Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

October 10, 2008

Okay, so that's two words. But still...

Day of the Dreamweavers yesterday mentioned the term "Atari Democrat" and it is one that I'll confess to not having heard before. According to DotD, here's the definition:

...a phrase first popularized during the early 1980s, references both the video game company Atari and Democratic legislators who suggested that the support and development of high tech and related businesses would stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Wikipedia has more, including this definition from the Philadelphia Inquirer, circa 1984:

...a young liberal trying to push the party toward more involvement with high-tech solutions.
 

It seems to be primarily a 1980's term. Major examples include Al Gore (after all, he did invent the Internet).

GP: Under either definition, would Barack Obama qualify as an Atari Democrat? Of course, Atari is far from the powerhouse that it was in the eighties. Apple Democrat, perhaps?

Comments

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

would Barack Obama qualify as an Atari Democrat?

If he mentions ET it may be time to vote Republican

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat
Nintendemocrat, obvs.

/b
Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I think simply 'Nintendocrat' is better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

You are posting stories too fast, I cant keep up, haha j/k.  I love it.

Atari isnt even the real Atari...  It is some Finland company or something.  Nolan Bushnell just sold the branding name to them for a pretty sum...

Apple might sue if you say Apple Democrats too, you might have to say Pair Democrats as a knock off, haha.  I don't think we can keep it on the same level though, we have to keep it on the same level in relation to the times.  So I would vote for the Tweeter Democrats maybe...  Or maybe the Second Life Democrats...

Yeah...  That is the only ideas I can come up with that would work...

I might have to second Nintendemocrats.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I can't figure out why that urban legend gets spread around so much even when he isn't running for office. He did not claim to create the internet. He exact words were "I took the initiative in creating the internet." He was not claiming to invent it he was claiming to be a driving force behind the legislation that made it possible for the internet to become what it is today.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I think the media had something to do with this urban legend because back then, all campaign funding was going towards the republican party. And it just stuck afterwards.

----------------------------------------

"Because this town is under the stranglehold of a few tight eyed Tree Huggers who would rather play Hacky Sack than lock up the homeless" -- Birch Barlow

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Yeah, I don't know why this even circulates anymore, as it's been so totally discredited.  I guess it shows that even GP is willing to post discredited disinformation when it suits his political viewpoint.  Although it's disappointing, I guess it's nice to know GP's political bias - always good to know the politics of the news services one subscribes to.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Just as long as he's not a Tengen Democrat.  (Still haven't forgiven them for the unlicenced NES port of Shinobi.)

---
The Mammon Industry

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Nintendocrat sounds better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

I third "Nintendocrat."

I'm an attention whore. So visit my DevaintArt and feed my ego. Feed the whore. http://keaton2008.deviantart.com/

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Obama is barely even an "Atari Democrat" since the last game he played was apparently Pong. Not to mention it seems like he looks down upon those who play videogames since they're "time wasters". >_>

Let's not even get started on Al Gore...

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Absolutely; they don't give two shits.  They'd probably even love to see violent videogames get banned, like Clinton ...

"That which does not kill me strengthens me." -Friedrich Nietzsche

"Poor fool, he makes me laugh ..." Il Muto, Phantom of the Opera

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

just remember who al gore's married to... tipper gore, true evil

Jesus Jack Jones Thompson.... is dead... (funeral udruge, followed by Celebrate :D )

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Al Gore never claimed to have invented the internet. Get past it already.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 11/22/09 at 09:45am
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I think doc phill is still sout about the break up with his wife he dose not fill holes as much as make them bigger these day
Posted 11/22/09 at 12:06am
JDKJ: You should get Phil McCraken to help you spackle those banisters.
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:57pm
ZippyDSMlee: Oh in the pirate hunter article I need my song ieda heckled DS,JD,Beemon sic im !!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:56pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:no I am tried from prepping the banisters for painting , worked on them from 12 to 4 and 6 to 8...after I got back from the store...got up early got ready...blah...been up all day..I need a nap...
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:42pm
JDKJ: No. You gonna stay up late tonight soldering?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:41pm
ZippyDSMlee: JDKJ:Don't you mean Mctite?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:33pm
JDKJ: @Zip: Neil, Bob, and Lik McTaint. The McTaint brothers. LOL!!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:44pm
Flamespeak: I still think military personell, killing other military personell, on a military complex should be handled by military courts.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I could see this a mixture of the two charges rather than just one or the other.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I think this was mainly a person who snapped, but evidence is showing he definitely had strong inlinations to islamic-extremism.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:41pm
Flamespeak: People are trying to claim that Hasan's actions were not terrorism. I don't jump on the 'terror train' like others, however
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:38pm
mentor07825: Britain certainly does deserve it! And the French! God damn it, it was a hand ball!!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:34pm
ZippyDSMlee: mentor07825:Well Brittan dose deserve it....
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:33pm
ZippyDSMlee: Alyric:I don;t hasliburton having to pay back billoins... don;t you love it when the rich roll over the goverment without a care?
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:32pm
mentor07825: I say we nuke the whales, for the benefit of both mankind and the environment.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:28pm
Austin_Lewis: I say we try Al Gore too. I always said he was in on the racket.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:16pm
Alyric: The leaked information proves these organizations knowingly defrauded governments (i.e., taxpayers) out of billions of dollars. Yet there will probably never be a trial.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:15pm
Flamespeak: working on other things makes me angry. I might have had a jet pack by now. :p
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:14pm
Flamespeak: Just thinking of all the time and manpower wasted to try and make things emit less CO2 emmision that could have been spent
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:07pm
Alyric: @Zip: FYI, the construction of solar panels puts out more pollution than any form of energy production. To say nothing of the toxic components of the panels that cannot be recycled.
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