caucus99percent: 4 years old today

Happy 4th anniversary folks! January 7, 2015 is the date the 99 officially went live. I can't believe it's been 4 years already.

Thank you to all the contributors of content to the site, without you c99 would be nothing. Thank you for the great writing, thank you for the great commenting, and thank you to the members that mostly lurk. It's content and readers that makes a site and without you all this place would be tumbleweed junction. The quality of the writing and commenting here amazes me. Thank you all for that from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you to all that donate to keep the lights on. I try to personally thank folks when they donate if I can discern who they are. If the contributors don't let me know who they are by leaving their username in a note when using PayPal, the only way I have to decipher who the sender is is by matching the email address that they used for PayPal up with the email they used to register here. If the emails don't match then I'm at a loss as to who the sender may be. I bring this up because I don't want the folks that I fail to reply to to think that I don't appreciate what they do. I appreciate each and every one of you, more than you may imagine.

Thank you to the moderators and our other admin joe shikspack. Thanks for putting up with me behind the scenes. You are my sounding board and my go to when I need advice, and also my captive audience when I need to rant. We've been together for a long time now and I just want to say thank you for all that you've done for this site.

I hope I haven't missed anyone, if I have, thank you too.

Bottom line, you all are the best!

Happy Anniversary folks!

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gulfgal98's picture

For everything you do, most of which is behind the scenes and so quietly done that the operation of the site appears to run itself. But folks, JtC is the magician who makes that happen.

Also as one of the mods here, I can attest to the enormous patience and restraint JtC has. We are truly fortunate to have him as our Administrator.

Four years ago today was the official start of Caucus99%, but the idea went back years before that date. A number of us wanted to be a part of a site that was policy and action oriented rather than just for partisan politics. We went through a number of iterations including an email group, a Google group, and the hiring of an outside administrator to build us a site. None of those worked to our satisfaction. Then JtC stepped up and volunteered to build us a site. It was a tremendous amount of work for JtC on his own dime at the time. But what JtC came up with is exactly what we envisioned.

I am so grateful to be a part of this incredible community every day. I have learned so much from the wonderful essays that our members post here. Thank you to everyone who writes, comments, and supports Caucus99%.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

@gulfgal98
Thanks for the kind words, gg. Here's a rough outline of c99's history as best as I remember it:

  • 1 - Joe shikspack and I and others discuss and plan a website for a year or so, but it doesn't come to fruition.
  • 2 - I get asked to join Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's Google Group. Much more planning and anticipation for a website within the group, but it still doesn't come to fruition.
  • 3 - A friend of CStMS attempts to build a blog for the Google Group that doesn't quite work out.
  • 4 - The Google group moves to a phpBB forum built by the same friend of CTtMS. For various reasons the phpBB forum doesn't work out.
  • 5 - Having built phpBB forums before I offer to build the group a new phpBB forum that was named caucus99percent.com. It works out quite well and became a small but thriving community.
  • 6 - The new forum is well established and running smoothly but really isn't the website that the group envisioned, we needed a blog. So I decided to teach myself the Drupal system just to see if by any chance I could create the site that we've been looking for.
  • 7 - While still admining the forum and having ample time on my hands in the winter months I downloaded all the software requirements to build a Drupal blog, the Drupal software, an Apache server program, and a SQL database. These particular programs are meant to be used on a local computer (on my PC, offline, without a web server) with the intent of uploading it all to a live web server after the site is built.
  • 8 - It took about a solid month of trial and error, research and studying, but I finally learned the system well enough to put together a rudimentary blog. I uploaded it all to the same server that the forum was on and after a couple of weeks of tweaking it online I opened it up to the forum membership. That was January 7, 2015. This site itself evolved over several iterations to become what it is today.
  • 10 - This site cruised along for a year and a quarter, we had about two hundred members, when sparked by a migration from another prominent site, c99 grew exponentially overnight. And here we are.

If I missed something in the outline or if those of you that were there want to add something to it, please speak up.

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gulfgal98's picture

@JtC What I posted was off the top of my head, so I was not sure if it was correct. I do remember that there had been talk (via email at first) among a number of us of trying to develop a site that was policy oriented, but what I did not realize was that you, JtC, were not an original member of CSTMS's group.

I do think it was unfortunate that many people thought we were formed in protest to the other site's policies regarding the Presidential primaries, but we had already been operating for some time before that. The great migration was an enormous growing pain for us because it happened so fast, but it brought in some wonderful members and writers to our fold.

