Patriotic Voices Political Forum

[Cal]

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http://patriotsmovement.com​

http://patriotsmovement.com/forums​

Well since I renewed my license and stepped back into the forum admin world I figured I'd make a new critique thread. Check it out and let me know what you think. Join and debate perhaps. We need help starting the place up and could use some difference of opinion.

I'm using the XendisConnect theme by the much awesome Russ. I've found that older users, at least in the political niche, are often very wary about joining a xenforo forum. They usually go for the old standard of VB or IPB...so I made the board look like VB5 to ease them into it.

I've modified the posts to how I want them to look. Very basic and no clutter at all. No post count or signature. The only thing there is their name, avatar, and a ribbon stating their role.

The banner at the top is a block to make it look more similar to my main site (Patriotic Voices). XendisConnect's logo is not in a block but I felt it looked better considering.

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So basically the point of the site is to start a grass roots conservative movement that will replace the now dysfunctional Tea Party. Our goal is to modernize conservatism and to restore the governmental focus to where it should always be: on the citizen. We believe in rights and liberty, the constitution, and smaller government. We're basically going to be what the Tea Party should have become before it was corrupted.

This movement will likely take 5-10 years to take effect and gain a foot hold however we've been doing well at getting noticed lately. We we're already threatened to be sued by the Tea Party even though they had no grounds to do so (Think IB vs Xenforo). We're getting about 500 visits a day on the main site.

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Anyways that's it. Let me know what you think. Is there anything I should add? Subtract?? Go ahead give me some feedback

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http://patriotsmovement.com/forums​

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[Slavik]

Theres a few styling issues I can see (for example on the forum description popups).

Would have thought to see some more red in there, with the whole red white and blue thing

 

[HenrikHansen]

Great job, I like it.

 

[Cal]

Theres a few styling issues I can see (for example on the forum description popups).

Would have thought to see some more red in there, with the whole red white and blue thing

Thanks Slavik

Yeah the forum descriptions are still a little jacked up and I noted that some browsers tend to show descriptions and some don't. The one description has an image in it from an old design before. This forum was on IPB before but it was dead...it's picking up now.

I could throw more red in there but the problem with the national colors is everyone does it. It's a cliche. I'm starting a new movement and I'm changing my movement's colors around a bit. Republicans are red, Democrats blue, Libertarians green, independents grey, but my movement represents none of these groups. So I'm thinking about doing my own color thing (not that it'll matter to anyone for a very long time...we're talking maybe 5-10+ years). This is a long term commitment if I want it to succeed.

 

[Cal]

Great job, I like it.

Thanks Henrik

 

[LPH]

I really like the layout in WP but your site has the same issue as many others .. .. once in the forums then the layout changes. Maybe you could begin by matching the menus and this would take away "that sting."

Awesome start.

 

[Cal]

I would like to do that but I'm not really sure how. When I started out I tried copying the WP header to the forum templates as I saw other people suggested in my searches. All that did was cause errors on top of errors lol. If I can figure out how to add another menu...or perhaps add on to the top menu on that theme I think it'll work out well. I'll have to search around and look in the repository in a bit and see if I can lessen that issue. Thanks Iph

 

[CallieJo]

I admire your writing... Enjoyed reading some of your articles.

Nice site, too. Good luck!

 

[Cal]

Thank you. I have an article about Rand Paul coming out soon as well. Gotta press "publish" lol.

If you like my stuff please share it around and leave us some comments. Possibly join the forums whistle: ) We're trying to get noticed as fast as we can as a movement and to gain supporters.

I need to learn how to network soon.

 

[Cal]

If any of you are attending CPAC 2013 this year I will be there promoting my political movement and trying to network with other conservatives and movements.

 

[MLB]

-snip-​

Being 16 years old people don't think I know much about politics, I know more than people think. I'm a Democrat. Very nice forums you have there.

 

[Cal]

Thanks. Don't discount your age...one of the people helping me start this movement is 16. We've moved past politics and we're trying to make the movement more interesting to everyone. So, as a Democrat, feel free if you have time to tell me what you think of my movement

Oh for everyone else. We renamed the site Patriots Movement to reflect the movement name. The old url still works. The forum is sorta dead...but you know I wasn't building off the forum. The forum will come along on it's own. I only really bought a license because KAM won their lawsuit and because I missed this support forum lol.

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[Brent W]

Like the site design. Don't agree with your black and white view of politics in this country.

 

[Cal]

Like the site design. Don't agree with your black and white view of politics in this country.

Black and white? Did you even read my views??

.... apparently not.

I'm actually speaking against the black and white views.

Bama if you want me to explain it to you I am more than happy to do so in a conversation.

 

[Mike Edge]

I like the layout a lot more then your old site, Cal. Good job!

 

[Cal]

Thanks Mike.

 

[MLB]

Thanks. Don't discount your age...one of the people helping me start this movement is 16. We've moved past politics and we're trying to make the movement more interesting to everyone. So, as a Democrat, feel free if you have time to tell me what you think of my movement

Oh for everyone else. We renamed the site Patriots Movement to reflect the movement name. The old url still works. The forum is sorta dead...but you know I wasn't building off the forum. The forum will come along on it's own. I only really bought a license because KAM won their lawsuit and because I missed this support forum lol.

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I joined, username "Kenny" I will try and be active discussing politics with you.

 

[Cal]

Oh ok, means I have to pay attention to the forum again lol. I'll tell Chris to watch it again too lol. This site keeps me awfully busy at times.

 

[Ferryman]

Only thing I can see your missing is a religion and philosophy forum other than that looks good.

 

[craigiri]

I like the styling....

That said, the about page seems very clear. You are closer to Michelle Bachman...than Obama.


You are also somewhat wrong in your assumption that, by and large, we "at one time had political leaders who....blah blah". The very wealthy have ALWAYS run this country, from Jefferson to the Bushes. Sure, there have been some up and comers along the way (Abe, Obama, etc.), but if you actually studied the writing of the Constitution (Miracle at Philadelphia is a good book) and Hamilton, etc. you'd see it has been as bad or worse throughout history!

You may think you are speaking out against the black and white views - and maybe you are deeper in the site, but the "about" reads exactly like 100's of screeds I have seen or heard which are the same old stuff..... reminiscent of the know nothings, nativists, etc.

Furthermore, the name of the movement and site do - whatever your intention - give the impressions (as with all the movements I mentioned above) that "We are the true americans and patriots and those who like Obamacare are not".

Hey, I wish you good luck with it and lots of readers. My opinions expressed above are simply mine...based on about 40 years of watching politics...and tens of thousands of pages of reading of solid American history.

You do know Ben Franklin got the first printing contracts from the Feds, eh? Maybe it started then.....