must Be Taught Alongside Global Warming.
posted by acb at 4:29 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Within minutes, a poster on the site suggested repealing Section II of the 1964 Civil Rights Act because it was "UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PROGRESSIVE and HITLER." [yes, they used Hitler as an adjective].

To be precise, it's hitler than goebbels, but himmler than goering.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 4:29 PM on May 25, 2010 [29 favorites]

The problem with trolling a site like this is that it's hard to more stupid and incoherent than the actual right-wing commenters.
posted by octothorpe at 4:29 PM on May 25, 2010 [10 favorites]

BRING BACK PRIMOGENITURE AND SEND THE LANCASTERS TO GITMO.
posted by Avenger at 4:30 PM on May 25, 2010 [6 favorites]

Aw, man, this is a trollers paradise. Perhaps that is the point - if you allow anyone to post any idea they want, they can always point and say "that's just a bunch of liberal trolls trying to make us look bad."

In other words, the poor moderation isn't a mistake - it's a feature.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:31 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

This was paid for not from donations, but from your taxes:

Republicans denied the initiative has anything to do with campaign 2010. If it did, that would require them to spend campaign money on the project. Instead, as it stands, it's the taxpayers who pay for it through the minority leader's office.

When asked about the cost, Boehner seemed to make the argument that it's not like any extra money was spent on the project.

"This is all paid for through our ordinary budgets" Boehner said. "There's no additional funds required."

Republicans would not say how much it cost to get the website up and running. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) who was charged with leading the America Speaking Out project said that it "this doesn't cost much more than an average website."

posted by grouse at 4:33 PM on May 25, 2010 [8 favorites]

THIS IS ONE LAW I WOULD SUPPORT NO OTHER NATIONS FLAG CAN BE INSIDE OR WAVING AT ANY PUBLIC TAX PAYER FUNDED BUILDING. AND NO OTHER NATIONS LEADER CAN COME IN TO OUR CAPITOL AND CUT DOWN ONE OF OUR LAWS.

It's the last part that fascinates me. It could be a pretty smart troll that is channeling an angry disgruntled homeowner who sees "laws" and "trees" as somewhat interchangeable nouns. Or it could be a psychopath.
posted by angrycat at 4:34 PM on May 25, 2010 [7 favorites]

You gonna get trolled.
posted by Ratio at 4:35 PM on May 25, 2010

it's hard to more stupid and incoherent than the actual right-wing commenters

Yet somehow, we manage.
posted by adamdschneider at 4:38 PM on May 25, 2010

It could be a pretty smart troll that is channeling an angry disgruntled homeowner who sees "laws" and "trees" as somewhat interchangeable nouns.

Sir Thomas More does the same thing in A Man for All Seasons. Best troll EVAR.
posted by grouse at 4:38 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yeah grouse, I was about to post that quote. Great line.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 4:39 PM on May 25, 2010

I oppose the Hispanicization of America, and we should do all we can to resist such an influence on our culture. These are not patriotic people. They celebrate Cinco de Mayo more enthusiastically than the 4th of July! If we do nothing, they will take over. We should also deport pedophiles.

This is also interesting, in that I am a bit uncertain about whether troll or no. I said no until the last sentence.
posted by angrycat at 4:40 PM on May 25, 2010

REAGAN FOR KING
posted by scody at 4:44 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

We should also deport pedophiles.

Damn straight, we should send 'em all back to Pedophilia where they belong!
posted by Talanvor at 4:44 PM on May 25, 2010 [34 favorites]

Are they going to throw the favorites into the Republican platform in 2012? Finally! A national policy based on the wisdom of YouTube commentors.
posted by Xoebe at 4:52 PM on May 25, 2010 [6 favorites]

Does Poe's Law refer solely to Christian Fundamentalish posts, or can we broaden its meaning to include the trolling that's going to go on at this site? Because any number of the suggestions on that site could just as likely be sincere as not.
posted by tzikeh at 4:52 PM on May 25, 2010

^ Fundamentalish

From typo to oxymoron in zero seconds!
posted by tzikeh at 4:54 PM on May 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

shit, there goes my summer....
posted by MikeKD at 4:59 PM on May 25, 2010

Damn straight, we should send 'em all back to Pedophilia where they belong!



Pedophiladelphia
posted by Senor Cardgage at 5:00 PM on May 25, 2010 [6 favorites]

REAGAN FOR KING

Works better as FORKING REAGAN. HTH. HAND.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:01 PM on May 25, 2010

It could be a pretty smart troll that is channeling an angry disgruntled homeowner who sees "laws" and "trees" as somewhat interchangeable nouns. Or it could be a psychopath.

Sounds to me like they just hate the UN and diplomatic immunity.
posted by DU at 5:02 PM on May 25, 2010

Conservatives tried something like this ten years ago in Canada, but they then withdrew the idea. Can't imagine why.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:06 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Forget trolling the site. Post some real ideas, and vote them up. We have more than enough users to swamp the idiots posting there now.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 5:12 PM on May 25, 2010 [18 favorites]

"UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PROGRESSIVE and HITLER."

