What's Happening to Conservative Websites?

vanity | 3-7-07 | Bob J

[Bob J]

I have diligently watched the rise in size and influence of conservative websites, including Free Republic, over the last 7-8 years. I have been shocked and concerned over the drop in traffic at the most popular ones over the last year or so. There was good growth up until 2006 but since then there has been a steady downtrend that would crash any other market.

Anyone have any ideas as to what is happening? I'm out of explanations. The deficiencies in alexa.com are noted, but even if the numbers aren't accurate you're still comparing off numbers to off numbers so the decline is consistent.

[L.N. Smithee]

And no, the choices aren't going to be perfect, but to abandon those leaders we chose we abandon our own principles.

Tell me which principles you thought would be the guide GWB would lead you by.

[rdb3]

I appreciate people who can't in good conscience vote for (Rudy for example) because of his liberal views. But people get tired of thread after thread being spammed with multiple pictures from him in drag from a Saturday Night Live skit or charity ball or the Lord of the Rings pictures.

Thank you! That's all I'm saying!

[ohioWfan]

That is exactly the point!

Spamming threads with those pictures diminishes the debate.

Sometimes I wonder what the issues are for people who do such attention-grabbing, childish things.

It's hard not to think that some of them have a disruptor agenda, and that's it. They certainly don't belong on a thinking person's forum.

[pollyannaish]

Thoughtful, articulate post. You're not thinking of leaving for more congenial fora are you?

[mike_9958]

"Tell me which principles you thought would be the guide GWB would lead you by."

Principles that honor truthfulness, thoughtfulness, genuine sincerity, & caring - to name a few.... a real person trying to do the right thing. Those are not the "princples" I thought, those are the ones I still believe. I don't think that's drinking "kool-aid", I just trust my own perceptions and I stand by my decision in voting for him. I believe listening to dems and the "echo" chamber spewing negative and sensational rhetoric is just an attempt at gaining attention and promoting an agenda.

Compare to Kerry, or Gore - who seem to be primarily self-serving.

What principles guide you ?

I assume you voted for GWB and you regret your decision ?

[quidnunc]

pollyannaish wrote: Thoughtful, articulate post. You're not thinking of leaving for more congenial fora are you?

For the most part I already have.

I rarely post on FR anymore, and mostly log in for Swordmaker's Apple articles and Tolik's and SunkenCiv's pings.

[pollyannaish]

Sad. Good to see you here, however. Glad you stop by every now and then!

[Peach]

Ditto that, rdb3!

[John David Stutts]

The steady drumbeat of bashing the President and the republicans in office by our side helped get us here.

I agree, its tough to excite GOP voters when the rats, the media, Rush, Hannity, Coulter, and Levin are all bashing Bush and the GOP while giving rats a pass.

Rush said he was honestly surprised voters responded to 22 months of his myopic Republican criticism while ignoring the last 2 months of halfhearted GOP endorsements. It wouldn't be nearly as aggravating if I thought the conservative talk radio or columnist king-makers were motivated by principle and not ratings.

[L.N. Smithee]

Principles that honor truthfulness, thoughtfulness, genuine sincerity, & caring - to name a few.... a real person trying to do the right thing. Those are not the "princples" I thought, those are the ones I still believe. I don't think that's drinking "kool-aid", I just trust my own perceptions and I stand by my decision in voting for him. I believe listening to dems and the "echo" chamber spewing negative and sensational rhetoric is just an attempt at gaining attention and promoting an agenda.

You're spinning out of control now.

I didn't ask you about your principles. I asked which principles you thought George W. Bush was using as a guide by which he would lead this nation.

I said he doesn't know how to lead, and I stand by that. I have many times said that as a public speaker, he is the worst communicator in the Oval Office in the history of recorded sound. I stand by that. He and his aides rarely get out in front of an divisive issue, they let the left define them, and try to play catch-up.

I don't regret my vote -- I regret that a true leader wasn't available for selection.

[OldFriend]

Further, anyone daring to object to the endless praising of good Americans like Rangel, Lanny Davis, etc. brings insults and vile bashing to ones self.

Complaining about Levin going on the air to suggest that he wouldn't care if the dems take over the senate because it wouldn't make any difference.....brought me a banning from his live thread.

Evidently caring more about the troops, our allies, and our national security must take second place to outsized egos and outsized big mouths.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

The '06 election results have depressed enough conservatives and moderates to the point that they don't participate with conservative websites anymore. If a decent, conservative Presidential ticket emerges on the GOP side for the '08 elections, then everyone can expect these numbers of conservative website participants to increase again.

[Tribune7]

I put principle above politics and took a lot of flak for agreeing that Clinton should send Elian back . . .

You are implying here that those who opposed it were not basing their opposition on principle.

I doubt this assumption would have led to a friendly debate.

[Tribune7]

Worth repeating!!

See posts and 299 and 314. The Liberal sites have had worse losses in the percentage of total Internet users who visit their sites (also called "reach") during the past 3 Months. And the big conservative Blogs' (other than Red State) reach is down about the same as DU or Daily Kos, but more than Moveon.org and Huffington Post.

Moreover, ALL major U.S. news sites appear to be down in the last 3 months. Free Republic's reach losses are almost identical to the New York Times, CNN, the Houston Chronicle, and Fark. On the other hand, YouTube and the social networking sites' reach is up, and major foreign news sources are down a less than their U.S. counterparts. The U.S. elections and their aftermath probably drove a little more traffic to the U.S. sites three months ago.

There does need to be caution when using these Alexa numbers, in part because they only measure those who download the Alexa toolbar, and in part because reach can fall while the number of visitors increases as more people surf the web. Also, Alexa measures worldwide users. While the U.S. Internet market is fairly mature, as more foreigners get on the web, reach for U.S. sites might fall.

[DCPatriot]

What principle is higher than keeping a child together with a blood parent who wants him back?

Freepers' main argument that Elian deserved to live in Freedom and given to blood relatives in Florida versus being returned to a parent is hypocritical on its face.

This position was strictly based upon politics...communisim/socialism vs. democratic republic.

Using that reasoning, why aren't we kidnapping children in communist countries every chance we get?

BTW, all my questions above are strictly rhetorical....I don't wish to re-visit the topic.

[Tribune7]

What principle is higher than keeping a child together with a blood parent who wants him back?

The well-being of the child.

Using that reasoning, why aren't we kidnapping children in communist countries every chance we get?

Was Elian kidnapped?

[DCPatriot]

Did they teach you the definition of 'rhetorical' in Springfield...or were you out sick that day? ;^)

[mike_9958]

"I didn't ask you about your principles. I asked which principles you thought George W. Bush was using as a guide by which he would lead this nation."

Those are the principles I expected him to lead by.... I'm not spinning, I don't drink Kool-Aid, and I'd appreciate it if you'd quit trying to characterize me.

No, Bush isn't my ideal leader, but instead of piling on him like others, I choose to stand by him. It isn't constructive to the party, or our shared principles, to continuously tear down our current leader. It simply builds the other side by disenfranchising those we want to sway to our side. Hopefully some leader will come forward in the next cycle that appeals more, and hopefully we won't have caused our side irreparable damage in '08 by showing we aren't any better than the dems at coming together.

[Tribune7]

Did they teach you the definition of 'rhetorical' in Springfield...or were you out sick that day? ;^)

I'm a bit resentful that you implied my position was not based on principle. I just want to make it clear as a bell that it was.

[TheRightGuy]

My bookmark goes right to the forum so Alexa doesn't even see me.

ditto