I am so glad that you, JtC, explained exactly what you were willing to do to get us to where we are today. Not many people would have gone that far to help get us started. Kudos! Good

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

@gulfgal98
until well after the Google Group was established. If I remember right dkmich was the one who actually contacted me about it.

I kind of hung around in the background during the Google Group days, participated a bit in the first forum and because of my experience with phpBB was asked to be an admin. Eventually that forum didn't work out and that's when I stepped up and offered to build a new forum.

I took that forum down a couple of years ago but I saved the directory system and a final copy of the database so I guess I could recreate it if need be.

Man, there's a lot of "I" in writing all of this. I hate using too many Is.

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mimi's picture

@JtC
like the I-cing on the cake. Smile

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@mimi
and the icing too!

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on to the joint sometime in early '16 in a comment at the orange deadzone, registered around the purge.
They asked me to leave, you invited me in-and ya ain't Booted me yet. Think I'll hang until you do.

peace

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

@Tall Bald and Ugly
"No boot for you" to quote the soup nazi.

In reality, few get booted from here. You have to do something pretty egregious and usually several chances at that. Unless you're deemed to be a troll, here to cause discord, and we've had our share of those. Usually they are quietly shown the door.

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@JtC that feeling here. You can kinda have a nutty(respectfully skirtin' the edge) and people Understand! It's really quite remarkable!
I've been remiss in not saying thank you, so Thank You! and All the community for continuing to educate my dumb ass. I know there's Too much to know so I should never stop learning.
Thanks Everyone.

peace

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

snoopydawg's picture

@Tall Bald and Ugly

We are still getting free advertising for the site over there. The comments are usually derogatory because we haven't joined the anti Russia bandwagon, but isn't that saying that there is no bad free press? It's too bad that JtC doesn't get paid by the hits to the site.

Smile

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg
that we are getting their eyeballs here, I know many of them read here. And it's good for them that they expose themselves to alternative discussions outside of the parochial echo chamber they inhabit, whether they admit it or not.

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gulfgal98's picture

@JtC because she still visits the other place. Wink Love you, snoopydawg!

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

snoopydawg's picture

@gulfgal98

Your comment makes me want to ....

Thank you.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

TheOtherMaven's picture

@Tall Bald and Ugly

except I didn't get booted from That Other Place, I just snuck out the door when no one was looking. I don't think they ever noticed.

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.

snoopydawg's picture

thanks from the bottom of my heart for this site and all you do here JtC to keep it running and for not going insane when the meta gets too bad. I still remember the day when I got a kos mail inviting me to join. I thought, "cool, I am going where the cool kids are."

Yippee! Smile

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg
we get special meta because of our open discussion policy, but all in all this a great board. Glad you're here with us.

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You do an awful lot behind scenes that we can't thank you enough for. The writers/community/participants here are top notch. All of you make this a happy home for all of us. Happy Anniversary everyone.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

@dkmich
and thanks for inviting me to the Google Group all those years ago. If that didn't happen this site wouldn't have happened.

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studentofearth's picture

conversation within this community without it quickly morphing to name calling. Few places encourage deep thought. Thanks to all those who worked on creating this space in the universe and for welcoming those of us who found our way from other sites.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

@studentofearth
and I/we are very appreciative of the deep thought that you add to the site. It's a collective thing.

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Great to be part of something smart, sharp and supportive. Once I found this place, have never gone back to the DKos. Hear enough from the wandering souls that still re-visit to know ain't missing a thing. Thanks all for keeping it classy.

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@QMS
for all that you do here. Like you I don't visit there anymore either. Don't miss it one bit.

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polkageist's picture

I joined on the 5th of March 2016 and have felt right at home ever since. I was part of the exodus. I hadn't been at the other place very long, but it was plain to see that it wasn't as advertised. This place is one of those happy accidents where the people who run the place, the people who write the essays, the people who comment, and the people who lurk have some fundamental agreements that keep the peace even when the disagreements get a little warm. Thank you JtC and Joe for keeping the place running smoothly. It seems like it has always been here. I think we all do a good job.

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-Greed is not a virtue.
-Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.
-Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy, In a speech at the White House, 1962

@polkageist
and you're welcome. Always glad to read your take on things.

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Wink's picture

and many more! Smile

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

@Wink
many more.

