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The End of the Republican Party?
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership ^ | September 23, 2005 | The Liberty Crew

Posted on 09/24/2005 9:51:57 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

A storm is brewing. It has the potential to utterly destroy the Republican Party.

For years, under both Democrat and Republican administrations, American citizens -- cornerstones of their communities -- have been falsely charged and railroaded into prisons. Their lives have been ruined. Their families have been shattered. It has all been because of accusations and sham trials that belong in Communist China, not the United States of America.

We're talking about the decades of abuses committed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). We're talking about the _continuing_ abuses that are ruining innocent gun owners and gun makers today. Worse, we're now also talking about political cover-up and complicity.

A HISTORY OF ABUSE

For evidence of the abuses, see:

http://www.jpfo.org/alert20050103.htm
http://www.jpfo.org/savagebatfe.htm
http://www.jpfo.org/savage2.htm

People are being convicted on utterly meaningless testimony from "expert" witnesses who don't know what they're talking about and who work for an agency that uses arbitrary testing methods designed to yield whatever results bureaucrats and politicians want.

Do the Republicans know about this? Yes. Of course they do. They've known since at least 1982, when Congress recommended curbing the ATF's powers. Instead of controlling the ATF, administration after administration, of both parties, has handed the ATF more money and more power.

NEW EVIDENCE OF A COVER-UP

But it's worse. Not only does the current administration know about these unjust persecutions, these outrageous, trumped-up charges, they're now blatantly aiding and abetting the very agency that so horribly abuses American gun owners.

Here's what we're discovering:

Earlier this year, firearm manufacturer Len Savage and JPFO worked together to reveal that ATF Firearms Technology Branch (FTB) actually has NO standards for determining what constitutes an "illegal machine gun"!

One agent might decide that a semi-automatic rifle is an "illegal machine gun" if it can be made to fire full-auto after 15 minutes of casual tinkering. Another ATF agent might say another semi-automatic rifle is an "illegal machine gun" if a gunsmith with a machine shop can make it fire full-auto after eight hours of expert modification.

But each "expert" can then give testimony that puts the innocent owner of a semi-automatic rifle in prison.

Sometimes, they do no real testing or examination of firearms at all. Don't believe it? Watch the video of the "testing" of John Glover's FAL, and see for yourself: http://www.jpfo.org/batfevideo.htm. You'll see an ATF "expert" claim that a semi-automatic rifle is an "illegal machine gun" because it had a broken part and would occasionally fire two shots on one trigger pull. No one from the ATF ever even disassembled the gun to look for the cause of the malfunction before charging Glover with a federal felony!

When the Glover footage became public, the prosecutor ordered the charges against Glover dropped. Later, the head of the ATF himself ordered Mr. Glover's guns returned to him. (If you know someone being attacked by the ATF, make sure they have a copy of the footage to use!)

GUN OWNERS ATTEMPT TO HOLD THE ATF'S FEET TO THE FIRE

Recently, many concerned gun owners have contacted their congressional representatives requesting the FTB's firearms-testing procedure manual. The response has been -- shockingly, but not surprisingly -- that _no such manual exists_. The ATF is now being forced to admit that for decades it's been "making it up as it goes along" -- at the expense of American gun owners.

BUT ... Instead of defending gun owners in this simple matter of commonsense and justice, powerful Republicans are helping the ATF cover up!

The FTB has _refused_ to release its manual to the Congressional Research Service. Note: It's not admitting the truth -- that there is no manual, that there are no standards. It's just saying it won't release it. And the Department of Justice (under which the ATF now operates) is backing up its underlings.

Congressman James Sensenbrenner - Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary - is scrambling to give the FTB time so that it can hurriedly write some sort of fake manual - anything! - to show the public when knowledge of this travesty becomes widespread.

But by doing so, the FTB will be facing unintended consequences: If the standards for testing firearms have only _now_ been written, then literally thousands of _previous_ gun owner convictions will become suspect, and may well be overturned. The Department of Justice fears (accurately) that there will be a wave of retrials or even complete exonerations for imprisoned gun owners when the public discovers this fetid coverup.

