That which shall not be mentioned

Paid contributors to DU.

Of course there are!
I know it.
You know it.


We all know they're here. We would be pretty much correct in guessing who they might be.

I wish DU would just fess up to the possibility (extreme probability)....Fucking Certainty.



No. I'm not complaining.
I'm glad they're here. Its interesting to be privy to the latest talking points, no matter how lame they may be.

I just wish DU would'nt work so hard to deny the obvious.



What I really REALLY REALLY wonder, is, if DU gets a cut.
Sweet deal if you do.
If you don't, you are missing out on a stable and lucrative income stream.
(But Dude! You know that already. I swear you do.)

We've all read the stories about people who are supposedly being paid to astroturf discussion forums. But it should be obvious that we don't know any more than you do whether people are paid to be posting on DU. How are we supposed to know that?

If two people write "I fucking love Barack Obama" and one of them is being paid to express that opinion, how are we supposed to know which one it is?

If two people write "I fucking hate Barack Obama" and one of them is being paid to express that opinion, how are we supposed to know which one it is?

I understand that it's quite popular these days for members to claim (without any evidence whatsoever) that other members are being paid to post, but to be honest with you that tactic has always seemed to me to be just an excuse to avoid arguing the merits of what they're actually saying.