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Jason330 is a deep cover double agent working for the GOP. Don't tell anybody.

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How Delaware Liberal Works

August 21st, 2009 • Related • Filed Under
By jason330

It is difficult to remember sometimes that we are a blog with a large readership, but a small group of commenters. This Band of Bloggers sometimes forgets that we aren’t just talking to ourselves here.

For as long as I’ve been posting here — especially since this became a Team blog — I don’t think we’ve ever talked about how we work. This is it:

  • Delaware Liberal is a progressive blog, largely to discuss progressive politics, discuss other stuff that interests us and to have some fun.
  • Delaware Liberal contributors are a diverse bunch – opinionated as all get out, informed on the issues and delighted with interesting talk and argument.
  • Delaware Liberal contributors write about what interests us or inspires us. And we do this on our own schedules and by our own rules.  Sometimes our interests and inspirations piss people off.
  • We are all busy people – we have demanding jobs, families to raise, communities to be involved with, interests to pursue.    Sometimes some of us don’t post for days or weeks on end because our real life is keeping us occupied. We wish that we could go to more political functions and cover more local events, but there is only so much time in a day.  And we figure people who can outdo us will start their own blogs and prove it.
  • Delaware Liberal adds contributors by invitation. Sometimes I was the only one making the invite – sometimes I asked the other contributors to vote on the addition. New contributors work under the same rules as the rest of us.   Basically,  make your own.
  • While Delaware Liberal has few rules of the road for postings,  we do have a couple and we try to live with them. Having just a few rules of the road has led us to a dispute resolution process that is less than democratic.
  • Delaware Liberal contributors are always right. Each. one. of. us.  You see how this is going to end, right? When we are debating politics, we each work hard to demonstrate how right we are directly on the blog.  When we are debating DL decisions, we do that debate among ourselves. There is more of this debate than you would think.  There is more of this debate than I would like.  Some of you saw public evidence of the intensity of one of these debates on Wednesday. For that, we all apologize. And for those of you who are looking for a rehash of those events?   Sorry to disappoint.
  • But it is important that you know that no one has been fired, and the Team is in place. I am changing my role in the Team however.
  • Delaware Liberal is the premiere political blog in Delaware. Now is not a time to rest on our laurels. Now is a time for us to ensure that we continue to have a platform that takes hard look at politics in the First State and nationally. For this blog to continue to evolve, we need a more democratic form of leadership – one that doesn’t rely on me to make the tough decisions. To that end, I am stepping back from this blog for an undetermined time. That will let a more functional leadership organization to evolve to keep the blog going.

It’s always fun here at Delaware Liberal and this Band of Bloggers intends to keep it up.

There Are 82 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 10:21 am:

    Jason – I respect your decision to step back. We wish you well and hope for your return.

  2. Comment by 12monkeys on 21 August 2009 at 10:22 am:

    As long as you keep intellectual crackheads around for comic entertainment, that’s all you’ll ever be.

  3. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 10:23 am:

    We have to have someone to entertain our crackhead readers like yourself.

  4. Comment by nemski on 21 August 2009 at 10:23 am:

    We let you comment here 12monkeys.

  5. Comment by 12monkeys on 21 August 2009 at 10:25 am:

    Does that mean……I’m really Donviti on the inside???

    I hope that healthcare bill keeps the DNR advance directive requirement!!!!

  6. Comment by nemski on 21 August 2009 at 10:26 am:

    Jason330, you will be missed. I hope you decide to return at some point, but if you don’t I understand as well.

  7. Comment by Unstable Isotope on 21 August 2009 at 10:30 am:

    Thank you for all you’ve done jason330. I really hope you come back. How can you resist – Castle will make an announcement at some point!

  8. Comment by Donviti on 21 August 2009 at 10:33 am:

    Now is not a time to rest on our Laurels

    No offense, but I’m not resting in Slower Lower

  9. Comment by pandora on 21 August 2009 at 10:33 am:

    You’ll be sorely missed, J. Hopefully you’ll be back.