That's the firm that handled my DUI last year.
posted by That's Numberwang! at 5:13 PM on May 25, 2010 [72 favorites]

I predict that, barring moderation, within a week the top proposals will all involve the legalization of marijuana. Something similar happened to Obama's YouTube channel.

Millions of Americans want to have an honest, bullshit-free debate about this country's failed War on Drugs, and yet the politicians refuse to even bring it up.

No matter - the elites are in for a mighty shock when California legalizes it in November. It's 2010; nobody believes that Reefer Madness nonsense anymore.
posted by Despondent_Monkey at 5:13 PM on May 25, 2010 [6 favorites]

DU: "It could be a pretty smart troll that is channeling an angry disgruntled homeowner who sees "laws" and "trees" as somewhat interchangeable nouns. Or it could be a psychopath.

Sounds to me like they just hate the UN and diplomatic immunity."

Lethal Weapon 2 should be remade and the Diplomatic Immunity guy should be the good guy, after all he was just trying to stop evil socialist Danny Glover.
posted by aerotive at 5:16 PM on May 25, 2010

Oh man. Either the votes are getting trolled hard, or most conservatives are for "Truck Knotz'" (real subtle, Wonketteer) proposal of "Forced resuscitation of stillborn infants. Life must be!"
posted by mccarty.tim at 5:23 PM on May 25, 2010

Despondent_Monkey: "It's 2010; nobody believes that Reefer Madness nonsense anymore."


I dunno -- that part where he's playing the piano and he goes "faster... faster... FASTER!!!!" giggling like a maniac, eyes bulging out of his head, stimulated by that intoxicating Delta-9 molecule infiltration of his blood stream. I think it's kinda plausible, don't you?

OK, I lied. We all know that's meth.
posted by symbioid at 5:25 PM on May 25, 2010

Lethal Weapon 2 should be remade and the Diplomatic Immunity guy should be the good guy, after all he was just trying to stop evil socialist Danny Glover.

There's already a cottage industry in remaking existing movies into conservative propaganda pieces. But the reverse could be interesting. A liberal Dirty Harry?
posted by DU at 5:26 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is great in that pretty much every political movement can agree that it's offensive and awful.
posted by mccarty.tim at 5:29 PM on May 25, 2010

It will be Fun to Troll This Site So Hard.

Yeah, if they ever get the bugs out of the registration form as whoever did the logic/use cases for it should be beaten. But what are going to expect from the GOP by loony tooniness and incompetence.

Also, check out the race specific avatars: https://www.americaspeakingout.com/account/register

If I'm reading it right they have Male and Female: White, black, white-supremacist, brown and non-race specific.

Now, what can be inferred from that? And is it even legal on a site paid for by tax-payer money??
posted by Skygazer at 5:32 PM on May 25, 2010

I like how military spending is sacred, but the pay of politicians needs to be cut ASAP. Yes, it'd be a nice symbolic gesture for them to take a pay cut, but it would do very slightly more than nothing for the deficit. And you'd ultimately have congresspeople who are more easily swooned by lobbyists.
posted by mccarty.tim at 5:37 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

Death Penalty for selling products made in other countries has 5 votes already.

The most active user has a whopping 1435 Act Pcts, whatever those are.
posted by misha at 5:38 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

And you'd ultimately have congresspeople who are more easily swooned by lobbyists.

Purely by coincidence, of course. And I'm sure the fact that "defense" spending ends up in corporate hands is also coincidental.

The GOP (and to slightly lesser extent, the Democrats) are channeling true anger at real problems into the hands of the people the anger should be directed at.

The Revolution Will Be Co-opted.
posted by DU at 5:40 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

I am cross-pollinating this onto 4chan. It should be beautiful. I'm not doing this just for the trolling potential, although that will be entertaining, but because I believe the GOP is so dangerously out of touch that they're getting closer to vanishing inside their own navels. Why not send them young people, soon to be voters, with some radical ideas about government? It's what they've been asking for, and boy-oh-boy, are they going to get it.
posted by adipocere at 5:44 PM on May 25, 2010 [11 favorites]

Pedophiladelphia...

...also includes incest.
posted by ericb at 5:44 PM on May 25, 2010

Prostitution should not only be legal, but compulsory. And free!

This is already ending well! I like it.
posted by Wuggie Norple at 5:46 PM on May 25, 2010

in order to get "bonus" points to complete your profile requires providing your phone number.

i suggest entering the phone number for the Kevin McCarthy for Congress headquarters

[phone]
posted by Hammond Rye at 5:52 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Prediction: the GOP will heartily regret starting this web site.

Having shown the world that the right to criticize those in power is only important to them when they're not the target, I gotta wonder how fast they'll shut that sucker down when and if they take back Congress.
posted by zarq at 5:53 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

This country was founded on freedom of religion and the government and illegals are taking religion out of our country.

