New Political Forum Coming Soon: The ATS Bully Pulpit

I would like to contribute to this forum, in the event that I have something to say, I also would like the opportunity to do so. Therefore I also will take this pledge:

"I CA_Orot an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignornace.'"



Also, I acknowledge and accept full responsibility for anything I might post in this forum, and I understand the potential consequences for breaking the rules.

- Carrot

i'd like to know where one would post such a declaration. i for one do not typically post in the current political forums for the very reasons the ats banner has been changed. i figured what was the point of giving my perspective if all i'd get back was some bullcrap baiting and introduction of non-issues?
i'll post it here too just in case. also, is this new forum going to be about the current candidates' takes on the issue or just on the issues themselves? personally i'd take the issues themselves over the candidates takes on them.


I, optimus primal , an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignornace.'

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

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In that case I'll have to pass. One thing I've learned as a member here is that there's always a contradictory source for political information and even with the best intentions you can never guarantee the accuracy of information. All political parties have experts to spin the facts, we're just the dumb suckers that parrot them.

reply to post by seagull

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reminds me when i worked for lawyers..............your Affidavit, well,..... as Bush would say, "it's just a g _ _ d _ _ n piece of paper." just a note of humor here when i read your pledge.

lots of forums...................reminds me of our country's laws; we started out w/the 10 Commandments, the basis of our judicial system, and keep on adding until one loses sight into the heart of the matter and as indicated with the blindfold........justice is certainly blind.

i think we also have too many choices; makes for decisions procrastinated until it's too late. waste of time w/too many choices. seems to me people have a hum-dinger of a time deciding what flavor ice cream they want.

K.I.S.S.
musselwhite

THANK YOU! What an excellent idea!

I, Benevolent Heretic, an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignorance.'

Is this just about American politics or is British /European politics included?If so I'm in where do you sign the I will be good form?May I remind you howver politics is a dirty business and will always be a sea of eternal conflict so you have to expect fur to fly sometime.Also it's show business for ugly people but since we can't see each other that don't matter.On second thoughts thought did anyone else think the Georgian leader Shasta covitch or whatvere he's called was hot?Or am I just being wierd?Yes ,I'm probably being weird

Because I will like to be able to post on the new Forum with reliable information I am going to do my public sign in.

"I, marg4063, an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignornace.'"

Me thinks that a week or so from now there will be a lot of sad faces running around the boards of ATS with no points on their avatar....LOL.


Good luck to all.

Beautiful timing SO.

I was just creating a thread in Word, and found myself repeating over and over again "this is not a left/right issue" and "please leave partisan bickering at the door".

I'll go ahead and post my "War on Hope" thread in the usual forum, but if it gets outta hand I'd sure appreciate a bump/repost to the new Bully Pulpit.

I, redmage, an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignornace.

Thanks again!

S.O. if you add "I will not propagate political hearsay which has never been confirmed nor sourced to more than a single agenda driven blogger" to this pledge, I'll most certainly sign up for this one.

This sounds like a great idea. I'll definitely take the pledge.

I, nina., an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignornace.'"

You know, one of the unintended consequences here might be that in all other political forums you will get within threads posts like this: "If your information is so solid, why don't you post it in the ATS Bully Pulpit?" This argument might come up every time.

That's actually why I thought it would be better to have a political skunk works. So we can put the trash where it belongs and the valid political threads carry on as usual.

With this, you can already see members getting nervous. Perhaps that's a good thing.

It just would be so much easier and effective. Hateful divisive thread goes up, mods move it to skunk, no penalties no nothing within the T&C of course. A well thought though thread comes up it goes in the right forum and is equal to all the other topics we discuss here. We're trying to get rid of something, not introduce a new class of intellectually elite. By creating this you're in a way devaluing the rest of the forums.

Sorry for pushing this.
Some of you know how much I've tried to find a way to rid us of this scurge. No doubt this will help, and I'll pledge of course. It's just that it might restrict some good discourse, because some people just don't feel comfortable expressing themselves at gunpoint.

[edit on 8/21/2008 by schrodingers dog]

edit to add:

"I, schrodingers dog, an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignornace.'"



[edit on 8/21/2008 by schrodingers dog]

I'm laying 3-1 Andy Wiggin is the first to be booted from the new Forums.

Just kiddin' ya Andy, you know I love you.

Not sure on this one. Schrodinger makes a valid point sighting the new forum as a repository for proof positive assurances.

This reminds me a little of American "Tee Ball" in places like Portland Oregon where the rules simply state. We will not keep score. We will not celebrate the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

Are we really getting this sissified? Gosh I hope not. Competition is what America was founded on. The desire to succeed and be great as individuals like it is in many other countries around the world.

Time will tell. I opt to read the new forum for a while and witness the decapitations. If at that point I'm feeling froggy well then........

Becker

[edit on 21-8-2008 by Becker44]

Great idea,

I may not become a regular contributor but I imagine I will be an avid follower of most threads etc.

Those who wish to participate in the forum will post a public acceptance of this pledge: "I, _Candyfloss____________, an ATS member concerned about real and important political issues in this 2008 election season promise to do my best to elevate the tone of political debate through my participation in the ATS Bully Pulpit Forum. I will not post insults. I will not engage in divisive political rhetoric. I will focus on the issues important to the American public and the world at large. I will support my statements with confirmed facts. I will conduct myself in the best example of superior participation and fully embrace the spirit of 'deny ignornace.'" Acceptance of this pledge affords a member with the ability to post in the Bully Pulpit Forum... where only few can post, but all can read.

I know this is a bit off topic, but please don't perpetuate the myth that Skunk Works = Trash. It's meant to be a more speculative forum for truly "free thinking". I'll admit that some have taken great liberties with such, but the notion that its merely a "publically visible trash can" is not the intent there.

reply to post by candyfloss

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you can't make me do it; i will not sign a written pledge. my word is good enough for me.

reply to post by redmage

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I'm sorry for that, I'm not familiar with the conspiracy board so I assumed skunk is for stinky.

So call it TMZ politics Forum or something, and dump the really horrible and evil in there. After a while they see that theyre talking to themselves and bail ATS.

[edit on 8/21/2008 by schrodingers dog]

reply to post by burdman30ott6

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i love the image! reminds me of long ago, ahhh, those were the good old days.

A suggestion/helpful tip:

Use Microsoft Word to compose any lengthy responses for this forum. Then re-read it. Then copy/paste onto ATS.

The above should be standard procedure for all posts you think may have a heated and or harried motive.