But the current VIPs of the Republican Party and the Bush administration are actually trying to _prevent you and me from learning what their agents are doing to us_.

Only one congressman, Phil Gingrey of Georgia, stands alone in opposition to the ATF's domestic terrorism. He has written a bill to force the ATF to video-record all firearms tests. He made the first requests for the non-existent manual. Yes, Gingrey is a Republican, and a courageous one. But his attempts to get justice have been stymied at every turn by Republican James Sensenbrenner and the Republican Department of Justice.

We're getting calls from outraged, patriotic gun owners. We're reading angry rumblings on second-amendment blogs and message boards. They're all saying the same thing: "If more gun owners begin to grasp the full depth of their betrayal, the Republican Party will not survive the fallout."

Republican betrayal of gun owners is unfortunately not new. The Brady law passed only because a powerful Republican (Bob Dole) enabled it. Republicans who claimed to oppose various Clinton-era gun laws have vigorously supported enforcement of those same laws through Project Safe Neighborhoods. It has been a _Republican_ administration, not a Democrat one that has appointed hundreds of special prosecutors just to handle "gun crimes" (which are often completely non-violent and technical "crimes").

Until now, many gun owners have either been oblivious to the depth of the Republican betrayal or they've held their noses and supported Republicans because they believed the Democrats to be worse.

Many Democrats are open and frank in their hatred of guns and gun owners. But for years the Republicans have looked us in the eye, smiled, shaken our hands, asked for our support -- then stabbed us in the back.

If this were a just world with an impartial media, this brewing scandal of Republican-supported abuse and Republican coverup would have the potential to make Whitewater or Iran Contra look trivial in comparison.

Because the media doesn't care about gun owners, and because gun owners themselves are so often willfully blind to Republican betrayal, we don't know that this scandal _will_ be the end of the Republican Party.

We only know an increasing number of concerned, patriotic gun owners are saying that it _should_ be.

- The Liberty Crew

For more background information and references, see: www.jpfo.org/batfearticles.htm

For a copy of JPFO's "BATFE Fails the Test" footage of BATFE testing procedures, see: www.jpfo.org/batfevideo.htm


Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Inc.
P.O. Box 270143
Hartford, WI 53027
www.jpfo.org

Mirror site: www.jpfo.net

Phone (262) 673-9745
Fax (262) 673-9746


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2a; 2ndamendment; atf; atffraud; batfe; coverup; firearmstesting; fraudulentevidence; ftb; gop; governmentjackals; governmentlies; jackals; jamessensenbrenner; jpfo; lesseroftwoevils; lyingbastards; machinegun; perjury; philgingrey; republicans; rnc; scandal; secondamendment; semiautomatic; showtrials; wishfulthinking; wrongfulconvictions
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To: Hank Rearden
Thanks for the link.  Very interesting stuff.  I skimmed thru it quickly and am going back to read thru in more detail.  This part did stand out to me, though: "ask media personalities in your city or town why they back Nazi based laws."  Good point.
51 posted on 09/24/2005 7:00:15 PM PDT by softwarecreator (Facts are to liberals as holy water is to vampires.)
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To: AmericanChef

How you doing, Marine?


52 posted on 09/24/2005 7:26:15 PM PDT by sergeantdave (Member of Arbor Day Foundation, travelling the country and destroying open space)
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To: Pessimist

Don't get depressed; get even. Join the fight, and let's take our party back from the stupid RINOs.

I've got an antique two-foot long paddle. I'll loan it to you.


53 posted on 09/24/2005 7:34:48 PM PDT by sergeantdave (Member of Arbor Day Foundation, travelling the country and destroying open space)
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To: Reaganghost

You're right about the pessimism, Reaganghost, but I won't accept it.

We need to rally the freeper troops and get them into action. If all we do is sit and whine then we're lost. We can't have good people on FR feeling lost and pessimistic.

Looking forward to your project.


54 posted on 09/24/2005 7:48:46 PM PDT by sergeantdave (Member of Arbor Day Foundation, travelling the country and destroying open space)
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To: cripplecreek
Cowards allways accept the lesser of two evils.

And, what are they that accept the greater of those?