  10. Comment by Delaware Dem on 21 August 2009 at 10:40 am:

    Of course he will be back. I am starting a pool. I say he will be back when Castle announces his decision.

  11. Comment by anon on 21 August 2009 at 10:41 am:

    Too bad you can’t step back from leadership while continuing to post and comment. Maybe that’s the way it will turn out anyway, who knows.

    You might be all wrapped up in politics just now, but some of us are also here for the pure pleasure of the writing. It is an ephemeral gift and you should make the most of it while the moment lasts.

  12. Comment by El Somnambulo on 21 August 2009 at 11:07 am:

    ‘Bulo just wants Jason to know that it is Jason’s chest, and ONLY Jason’s chest, that he’d be willing to sign at Leg Hall.

  13. Comment by Scott P on 21 August 2009 at 11:25 am:

    I haven’t been ’round these parts long, but I know you’ll be missed, Jason. I look forward to reading your insights again real soon, whenever and wherever that might be.

  14. Comment by RSmitty Says WTF? on 21 August 2009 at 11:56 am:

    Can this blog be renamed Sybil?

  15. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 11:59 am:

    We would have to add contributors to get up to the 13 personalities of Sybil.

  16. Comment by Nancy Willing on 21 August 2009 at 11:59 am:

    I think this blog should step off of the cloud that they are on as ‘the premiere blog in town’ and humble yourselves by a hair’s length or so. We are all in this together. Why be so competative? Is that how you learned to operate over at the Orange Satan? Everyone climbing all over each other to get boosted to the front page? Sheesh.

    By the way, both DL and DW got kudos from Jane Hamsher today over at the Lake. The greater blogging community could give a fuck if you’re the biggest blog in town. They are concentrating on the work that we are all doing. I would love to hear more of that tone on this blog.

    I wonder what to read between the lines but I’m not losing any sleep over it. This is Jason’s blog as far as I see it and he always comes back eventually.

  17. Comment by RSmitty Says WTF? on 21 August 2009 at 12:02 pm:

    We would have to add contributors to get up to the 13 personalities of Sybil.
    Nah, I think among the remaining nine, you just may have all 13 covered…and possibly some more. ;-)

  18. Comment by El Somnambulo on 21 August 2009 at 12:03 pm:

    Were it to be renamed ‘Sybil’, contributors would be forced to dialogue in a ’sybilized’ manner.

  19. Comment by Nancy Willing on 21 August 2009 at 12:04 pm:

    If it were named Sybil could I post under 13 different pseudonyms with impunity?

  20. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 12:06 pm:

    No, this is no longer Jason’s blog. This is a community blog run by a bunch of equal partners.

    I agree that we need to keep out heads down and concentrate on our work.

  21. Comment by RSmitty Says WTF? on 21 August 2009 at 12:07 pm:

    No, spineless dick Macho wouldn’t hear of it, Nancy. You will make yourself guilty by association.

  22. Comment by Duffy on 21 August 2009 at 12:39 pm:

    Two questions: What, if anything, is the difference between liberal and progressive?

    If you are a progressive blog, why call yourself Delaware Liberal and not Delaware Progressive?

  23. Comment by Delaware Dem on 21 August 2009 at 12:54 pm:

    Duffy, there are minor differences between the two, but the terms liberal and progressive are used interchangeably now. I like progressive because it better describes what we are instead of liberal.

  24. Comment by anoni on 21 August 2009 at 1:05 pm:

    progressive, liberal, socialist, marxist, Bolivarian, stalinist…. all justs shades of grey (or in this case red)

  25. Comment by Mrs XStryker on 21 August 2009 at 1:07 pm:

    I’m resurfacing just to say that you’ve put a really lovely group together, Jason. I’m sorry that you’re stepping back for a bit.

