POTUS Place - Your Opinion?

The POTUS-Place subforum has been in place for a few weeks now.

I created it, both selfishly and based upon a fairly high frequency of requests for such a location for those of you who enjoy discussing politics.

Recently, I'm getting complaints from some folks who claim to not like reading political posts, and who don't want to discuss politics. Yet, there they are, reading the POTUS Place subforum, rather than just avoiding that subforum altogether and just reading the other portions of the RTF forums. I'm a little confused on this one, as this is the whole reason that the POTUS Place subforum was created - to get the main RTF forum back to subject matter devoid of the extreme political dialogue constantly churned up by a few who dig that sort of thing. POTUS Place was put in place to take the old "if you don't like the author or the subject line, then don't click on the thread" mindset to a whole new level.

I've still had to spend more time than I'd like to over there, just to try and keep some stuff on track, and keep folks abiding to the groundrules for all RTF forums.

Please take a moment and click a button on your opinion. Also, if you have some further comments, feel free to post them here.

Thanks,

Chris

They are fine over there-otherwise it will trickle back over here. It's kind of like an ignore button. If you go over there and don't like it, don't go over there.

I didnt think it was a good idea at first, thought it was a softie move-but actually, like it now. I dont go there much, and when I come onto the regular forum, I know its mostly going to be doggie related.:) Good job!

Chris,

My perspective is politics and religion are non topics among business associate and acquaintances.

Those types of knock down drag out discussions should be reserved for family and friends.

I have yet to look at that page, and I will not.

The only political association that I publicly support is The Brown Dog Mafia.

So if the viewers do not like the extreme left, right, or middle view points found there.....
DON'T LOOK !!!!! The 2nd kick from a mule teaches you nothing.

John

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Recently, I'm getting complaints from some folks who claim to not like reading political posts, and who don't want to discuss politics.

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I'm laughing my a** off on this one. People are complaining that they have to read about politics on a political subforum? :p :p :p

Can't make them all happy all the time regards,

I havent been there, dont believe I will. Doesnt bother me that there is the forum in place as long as you (Chris/mods) dont think the time you spend there takes away from the quality of the rest of the site......

Chris, there are 'political' dimensions to what we do, as I'm sure you know. Where 'politics' become a part of 'dog' discussions there is indeed a place for political discussion on this forum, IMHO.

However, when the subject is not closely related to dog ownership and dog sports, then I don't see any reason you should have to monitor discussions. If I can query just a bit sarcastically for the sake of emphasis, 'Why not an AIDS forum? Surely, there must be a canine AIDS virus out there somewhere, even if we don't know it yet. And surely, it will have an enormous political impact on our interests here on this forum.

Why not an Avian Influenza Forum? Bird Flu has been proven to infect dogs, and be transmissible from dog to dog. I'm not really serious, but avian influenza has a much larger potential impact on our 'dog' interests' than some of the stuff being discussed on POTUS.

Of course, somebody will beg to differ with that statement...

Dump the political diatribe and get some rest.

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Originally Posted by Chris Atkinson

Recently, I'm getting complaints from some folks who claim to not like reading political posts, and who don't want to discuss politics.


Chris

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I like it over there in a separate area. I think I've only visited once. If folks don't like reading political posts (like me), don't open that link. Unreal what people will complain about.

I like it. I wasn't sure at first. I didn't like the tone or the extent of political discussion leading up to the election but felt it would die away naturally when the election was over. I think the creation of POTUS actually did two things.

First, I think it probably increased the amount of some of the political discussions by removing the feeling that those of us who like such conversations were trampling the rights of saner folk to be left alone.

Second, I think the tone of the discussions actually improved with more reasoned dialogue even if there was not more agreement.

For those who don't like potentially incendiary and often useless discussion of such topics, POTUS makes us easy to avoid. For those of us who resent losing our ability to "raise the consciousness" of everyone else, it helps to remember that we are much better off than all of those smokers huddled outside in the wintry cold.

I'm with the majority. I have little or no interest in the topics over there, and I appreciate that the main forum isn't being flooded with political "stuff". If you don't like it, don't read it. It's much easier to avoid when it's in it's own forum.