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Anja Geitz's picture

I first came here seeking sanctuary on June 1, 2016 after being purged from a place I had previously called home for almost 8 years. As as a stunned refugee, this place had an almost therapeutic effect on my battered sense of reality. Not only did we have informative content and experienced writers, but the feeling of comraderie was instantaneous. I suspect a part of that was due to the tumultuous times we were living in and the ratfuckery we were witnessing in real time, but I also know that the greater part of that was due to the smart, witty, and wonderful people here who respected each other's right to be heard.

Thank you so much for welcoming me here. Thank you so much for telling your stories. Thank you so much for believing that a place like this could exist, and putting your time and your passion into making it happen. Who knew that being Bojo'd from TOP would've led me to a place I now proudly call home?

Happy Anniversay fellow C99'ers!

image_52.jpg

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Anja Geitz
it was a reciprocal purge, we from it and it from we. Always a pleasure, my friend.

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dance you monster's picture

@Anja Geitz

. . . that a large part of what made this place therapeutic was the caliber of posters we had moving over here. DKos lost its best writers, almost every one of them, with that stupid Ides thing. A cheery "I'm with Her" is not sparkling political discourse.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@dance you monster

A cheery "I'm with Her" is not sparkling political discourse.

Couldn't have said that better. How fortunate we were to have had the best writers come here. It was the main reason I chose C99 over some of the others sites people who were purged from TOP were going to.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

dance you monster's picture

Some of you will remember the "What's Happenin'" community diaries at TOP. Long before the Ides decree, pretty much just barely into Obama's second term, that community series of left-leaning folks was being periodically trolled by other kossacks of a more centrist mindset. DKos, like the Democratic Party establishment that blog had sold its soul to, was creating a virtual version of Trump's wall, only keeping out lefties instead of refugees. They weren't successful, as we all knew trolling when we saw it and could dish it right back, but joanneleon, who had created that diary series, saw the need to come up with a lifeboat for lefties, something less partisan, more issues-driven, outside the unwelcoming dKos boundaries. The Ides decree had not yet occurred, was more than two years away in fact, but it was clear that something like it would be coming sooner or later.

Joanne, who had had a hand in another ex-dKos blog I won't name, took up the challenge and was teaching herself how to set something up. There were some meetings of a few folks (joanne, joe shikspack, and a few others), including one where CStMS made the trek, and out of those conversations came the impetus and confidence to do something sooner rather than later. And some shifting of the generative leadership.

There were growing pains, and a few avatars of the lifeboat that have been enumerated upthread, before c99p came to be.

I think I have all this correct. As party to some of the early conversations, I was around to enjoy the lifeboat in I think all of the early versions of the group, but life duties may have caused me to miss some crucial details. And if this paragraph has too many Is, as if I want to take any credit, I don't, I didn't do this, I just witnessed some of it and wanted to make sure we honor the conception as well as the child. C99P is as strong as it is, has the shape it has, because of all the ideas and hiccups and input that went into it. And because of all of you who keep it what it is.

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@dance you monster
and I too was a part of that early initiative, albeit behind the scenes. See No. 1 of my outline above. The obscurity in No. 1 was by design on my part. That was well before the Google Group.

Glad you're still with us, my friend.

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dance you monster's picture

@JtC

Ya done good, JTC. Thanks!

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@JtC

while we waited for Joanne to come up with something. We tried several homes during that time. You were the one JtC that stepped up and made it happen.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

@dkmich
I was in the right place at the right time, had a lot of spare time on my hands at that point in time, and I've always loved a challenge.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@dance you monster

C99P is as strong as it is, has the shape it has, because of all the ideas and hiccups and input that went into it. And because of all of you who keep it what it is.

I hope to never forget that places like this are very rare and to not only respect the idea, but the people who contribute to the idea.

Thanks for such a wonderful comment.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

travelerxxx's picture

Heh. That's me. I was part of the great purge of those with principles from TOP. In my case, I didn't wait to get the swift boot, but saw what was happening and didn't let the door hit me on the way out.

What a refuge this place is! So happy to be here and only wish I could be here more - and read each and every word written.

So, Happy Birthday C99!

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@travelerxxx
I too was not banned, at least I wasn't the last time I checked many months ago, really don't care if I am. When I left I ran out, the doors didn't have a chance.