  26. Comment by shortstuff on 21 August 2009 at 1:14 pm:

    There was a time that I can remember that being a Republican meant you stood for something that was unquestionable and definitively morally upstanding. It appears those days are gone and all the right wants to do is bitch and complain and replace racially derogatory names with Socialist, fascist, Marxist, communist and whatever else you can think of. Take ownership for a what a f-up your last moron was in there. Just for the record, I would’ve considered voting for McCain if he had enough sense not to get a schmuck for a Vice President candidate. If you want to stand up for something, stand up against all the moronic nonsense that your party evokes continuously. If you’re really about the good of the country than stand up and cut the b.s. in the townhalls and come up with a solution to the healthcare agenda aside from doing what has been status quo…

  27. Comment by Delaware Dem on 21 August 2009 at 1:23 pm:

    Right on Shortstuff. I long for the day when America had two sane political parties.

  28. Comment by Steve Newton on 21 August 2009 at 1:26 pm:

    I actually long for the day when America had one sane political party. ;)

    And I really long for the day when the Dems will stop institutionally propping up the Republicans to the exclusion of all other ballot-qualified parties on either the right or left.

  29. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 1:31 pm:

    And just when was that, Del Dem?

  30. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 1:31 pm:

    Right on, Steve.

  31. Comment by shortstuff on 21 August 2009 at 1:47 pm:

    I actually long for the day when America had one sane political party.

    HA! Too much for me Steve… Sanity is a matter of perspective though… Differences of opinion usually bring out the worse in all of us. That is fortunately what makes this country so great is that we can disagree. The problem is when shit gets thrown in for good measure and words are just replaced with other words to make it more “politically” correct. I don’t mind disagreeing, it’s when the hate becomes the main driver in the disagreement is what I don’t like because “we” (every single one of us) gets caught in the cross fire when it all goes down.

    Disagree and create something tangible that both sides can look at. I haven’t seen that yet as far as the health care bill from the right.

  32. Comment by Delaware Dem on 21 August 2009 at 1:57 pm:

    Touche, Steve. Of course, the Libertarian Party still has a long way to go to get out of the mental ward. ;)

    When was that, A1? The Republicans under Eisenhower was the last time that could be called sane. The moderates ran the party then, but even then, there were ominous signs in the form of one Joe McCarthy.

  33. Comment by Steve Newton on 21 August 2009 at 2:02 pm:

    DD
    Get out of the mental ward? I’m still trying to find the call button for Big Nurse. These straps make it so damn difficult.

  34. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 2:24 pm:

    Del Dem:

    First of all, Joe McCarthy was at his highest zenith just before Eisenhower was elected. He wasn’t an “ominous sign” he was an evil reality. Eisenhower also chose Nixon as his VP. The Dems were in their full dixiecratic glory, and Eisenhower did nothing to advance the civil rights of Blacks. Did he do some good things? Yeah, but not much. And there is the small matter of the Korean War – still going on, I might add.

    Anyway, you have so far failed to provide a time “when America had two sane political parties.” But I know you’ll keep cheering for the repubs in spite of that.

  35. Comment by Donviti on 21 August 2009 at 2:28 pm:

    but what about me!?

  36. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 2:31 pm:

    You already chewed through the straps.

  37. Comment by mike w. on 21 August 2009 at 2:40 pm:

    Sorry to hear you’re leaving Jason. I’d prefer it be DV instead.

    Will you still be reading and / or commenting?

  38. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 2:53 pm:

    I’d prefer it be DV instead.

    Not a binary choice, just to be clear.

  39. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 2:56 pm:

    Although apparently, it was. Jason announces he’s fired DV. The post mysteriously disappears. Next, DV’s back and Jason is gone. Can’t you all just get along?

  40. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 3:03 pm:

    Jason quit. That is all. Mike can certainly appeal to Donviti to encourage him to quit, but I doubt that he will get much traction. If Jason hadn’t quit, we would have the full contingent on board now. The two events are not related, except by time proximity.

    Everything else stays within the team. Just like I suspect it works in your family.