Traitors?

Just asking...

55 posted on 09/24/2005 7:53:32 PM PDT by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: gondramB
“Cowards allways accept the lesser of two evils.”

If you saying that people who consider whether or not a person can be elected when voting for him are cowards, then I respectfully disagree.

What are they that vote for the greater of the two?

56 posted on 09/24/2005 7:56:45 PM PDT by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: cripplecreek
Cowards always accept the lesser of two evils.

I tend to agree. I tire very much of that choice, which is really no choice at all. If we keep digging this hole, eventually there will be no climbing out.

57 posted on 09/24/2005 7:59:01 PM PDT by Black Tooth (The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.)
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To: adam_az
Really. That is BAY Buchanan. Not Pat.

HAHAHAHHA.

58 posted on 09/24/2005 8:01:44 PM PDT by Howlin (No, I'm not as nice as NautiNurse. :-))
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To: Moderate right-winger
paleos?

As opposed to what? Big gov, big spend, new age Republcans?

59 posted on 09/24/2005 8:06:21 PM PDT by Black Tooth (The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.)
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To: sergeantdave
Thanks for the reply and what I hope is some encouragement for the project. Have you taken your sneak preview? If you have, I would be interested in knowing your thoughts by either freepmail or to the email address that appears on the website.

Thanks.

60 posted on 09/25/2005 9:09:01 AM PDT by Reaganghost (Democrats are living proof that you can fool some of the people all of the time.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Nice try Jewish Dudes but you are a bit off. We are stronger now then ever, so slowly put down the New York Times and step away from your computer.
We will pick up seats in the next two cycles. We will keep the WH and we will have the Supreme Court. "End of the Republican Party"? My ass.


61 posted on 09/25/2005 9:53:46 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (The quisling ratmedia: always eager to remind us of why we hate them.)
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To: gondramB
....it's also true that when the base has not strongly supported the Republican nominee the results have been Presidents like Carter and Clinton - and the base understands that.

And obviously the base can live with that (as evidenced by the election of those two) and this is why McCain apparently believes that he can win without the Republican base. It would be far preferable for a Democrat to win the Presidency over any Republican who dismisses the conservative base, because anytime a Republican wins without the conservative base, it emboldens other cowards in the GOP to try to do the same thing. Eventually you will end up with a conservative base without a perty.

62 posted on 09/25/2005 10:03:16 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: albertp; Allosaurs_r_us; Abram; AlexandriaDuke; Annie03; Baby Bear; bassmaner; beckysueb; ...
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
63 posted on 09/25/2005 2:22:48 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (Deep within every dilemma is a solution that involves explosives)
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To: jmaroneps37
Nice try Jewish Dudes but you are a bit off. We are stronger now then ever, so slowly put down the New York Times and step away from your computer. We will pick up seats in the next two cycles. We will keep the WH and we will have the Supreme Court. "End of the Republican Party"? My ass.

Ok lets say you are right and the republicans keep a majority in o6 and 08 when we had the house but bill clinton was president he tryed to get a massive helath care bill through and was shot down when georgie boy tryedto get a 1 TRILLION dollar prescription drug bill through it passed becasue no republican wantedto be told to never darken the doors ofthe white house for going against georgie boy like tancredo did.for the first 5 years of georgie boys administration federal spendding has gone up 30 percent and under the first 5 years of clinton i think it went up 15p ercent and thats with a dem majority in the congress and white house and senate. the best thing that could happen to this nation is if we lose the white house to hillary but keep amajority in congress and the senate that way the men in congress and senate will discover that the vagina they had between there legs since 2000 was actually testicles and a penis after all and they will stand up to the president for a change. If there is no difference between the spending policys of the demicans and republicrats its time to start voting Libertarian in mass.

64 posted on 09/25/2005 2:47:24 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (Deep within every dilemma is a solution that involves explosives)
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To: softwarecreator

Maybe we need a new political party that searches for truth and believes in the Constitution of the United States as a standard for discerning what the truth may be. The "Free Republic" party has a nice ring to it. How about it Jim Robinson?


