You know what a troll is. And if you've had even a mild exposure to spy fact or fiction, you know what a mole is. And lately I've been wondering... do we have some hideous hybrid lurking in the dank damp underbelly of Daily Kos? A sinister and potentially destructive beast, if the legends are true... the legend of the Mole Troll.
Let's pick up the scent and follow its trail over the jump (hopefully, not the shark)...
Why Mole Trolls?
I'm not certain if the term has been used before (it probably has, but I didn't spot it on a cursory google), but a recent post by a frequent recommended diarist here got me thinking. Here's a guy who has clearly done good work for progressives in the past, yet now that we're in crunch time for the mid-terms he's basically trumpeting another rationale for us to stay home and protest non-vote. Yeah! That'll show'em! Wait, what? For what possible purpose would a progressive be spouting that now? Unless...
Is it possible that Dkos and other tendrils of the Netroots have become powerful enough in the eyes of The Right, to earn some insidious long-term attention? Maybe after trying the standard concern troll schtick a few times and drawing back stumps (we're adept at spotting those, from what I've seen), they resorted to Plan B. A mole, earning Kossack Kharma over time with genuinely progressive insights and commentary. But at their heart, a troll, waiting for the Opportune Moment (say, as midterms approach) to sow dissension among the ranks and try to keep progressive voter enthusiasm suppressed.
Is this a conspiracy theory? If you'll pardon the expression – you betcha! But hey, who here honestly believes The Right isn't conspiring against us? At a minimum, perhaps it's prudent to keep grains of salt handy, should anyone posit an argument which would conclude with you not going to the polls and voting progressively in November. Because... hmmm think i'll finish this off in verse...
even if they are not
a bona fide mole troll
shouldn't they know when to
shut their frakin' pie hole?
Peace, and see you in the voting booth.