(Meteor Blades forgive me for this meta...
I would like to preface this diary with the declaration that I do not in any way speak in any kind of official capacity for Daily Kos. Though my viewpoint may be shared by others, my remarks represent my non-official opinion and my non-official opinion alone.)
There seems to be some confusion among Kossacks about what Daily Kos is. From the FAQ, emphasis added:
This is a Democratic blog, a partisan blog. One that recognizes that Democrats run from left to right on the ideological spectrum, and yet we're all still in this fight together. We happily embrace centrists like NDN's Simon Rosenberg and Howard Dean, conservatives like Martin Frost and Brad Carson, and liberals like John Kerry and Barack Obama...
(continued over the jump)
Liberal? Yeah, we're around here and we're proud. But it's not a liberal blog. It's a Democratic blog with one goal in mind: electoral victory. And since we haven't gotten any of that from the current crew, we're one more thing: a reform blog. The battle for the party is not an ideological battle. It's one between establishment and anti-establishment factions. And as I've said a million times, the status quo is untenable.
Also from the FAQ, emphasis added:
Daily Kos will be what Daily Kos is, and that oftentimes evolves. I know everyone wants their clearly defined rules, but nothing is that simple.
This site is CERTAINLY NOT for all Democrats. Joe Lieberman learned that. Blanche Lincoln is about to learn it.
This site is about more and better Democrats, not necessarily in that order.
Not a lot of room for interpretation but there is enough that I believe some are misinterpreting this site's mission.
"Reform" and electing "better Democrats" are not things that can be done in an environment where criticism of politicians - including and especially Democratic politicians - is discouraged or frowned upon. We had virtually no representation in our government when this blog started and we've come a long way since. But we are not "finished" because Barack Obama was elected and for that matter, we never will be "finished."
With very few exceptions, we all supported Barack Obama in 2008. He was the Democratic candidate for president. But before that, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination to run for president and until he secured the nomination, there wasn't anything close to consensus around here that he should be the nominee. The consensus shifted as it became more and more clear that he would win the nomination but in the early days, support was split between all of the candidates.
The point is to remind Kossacks that electing Barack Obama did not fulfill this site's mission though many Kossacks seem to think that it did. Now that he's been elected, those Kossacks seem to think this site's mission is to support Obama unconditionally, taking issue with any criticism of Barack Obama irrespective of its merit and posting meta diary after meta diary that are little more than exercises in hagiography and/or that chastise fellow Kossacks for violating Reagan's 11th commandment to not speak ill of members of one's own party.
Sorry, but criticism of any and all Democrats comes with the territory. If it offends you, then you either do not understand what this blog is about or you are not on the right blog for you.
Reading between the lines, here is what I believe that Daily Kos is not:
- Daily Kos is not a fan site for any one politician.
- Daily Kos is not a site dedicated to electing any one politician.
- Daily Kos is not a site dedicated to apologizing for any one politician.
- Daily Kos is not a site dedicated to hagiography of any one politician.
- Daily Kos is not a site dedicated to spinning for any one politician.
Additionally,
criticism of Barack Obama on Daily Kos - even
harsh criticism with which many may disagree vehemently -
does not equal:
or any of the other tired canards that keep rearing their ugly heads.
I don't begrudge anyone from singing the praises of any politician, that comes with the territory too. But opinions will differ here and in many if not most cases, there will not be consensus. That's OK. There doesn't need to be consensus for this site to fulfill its mission. But there does need to be vigorous and honest debate and that means that not everyone will agree that Barack Obama is the best thing since the invention of the politician.
That many here are very critical of Obama does not mean that "the site has changed," quite the contrary. But there has been some change that I have noticed in the increasing level of intolerance for any mention of Barack Obama that doesn't put him in the most positive light. The pearl-clutching over this needs to stop.
There is plenty enough room here both for those that adore Barack Obama and those that have been underwhelmed by his performance thus far, both are valid viewpoints, which BTW are not mutually exclusive, and we are all ultimately best served by giving them both voice. But both of these viewpoints - and all other viewpoints - must take into account that they are not the only, nor the "correct" viewpoint and we must all treat those with a different viewpoint with a modicum of respect.