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?

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Comments

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by SeanB on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 19:08.

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

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by C. Aaron Browbo... on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 15:29.

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

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

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Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by PHOENIXZERO on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 14:12.

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

Submitted by Kataclysmic_Kat on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 02:17.

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

"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

Submitted by Paulrus on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 11:43.

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

Submitted by Dark Sovereign on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 11:26.

Nintendocrat sounds better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by SimonBob on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 08:40.

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

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The Mammon Industry

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Fangamer

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by olstar18 on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 08:19.

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

Submitted by Bennett Beeny on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 20:33.

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

Submitted by Quarantine on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 20:13.

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

---------------------------------------- "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

Submitted by DeepThorn on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 08:06.

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.

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How to set Xbox 360 Parental Controls

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by beemoh on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 08:01.

Nintendemocrat, obvs.

/b

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Keith K on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 10:47.

I think simply 'Nintendocrat' is better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Nocturne on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 08:01.

would Barack Obama qualify as an Atari Democrat?

If he mentions ET it may be time to vote Republican

Shout box

james_fudge: thnx05/21/2013 - 4:47pm

Zen: Just to let ya know...you called it the "Xbox 260" in the backwards compatibility article lol.05/21/2013 - 4:26pm

Zen: @PHX Awesome, I will hit those up after class tonight. Going back to college finally! :) My kids have had a blast telling ME to do my homework now lol.05/21/2013 - 4:19pm

PHX Corp: @Zen I sent you a friend request on both PSN and XBL, just a heads up05/21/2013 - 4:16pm

Zen: I noticed it with the football players when EA showed off Madden as well.05/21/2013 - 4:11pm

Zen: Is it just me or is call of duty hitting the "uncanny valley" with their nicely modeled faces and dead looking eyes? I found it distracting and seemed actually "less" real to me lol.05/21/2013 - 4:10pm

james_fudge: it sounds like if you have an HD reciever you'll be able to use it with a pass-through cable... not 100 percent sure yet05/21/2013 - 2:41pm

james_fudge: happening now http://majornelson.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-architecture-panel/05/21/2013 - 2:20pm

E. Zachary Knight: Some reading material for Microsoft on its used games blocks. That will hurt the console more than helping. http://ezknight.net/?page_id=20505/21/2013 - 2:18pm

james_fudge: yeah good luck with over the air TV05/21/2013 - 2:12pm

E. Zachary Knight: But what if I want to only watch over the air tv? I don't subscribe to pay tv. I never will. If that is a requirement, then MS wasted 45 minutes telling me how great TV will be.05/21/2013 - 2:08pm

james_fudge: EZK it will depend on your provider, just like HBO Go i'd imagine.05/21/2013 - 2:05pm

PHX Corp: @IanC there's also a chance that those titles might be Xbox one exclusive, but it's too early to tell afaik05/21/2013 - 2:03pm

IanC: @E. Zachary Knight - MS certainly got the checkbook out for EA, so no surprise on how negative they are over the Wii U.05/21/2013 - 1:54pm

MaskedPixelante: So now I have to wonder, how many of EA's games are skipping the PS4 because of their pro-used stance?05/21/2013 - 1:53pm

E. Zachary Knight: On the TV front, does the XBox One require a cable/satellite subscription or will I be able to use my over the air channels?05/21/2013 - 1:48pm

E. Zachary Knight: Also, that name was not one of the options on our poll.05/21/2013 - 1:42pm

E. Zachary Knight: This presentation also shows why EA has been so negative about the Wii U. They have had a massive hardon for the XBox One forever.05/21/2013 - 1:42pm

james_fudge: two female presenters05/21/2013 - 1:40pm

E. Zachary Knight: Quote: Are developers forced to create games that have these online features, and are thus not playable offline? They are not, Xbox exec Whitten said to Wired — but “I hope they do.”05/21/2013 - 1:40pm

All shouts

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