Hey, hey, hey, goodbye

Red "nodes" are different from blue "nodes" (4.00 / 3)

We are part of an interdependent, "we're all this together" network of nodes; they are independent nodes that don't see their own interconnectedness or their part in the whole. Their "nodeness" does not require a community, nor does it create one.

A community building blog for red nodes is an oxymoron.

"No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it." Albert Einstein

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by: susaninrindge @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 14:31:41 PM CDT

Their problem was (4.00 / 4)

that they had a code in the nodes. That's why is was so red all the time. In the end, they blew it.

2012 is sooner than you think. Ready?

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by: GreyMike @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 18:00:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Another 'obscure' blog... (0.00 / 0)

RedHampshire attempted to re-fill a niche already filled by other sites in a similar vein.  Another BH clone would have a similar problem gaining ground.

There are some very good and active sites on the NH right, which I won't link to here to avoid the wrath of certain folks.


BH's token Republican / Libertarian / TeaPartier / Free Stater, courtesy of a Federal Affirmative Action grant, despite many of his comments being marked down and hidden.

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by: SethCohn @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 14:38:48 PM CDT

Simple cause (4.00 / 2)

The Republicans work top-down and tolerate no dissent from the Official Orthodoxy. Democrats are willing to discuss issues and look for results, not ideology. The Democratic model works for a community-style communications platform like Blue Hampshire; trying to implement a multi-user system for the single-message environment on the regressive side is pointless.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 15:23:17 PM CDT

I wouldn't see it about nodes exactly (4.00 / 3)

But close. I don't think RH ever once had a real discussion about the path their party has taken. That's half the discussion on BH.

I think if Red Hampshire would let people in the Republican party talk about whether the O'Brien craziness is party evolution or party hijacking that they'd have a very vibrant site right now. Maybe a more vibrant site than BH.

And then hopefully those people reading the debate would say -- hey, you know, I do have a voice in the party so we'll squabble but in the end we'll all GOTV for the Home Team.

That's what happens on Blue Hampshire, by and large. It's the incapacity of the Republican Leadership to brook criticism that prevents any true web community from emerging.

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by: Mike Caulfield @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 15:40:34 PM CDT

as much as Seth Cohn loves to whine (4.00 / 5)

about being "censored" here - Red Hampshire frequently posted diaries that they did not allow comments on. They also censored their comments, on the occasions when comments were allowed.

It is rather droll that they started that blog in response to BH, and even with funding, they still couldn't manage to be interesting enough to build a regular reader base.

susaninrindge makes a good point - there isn't a far right, organized grassroots community in NH. The right doesn't do grassroots. And of course a  great many members of the far right are older people who aren't computer savvy.  

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by: susanthe @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 15:41:04 PM CDT

as much as Seth Cohn loves to whine (4.00 / 2)

about being "censored" here - Red Hampshire frequently posted diaries that they did not allow comments on. They also censored their comments, on the occasions when comments were allowed.

It is rather droll that they started that blog in response to BH, and even with funding, they still couldn't manage to be interesting enough to build a regular reader base.

susaninrindge makes a good point - there isn't a far right, organized grassroots community in NH. The right doesn't do grassroots. And of course a  great many members of the far right are older people who aren't computer savvy.  

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by: susanthe @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 15:41:04 PM CDT

One down-- Is NH Insider Next? (0.00 / 0)

If you ever check out NH Insider, where I used to write, you will see that the majority of comments come from the columnists themselves. Richard Barnes comments on Ed Nailes column, Steve Vallaincourt comments on Steve McDonalds collumn etc.

Outside of that "activity" the place is dead.  

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by: Chaz Proulx @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 17:59:55 PM CDT

sucking their own exhaust... (0.00 / 0)

"No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it." Albert Einstein

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by: susaninrindge @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 18:02:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

This SHOULD be a great time for conservative NH blogs (4.00 / 5)

Holding both chambers of the legislature and the EC means they have lots of allies in the news, and they control the legislative agenda. Lynch in the Governor's chair provides some dramatic tension.

They also have a Presidential primary underway!

2007 was a big year for Blue Hampshire. It's odd that 2011 is a bad year for right-wing blogs in the state.

It's almost as if, the GOP doesn't want to hear from anybody outside O'Brien's innermost circle, and doesn't care what the Republican base is thinking...

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by: elwood @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 18:09:59 PM CDT

Little thing called Facebook (0.00 / 0)

IMHO, facebook and social media in general, youtube and the like as well, are filling the general 'discussion' niche. (As a veteran online user (and webmaster for more years than I like to admit), this is a pretty cyclic thing - anyone remember myspace?)

BH would just as hard a time getting started these days too.  Being around in 2007 is part of why BH is still active: old enough and big enough a core base to sustain it despite the waves of change online.

I can tell you there is plenty of discussion on the right, it's just not on obvious 'sites' like BH, all centralized and visible.  I see dozens of discussions on FB all day long, very decentralized reposts of articles all over the web.

BH's token Republican / Libertarian / TeaPartier / Free Stater, courtesy of a Federal Affirmative Action grant, despite many of his comments being marked down and hidden.

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by: SethCohn @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 18:46:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

first mover advantage (4.00 / 1)

will agree that we have some momentum from being around so long. In the age of Facebook it would be harder to start something like this up.

But also agree with Mike C up thread, in that we are pretty good at having robust discussion. While some on the right might feel we are but a branch of the NHDP, i think we have caused plenty of angst within the Democratic Party over the years.

Still, as such an obvious reaction to BlueHampshire, the failure of Red Hampshire to thrive is obviously noteworthy.

Hope > Fear




Create a free Blue Hampshire account and join the conversation.

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by: Mike Hoefer @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 19:28:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Conviction, Not Conciet (4.00 / 3)

Ya wanna know why BH works, when RH doesn't?

Because we can put our disagreements behind us and work forward. Because we respect conviction and reject conceit.

RH and their ilk? Not so much.

"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 21:32:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

That picture is worth a thousand Comments. (4.00 / 2)

I think the point Jack is making with that picture is that he and Kathy spar plenty on BH but still respect each other and work for the same causes.  That point is well taken, but I think it's more meaningful with context.

BH got started as the 2008 primary campaign was heating up, and these two were early posters.

Jack is a vet who lives just outside our state line and is best known among activists for having been a diehard Obama grassroots organizer--and Obama's most vocal early fan in the NH netroots.

Kathy is a former chair of the NH Democratic Party, and was one of Hillary Clinton's most prominent supporters in the NH political establishment.

And yet...well, check the picture above. New Hampshire's liberal community is strong because that kind of thing is typical.

--
If you'd rather abolish Medicare than repeal the Patriot Act, you're not a libertarian.

Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 01:28:36 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

BH lull, then surge (4.00 / 6)

There was a time, a year or so ago, when Dean unfairly shouldered the bulk of the writing.

However, with the new arrangement, there is a great awakening of contributors. In many ways, this blog is as good, if not better, than it has ever been.

Imho, BH is the gold standard for grassroots communications and local process wonking.

"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sun Jun 12, 2011 at 18:53:03 PM CDT