Wait, what?!
posted by brundlefly at 5:59 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's the last part that fascinates me. It could be a pretty smart troll that is channeling an angry disgruntled homeowner who sees "laws" and "trees" as somewhat interchangeable nouns. Or it could be a psychopath.

It's a dig at Mexican President Calderon's recent visit, where he spoke out against Arizona's new ID law & the US Federal gun policy. Still, it is an odd phrasing.
posted by scalefree at 5:59 PM on May 25, 2010

It'd be a lot easier to troll this site if it didn't time out so damn much.
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 6:05 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Remove religious entities from tax-exempt status. The churches are using their amassed wealth to influence voters and campaign politically which is unacceptable for a tax exempt church to do. A great example of this is just how involved Utah's mormon churches were in California's Prop 8 vote. If they want to use the money they get for charity instead of taxes, it should go to charity -- not politics. 11 Total Votes

I think maybe this Republican web site is turning pinko commie pink
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:14 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

Within minutes, a poster on the site suggested repealing Section II of the 1964 Civil Rights Act because it was "UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PROGRESSIVE and HITLER." [yes, they used Hitler as an adjective]. (That entry has since been shut down by the GOP.)

I instantly lost interest right there. "Speak out, but only in an acceptably mainstream in-bounds manner." Back to alt.politics.obama for the real peckerwoodisms.
posted by telstar at 6:20 PM on May 25, 2010

and illegals are taking religion out of our country.

Yeah I'm sick of those guys taking our Bibles and crosses and Holy water back over the border to Canada. I heard one guy was caught trying to smuggle the ten commandments in his pants.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:20 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

People on Usenet still talk about politics? I thought it was just a pornography and warez trading center? I could see Obama porn, maybe.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:24 PM on May 25, 2010

Damn straight, we should send 'em all back to Pedophilia where they belong!

Is that located in Penisylvania?
posted by armage at 6:26 PM on May 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

I think Americans need to stop using their outside voice. You know, the same one that 3 year olds use when they can't have the gummi bears.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 6:43 PM on May 25, 2010 [9 favorites]

It's funny though - a look at the voting in family values reveals less barking-madism than I'd expect.
posted by Mister_A at 6:46 PM on May 25, 2010

Also I can't believe username Zubaz exists already !
posted by Mister_A at 6:58 PM on May 25, 2010 [3 favorites]

How many unemployed people do we have here in America? A million? Two million? Let's just say I don't know, but it's a lot. Now, why don't they have jobs? We got three problems there. We stopped making stuff in America, we got illegals here making our stuff cheaper than Americans, and we got a whole bunch of people here who are just lazy—you know the ones.

Now, it used to be, back in the good old days, you saw some people not working and you had some jobs to do, why, you just rounded them up and put them to work. You didn't pay them, but they were grateful enough for the room and board and if they weren't, well, a little bullwhip just whupped the laziness out of them. Then some jackalope who weren't even a real Republican put an end to all that, but I say, there were some good ideas there.

So let's say that we decide to be great again, to really build something here that can't be built anywhere else. Not one of them faggy public works that honors dead baby killing doctors or affirmative action hires, but a real goddamn American piece of work that says here we are, ready to kick ass and take names. What we need is the Ronald Wilson Reagan Space Station.

This space station, named after the American who won the battle for space once and for all, should be a massive satellite visible from anywhere on Earth at least once a day, to remind everyone who saved their asses from the commies. And this wouldn't be any nambly-pambly Mir, where foreigners go to get gay married and have honeymoons where they spit down to America. This'd be a full-on locked and loaded space station with lasers that could shoot down anything on Earth or just scorch a whole continent to glass. You want nukes, you Iranian cab drivers? Nukes would be nothing compared to the awesome power of Ronald Wilson Reagan's inevitable death stare, a blast of hot disintegration from beyond the UN's reach.

How are we gonna build it? Well, you remember when I was talking about unemployment? We get these vans, and we just cruise around the ghetto, looking for corner boys and welfare queens. We can round up a couple million of the pinkos, liberals, queers, Jews, and whoever Arizona's sending back across the border, and put 'em to work. Leave America for the real Americans, and put all the rest of them to work on the biggest offensive weapon ever known to man. All without raising taxes a penny, and just think what we'll save not paying for food stamps.

Call this plan the Put America To Work and Win Back Space program, or something, I ain't no politician. I'm just a regular guy who knows what works and what doesn't, and who knows how to get rid of the thugs, terrorists and criminals we got here while making sure that me and you can get our old jobs back.