  41. Comment by RSmitty Says WTF? on 21 August 2009 at 3:04 pm:

    First of all, Joe McCarthy was at his highest zenith just before Eisenhower …. (and so on)
    Oooo…political history! :-D

    Not to mention that it was another REPUBLICAN that took the first-notable, bold step to completely yank the rug from under his feet (and very much rightly so). That having been Senator Margaret Chase Smith from Maine. She had been friends with the man and faced tremendous animosity from some with whom she had confided with beforehand. Obviously, her previous friendship was completely shredded as a result. None of that stopped her, because, as she later noted, her conscience was reeling in McCarthy’s wake. This also is noted as the beginning of the complete downward spiral of McCarthy, even though it didn’t happen in earnest until a few years later.

    On Eisenhower, the man himself admitted that he could have chosen either ticket to run on. Earlier in his adult life, he was a committed Democrat. While he was an admirer of Teddy Roosevelt and his brand of Republicanism (hmm…early Progressive, that is, something I also am a fan of), he saw what the party became shortly after TR was no longer wanted by the then-Republicans. Eisenhower became an active Democrat. Obviously, his military career became the passion of his life, so politics sort of went to the back seat. Bypass his military/political appointments and go to before he ran for President, Ike was heavily wooed by BOTH major parties. He was decidedly in the middle and both parties wanted him to be their standard bearer. Although very reluctant to run, Eisenhower, VERY LATE in the game, chose to run as a Republican candidate. Among other reasons, he cited his distaste of a single party holding such massive power for so long, as the National Democratic Party had up to that point.

    This interlude is now complete.

  42. Comment by anon on 21 August 2009 at 3:05 pm:

    anonone… give it some time. It takes a lot of sustained intensity to keep this thing going, so there are going to be occasional burnouts. These guys all respect each other for their different talents so I expect they will come around.

  43. Comment by Ed Heath on 21 August 2009 at 3:06 pm:

    There is only one sane political party. The other one are Marxists and insane!

  44. Comment by Delaware Dem on 21 August 2009 at 3:11 pm:

    Ed, you believe that President Obama was not born in this country, that he wants to kill all eldery, infirm and disabled with his death panels, and that the same tax structure you loved under Bush is now evil tyranny under Obama.

    In other words, you are batshit crazy insane.

    Thank you.

  45. Comment by Donviti on 21 August 2009 at 3:12 pm:

    hey look, another POS republican blog leaching on to one of the best state blogs in our nation.

    insert talking points here

  46. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 3:20 pm:

    Jason quit after trying to fire Donviti. You can try to act like that never happened, but it did.

    I certainly understand Jason taking some time off and I am happy that Donviti is back (although I think that his pompous, self-congratulatory, and “I am better than you” posts are an utter waste of electrons).

    Regardless, I think all of you guys and gals totally rock, and I appreciate all the work that you put into this blog. Hopefully Jason will be back soon, or at least chiming-in on occasion.

  47. Comment by Donviti on 21 August 2009 at 3:20 pm:

    Jason quit. sounds harsh. He didn’t quit. He fell on a sword, which is something I should have done. but I’m not a man and I’m pretty selfish

  48. Comment by Donviti on 21 August 2009 at 3:34 pm:

    (although I think that his pompous, self-congratulatory, and “I am better than you” posts are an utter waste of electrons).

    [kisses]

    talk to me when you reveal your real name

  49. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 3:50 pm:

    Back at you, DV :)

  50. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 3:56 pm:

    “He fell on a sword” Falling on a sword is something usually done after one has disgraced themselves or in sacrifice for the benefit of others. What reason would Jason have to fall on his sword?

  51. Comment by Donviti on 21 August 2009 at 3:59 pm:

    he jumped the shark?

    you tell me what to write..

    wait, better yet…get your own blog

  52. Comment by DEConservative(Evan Q) on 21 August 2009 at 4:04 pm:

    I wasn’t aware that “Premier Blog” was the new phrase for “more left wing bullshit” these days.

  53. Comment by donviti on 21 August 2009 at 4:10 pm:

    crazy people are usually unaware of a lot of things.

