Over the last few months—since the election, really—I've seen hundreds of comments, and received scores of emails from fellow kossacks irritated or worse, sometimes to the point of demoralization, with the state of the comments and diaries at Daily Kos. People have many different reasons for being upset, and some segment getting tired of DKos or finding it no longer to their liking is a normal part of the flow of this community. Like just about anywhere else, some people move in, and some people move out. That's not always a problem.
But I think this moment at DKos may be a little worse than normal. Not dire. I actually think that the site is in pretty good shape. And it's been, far far worse in the comments and diaries. Each of the last two presidential primaries generated a ton of nastiness in the diaries. And the worst time in the history of this site, despite the good content on the main page, was from about December 2004 through about June of 2005, when the site was flooded with conspiracy theorists, eventually causing Markos to take a ban-at-sight approach to anyone trafficking in crap like 9-11 being an "inside job" by the US government. Things are much, much better today than they were then.
But at the risk of invoking a word Jimmy Carter didn't actually use, some folks do feel like there's a malaise around here. I don't personally feel it, but many people who I like and respect do, so whether the problems they claim exist really do exist, there's nonetheless something that could be better.
In reading these comments and emails, I think I've figured that one of the problems is that a lot of people were so desperate for an end to the Bush era, and so heartened by Obama's election and inauguration, that they have very little tolerance for the doomsayers. While in any community, you're going to have some Pollyannaish types, I'm not speaking here of people incapable of accepting or offering criticism of the Obama administration. Despite the slurs, most of these people do not deserve the epithet "obamabots" or whatever variation is used.
Some fair-minded, reasonable Democrats and supporters of Barack Obama, in short, are getting tired, even disgusted with what they perceive as ceaseless negativism about the Obama administration. They're tired of the histrionics about how Obama is a sell out, or we should have expected him to be this bad a president, not only because they don't think he's a sell out, but because they reject the underlying premise that he's not doing a pretty decent job. And they get exasperated when they see crap about how Obama is no better than Bush.
I share their assessments and judgments, but not their exasperation. Not because they aren't 100% correct, but only because I guess I've come to a greater acceptance that some people at Daily Kos aren't Democrats. They take no joy in seeing the country set on a more positive course under Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress. They're malcontents or worse.
They're also a small—albeit loudmouthed and active—contingent on this site.
So, what should be done by or for all you fair-minded, reasonable, critical-thinking Democrats irritated with the .
First, the tough love. Trying a bit harder at brushing off the idiocy. Don't let it get to you. And of course remember that some tough criticism of the Obama administration will be warranted, and should not be dismissed out of hand. The administration won't be perfect, and there will be reasons for principled opposition which even if you don't share you should respect.
Second, recognize that most of the doomsayers and nattering nabobs of negativity aren't all people who've "changed" or are Democrats who can't be pleased. Most of them probably aren't Democrats. Sure, most probably voted for Obama. But there are definitely some posters around here—again, a very small, albeit vocal and active group—who really hate the Democratic party. They don't want to see our party and candidates and elected officials succeed. They're more concerned with trafficking in their own poses and purity.
Furthermore, there are people who are conflicted. They're not necessarily bad Democrats, but they're still fighting the primary wars. They want Obama to succeed, but they also won't accept that their candidate didn't win, or think that Obama wasn't the best candidate, or whatever. Those are their issues to get over, not yours, and they're not reflective of Democrats in general, 90% of whom in just about every poll are giving Obama high marks for his job performance, and who believe the country is turning in the right direction.
And there's one additional group causing consternation: the people who are here only to cause consternation. Some of them will show up in this diary, because they live for conflict and meta. Giving them a big reaction is exactly what they want; dismiss them, they're not worth your energy.
Third, take action. Many people complain about what makes the recommended diary list. That's been a complaint since we switched to Scoop in 2003. Lots of tech remedies have been suggested, but the most basic thing that can be done by people who don't like the composition of the rec list is simple: recommend diaries. Ask yourself, how many diaries did I read today? Were any decent, even if not brilliant? If so, did you recommend it? Remember, depending on time of day, a diary can sometimes make the list with as few as 20 recommendations.
Also, it's more effort, but don't be shy about writing your own diaries. If you have something to say, please share it.
Finally, consider taking a break. I would rather not have people who over the years have become friends, on Daily Kos and with some even transitioning in to meat world, leave the site. But ultimately, if something that's not necessary to your life is creating a lot of stress, anger and dissatisfaction, you may need to consider whether it's best it stay a part of your life, or if you should at least take a break and return refreshed. Many people get irritated, take a break, and are able to return in a better mood. If participating at Daily Kos makes you unhappy, consider your options. I hope that it means you stay, but if it doesn't, I and everyone else should respect your decision.
Barack Obama isn't perfect. Very few people think he is. But he and the Democrats in Congress have gotten off to a pretty good start. Recognize that most Kossacks recognize that reality. And don't let the minority of malcontents sour you on Daily Kos.