The Powers That Be decided that it was more appropriate for people with the appropriate views to feel welcome than to have rational engaging discussions where intelligent points are recognized.
They brought in Oerdin as a kind of Liet Lite after he left. But when Liet came back, he stayed around to make Liet look rational and intelligent by comparison. Then when Demiurge disappeared, Chardman filled in for him. Once Demi came back, they kept Chardman around to make Oerdin seem rational and intelligent by comparison.
It has gotten to the point where the Wall Street Journal is a biased rightwing mouthpiece, Reason is a tool of the Koch brothers, and some blog you found that quotes an MSNBC story is a credible, unbiased source. Anyone with a brain has, for the most part, left because they realize you don't need a brain to poop in your hand and throw it at someone and have better things to do with their time than dodging flung poo. Oh, and now, if you disagree with someone you just tell them to stop lying. Don't bother refuting their point. Just call them a liar. Because, you know, if the point is solid, it is kind of hard to refute. I swear, RickDeckard/henryhill, and Dan Leach used to be the Left Wing Moonbats there and these days they're right-leaning centrists.