65 posted on 09/25/2005 3:06:34 PM PDT by bazbo
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To: bazbo

Statement by the founder of Free Republic:

In our continuing fight for freedom, for America and our constitution and against totalitarianism, socialism, tyranny, terrorism, etc., Free Republic stands firmly on the side of right, i.e., the conservative side. Believing that the best defense is a strong offense, we (myself and those whom I'm trying to attract to FR) support the strategy of taking the fight to the enemy as opposed to allowing the enemy the luxury of conducting their attacks on us at home on their terms and on their schedule.

Therefore, we wholeheartedly support the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive strikes on known terrorist states and organizations that are believed to present a clear threat to our freedom or national security. We support our military, our troops and our Commander-in-Chief and we oppose turning control of our government back over to the liberals and socialists who favor appeasement, weakness, and subserviency. We do not believe in surrendering to the terrorists as France, Germany, Russia and Spain have done and as Kerry, Kennedy, Clinton and the Democrats, et al, are proposing.

As a conservative site, Free Republic is pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights, pro-gun, pro-limited government, pro-private property rights, pro-limited taxes, pro-capitalism, pro-national defense, pro-freedom, and-pro America. We oppose all forms of liberalism, socialism, fascism, pacifism, totalitarianism, anarchism, government enforced atheism, abortionism, feminism, homosexualism, racism, wacko environmentalism, judicial activism, etc. We also oppose the United Nations or any other world government body that may attempt to impose its will or rule over our sovereign nation and sovereign people. We believe in defending our borders, our constitution and our national sovereignty.

Free Republic is private property. It is not a government project, nor is it funded by government or taxpayer money. We are not a publicly owned entity nor are we an IRS tax-free non-profit organization. We pay all applicable taxes on our income. We are not connected to or funded by any political party, news agency, or any other entity. We sell no merchandise, product or service, and we offer no subscriptions or paid memberships. We accept no paid advertising or promotions. We are funded solely by donations (non tax deductible gifts) from our readers and participants.

We aggressively defend our God-given and first amendment guaranteed rights to free speech, free press, free religion, and freedom of association, as well as our constitutional right to control the use and content of our own personal private property. Despite the wailing of the liberal trolls and other doom & gloom naysayers, we feel no compelling need to allow them a platform to promote their repugnant and obnoxious propaganda from our forum. Free Republic is not a liberal debating society. We are conservative activists dedicated to defending our rights, defending our constitution, defending our republic and defending our traditional American way of life.

Our God-given liberty and freedoms are not negotiable.

May God bless and protect our men and women in uniform fighting for our freedom and may God continue to bless America.

Jim Robinson


66 posted on 09/25/2005 3:10:27 PM PDT by bazbo
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To: jmaroneps37; All
I got this off another thread but it applys here

"President Bush has pledged to do whatever it takes to rebuild the lives and communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. This pledge comes with a price tag. To deliver this kind of aid, Congress and the President must set priorities and make sacrifices and trade-offs to pay for it. Offsetting the cost of rebuilding is all the more important because the rebuilding effort follows a 33 percent expansion of the federal government since 2001, a period that saw:

* The 2001 No Child Behind Act, the most expensive education bill in American history, which led to a 100 percent increase in education spending;

* The 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act, the most expensive farm bill in American history;

* The 2003 Medicare Modernization Act, the most expensive Great Society expansion in history;

* A war in and the rebuilding of Iraq that, while justified, could cost between $300 and $600 billion, in total;

* International spending leap 94 percent;

* Housing and Commerce spending surge 86 percent;

* Community and regional development spending jump 71 percent;

* Health research spending increase 61 percent;

* Veterans’ spending increase 51 percent; and

* The number of annual pork projects leap from 6,000 to 14,000. http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/wm844.cfm

67 posted on 09/25/2005 3:14:23 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (Deep within every dilemma is a solution that involves explosives)
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To: freepatriot32
Well, that is certainly food for thought but unless you have a solution, (which I do not)are we not still stuck with the "lesser of two evils" dilema?
68 posted on 09/25/2005 3:18:03 PM PDT by bazbo
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To: bazbo
Well, that is certainly food for thought but unless you have a solution, (which I do not)are we not still stuck with the "lesser of two evils" dilema?