God bless.
posted by klangklangston at 7:04 PM on May 25, 2010 [41 favorites]

MORE BETTER SERVER FOR MORE TIMELY TROLLZ. I can't get past the home page, damnitall.
posted by Fezboy! at 7:04 PM on May 25, 2010

(Because it's timing out for me over there.)
posted by klangklangston at 7:05 PM on May 25, 2010

Damn thing won't let me register as Widestance neither!
posted by Mister_A at 7:13 PM on May 25, 2010

Wonder how many of these people could be convinced to sign a petition calling for repeal of the 13th Amendment, on the grounds that it limits the freedom of contract and property rights of American citizens.
posted by kafziel at 7:22 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

the awesome power of Ronald Wilson Reagan's inevitable death stare

It was really more of a glower, but that lacks the pizzazz of your idea.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 7:27 PM on May 25, 2010

As an agrarian suspicious of banking, I fully support going back to what the founders intended for our country.
posted by boo_radley at 7:28 PM on May 25, 2010 [5 favorites]

We need a "mockity-mock-mock" tag. I nominate this thread to inaugurate it.

One week, our community pulls together from all corners of the U.S. (and, I assume, from anywhere else in whatever capacity possible) to save two young women from seriously crappy circumstances. The very next, we're encouraging one another, in a public thread, to create accounts at another site in order to troll it. I can't think of two more appropriate examples to encompass the range of possible definitions of "Best of the Web."

Stay classy, Metafilter - for each and every definition of classy. Seriously. I love you guys.
posted by tzikeh at 7:56 PM on May 25, 2010 [3 favorites]

Sheee-iit, guess who just reserved for his very self the username: WacoNeverFOrget.

That's right, uh huh. Who da man?? Step back mofo's, troll heaven awaits!!
posted by Skygazer at 7:59 PM on May 25, 2010

More skin on Loveboat.
posted by Babblesort at 7:59 PM on May 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

MetaFilter: The weather is fine, but I hear tomorrow's going to be Hitler.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:29 PM on May 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

Hey, my tax dollars paid for that site. It's not just my right to suggest that we reinstate slavery to build a Ronald Reagan Death Star, it's my civic duty.
posted by klangklangston at 8:32 PM on May 25, 2010 [11 favorites]

I feel really sorry for the GOP sometimes. They sacrificed the party to a pitiful sort of people. Incompetence and ignorance is condemning them to extinction.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:36 PM on May 25, 2010

It's what they've been asking for, and boy-oh-boy, are they going to get it. Good and hard.

FTFY. (And if you need some help with any of the heavy lifting send me a MefiMail!)
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 8:40 PM on May 25, 2010

Hey, my tax dollars paid for that site. It's not just my right to suggest that we reinstate slavery to build a Ronald Reagan Death Star, it's my civic duty.

That site is buggy as hell. It's crap!! Gaaddammit these people can't even launch a proper website, forget about a Ronald Reagan Death Star....
posted by Skygazer at 9:00 PM on May 25, 2010

I'm calling my new band "Ronald Reagan Death Star".

That is all.
posted by elwoodwiles at 9:14 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

At least they're inclusive - I was able to register for America Speaking Out from an IP address that could only possibly be Australian.
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:21 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

I just spent way too much time on that site and I didn't see a single proposal that didn't reek of either troll or assclown. Not one. Not a single one. None. Zip. Nada. Zero.

Though I must say, I like Reid Diculous as a user name.

Obviously, our corporate whore Republican overlords have nothing to fear from an underclass this deluded and malleable.
posted by warbaby at 9:21 PM on May 25, 2010

I just realized the entire website is a missionary tool for the categories themselves. Imagine if the presidential debates henceforth eliminated environment, human rights and foreign policy, and replaced them with American values.
posted by Brian B. at 9:48 PM on May 25, 2010 [7 favorites]

Surely you're not suggesting that the environment, human rights and sensible foreign policy are somehow contrary to American values....?
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:25 PM on May 25, 2010

brundlefly: "This country was founded on freedom of religion and the government and illegals are taking religion out of our country.

Wait, what?!"

Simple answer: anti-Catholicism is still alive and well in this country, much of it coming from the religious right.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 10:58 PM on May 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

That's kinda odd when you consider most of the leadership of the religious right is Catholic and most of the tools are Protestants.
posted by warbaby at 11:33 PM on May 25, 2010

Test for echo!
posted by oncogenesis at 11:42 PM on May 25, 2010

warbaby: "That's kinda odd when you consider most of the leadership of the religious right is Catholic and most of the tools are Protestants."

As a Catholic, I'd actually argue the exact opposite. There's been plenty of grumbling, particularly from the Catholic left over the health care bill, that the Catholic hierarchy in the US has sold out on abortion / euthanasia at the expense of its previously principled stances on health care, worker's rights, the environment and immigration, stances that Catholic bishops in Europe are a lot more vociferous about defending. Most all of the "leaders" of the religious right that I can think of are Protestant ministers, and the Catholic leadership in the religious right tends to be both lay and often idiosyncratic - someone like William Donahue is much more concerned about South Park making fun of the Church than he seems to be about anything political.