Thanks for the cake, amigo.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@JtC

I remember seeing a few of those as avatars here after the purge. A badge of honor, so to speak Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Anja Geitz
of the Edict/Grand Purge/Great Migration will be in early March. Three years already, hard to believe.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@JtC

You deserve more thanks than you'll ever get.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Anja Geitz's picture

@travelerxxx

Omg! I love it!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

travelerxxx's picture

@Anja Geitz

OH! I have to come clean on this! I lifted that photo ....aaaaaAAANNNDDDD .... it's a dog's birthday cake! Here's where I got the photo.

They've got the recipe there. No mashed potatoes, but that's a good idea!

I just happened to like the photograph. I have no connection to it other than that. Don't know the people nor the lucky birthday pooch.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@travelerxxx

Made into a "birthday cake" for a pooch! Even better! Will send the recipe to my Sister for Odie's birthday. Saving the picture too Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Daenerys's picture

Thanks JtC and the mods for all you do.
I don't comment or post very often, but I appreciate the thought-provoking and respectful dialogue here. I came over after seeing a link in a kos comment and I'm glad I decided to check it out. I often feel like I don't have anything to say that can't be said better by others, but there's more of a sense of unity here. There's really nothing like it anywhere else on the internet. Cheers!

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This shit is bananas.

@Daenerys
occasionally I see folks here wondering what happened to many of the folks that migrated here. They seemed to have disappeared. The fact is many of them are still here. They lurk and read, log in occasionally to upvote essays and comments.

Bernie brought many members to this site and when Bernie was knocked out of the primaries, many faded away. I also have to believe that we are a bit too radical for some that initially ventured over here, and some had a hard time with our nonpartisan open discussion policy. And this as you say, "I often feel like I don't have anything to say that can't be said better by others," is a part of it too, and that goes for me as well.

I do know though that many are still here, only not in a presence like before, they often PM or email telling me so, and how much they still appreciate the site and why they don't participate as much as before.

There are many more eyes on this site than many people realize.

Thank you Daenerys.

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@JtC
on average roll across this site? I know DKmich is doing her facebook promotion, but have wondered the number of audience here. Or maybe I don't want to know. Might be afraid to post anything if it is way more than a lot Wink

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@QMS
by looking at the server logs but to be honest, I really don't care about the numbers so I haven't even looked for a couple of years. I am in no way driven by site statistics. I'm sure they're down from the high point in March through November of '16 though. All political blogs are down as far as I know. You could probably get an idea from Alexa or another site like it.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@JtC

Because politics itself has been rendered so poisonous that a lot fewer people care to partake or even discuss it.

I'm glad you all are still here. I'd be pretty lonely without you.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

gulfgal98's picture

@QMS I handle our Twitter account. What that means is that I link most of the essays posted here to Twitter. But it also means that I often post comments on other essays under our account name. Those comments reflect what I believe is the opinion of the majority of the members here.

Caucus99% earned almost 2400 impressions in the first week of January. Those numbers are lower than normal for a week, but I believe is due to the holiday season. What is very good is that the number of followers has increased over the last year and has remained steady.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

@gulfgal98
gulfgal -- wouldn't know a twitter from a face plant, as have never travelled those roads. Just trying to get a feel for the reach of this phenomena we call C99%.

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@JtC

Great reader but not such a great writer so I fit perfectly into the category you described above.
And yes, we are here!
Come almost everyday or I catch up.

Thanks JtC for all your hard work and also to all those who contribute to make this such a great site!

And a big congratulations on your 4th anniversary!!!

Do carry on.

Sirena
Member 2047
7-06-2016

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@Sirena
for the affirmation, and thanks for reading and sticking with us.

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Raggedy Ann's picture

I am proud to say I was part of the Ides of March purge in 2016. I was not bojoed from TOP, but I was happy to find this place, since my line of thinking was way out of bounds with THEIR line of thinking. Thank goodness folks were putting the link in their comments or I may have never made it over.

I love this site. I contribute because I want to see it continue. The people here are awesome and we learn from each other every day - anyway, I learn from everyone everyday!

Thanks for everything you do, JtC and thanks to joe, gg, and the other founding members. You have given us a very safe space to be who we are.

Drinks

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

@Raggedy Ann
thank you for loving us, and we love you right back.

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Lookout's picture

I'm glad to be a part of this community. An open mind is a gift, and this community is open, accepting, and gifted. I appreciate all the work it took to create this platform, and enjoyed the stories of it's evolution. Thanks to everyone for their insights and information - it is an island of sanity.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@Lookout
the gift is writers like yourself. This platform would be nothing without writers like yourself and so many others.