I do have a solution.The same solution that I have been using since the 2002 election voting straight Libertarian ticket.

They arent the lesser of two evils they are the good guys that will bring the federal government under control and limit them to only the 26 specific things spelled out in the constitution anything else will be eliminated or reassigned to the state level.

Holding you head high and voting Libertarian is a hell of a lot better then holding your nose and voting republican any day of the week.

69 posted on 09/25/2005 3:56:29 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (Deep within every dilemma is a solution that involves explosives)
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To: freepatriot32; bazbo
Although I can understand, in principal, your wishes for an alternative party, it's a situation that plays squarely into the hands of the democrats.  GWB didn't win by a HUGE majority and every vote we don't give to the Republican Party is basically giving the demmies a vote.  I can't do that, future generations are depending upon us not to give America back to the left.

I voted for Bush in 2000 ONLY because I refused to give my vote to that idiot Gore, had there been another viable choice I may have gone that way.

2004 was a no-brainer.  After 9-11 I knew I could never return to an unbiased voting strategy.  I voted for GWB in pure confidence that this was the person needed at that time.

I wish there was another solution. but I don't know one.

70 posted on 09/25/2005 5:22:38 PM PDT by softwarecreator (Facts are to liberals as holy water is to vampires.)
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To: Moderate right-winger
face reality..the 1950's will never be back...

Were you also one of those people in the late 70s who kept saying that America's best days were behind her?

71 posted on 09/25/2005 8:29:33 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: cripplecreek

President Bush is not a socialist. Good grief.


72 posted on 09/25/2005 8:33:21 PM PDT by ladyinred (It is all my fault okay?)
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To: softwarecreator; Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Yep, looks like republicans are in DEEP trouble.



Yup, they are.

Now, the PARTY, though... the Republican PARTY is sittin' pretty. But the traditional Republicans -- the "limited government, conservative" folks... yup, "DEEP trouble" pretty much sizes it up alright.

The Grand Old Party of today is drifting to the left at an increasing pace. Today's Republicans are to the left of yesteryear's Democrats. Compare GWB with HHH -- check out their respective positions on the RKBA and it'll curl your hair. Then compare GWB with LBJ on "social programs" and ol' MacByrd will come off looking like a conservative by comparison!

Is the price of obtaining power the need to embrace compromise to the point that the GOP becomes that which it competes against?

If so, I'd call it a lousy bargain.


73 posted on 09/25/2005 9:40:36 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: Pessimist; satchmodog9

Some of the people here are mainly into politics as a sport. All they care about is there side winning, without regard to the kind of gvt they end up with.

Others seem to care mainly about particular social issues (abortion, gay amrriage), but don't otherwise care about the size or scope of gvt.



You've struck gold with those observations whether you realize it or not.

You've accurately painted a picture of the two 800-lb gorrilla political parties, and, what differentiates them.

The Democrats excel at "coalition-building". They are damn good at it. They target disparate "disenfranchised" groups (ever so discretely ENSURING that the groups OBSESS on their "disenfrancisemen", and, reinforcing it so that it becomes a steady-state condition).

And, they DELIVER for their coaltion.

The Republicans, on the other hand, go after the "football fan" part of the brain. They stir up THEIR "followers" using the same "Yay, team!" groupthink that consistently delivers billions of dollars to the sports industry.

Any "promises" THEY make are vague, with the only REAL "promise" being "victory" -- IF "the team" will "hold together" NO MATTER WHAT.

Thus, for the Democrats, it's a quid pro quo in terms of "you vote us into power, and we'll deliver you the goods". And for the Republicans, the quid pro quo is "if you remain LOYAL to the TEAM, we will march ahead to VICTORY!"

Two entirely different mindsets. Both are disgusting, base, vile, and dehumanizing. Only ONE of them has any REAL payoff, though -- despicable as it may be.