You could argue, and you'd probably be right, that the Catholic Church exerts more obvious political influence on issues that the religious right cares about, most likely because it's the largest organized religious organization in the world. But, when we're hunting for candidates for Chief Tool, the Catholic Church is really the only member of the Reagan coalition that's in dramatic dischord with itself from 30 years ago. Add to that the number of leaders of the religious right who are or were anti-Catholic in public - Jimmy Swaggart, Bob Jones, Tim LaHaye, Jerry Falwell, etc - and it's hard not to feel duped.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 12:03 AM on May 26, 2010 [4 favorites]

got no interest in trolling. i would love for a conservative site to suck in all the sad folks who have pretty much ruined community boards across the web (except for this one). not that i expect that to last. what they're brewing is pathological and rather flasher-like in that it's not enough for them to be hateful and bigoted, but they insist that you see the hardon they get from being that way. so yeah, maybe a useful distraction, but not an enduring one.
posted by fallacy of the beard at 12:03 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

I like their categories:

American Prosperity
Fiscal Accountability
American Values
National Security

...pretty much a laundry list of things the Republicans failed at when they held both the congress and the presidency.
posted by lordrunningclam at 3:12 AM on May 26, 2010 [11 favorites]

the awesome power of Ronald Wilson Reagan's inevitable death stare

The Colossus of Yorba Linda, 2.0.
posted by acb at 3:45 AM on May 26, 2010

Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine....
posted by R. Mutt at 4:33 AM on May 26, 2010

The Colossus of Yorba Linda, 2.0.

Read about some of the stuff Nixon was trying to do domestically. I think he was left of Clinton.
posted by gjc at 4:41 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

So … whose marriage equality (or should we call it deregulation?) proposal should we be voting up in the values category?
posted by adamsc at 4:45 AM on May 26, 2010

I like the creepy faceless avatars they make everyone use.

So the Slender Man votes Republican?
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:00 AM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

So the Slender Man votes Republican?
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:00 PM on May 26 [+] [!]

He is made of pure fear.
posted by gc at 5:03 AM on May 26, 2010

Pedophiladelphia

I suddenly heard in my ears an inappropriate alternate lyric to the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" theme song. "On the playground is where I spent most of my days," indeed.
posted by JHarris at 5:06 AM on May 26, 2010 [7 favorites]

Next up: Republican Chatroulette.
posted by ryoshu at 5:51 AM on May 26, 2010 [9 favorites]

How am I supposed to Speak Out and earn badges if all I get is runtime errors?
posted by rtha at 6:49 AM on May 26, 2010

Did trolls crash their server? Because that would be a shame.
posted by ob at 7:08 AM on May 26, 2010

I like your idea, ryoshu, but I really imagine the GOP senators would fill it up with way too much cock. That said, I like the achievements. It's like they pay you funbux to troll.

Seriously, this site is great, and I hope it stays up. I have no job, few hobbies, and no college until September. This will be a great source of summer fun. As a young person, the GOP will greatly appreciate my input, right?
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:09 AM on May 26, 2010

Aw, registration's down! I wanted to suggest that we could have Al Gore go back to the South Pole!
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:19 AM on May 26, 2010

Runtime Error! Aw, the poor, deluded thing ...
posted by grabbingsand at 7:21 AM on May 26, 2010

They should really crack the whip on the web designer and get him to make a 500 Error page.
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:21 AM on May 26, 2010

haha wtf gop
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:25 AM on May 26, 2010

Heh. We should be applauding that guy. The way I see it if that guy wins then it's a heart warming tale of overcoming adversity - to become a huge douche.
posted by Artw at 7:28 AM on May 26, 2010

Anyone managed to submit something that hasn't been called inappropriate? Maybe it's because my username is potater?
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:35 AM on May 26, 2010

Young Boozer looks a lot like Larry David. I am going to vote for Larry David.
posted by Mister_A at 8:10 AM on May 26, 2010

This hit me just right. A+++, would lol again.
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:16 AM on May 26, 2010

The fact that it's so broken at 11:15 AM EST really says a lot about unemployment in this country.

President Obama, put these trolls to work!
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:18 AM on May 26, 2010

WashPost's Dana Milbank: Republicans' new Web site not exactly what they hoped it would be
posted by zarq at 8:23 AM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

Hahaha, "earn badges"... ah, gotta get them 'chieves.

Anyway, I wasn't really trying to troll the site, but I wanted to see what a log-in would give me, so I tried to register. About 3 times.

The first time I had a username that was in use. Ok, that happens. I go back and pick a new username, and my email is now 'in use'. Hah! Ok, so I go use another throw-away address, and fill out the stuff that it blanked (password twice, and security question [which is a creepy thing to give to the GOP]), hit enter and... server error! I go back and try to reregister under that address, and... email in use! Hah! At least when Barack Obama makes a useless website he makes it work at a functional level.

So then I gave up.

It's no Team Sarah, that's for sure.
posted by codacorolla at 8:29 AM on May 26, 2010

From the WP article:

"Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who created the program, said that to get software for the site, 'I personally traveled to Washington state and discovered a Microsoft program that helped NASA map the moon.'

Using lunar software is appropriate, because the early responses to the Republicans' request for ideas are pretty far out."