  54. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 4:35 pm:

    Donviti wrote: get your own blog

    Why don’t you, Mr Hospitable? Or is Delaware Liberal now “your own blog”?

  55. Comment by anonone on 21 August 2009 at 4:38 pm:

    Donvit wrote: you tell me what to write..

    OK, try this:

    Dear Jason,

    I was an asshole in my last couple of posts. If my staying here is causing you to leave, then I will leave.

    DonWhatEverViti

  56. Comment by anon on 21 August 2009 at 4:47 pm:

    DonYokoOnoSquishViti

  57. Comment by liberalgeek on 21 August 2009 at 4:58 pm:

    Comment of the day. :)

  58. Comment by MJ on 21 August 2009 at 5:55 pm:

    Donviti – Laurel is a great place to buy furniture. It’s really not a bad town, except for Sen. Venables.

  59. Comment by El Somnambulo on 21 August 2009 at 6:16 pm:

    MJ-Have you ever met that Jonny Janosik?

  60. Comment by Rhymes With Right on 21 August 2009 at 7:06 pm:

    I’ll agree with donviti that jason fell on his sword — if by “fell on his sword” you mean “was running with his sword out to attack his own allies, tripped over his own two feet and in the course of falling sliced off his own genitalia.”

    My personal suggestion on what donviti should write would be something like this:

    Dear Jason;

    You were an asshole and I’m not going anywhere. If this leads you to crawl away pouting while claiming to be noble, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

    With All The Respect You Deserve,
    DonViti

  61. Comment by MJ on 21 August 2009 at 7:08 pm:

    Great Slumbering One – never met him, but that store is huge!

  62. Comment by pandora on 21 August 2009 at 7:37 pm:

    Bet you lived on soap operas all summer, RWR. What a flippin’ drama queen.

  63. Comment by Rhymes With Right on 21 August 2009 at 7:45 pm:

    No — spent most of the summer dealing with a contractor while trying to finish the post-hurricane restoration of my home.

    Which, now that I think of it, had some of the quality of a soap opera, given the problems I had to deal with in getting the work completed in a professional manner.

  64. Comment by dickviti on 21 August 2009 at 7:54 pm:

    t’s really not a bad town, except for Sen. Venables.

    She was hot except for her face

  65. Comment by dickviti on 21 August 2009 at 7:56 pm:

    Donvit wrote: you tell me what to write..

    OK, try this:

    Dear Jason,

    I was an asshole in my last couple of posts. If my staying here is causing you to leave, then I will leave.

    DonWhatEverViti

    will it cause you to leave?

  66. Comment by Translation Prick on 21 August 2009 at 8:31 pm:

    “I hope you decide to return at some point, but if you don’t I understand as well.”

    TRANSLATION: Good riddance. Now, I will no longer be in your corpulent shadow.

    “Too bad you can’t step back from leadership while continuing to post and comment.”

    TRANSLATION: You never were effective in a leadership role. Regarding your posts… We’ll continue to pretend that we appreciate them.

    “We would have to add contributors to get up to the 13 personalities of Sybil.”

    TRANSLATION: Between Donviti and Delaware Dem alone, we already have replaced 10 of those 13 personalities.

    “The greater blogging community could give a fuck if you’re the biggest blog in town.”

    TRANSLATION: Quality versus quantity, assholes.

    “This is a community blog run by a bunch of equal partners.”

    TRANSLATION: The king is dead, long live the Queens.

    “I like progressive because it better describes what we are instead of liberal.”

    TRANSLATION: Progressive sure sounds much better than Socialist.

    “And I really long for the day when the Dems will stop institutionally propping up the Republicans to the exclusion of all other ballot-qualified parties on either the right or left.”

    TRANSLATION: Libertarians will always have limp dicks, but we’re hoping to have a chubby someday.

    “Sorry to hear you’re leaving Jason. I’d prefer it be DV instead.”

    TRANSLATION: Apparently, Jason fell victim to the mythical huge, swinging Mangoes.

