The reason your website keeps going through cycles of normalcy alternating with abusive echo chamber is largely because of you. You're the common denominator. You seem determined to resist any kind of objective standard for moderation, and then surround yourself with people like the ones in this thread that will tell you 'up is down' as long as it is what you want to hear. These same people that go on about both sides being welcome, and make speeches about transparency and reversing permanent bans will tell you up is down as long as you make it known that's the way the wind is blowing. You'd do yourself a real favor to listen to the tiny minority of people that actually have enough character to disagree with you out loud, before you wake up in a few years in the same place you were before.
You didn't document at all what he was banned for, and you went to a perm immediately. I doubt he did a single thing against the rules here worth even a warning since you couldn't answer the question at all or link to a post. That guy took more abuse on here than anyone, and just remained calm and mild-mannered the entire time.
Almost everyone you're left with in this thread either has no consistency or integrity to tell you that you were wrong, or they're too scared to say it to your face because the bans are becoming more erratic and unpredictable. That's sure a great recipe for rationality and objectivity. Enjoy being told what you want to hear.
Is this actually the reason you banned him?
This is the tamest dad joke I've ever seen. For one slight moment, with Biden looking
ever so slightly like he may be the winner, the perpetually-mocked and emotionally-muted TaySan slightly enjoys himself with the mildest, meekest, faintest ribbing I've ever seen; and it's not even on this website.
TaySan is not without flaw obviously, like anyone. I barely even talked to him. I hardly agreed with him on anything and have very little in common with him. But that's the whole point. He was able to post in discussions with just about anyone and never lose his cool. I never got the impression he was weak. The guy never talked back to or insulted anyone, and your mods call him an "obstacle" and prone to derailing. It's honestly the opposite, and the guy was possibly the most focused, and disciplined poster on here. In the end, that's why you had to ban him over an emotional reaction, since he never broke the rules.
Whatever ideal this site pretends to have - valuing the ability to talk calmly to people you disagree with - TaySan had that more than almost anyone here. What this place really incentivizes is cliques, echo chamber opinion, and constant abuse for any thought dissidents. You'll get more of what you incentivize.