These are my views. Though I've recently been asked to help moderate this section, I wouldn't want my comments to be construed as those of a representative of the site.
There was a poll about political perspectives and affiliations some time ago, right around election time, IIRC. I believe that the results showed a slight majority in the conservative column, but there are folks of all stripes represented on the forum. I searched for the poll but, as is usually my fortune, I couldn't find what I was after.
The section is new, so yeah, the majority of posts have been directed toward the Obama administration. During the last U.S. political pony show the threads that now appear here were posted in The Bar. This section was created because folks didn't want them there. I tend to imagine this section as the dimly lit curb outside the back of the dive bar, the place where folks park their bikes. The folks who hang out back here are the ones who want to have "serious" conversations rather than partake of the more topical chatter inside the bar. And occasionally, someone who should'nt venture out here does, and they find somewhat quickly, that if they can't back up their views with calm, clear, rational discussion, that the folks out here will dismiss them/shut them down (a virtual a$$ kicking, if you will).
While I believe that there are a fair number of "liberal" forum members who hold anti-Bush views (I will admit to being [strongly] anti-Bush, socially very progressive, yet fiscally conservative, and sadly, woefully unrepresented), they don't seem to spend a lot of time in this forum section. I'm sure that there are plenty of "liberal" folks who could present lucid, fact-based commentary on the Bush administration, but for whatever reason, they just don't spend time here. And, while I don't offer nor intend this as a condemnation nor broad/overall characterization of the forum liberals, there has been a tendency for seeming liberal folks to venture in here and make unsupported, shrill or sniping claims. This type of activity is precisely the kind that tends to reduce on-line political discussions to polarized shouting matches. It's pointless.
I will not, can not claim that I know what the motivations/reasons are for the lack of participation from the forums more "liberal" members -- my gut tells me that they are just glad he's gone and they are more interested in simply riding their motos and talking about the same. There was even a request submitted to not have the posts for this section appear on the main forum landing page. I'm not sure how that was eventually resolved, but the sense that I got was that there are folks who just really don't want to be bothered by political discussions on a motorcycle forum.
Living in the San Francisco Bay Area as I do, I meet motorcyclists of all stripes. My observation of motorcyclists in this forum is this: the more conservative folks are more vocal/committed/visible when it comes to expressing and discussing political issues. It tends to make this section of the forum feel rather conservative or one-sided. All political discussion is welcome here, but it's got to be presented as fact-based and it's got to be calm and lucid. No punches will be pulled from those who don't agree, but Wrightme, Hellgate, and I will do our best to ensure that the discussion remains civil.
This is the first on-line forum in which I've ever been an active member. It's been interesting -- and a real learning experience for me -- to experience people in the virtual-only setting. From my perspective, this on-line thing is an imperfect means of community building (and I work in software development), but it's what we're dealing with and, good and bad, many folks do seem willing and able to try and work at it.
As regards the international aspect of the overall forum, this has been discussed here, too, though not at great length. Again, speaking only for myself, I'd love to hear the viewpoints of those outside of the U.S. But I can't explain why more folks outside of the U.S. don't chime in. Maybe they're just glad Bush is gone... I do tend to think that folks outside of the U.S. tend to think of Americans as fairly clueless when it comes to the political realities and machinations of the rest of the world. I tend to agree with this notion and, sadly, this forum has rarely proved me wrong.
Apologies for the length of the post...hopefully some of it makes sense.