Ouch. BURN!
posted by ericb at 8:34 AM on May 26, 2010 [3 favorites]

that Milbank article is hilarious - powned by trolls! the rest of the news coverage is just blowjob print the handout crap. But Milbank - hook, line, sinker, rod and reel.

Well done to all hands. My day is made. This is what the intertubes are all about.
posted by warbaby at 8:39 AM on May 26, 2010

So then I gave up.

It's what I was saying up above. The system logic for the form hasn't been worked out with "use cases." Meaning the system should understand when a username isn't in taken, if it hasn't been and same for the email addresses. So as it stands now, that registration form is one big load of crap.

And what a fantastic metaphor it is for the Republican's in government. All this talk about inclusiveness, and then you try and participate, but they don't even have their basic infrastructure worked out to handle it, nor do they want to, because they're so busy giving hand jobs to extremists and corporations.
posted by Skygazer at 8:41 AM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

This was paid for not from donations, but from your taxes...

CNN: House Republicans website raises questions.
posted by ericb at 8:42 AM on May 26, 2010

It's no Team Sarah, that's for sure.

Palin Endorses House GOP Website.
posted by ericb at 8:46 AM on May 26, 2010

Wait... did Microsoft build and implement this, or is it just based on their technology? Because whoever implemented the site should probably re-evaluate their career choices.
posted by codacorolla at 8:54 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Just so we're clear; I'm voting "Yes" on the Kentucky cannibalism thing. I've been looking for a vacation destination, and the lure of bourbon and long-pig would be a fantastic option to have available.
posted by quin at 8:57 AM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

I'm having a really hard time sifting the trolls from the sincere...
posted by Theta States at 8:58 AM on May 26, 2010

From the Dana Milbank article, one of the comments left on the site:

"A 'teacher' told my child in class that dolphins were mammals and not fish!" a third complains. "And the same thing about whales! We need TRADITIONAL VALUES in all areas of education. If it swims in the water, it is a FISH. Period! End of Story."

Too great.
posted by Skygazer at 9:00 AM on May 26, 2010 [5 favorites]

OMG, I could not get through that WP article without bursting out laughing at work a few times.
posted by Theta States at 9:38 AM on May 26, 2010

Wait... did Microsoft build and implement this, or is it just based on their technology?

I think it's the latter. I suspect that the software engineer relied way too much on the assistance offered by 'Clippy' when developing this website.
posted by ericb at 9:49 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Hillary is 44, Team Sarah, FoxNation (remember that? no? neither does anyone else), This...

All of these sites are spectacular failures for a few reasons.

1) Unless you have some sort of authoritarian method of screening registrants, you're going to get at least 50% trolls (for HI44 and TS it was probably much, much higher). Conservatives are conservative because they're standing by closely held traditions (supposedly, anyway), and that's the easiest sort of person to troll and to mock. People who are the biggest trolls, 4channers and Somethingawful, are usually either liberal or politically neutral. They certainly aren't heartland republicans.

2) Your sincere participants are going to be either poor writers (and if you're appealing to an every-man stereotype, then that's what you're going to get), or outright bigoted and crazy. People who believe in 9/11 conspiracies and chem-trails and lizard men were on the internet before you were, and they'll find any site with a comment field to peddle their shit. Same for white supremacists, and militia-men. That is your online presence, republican party. You own that already. The big, successful social site for republicans is Freep, and that's something that any serious politician stays far, far away from. Remember the congressional candidate who got outed for racist remarks on her freep account?

3) Your constituency is old. It's old and it doesn't really care about social networking. It doesn't care about making comments, or voicing their opinions online. When you go online it's not opening doors to the people who might give you what your looking for, and it's not attracting new members. It's attracting the trolls and the crazies.

The GOP is never going to have a good online presence. Although it's increasingly funny to watch them try.
posted by codacorolla at 10:01 AM on May 26, 2010 [6 favorites]

From the Washington Post link:

The Web site filters out obscenity and the like, but it hasn't kept out hundreds of ideas: some serious, some offensive and some so wacky they surely must be Democratic sabotage.

Anyone else suddenly get a montage scene in their heads of hundreds of Democrats rushing to their computers to the tune of the Beastie Boys song?

No? Just me? Fine. Be that way.
posted by quin at 10:07 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Anyone else suddenly get a montage scene in their heads of hundreds of Democrats rushing to their computers to the tune of the Beastie Boys song?

Yes. And I can't stand it. It's like they planed it.
posted by GuyZero at 10:14 AM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

Yes. And I can't stand it. It's like they planed it.


I'm Gonna Set It Straight, This Watergate...



(Thanks Quin, GUyZero, that song will so hit the spot I need hit right now.)
posted by Skygazer at 10:27 AM on May 26, 2010 [3 favorites]

"UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PROGRESSIVE and HITLER."

That's the firm that handled my DUI last year.

