Posted on 03/07/2007 6:57:43 PM PST by Bob J
I have diligently watched the rise in size and influence of conservative websites, including Free Republic, over the last 7-8 years. I have been shocked and concerned over the drop in traffic at the most popular ones over the last year or so. There was good growth up until 2006 but since then there has been a steady downtrend that would crash any other market.
Anyone have any ideas as to what is happening? I'm out of explanations. The deficiencies in alexa.com are noted, but even if the numbers aren't accurate you're still comparing off numbers to off numbers so the decline is consistent.
?
I'm about bringing the coalition together. That means identifying the folks *starting* the fight, and asking them nicely to calm down a bit.
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Even if I have to hold my nose.
Qualify it anyway you like. But pronouncements on civility ring hollow unless both sides are held to the same standard, which you obviously are unwilling to do. Carry on...
Well, let's define the issues first, maybe that is a better place to start. We can sort out which are what sort of issue later.
It seems to me that the libertarians and socons are pretty much aligned behind Hunter.
Not an election year.
Agree. In recent years, the site seems to have been increasingly hijacked by special interests. The Rudy-span and nuke Iran are obvious ones. In the past many who did not toe the line were liquidated. Sterility has set in.
I hope JR gives a 'pardon' to those removed from the conservative battlefield for opposing ideas.
I think mergeing to center has taken place on both sides of the fence.
Many could no longer identify with their offical party line.
Someone around here quoted Voltaire " The perfect is the enemy of the good".
Or, If you will not accept anything but the whole pie you are doomed to death by starvation.
However, Giuliani will have to make a few breakthroughs to win the general election. He has to reach new audiences in his native Northeast and California who have voted for the Democratic nominee in the last four election cycles. His supporters overestimate the support that conservatives will give him out of fear of Hillary becoming President. In 1996, Bob Dole received almost the same number of votes (39 million) that the elder Bush had in 1992 despite four years of Clinton sleaze and socialistic initiatives.
There's only one Rush Limbaugh. The rest of us are not paid to post our occasional brilliant observations.
Then sometimes, when one has made a superbly astute comment, along comes a rube with a snarky gun to shoot one's arse out the watah.
That get's tiresome.
Then come election time - we gird our loins and lunge once more into the abyss.
They all look like they dropped by the same percentages.
In fact, every chart I've seen looks like drops for long-term sites.
I think the poster who noted the rise in anti-spyware knocking out alexa cookies is probably the reason all the sites are getting fewer counts.
I have been poking around various threads and have come to the conclusion that:
1. Free Republic is being deliberately herded further towards the right by the FR brain trust.
2. FR is consciously becoming less congenial to the GOP and its supporters (whether this is due to pure ideology or from the desire not to run afoul of campaign finance laws is not clear to me).
3. The ideologues' jihad against those who realize that the only way to counter the loony left is by winning elections — and that stridency and bombast are antithetical to that goal — has meant that many of the reasonable, erudite and thoughtful posters have departed for more congenial fora.
4. This attrition of articulate, knowledgeable posters has made FR less interesting to all but conservative ideologues.
5. The apparent transmogrification into a sounding board for those ultraconservatives who feel themselves politically disenfranchised will result in reduced readership and further isolation from the political mainstream.
6. My curiosity about the financial ramifications of all this has been aroused.
I'll nominate apackof2 for amnesty
I've had to before, myself.
In 04, in fact. I was concerned with GW's big-govt side. Because of the war, I voted for him. But I was not happy about it at all.
:-D
Well, you certainly will go a long way blaming the victim as much as you blame the aggressor!
One side here is trying to push the other side out of the the coalition. Claims of "you're a liberal if you don't agree with me".
That's what I'm against.
Well I'd argue that the only 'federal' issues are defense, interstate relations, and foreign relations.
The rest should be left up to the states.
I believe we need to keep up with what is taking place on the net. Maybe add a section in the hot issues blue area on the right of just videos.
Right now if you want to find video’s that someone put together you have to do a search for them and even then you might not find some.
Sometimes I just don’t feel like reading… video's are great for that, just set back and watch.
I acknowledge I am 'hopelessly liberal' on THAT ONE ISSUE of illegal immigration.
You are a liar when you call me a liberal...uber liberal, etc..
Regarding your list...gun control...I am definitely pro 2nd Amendment...and don't own a firearm.
On abortion...I am strictly Pro-Life. How could anyone have five beautiful children and not be? But I believe it should be a State issue.
Family integrity...meaning gay marriage? I have a minimalistic view of marriage per se. It's a revokable contract.
I put principle above politics and took a lot of flak for agreeing that Clinton should send Elian back to his blood father. A very ugly period in here.
Open borders ...I am totally against. But once a man runs the gauntlet and sets up a home...works...spends money...and raises a family...well, he's a helleva lot better than the cradle to grave welfare sect. Give them citizenship and get them on the tax rolls. Embrace them and STFU!
Personal responsibility to me means offering a helping hand, not a permanent shoulder.
It means rewarding excellence and risk and it means tough love for the opposite.
So...am I a Liberal or a Conservative?
Awaiting an apology. Hurry.
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