Because the GOP is VERY weak in the coalition-building department, it will never go beyond offering vague, halfhearted "promises" (generally "promises" to TRY, rather than to DELIVER), and, when there is dissention among the ranks (over the FAILURE to deliver), the "ranks" are demonized, ridiculed, attacked, and accused of infidelity, in that the ONE thing that DOES "matter" (in the GOP brand of groupthink) -- "team loyalty" -- is challenged BY any efforts to "hold their feet to the fire."

Sorry, I don't see any happy ending to this story.


74 posted on 09/25/2005 9:55:21 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: Eastbound

They also know about the phony polls, studies, etc., conducted by the Violence Policy Center, but use them anyway to justify their silence on whatever gun law changes the gun-grabbing left wants to push.



11 odd years ago, Dole's office was getting several THOUSAND calls a day, urging him to vote against the AWB.

He voted for it.

Explain to me again why it's important to back Team GOP at all costs?


75 posted on 09/25/2005 10:08:05 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: Richard-SIA

We clearly need to work harder, I am unsure how many sponsors are needed to get this bill out of committee for passage, but 55 is apparently not enough! ('')



Seems to me that the real question is "will it pass IF it comes out of committee?"

If not, then there's no rush at all to push it out of committee.


76 posted on 09/25/2005 10:14:05 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: Enterprise

The sooner those who have wrongly imprisoned are released the better! This is outrageous!



The correct Newthink posture is that it doesn't matter HOW many innocents are wrongly incarcerated, "if it only saves one life" (ideally, of the hypothetical (and ubiquitous) "child").

So, you point out that many innocent people ("men", I'd wager, so there's already one giant strike against 'em) wrongly imprisoned.

You're countered with logic that asserts that "even if they ARE 'innocent' of THIS crime, at least there are GUNS kept off the streets" (and so, overall, it is a beneficial situation -- beneficial to the collective).

You can't fight an agenda simply by using facts -- especially of the agenda already has EMOTION on its side (as well as the media, et al).

You can only fight such a foe by applying STRENGTH -- and that can only come via politics, and as we've seen even when there is sufficient constituency for a "strength in numbers" scenario, the PARTY will hang 'em out to dry, because it (the party) is ONLY interested in power in the GENERAL sense, with NO interest in delivering the goods for any part of its constituency.

Now, for giggles, wait, and watch, and see how long it'll take for Party RAT to start wooing the "gun nut" faction.

Fact: H. Rodham has recently taken a stand AGAINST the vile display planned for the "Ground Zero" site. This is something that you'd expect the RATs to stand FOR -- and, the GOP to vociferously oppose.

The apparent role-reversal is striking -- but, it's consistent with the big picture; the Democrats go after disaffected splinter groups, and build coalitions, and the GOP shuns "promise-making", OTHER than the "promise" of "winning", "if we all hang together".

To the GOP, "loyalty" (to the party) stands over all. The PARTY, though, does NOT reciprocate. "Loyalty" is a one-way street, with the "promise" being one of sharing in the vicarious benefits of being on "the winning team" IF the loyalty TO the team is absolute.

I will NOT be surprised to see the RATs go after the RKBAers in earnest. It's a sizable contingent, and it's CLEARLY a DISAFFECTED group -- and the ONLY thing the Republicans have to "offer" the group is more of the same, i.e., "stick with us and we'll WIN -- but if you try to hold OUR feet to the fire, we'll attack you for your treason to the cause!"


77 posted on 09/25/2005 10:28:28 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: jmaroneps37

Nice try Jewish Dudes but you are a bit off. We are stronger now then ever, so slowly put down the New York Times and step away from your computer.
We will pick up seats in the next two cycles. We will keep the WH and we will have the Supreme Court. "End of the Republican Party"? My ass.



LOL!

And this benefits the RKBA exactly HOW?

Remind me, I seem to have forgotten that detail.

Sorry, Goy Dude, but "Yay, TEAM!" won't cut it.

Comes a time to DELIVER -- and by that I mean to deliver the GOODS.

Simply delivering "we WON!" won't cut it for anything other than jocksports.


78 posted on 09/25/2005 10:47:02 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: freepatriot32

It's scary, isn't it -- a "party of principle" that's gradually morphed into a different type of party -- a TAILGATE party. The only thing that matters is "winning".