Muchas gracias, amigo.

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gulfgal98's picture

@Lookout In the beginning, I thought I had an open mind. But what happened to me is that the people here helped me open it even more. And it has been a gift from everyone here to me. It has been so very liberating.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Big Al's picture

Kudos to those who thought of, organized and implemented a great idea. Special thanks to JtC for keeping hope alive.

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@Big Al
say it ain't so! Not the hopey changey thing! Not you!!

Special thanks to JtC for keeping hope alive.

Just kidding.

Thanks my brother.

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@JtC

Keep on truckin', big guy.

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@pindar's revenge

Thanks man.

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divineorder's picture

Jb and I are are proud financial supporters through monthly autopay, though admit it is not much compared to the need.

Hope others will consider taking a few minutes and signing on for a regular monthly contribution if it works for them.

https://caucus99percent.com/about_donations

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

@divineorder
you and jb are a couple of my favorites going back to the EB days at DKos. Thank you so much for all that you and jb do, you two are like family to me.

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@JtC

Usually the next day because it published and played after my bedtime. Dkos is so the biggest loser, and we are its benefactor.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

dystopian's picture

Congratulations and Happy Birthday to all caucusers! Thanks to you especially JtC for all the work you do making it work. And thanks to all the regular posters for all the great material, knowledge, and ideas. Y'all rock!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian
I let it rock to my very soul.

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dystopian's picture

@JtC Cool people are hip to Street Corner Talkin'! What a masterpiece!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian
ever!

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mimi's picture

accepted me in this group. Reading how you all knew each other before this site was created, met, had a history together, are like a family, all of you being insiders, seasoned writers and researchers, having built sites and are music connaiseurs, just makes it so much more amazing that he and the site in its totality took me along, an outsider with no background that would be suitable to contribute something here.

So, all my thanks to all of you, but to JtC and Joe specifically to bear with me. I never was a blogger, just a reader (and a bad one too) and an odd isolated foreign person in the US, who had a lot isnide that wanted to come out. JtC let me talk, though I frustrated him sometimes when I constantly redacted my worst comments. I am no social media person. I stil boycott facebook and twitter. I came here because some folks didn't like me over there and vice versa I didn't like them either and it showed. The same can happen here as well, the difference is that it doesn't show over here in ways that would hurt. (at least I hope)

So, thank you JtC, for all you do and for including me in the 99 percent of people of the world. Each time I feel guilty of having made a silly comment or being too upfront and in your face, I tell myself, darn it, I am one of the millions in the 99 percent too. And then I try to buy myself out for my little sins like in church of the 99 percenters...Overlords have mercy with me. Smile

Happy Anniversary!
Cheers!
Drinks

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@mimi @mimi
we all don't share that much history here. Think it's more about being open minded. Tend not to get harshed-out as much. Encouraged expression without all that heavy judgement. Wink

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@mimi
you're much more appreciated here than you realize. AND, being upfront is what this site is all about.

So keep on keeping on mimi.

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ggersh's picture

to I'm at C99 what a relief

Thanks JtC and continue the great work!

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

@ggersh
I know you're a Chicagoan. Did you watch the game yesterday? I knew that damn ball was going to hit the goalpost, I just knew it. But twice in one kick, arrrrgggghhhhh!!

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ggersh's picture

@JtC was about to happen, Although I hate the
end the ride was great and daBears are watchable
again, two huge feats!

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@JtC

though I have to admit that I very much like both teams, so the whole thing was an exercise in ambivalence for me. I hate when two teams I like get seeded to meet each other so early. I don't like Dallas or the Seahawks nearly as well; would have welcomed y'all kicking out one of those and the Eagles the other before advancing.

BTW, it turns out that one of the defensive linemen got his finger on the ball and deflected it. Not visible except in slo-mo, but the media found it.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

To JtC and all the great contributors. Have enjoyed being part of C99 from the beginning and do love that so much can be discussed without getting into ugly words to each other. There is so much to learn from coming to this site. So thanks again!

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Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.

This ain't no dress rehearsal!

@jakkalbessie
that's special to me coming from you. I appreciate it.

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smiley7's picture

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@smiley7
may the Mountain be kind to you. Leave at least one trout in the stream for me to, OK my friend?

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Socialprogressive's picture

Thank you JtC for all the hard work you do to make c99 the wonderful site it is. Keep up the great work.