    “If Jason hadn’t quit, we would have the full contingent on board now. The two events are not related, except by time proximity.”

    TRANSLATION: Jason pussied out, big time. (Sorry for the reference to the female anatomy, Unstable Isotope.)

    “In other words, you are batshit crazy insane.”

    TRANSLATION: You fuckers should be lined up and shot. (So sorry I said that!)

    “…wait, better yet…get your own blog”

    TRANSLATION: Before Jason rolled over and spread his legs for the ersatz alpha dog, I thought I would have to start my own blog in order to have a forum where I could bore the shit out of people with my unimaginative, pathetic, puerile, ego inflating, imaginary exploits.

  67. Comment by jim center on 21 August 2009 at 8:38 pm:

    Jason,
    did you recently attend a web site redesign class?
    Your new site is way too busy!
    Reminds me of the “Frames” revolution of 1997.

  68. Comment by Unstable Isotope on 21 August 2009 at 8:50 pm:

    Translation, you have quite an imagination. I like the idea of queens, though.

  69. Comment by Dave M. on 22 August 2009 at 4:39 am:

    I missed all this. Is it like the Beatles breaking up? Was UI Yoko? And is DV Ringo?

  70. Comment by Unstable Isotope on 22 August 2009 at 7:41 am:

    Yes, it’s all my fault. I’m a real prima donna.

  71. Comment by Rebecca on 22 August 2009 at 9:43 am:

    Jason,

    I love ya and I’m going to miss you something fierce. Years ago, when we progressives were wandering around trying to figure out what to do, you did something. You founded DelawareLiberal and put in an enormous effort to grow it into the amazing community it has become.

    Jason, you have always been my barometer — if I was straying from the cause you were there to remind me what we were fighting for. You took no prisoners and never backed-off. Your strong voice will be missed. It is a sad day for me, but I sure do understand. I’m hoping time away will recharge your soul and you’ll be back when you have something important to say.

    Peace my dear friend. We’ll storm those barricades together again when the time is right for you.

    With admiration and respect,
    Rebecca

  72. Comment by Duffy on 22 August 2009 at 9:58 am:

    Gotta side with Jim on the design/layout. Not workin’ for me. Old layout may have been more vanilla but it was much more readable.

  73. Comment by anon on 22 August 2009 at 1:39 pm:

    Monty Python discovers the DL bloggers.

    New site works fine for me now. It took about two weeks to adjust.

  74. Comment by Redwaterlily's Phrog on 22 August 2009 at 2:14 pm:

    The layout isn’t bad – but it would be better w/o the middle column (not much useful there anyway – other then the poll)

  75. Comment by anoni on 22 August 2009 at 3:55 pm:

    all this time I thought Jason owned the blog…

    obviosly not, if he can be fired.

    So is the DL a wholy owned subsidiary of George Soros’ MOVEON.ORG? Or is someone else pulling the strings and calling the shots?

    Chavez?

    the Red Chinese?

  76. Comment by Miscreant on 22 August 2009 at 4:05 pm:

    “Was UI Yoko? And is DV Ringo?”

    UI is George, and DV is definitely Yoko.

  77. Comment by anonone on 23 August 2009 at 8:08 am:

    Great tribute, Rebecca!

  78. Comment by callerRick on 23 August 2009 at 8:36 am:

    “I like progressive because it better describes what we are…

    How can you be ‘progressive,’ and be afraid of fission?

  79. Comment by nemski on 23 August 2009 at 8:43 am:

    fission? nuclear fission?

  80. Comment by anon on 23 August 2009 at 8:45 am:

    How can you be ‘progressive,’ and be afraid of fission?

    As Harry Truman said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get the hell out of Nagasacky!”

  81. Comment by Unstable Isotope on 23 August 2009 at 9:40 am:

    I’m stumped as well nemski.

  82. Comment by John Tobin on 23 August 2009 at 12:02 pm:

    To callerRick
    “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).

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