What's Happening to Conservative Websites?

vanity | 3-7-07 | Bob J

[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.

[Dominic Harr]

How could anyone have five beautiful children and not be?

5 kids!?

I'm overwhelmed with 2! You must be exhausted all the time!

That settles it. L or C, I don't know, but you're insane!

:-D

[thinking]

This posting is an example of the decline of FR....empty postings of irrelevant nonsense....liberals,who are unable to engage in a logical, meaningful dialog, mainly because of an attention span of 10 seconds....

[DCPatriot]

Two grown, 36 and 34 (boys)

Three younger...daughter 25 in 2nd year Yale Law School via Princeton

...and twin boys age 19, one at Emory University and the other at Indiana University.

[x]

There's a falling off of just about everything in the last year or two of a presidential administration. People lose interest in the incumbent, but don't have a clear sense of what's coming next. The "outs" want passionately to become "ins," and the "ins" aren't sure what they want, aside from not become "outs."

[Dominic Harr]

Two grown, 36 and 34 (boys) Three younger...daughter 25 in 2nd year Yale Law School via Princeton ...and twin boys age 19, one at Emory University and the other at Indiana University.

Outstanding!

I've got a 10 year old boy and a 15 year old girl.

Best thing in my life.

[anymouse]

I have noticed a distinct shallowing of the discussions on FR. More general interest posts and very few activism posts (some notable exceptions though.) When FR starts being passive and bland like TV news, the distiction becomes less.

[dan1123]

What other messaging system allows you to read a comment, click once to read the comment the original was replying to, click once to see replies to the original comment, and click twice to view the other comments of the poster

I believe slashdot allowed that 10 years ago.

I don't want to change the default layout. I just would like options to make the comments threaded or nested in the user preferences.

Also, it would be nice to have thumbs up/thumbs down/laugh/rolleyes buttons on comments to cut down on contentless "I agree"/"You're stupid"/"LOL" posts.

Oh, and a new live-thread system would be great for real-time events. It could use advanced techniques like pushlets.

[sig226]

What did Malkin do to stab conservatives in the back?

[joesbucks]

You know, I want the socons to have a voice, not a megaphone. I want them in the debate, but not always able to arm twist an outcome.

You're right they are aging. They have often been able to paint a moderate face in public settings. What went on behind the scenes however was much more severe.

But their organizations have a problem. Their replacements, either internally or in other organizations are much more strident and shrill.

[capitalist229]

The answer is obvious.

Rising disenchantment with the lack of progress in Iraq.

Conservatives are expected to GET WAR RIGHT.

BUMP

[Tribune7]

Exactly, we're not at some big impass here. And yet several times social Cs have told me I must be a liberal, democrat, main-stream-media hack who they don't want in the Conservative camp.

Well, don't argue with them. Just put them on ignore.

[Dominic Harr]

Well, don't argue with them. Just put them on ignore.

Oh, heck no -- I *love* disagreeing with people.

It's the main reason I like to post on message boards. :-)

[RedRover]

Ping.

[RightWhale]

Traffic is down because much of the discourse is inane since the election went bad. Everybody likes a winner.

[SQUID]

Reflects the current political landscape doesn't it?

[M. Thatcher]

He doesn't have the balls to do it.

You've been proved right.

[ozarkgirl]

Your home page says "Optimism is an intellectual choice" Geez, you sound so...well...optimistic. 2nd time you've been on this thread, not to voice an opinion but to attempt to cause havoc and create trouble. Why is that? Can't find any friends in the real world?

[Chani]

for later consumption

[Luke21]

I used to come to FR to commiserate with like minded people. Now I come here to fight with liberals.

If I don't feel like arguing, I go elsewhere.

[M. Thatcher]

Your home page says "Optimism is an intellectual choice" Geez, you sound so...well...optimistic. 2nd time you've been on this thread, not to voice an opinion but to attempt to cause havoc and create trouble. Why is that? Can't find any friends in the real world?

Actually, my dear, I have indeed voiced my opinion. In ::gasp:: three short messages in a thread with well over 500 posts.

Demonstrably, the "havoc" and "trouble" are located squarely in your mind.