Question about propaganda activities on DU and "campaign mode."

[TheWraith]

The following is somewhat of a two part question.

Part one: It's not exactly a secret that there are some users here on DU who literally post anti-Democrat propaganda, and nothing but. They deliberately search out the most negative, and usually most factually inaccurate, anti-Democrat spin and post it as news. I alert on them regularly, but since the propaganda is "from the left," usually from websites and organizations which espouse third party politics (such as WSWS or CommonDreams) or sites which are friendly to Republicans (FireDogLake), these items are given a pass under the rules. I for one would like to request that the rules reflect a dimmer view of people using DU as a platform to try and damage or tar Democrats, even ostensibly "from the left." I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that these actions, aimed at convincing people that electing Democrats is a failure, are every bit as harmful to the cause as the right-wing smears that go on at other sites. It's just another mode of attack, whether coordinated or not.

Which brings me to part two, specifically--and you'll have to excuse my use of my own terms to describe DU policies--why, exactly, does DU have "campaign mode" and "non-campaign mode" in the context of the 2012 election? Yes, I can understand providing a large amount of leeway when there's a Democratic primary going on, which naturally includes infighting among Democrats. That makes sense. But why, when it's plainly obvious that we are all pulling for (or supposed to be pulling for) the reelection of a Democratic President, are we waiting for an arbitrary date in order to start filtering out the BS and focusing everyone onto the real task at hand, which is electing as many Democrats to as many federal (and state) offices as we humanly can? It's not like there's any question that Barack Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee. Nor is there any question about who the Republican nominee will be: under one name or another, it'll be a right-wing maniac intent on taking us back to the Bush era or worse. Probably much worse. So it seems to me that whomever's name appears on the ballot in the "R" position, there is no real question about how every passionate Democrat should be spending the next 12 months. Already Congressional campaigns are revving up, candidates are being selected, fundraising is going on, and in many quarters the work of furthering Democratic goals has begun? Why are we waiting until the maniac's name is proven for sure before we start to unify and do what needs to be done?

[Skinner]

1. Short answer:

DU is a discussion forum. Disagreement makes it more interesting.