What people are Googling on Election Day 2010

I recently blogged Sara Robinson's piece in The New Republic in which she argued:

Every American over the age of ten knows what the GOP and the conservative movement stand for. Sing it with me now: low taxes, small government, strong defense, traditional families. See? You know the tune, and the harmony line, too.

OK, now: What do Democrats and progressives stand for?

Take your time. It's a tough question.

Give up? So have most progressives. Even the movement's most deeply committed members often have a hard time answering this one.

And that's a problem.

I just checked StatCounter's log of search queries that brought people to this blog. Here are two of them:

what democrats stand for

what do liberals stand for

You might think the same person searched for both of those, since they're phrased so similarly. But no, one of them happened in Texas, the other in Florida.

Both people saw the heading of my blog post — "What do liberals / progressives / Democrats stand for?" — and clicked on the link.

StatCounter recorded both of those referrals today. Election Day.

And that's a problem.


Short URL for this post: goo.gl/nYHKp

A Google search that led someone to this blog

"are men turned off by women who lie on their internet dating profiles"

I know I've been critical of the Golden Rule, but this would be a good time to apply it. 

People who probably didn't find what they were searching for when they got to this blog

As I've explained before,

StatCounter keeps track of the words people have been searching for when they happened upon this blog. ... Every once in a while, they'll give you a glimpse of some random stranger's mind.

In that post, I gave you some "slightly poignant search terms that have led people to this blog." Now, I present: search terms that led people to this blog that suggest they probably didn't find what they were looking for:

disadvantages of being a black female (leading here)

how can you tell if a law is good or bad? (leading here)

how to tell if you are good at art (leading here)

drug statistics at rock concerts (leading here)

obama is crazy (leading here)

help with this crazy thing (leading here)

I would love to know what was going on with that last person.

Slightly poignant search terms that have led people to this blog

StatCounter keeps track of the words people have been searching for when they happened upon this blog. (So did SiteMeter, before I stopped using it.)

Every once in a while, they'll give you a glimpse of some random stranger's mind.

Here are some of the ones where, for one reason or other, the idea of someone sitting around trying to find whatever they're looking for with these words strikes me as vaguely touching:

i want to break a gender norm

uncaring husbands overwork wives

ways to lessen hatred towards gender

people who break rules, violate norms, or fail to meet the expectations of others

jazz is dead

extremely skinny

statistics on use of word nigger

attractive round faces

father and daughter talk

how to write a thank you letter to a previous employer for firing you

i want to stop thinking the worst outcome will happen

sexy