Answering the Big Question: Ron or Don? By Alicia Colon

[roamer_1]

I like DeSantis and he's been a good governor for the most part and certainly is moving in the direction of a conservative.

However, I will never give him a free pass.  Never.  He has to earn my vote and if it turns out he's not who he says he is -- he will lose my vote.

It is very early in this campaign season -- we've got a long way to go till '24.

That's right... And BTW, I was super critical of certain aspects of Reagan's administration in real time too... He ain't a god, he's a man, warts and all.

[Hoodat]

@sneakypete

Yeah... TikTok uses the same argument. As did Twitter.
Good, bad, or indifferent, actual players should be declared.

We make that same complaint about the main stream media.  Shouldn't they have to declare themselves as an adjunct of the Democrat Party?  No different here.

[roamer_1]

We make that same complaint about the main stream media.  Shouldn't they have to declare themselves as an adjunct of the Democrat Party?  No different here.

That's right. And it ain't a matter of privacy either... No one is outing anyone, beyond that declaration.

[mystery-ak]

That's right. And it ain't a matter of privacy either... No one is outing anyone, beyond that declaration.

That's exactly right.

I asked a simple question, one that I have been thinking about since 2016...a simple yes or no would have sufficed... I have been curious how someone can support and defend the indefensible...and come prepared with data and talking points every day....and sometimes attacking other posters who don't agree with them....that MUST STOP!

I have NEVER asked a member for any personal info and I never will. If you want to share that info with fellow members we have The Lounge where no politics is allowed..where we share our daily life experiences...and I hope have a little fun.

This whole topic has been blown out of proportion..there is nothing sinister going on.

@jmyrlefuller what an excellent post you made..you should all read it if you haven't already.

https://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,501110.msg2841004.html#msg2841004

This is all I have to say on the matter.

[corbe]

@mystery-ak

Well,if THAT is true,don't we also know who is being pimped out by the DeSantis campaign? Seems to ME there are more of them here  throwing around  accussations than there are Trump supporters,so I want to know "Are they DeSantis Tools?"

OR......,maybe we could just let people be themselves and make up our own minds if THEY are right or wrong about  any particular issue?

MUST we go full-on "Huffington Post"?

   PAID was the operative word that you omitted @sneakypete

[sneakypete]

   PAID was the operative word that you omitted @sneakypete

@corbe

What difference does it make if they were paid,or doing it on their own,when the end result is the same?

[libertybele]

Well stated, @jmyrlefuller .

Ditto -- I am just now catching up and reading all the 'ruckus' that has been created.

[corbe]

    Next we'll have Phizer azzholes paid to be in here pedaling their drugs, where do you draw the line? @sneakypete

[Idiot]

If this forum granted total anonymity to everybody who posted here, it'd be overloaded with trolls and spam.

The fact is, you have a username. You have an identity. You also have an IP address that, if the administrators wanted to, they could trace.

I get the desire for privacy in certain aspects of one's life. I don't use my first name on this forum—at least the public side of it—for that reason.

But any message board out there operates on the premise of good faith: that generally, people who post on there are who they say they are, and any ulterior motives for posting are publicly known. If someone is getting paid to post propaganda, and denying/obfuscating that fact, that's bad faith. I can assure you that I'm in no way important enough to have any political candidates or organizations paying me to carry their water, not that I could do that with a clear conscience.

If you're a paid operative or a Russian-backed agent of chaos, please say so. Your statement of "opinions that are an alternative to the majority of posters" is remarkably similar to the approach taken by RT, Russia's former propaganda arm here in America, so that would be consistent. Yet I can only speculate.

If you don't want to reveal your funding/sources, that's your decision—but don't complain when we assume the worst.

[dfwgator]

At this point what difference does it make?

[Lando Lincoln]

@corbe

What difference does it make if they were paid,or doing it on their own,when the end result is the same?

It should make a difference @sneakypete - and I believe to most, it does. If someone is a paid shill for a campaign, they are just using you as a foil to influence the many guests and visitors to the site. They really do not care about your position or opinion on a matter - just that it gives them a platform to espouse the company line to influence or sway others.

That is not the premise of this forum.

[DCPatriot]

It should make a difference @sneakypete - and I believe to most, it does. If someone is a paid shill for a campaign, they are just using you as a foil to influence the many guests and visitors to the site. They really do not care about your position or opinion on a matter - just that it gives them a platform to espouse the company line to influence or sway others.

That is not the premise of this forum.

What total PREDICTIBLE wishy-washy bullshit, @Lando Lincoln

Shame on you!

[DB]

Well...

If she's a paid operative then we all know if she made any criticism of Trump she'd be out on her ass - because no criticism is tolerated. And I don't believe I've ever seen an actual criticism of him from her in the 7 ish years I've been here. Not one.

[Lando Lincoln]

What total PREDICTIBLE wishy-washy bullshit, @Lando Lincoln

Shame on you!

Indeed.

[DB]

What total PREDICTIBLE wishy-washy bullshit, @Lando Lincoln

Shame on you!

That's rich coming from you...

[DCPatriot]

That's rich coming from you...