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When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

@Socialprogressive
I promise I will.

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be proud of what you have accomplished.
As I have commented before, I share this site with friends I make all over the world.
All good.
All really good.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp
as we've discussed before, it's about principles, and standing up for them, against the odds.

Thanks for sharing us worldwide.

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mhagle's picture

Thanks JtC, the admins, wonderful authors, and commentators. You are all now part of my soul.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Mark from Queens's picture

than being online. Plus the Grind of the kids by myself.

Have been checking in on the site as always but not as much the past month. Busy, funk and other interests. But seeing this tonight had to pull up the reply box, to be with you all and to share recollections about the way here.

There were definite junctures when DK had begun becoming apparent to me that it was not really a progressive place. For years I had enjoyed and reveled in the expanse of edification offered, from historical essays to community interaction to inside politics. But after Occupy, during BLM and of course as the 2016 primary starting heating up with the obligatory horse race more than a year out I began to get a nagging and distinct feeling that it was just a centrist Democratic blog that towed the establishment line in every way.

During that time I had discovered the Evening Blues. Then I was gigging constantly and kept late hours, and that refuge of smart and interesting people gathered around Joe's always-excellent daily news roundup was such a delight to come home to late at night. Not only was everyone really politically astute and bright but it was music fans too. Just where I wanted to be.

It always had the feeling, on that massive, seemingly endless blog, to that akin of DK being a really big high school in which the top bloggers were mostly (not all) like the popular jocks and cheerleaders, while the EB were the way cooler kids with the best music, coolest hangout and intellect that burned, and without even having to say it reduced those poseurs to the lapdogs they really were. As with popular crowd in high school, the DK cheerleaders' opinions didn't age well at all. Each of you who put it together - joe, Tim and Johnny - had different styles interaction, writing and music, and it was always a gas hanging out and occasionally chiming in.

But what really lost me and found myself most indignant about, was the astonishing lack of support for #blacklivesmatter, especially from the haughty big black bloggers, who could recite history well, it seemed, but had not the compunction to get out in the streets and/or give more serious coverage to what I saw and felt firsthand was legitimate and inspiring revolt, just as Occupy was (and which seemed to morph into).

I was experiencing some really amazing things with #BLM, such as the stunning #MillionsMarchNYC, and also following the incredible news around the country of one uprising after another, and then coming on to the one blog I trusted first and...crickets. Progressive blog? My ass. It's so galling to me then to hear of them fraudulently playing the Identity Politics game. They make me sick. Also, having to repeatedly correct revisionist history about Occupy by the Neoliberal suckups who denigrated it or repeated lies about it was another telltale sign.

So when Bernie began blowing the doors off the establishment I was already primed for major stultification and their true colors to shine brightly. I said my peace in a few essays that were well-received and never looked back. I haven't ever gone back to that infernal, Pestilent Neoliberal Cesspool and don't miss it.

But during that time I had noticed the EB had been gone, and I was disoriented. Thank god for the occasional commenter pointing the way to the Liefboat. I think it was dkmich who responded to a comment wondering what had happened to the EB.

It was with great satisfaction and humility when trying to sign up in the spring of 2016 to be informed by JtC that an account had already been opened for me. I never looked back at TOP.

I have great feelings for all here. I still hope there will be some way for us to be able to get together in person at some point in the near future. And that I'll be able to contribute a little more again in the near future.

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"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut

CS in AZ's picture

I arrived in the great migration, joined here on March 6, 2016, so coming up on three years now. Time does fly. This was shortly after Kos made his big announcement that everyone had to get on the Hillary train, or else get out or shut up. My choice was instantly clear, and I’m grateful to everyone who posted links pointing here, and thankful to this site for being here, and for welcoming a flood of refugees.

You made room for us, everything changed, your workload must have gone crazy! But you took us all in and made it work. I’ve learned so much and changed so much in these last few years, mostly because of the daily flow of information and discussions on here.

Providing a totally ad-free site is another wonderful gift you to give us, for which I’m also incredibly grateful.

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yellopig's picture

Thank you, thank you to the original instigators, and to the MODS, and to the awesome development team! (JtC must be a team, he does way too much to be just one guy, heh.)

Best wishes for our continued success!

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“We may not be able to change the system, but we can make the system irrelevant in our lives and in the lives of those around us.”—John Beckett

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@yellopig

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

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