That's because Hitler was along in the car... of course he was going to help you out.
posted by yeti at 10:28 AM on May 26, 2010

Democratic sabotage

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Can't stand it, Old Party's Grand It
went and made a site, it really bites
I can't stand runtime errors in here
Racist avatars, thinking stars and bars, so
While you hope for honest ideas
I'm gonna throw down all your worst fears
Lock ya 'baggers in the garage
It's Democratic Sabotage!
posted by SpiffyRob at 10:39 AM on May 26, 2010 [4 favorites]

I wanted to seriously suggest eliminating the defense department, in line with our founders' antipathy toward standing armies. That should please our originalist and budget-conscious brethren.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:42 AM on May 26, 2010

Well the Repubs crystal ball wasn't so crystal clear...
posted by symbioid at 10:46 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

A very high volume of Americans are speaking out right now.
Please wait a moment and try again.

I didn't think this was how the Republican Party worked. I thought we all just kind of kept shouting no matter how loud it got.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 11:41 AM on May 26, 2010

Maybe if the GOP charged a $5 donation for people to use it they wouldn't get as many trolls or have to abuse taxpayer funds?
posted by mccarty.tim at 11:44 AM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

Wow, they finally have a 500 error. Nice to see how they spin it as too many people loving the site.
posted by mccarty.tim at 11:46 AM on May 26, 2010

I don't know whether I want this voted up or down. If it gets voted down, sanity wins, but if it gets voted up, it makes the GOP look like Nazis.
posted by mccarty.tim at 11:53 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

"In the interests of science, it is imperative to conduct research into the creation of human gestalts connected via their gastric systems. Please allocate funding for this vitally important project at the first available opportunity. "

I'm assuming this one came from one of you?
posted by Tesseractive at 12:19 PM on May 26, 2010 [6 favorites]

Germany's human centipede program actually isn't that great. There's a huge line to get your face sewn to another person's ass. And even though most people would prefer to be heads, you're over 2/3rds likely to be somewhere in the middle or back in the socialized system.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:24 PM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

The Obama death squads coming.
Coming for your granny's soul.
Better run back to Alaska.
And drill under the North Pole.
posted by Skygazer at 12:51 PM on May 26, 2010

Man, this is some great use of moon mapping technology.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:53 PM on May 26, 2010 [7 favorites]

If I had known the Republicans would roll out dumb stuff like this and the new GOP 2.0 site back in 2008, I would probably still have voted for Obama.
posted by mccarty.tim at 1:18 PM on May 26, 2010

None of the troll posts seem to get deleted. Do the admins not have this power? How the hell does the site not quickly and efficiently get rid of trolling? Did Michael Steele code and/or moderate this thing?
posted by mccarty.tim at 1:23 PM on May 26, 2010

I think they just banned all the current users and started over or something. The site's practically empty and I can't find my profile.
posted by mccarty.tim at 2:15 PM on May 26, 2010

It's not letting me register. I was going to suggest under "American Values" that we legally require "Duke Nukem: Forever" to be finished and released. For Mac only.
posted by brundlefly at 2:47 PM on May 26, 2010

This is such a bad idea and so obviously destined to fail that I can't help but think that it's either a honeypot or some kind of meta-troll.
posted by lekvar at 3:05 PM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Andy Kaufman lives, and he's working for the GOPers.
posted by mccarty.tim at 3:45 PM on May 26, 2010

Since they'll probably be removed in a bit:

Gay people make me feel funny, like when I was on the school wrestling team. Arrest them please

Why the heck does dems really been when even as they go to as if we try to look for that detail when they spend us so we can't just vote on the term that the activist will turn over at the end of the session!?

Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

constitutional amendment to make women not speak out on church topics like it says in leviticus

Why do birds suddenly appear everytime you are near?

Abortions for some, tiny American flags for others!

What does it mean, to "play us out". I don't know what that means!

That last one has a familiar ring to it...
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:02 PM on May 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

America really needed this. It's a fun little gathering of the trolls, and everyone gets to vent their nutso policy idea, just to get mocked more. It'd only be better if the site actually worked!
posted by mccarty.tim at 5:03 PM on May 26, 2010

Why the heck does dems really been when even as they go to as if we try to look for that detail when they spend us so we can't just vote on the term that the activist will turn over at the end of the session!?

I'll hazard a guess that this one was submitted by Palin. Sounds just like her speeches, full of words but wholly lacking a grammatical structure.
posted by five fresh fish at 5:10 PM on May 26, 2010

AFA: Hitler was gay, and he recruited gay soldiers because they had ‘no limits’ on their ‘savagery.’
posted by homunculus at 5:12 PM on May 26, 2010 [3 favorites]

Man, you can use Nazis to justify or condemn anything. Why did we get rid of Godwin's law again?
posted by mccarty.tim at 5:49 PM on May 26, 2010

More excellence :


I've noticed lately that America's birds are getting a little on the small side. The North African Ostrich is the world's largest and therefore best bird. Why is it that the greatest country on earth doesn't have the world's biggest birds? Liberals want our birds to be small because they hate the Constitution. Jews did 9/11.

change the national anthem to "It's Raining Men"

Prosperity? I'll give you prosperity! We need to bring back the gold rush. First off, free wealth, right out of the ground. Second, if I recall we had relatively free labor also. (i can hear the dollar signs already). Fourthly, it will help our railroad expand which in turn creates even more jobs. Once the railroad expands all the way to the west coast, it will provide a perfect way to get all the unwanteds out of town once all the gold is gone. win win win, win.


