Caucus Cooler Update
Friends- If you plan on participating in this blog over the next 11 months, we ask that you carefully read this letter.
As Republicans we are supposed to be the party of values and responsibility. Those of us who work or volunteer for Republican candidates are supposed to support leaders that promote dignity, respect, and compassion. When people participating in this site berate not just their fellow Republican candidates, but fellow Republicans in the rank and file, it reflects poorly on our party and our state. This has been an ongoing problem on our site and on others for the better part of a year, if not longer. If you think we are overreacting, let us note that the behaviour of Iowa Republicans in the comments section has been so outrageously disgusting that it has been mentioned on national political blogs.
What is even more sad is that while we are behaving like animals, Iowa Democrats are acting like adults with respect and compassion. While we are eating our own Drew Miller, Chris Woods and other Iowa Democrat blogs maintain a civil and considerate discourse. That distinction should make everyone involved extremely embarassed. And we cannot blame it on the out-of-staters that visit this blog, because the most offensive comments and the comments with the worst language were written by those who are part of the Iowa Republican community.
We at the Cooler are not responsible for what happens at the signature Iowa GOP blog, Krusty Konservative. But we are responsible for what happens here. When we started this project we thought it would be fun to have a gossipy, insider rag. Unfortunately it is clear that this community cannot handle that. This blog has been a part of the negative, self-destructive behaviour that many in our party have participated in and we want to sincerely apologize to anyone who was hurt because of that.
Going forward. We will continue to post about the candidates and their visits to Iowa as well as timely issues, handicapping, witty observations about the field, and linking you to important 2008 news . But we will severely limit discussion about non-public staff members (i.e. those who's names don't appear in the newspaper).
We have asked a friend to the Cooler who spends a lot of time in front of their computer to monintor the blog during the week and delete posts that:
a) mention staffers in a negative light,
b) Governor Romney or any other candidate's religion or race
c) have any curse words.
While this is a much stricter policy than we would desire, we no longer wish to continue being a part of the decimation of this party from within.
In the comments section we do encourage you to continue:
a) calling us out when we are wrong
b) calling us out when you think we are being biased
c) giving kudos to campaigns or candidates that have been successful
d) giving constructive criticism for those that have not been as successful
e) discussing the issues in a mature manner
Because not only is our party supposed to be about values, but it is also supposed to be about freedoms, so we do not intend to take away your freedom to respond to what we say in this medium. But if you continue to show that you are incapable of handling it, we will shut down the comments in order to preserve what decency we have left.
The comments section will reopen Monday morning and we encourage you to respond to this at that time or email us at caucuscoolertipjar@gmail.com with your thoughts on this new policy.
Thank you again for visiting this blog and for the vast majority of you who make a positive contribution to this community we are very grateful for your participation.
"There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” -Ronald Reagan
As Republicans we are supposed to be the party of values and responsibility. Those of us who work or volunteer for Republican candidates are supposed to support leaders that promote dignity, respect, and compassion. When people participating in this site berate not just their fellow Republican candidates, but fellow Republicans in the rank and file, it reflects poorly on our party and our state. This has been an ongoing problem on our site and on others for the better part of a year, if not longer. If you think we are overreacting, let us note that the behaviour of Iowa Republicans in the comments section has been so outrageously disgusting that it has been mentioned on national political blogs.
What is even more sad is that while we are behaving like animals, Iowa Democrats are acting like adults with respect and compassion. While we are eating our own Drew Miller, Chris Woods and other Iowa Democrat blogs maintain a civil and considerate discourse. That distinction should make everyone involved extremely embarassed. And we cannot blame it on the out-of-staters that visit this blog, because the most offensive comments and the comments with the worst language were written by those who are part of the Iowa Republican community.
We at the Cooler are not responsible for what happens at the signature Iowa GOP blog, Krusty Konservative. But we are responsible for what happens here. When we started this project we thought it would be fun to have a gossipy, insider rag. Unfortunately it is clear that this community cannot handle that. This blog has been a part of the negative, self-destructive behaviour that many in our party have participated in and we want to sincerely apologize to anyone who was hurt because of that.
Going forward. We will continue to post about the candidates and their visits to Iowa as well as timely issues, handicapping, witty observations about the field, and linking you to important 2008 news . But we will severely limit discussion about non-public staff members (i.e. those who's names don't appear in the newspaper).
We have asked a friend to the Cooler who spends a lot of time in front of their computer to monintor the blog during the week and delete posts that:
a) mention staffers in a negative light,
b) Governor Romney or any other candidate's religion or race
c) have any curse words.
While this is a much stricter policy than we would desire, we no longer wish to continue being a part of the decimation of this party from within.
In the comments section we do encourage you to continue:
a) calling us out when we are wrong
b) calling us out when you think we are being biased
c) giving kudos to campaigns or candidates that have been successful
d) giving constructive criticism for those that have not been as successful
e) discussing the issues in a mature manner
Because not only is our party supposed to be about values, but it is also supposed to be about freedoms, so we do not intend to take away your freedom to respond to what we say in this medium. But if you continue to show that you are incapable of handling it, we will shut down the comments in order to preserve what decency we have left.
The comments section will reopen Monday morning and we encourage you to respond to this at that time or email us at caucuscoolertipjar@gmail.com with your thoughts on this new policy.
Thank you again for visiting this blog and for the vast majority of you who make a positive contribution to this community we are very grateful for your participation.
"There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” -Ronald Reagan
posted by Caucus Cooler at 2/10/2007
6 Comments:
I couldn't agree more with your letter Cooler. I hope that the attitudes around here and Krusty will change. Remember folks we are all on the same team...
Kudos to you, Cooler.
Mega Kudos. It's about time.
And yet - the first post of our their mouth is trashing a volunteer. What a bunch of lying stupid idiot jerks.
I guess it depends on how you define the word trash. The folks who write CC and Krusty are nothing but trash.
Hooray for the Caucus Cooler. Thank God we can have one blog in Iowa for adults that brings sanity and analyis back into discussion rather than the pathetic bashing of staffers!
Keep up the great work (and deleting)!
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