There's nothing wishy-washy about me and you know it.

Sick and damned tired of all this virtue-signaling nonsense.

I understand that "The Internet is Forever", but if you can't post your honest opinion, you can stick it up your ass!

[Smokin Joe]

What total PREDICTIBLE wishy-washy bullshit, @Lando Lincoln

Shame on you!

Seriously? It might have been predictable, in the sense that if someone is acting like a paid operative, knowing it would be nice, but I fail to see where it is wishy-washy bullshit.

It's a simple enough question; yes or no?

[sneakypete]

It should make a difference @sneakypete - and I believe to most, it does. If someone is a paid shill for a campaign, they are just using you as a foil to influence the many guests and visitors to the site. They really do not care about your position or opinion on a matter - just that it gives them a platform to espouse the company line to influence or sway others.

That is not the premise of this forum.

@Lando Lincoln

I wasn't aware we were discussing the premise of this forum. I thought we were discussing the "Pro-DeSantis" versus the "Pro-Trump campaigns.

The purpose of this,and most other forums is to discuss the issues,even though lately the issues seem to take a back seat to the Popularity Contest that is going on.

The truth of the matter is that if you really  look at the threads,the most popular ones are about pets,children,and similar subjects.

[DCPatriot]

Seriously? It might have been predictable, in the sense that if someone is acting like a paid operative, knowing it would be nice, but I fail to see where it is wishy-washy bullshit.

It's a simple enough question; yes or no?

Goddamnit!   This is Amanda, we're talking about.

When she speaks, she is RIV...the same one has had her own opinion here for a decade, plus!

If she were a minister in her personal life, would that make her opinions on faith or politics any less legitimate?

When we talk about rocks and geology, we don't question you or @Lando Lincoln do we?

So suggest you all STFU and use your scroll bar.

[Cyber Liberty]

@Lando Lincoln

I wasn't aware we were discussing the premise of this forum. I thought we were discussing the "Pro-DeSantis" versus the "Pro-Trump campaigns.

The purpose of this,and most other forums is to discuss the issues,even though lately the issues seem to take a back seat to the Popularity Contest that is going on.

The truth of the matter is that if you really  look at the threads,the most popular ones are about pets,children,and similar subjects.

I appreciate that, @sneakypete!  I love the Pet Thread and the Memes.

But I have a special view, a unique one.  I am one of the two Admins here, and my primary responsibility is to TBR, as a whole Forum.  I have to pay attention to these squabbles and how they affect the Forum Members.

I must be careful to not take sides, and my adherence to this principle can be bloody difficult at times.  I slip my lane sometimes.

[DCPatriot]

I appreciate that, @sneakypete!  I love the Pet Thread and the Memes.

But I have a special view, a unique one.  I am one of the two Admins here, and my primary responsibility is to TBR, as a whole Forum.  I have to pay attention to these squabbles and how they affect the Forum Members.

I must be careful to not take sides, and my adherence to this principle can be bloody difficult at times.  I slip my lane sometimes.

I don't give a single shit, @Cyber Liberty  Shame on you and shame on your entire phony "mod" force.

You can't demand anybody to dox themselves just because they have a consistent POV/stance on a subject/candidate.

Can't believe you're even at this point.

[Cyber Liberty]

I don't give a single shit, @Cyber Liberty  Shame on you and shame on your entire phony "mod" force.

You can't demand anybody to dox themselves just because they have a consistent POV/stance on a subject/candidate.

Can't believe you're even at this point.

I yam what I yam.  Sorry to disappoint. 

[Lando Lincoln]

Goddamnit!   This is Amanda, we're talking about.

When she speaks, she is RIV...the same one has had her own opinion here for a decade, plus!

If she were a minister in her personal life, would that make her opinions on faith or politics any less legitimate?

When we talk about rocks and geology, we don't question you or @Lando Lincoln do we?

So suggest you all STFU and use your scroll bar.

Honestly @DCPatriot… there was nothing personal to my post. In any way. Period. But, feel free to accuse me personally.

[DCPatriot]

Honestly @DCPatriot… there was nothing personal to my post. In any way. Period. But, feel free to accuse me personally.

Don't play that game...am sick and tired of it.

Your total schtick on forums is one of the gentle wise sage, taking great pains not to throw jabs.

Doxxing is wrong.  And demanding they dox themselves supports any accusation and/or charge.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

@corbe

What difference does it make if they were paid,or doing it on their own,when the end result is the same?

Because on a discussion board, it's not really the "end result" that matters -- it's the process of getting there.  Having decent discussions with others is the actual goal.  If someone is being paid to push particular opinions, that means they are not open to good arguments, or to admitting when they are wrong, etc..  It's basically a guarantee that they are arguing in bad fait that will say things they know to be false simply because they are getting paid.

All that being said, I would be surprised if @Right_in_Virginia  is actually getting paid.  Because if she was the type of person to be pushing a candidate while being paid and not disclosing that fact, why wouldn't she just lie and say "I am not being paid"? None of us could disprove that, and it would end that topic.  I take her refusal to say as one based on principal rather than a desire to conceal that fact.

I could be wrong, but that's how it seems to me.