I got some dogs. My back's not so much anymore, but I got some dogs. I could use some work, dogs'll help.
posted by Skygazer at 6:52 PM on May 26, 2010 [5 favorites]

What's funny is that Japan's government doesn't create a free trollbed for 2chan. The GOP knows how to win Anonymous over.
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:05 PM on May 26, 2010

Well, I can confirm they finally got out the banhammer. But it's way too little, too late. It's still an absurdist experiment:

"Clean up our rotted universities Adopt a platform plank which does something about our subverted professors in our universities who espouse Marxism-Leninism ideas into the soft heads of our future business and political leaders. This is how we get a population who swings so far to the left that the likes of Barack Obama for president becomes palatable. If these ideas are to persist in campus then they must be balanced with pro-American and patriotic philosophies and support of the Constitution."
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:49 PM on May 26, 2010

mccarty.tim:

Wow. It's not that the author has drunk too much of the Kool-Aid. The author is made of Kool-Aid.

Oh, yeah!!
posted by JHarris at 8:27 PM on May 26, 2010

GOP won’t allow ideas to raise taxes on new site, but Hitler references and anti-Hispanic rhetoric are ok.
posted by ericb at 8:00 AM on May 27, 2010 [3 favorites]

"I think it is a shame that the liberals are so against this idea. The progressive TROLLS are relentless and they will take over, just like the LIBERALS have in DC! IF YOU ARE A CONSERVATIVE, GO TO THE TEA PARTY PATRIOTS OR YOUR STATE TEA PARTY COALITION OR YOUR STATE 9.12 GROUP IF YOU WANT TO SHARE IDEAS AND GET ACTIVE AGAINST THE SOCIALIST LEFT!*

posted by ericb at 8:02 AM on May 27, 2010

Newsweek: 'We Need to Train an Army of Ninja Cats': A GOP Site Gets Hijacked.
posted by ericb at 8:10 AM on May 27, 2010 [1 favorite]

Well, the conservative ideas are starting to lose votes. Looks like liberals have more of an online prescence.

When will the GOP get that it's not about the branding or the marketing? The problem is that our generation disagrees with their principles. We have out gay friends. We feel like people can work together to make a better society. Shift to the left, or follow your constituents to the grave.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:10 PM on May 27, 2010 [2 favorites]

Some of the trolling is quite artful though. For example:

"let's take away all of the guns from everyone and build a giant robot that has thousands and thousands of guns that will be fired and reloaded automatically by mechanical parts"
posted by ob at 1:59 PM on May 27, 2010 [6 favorites]

The USA would collapse into a blubbering mess of fear and panic if a real socialist were ever to set foot in the country.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:44 PM on May 27, 2010 [2 favorites]

tl;dr: either Republicans are much more tolerant of abortion, other religions, gay servicemen, legal marijuana, and Monty Python than expected, or the GOP just put us all in touch with our inner 4chan.
posted by d. z. wang at 10:28 PM on May 27, 2010 [3 favorites]

They changed the site so that new ideas are not displayed prominently, so that it's mostly about voting on popular ideas.

Shame. Before, I was getting everyone to at least vote on my half-baked schemes. At least I can still earn badges. They should add more badges so that I can have it be like Xbox Live.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:46 AM on May 28, 2010

BigGovernment doesn't seem to realize it's been trolled to the Stone Age. Same on Red State. Commentors know it's been trolled, and there seems to be enough Tea Party rage at the GOP that they don't think congresspeople would care for people's thoughts posted via any method.

Huffpost shares 19 of their favorite quotes from ASO.

The DNC is trying to shut it down. I consider it a mercy killing, but I bet this will get spun as Dems hating the voice of the common troll man. Interestingly enough, they're trying to kill it through another GOP online project, YouCut, where people vote on programs they want the House GOP to cut. It's also run on taxpayer funds, and the DNC is also trying to shut down YouCut.

I'm not sure if Warblogging is what the Tea Party wants congress to spend its time on, but I have to say I find it pretty amusing.
posted by mccarty.tim at 11:33 AM on May 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

Now that I hear about YouCut, I'm almost tempted to make a FPP about it, but it's so similar to this, I guess it belongs here.

Just be thankful it's not more Lady Gaga or Updatefilter on the Grey.
posted by mccarty.tim at 11:52 AM on May 28, 2010

Forgot to mention: The site doesn't have prepaid bandwidth, and the software is licensed on usage. This means that the cost is proportional to usage, unless the Republicans have a special contract.

Now I feel bad for people in tax brackets that I used the site so much. (College student who doesn't owe taxes yet)
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:00 PM on May 28, 2010

A distillation of what 60% of the country has been saying this whole time.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:00 PM on May 28, 2010