But WHAT is it that's "won", when PRINCIPLE is cast aside?


79 posted on 09/25/2005 10:49:37 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: Lancey Howard

And obviously the base can live with that (as evidenced by the election of those two) and this is why McCain apparently believes that he can win without the Republican base. It would be far preferable for a Democrat to win the Presidency over any Republican who dismisses the conservative base, because anytime a Republican wins without the conservative base, it emboldens other cowards in the GOP to try to do the same thing. Eventually you will end up with a conservative base without a perty.



I'm convinced that if somehow Clinton had won a third term, the Republican Congress would have withstood him tooth and nail if he'd tried to hammer through an agenda even HALF as radical as the one GWB has pursued.

God Bless Gridlock. Oh, how I miss it...


80 posted on 09/25/2005 10:52:13 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: cripplecreek
"We also thought George Bush was a conservative. We know he's a socialist now."

He is a conservative. However, there are only so many fires he can fight at one time. What I ask is why this information has not been blazing out in the Free Republic? You have to know of a problem before you can fix it.

81 posted on 09/25/2005 10:58:38 PM PDT by jonrick46
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To: Tom Thumbs
"Explain to me again why it's important to back Team GOP at all costs?"

Because the longer the Republicans are in, the longer we'll 'get' to keep our guns. And who knows? With the NRA now up in arms on the NOLA Kopper Kapers and their mission to get a restraining order in all states, the gun-grabbers, regardless of party, will have to re-write their agenda. No doubt the NOLA stupidity set them back years.

I understand your frustration and righteous comment, but you know and I know and everybody knows that we cannot afford to split the vote and risk a period of years with a majority of democrapic feet in Congress, let alone have another stealth socialist in the White House.

So replace the RINO's.

82 posted on 09/25/2005 11:17:31 PM PDT by Eastbound
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To: Tom Thumbs
I see happy endings. One thing that conservatives are good at is nit picking. That is a good thing because that type of scrutiny is like the type of tweaking that goes into making a winning race car. With each of us pushing to make the Republican Party the best it can be, we have hope that it will do all that we want it to do. We must be patient. Like race cars, there are limits to performance.
83 posted on 09/25/2005 11:17:35 PM PDT by jonrick46
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To: Eastbound; jonrick46

Call me cynical (but don't call me late to dinner :), but I will be VERY surprised if the RATs do NOT make a go of "triangulating" the RKBA away from the GOP.

Face it -- we (gun owners) are a sizable constituency. We are probabably in the aggregate at LEAST as wealthy a demographic as the homosexuals -- and we are FAR larger in NUMBER than them.

And, we are in the unenviable situation of having our rights under attack, and at the same time being subject to "constructive desertion" by our putative "home party".

We are a low-hanging fruit, ripe for the plucking. If the RATs make a serious effort to go after "the gun owners" (I'm NOT talking about JFKerry mincing out of the swamp after "goose hunting"), then they stand to pick up a significant number of very disaffected voters.

Remember, the RATs don't care nearly as much about "guns" as they do about POWER. And unlike the GOP, they are NOT loath to USE their power when they have it.

If the GOP has Clue One, they'll get their act in gear and FINALLY take some SERIOUS pro-2nd Amendment action -- because if THEY don't, there's someone ELSE who most likely WILL.

I'm not expecting it to happen, though, because it would mean a total paradigm-flip for the GOP, whereas for the RATs to swoop in and co-opt the issue out from under the GOP's nose, it'd simply be business-as-usual.


84 posted on 09/25/2005 11:44:53 PM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: Tom Thumbs

The author is leaving congress to become governor of Nevada.
It is doubtful that his replacement will have the guts to carry on with this bill.
The veterans most likely to be affected are dying at a rate of about 300 per day.

The bill is a small measure of justice for our veterans and their heirs, that it is not getting more support is shameful.


85 posted on 09/25/2005 11:59:07 PM PDT by Richard-SIA ("The natural progress of things is for government to gain ground and for liberty to yield" JEFFERSON)
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To: Richard-SIA

The author is leaving congress to become governor of Nevada.
It is doubtful that his replacement will have the guts to carry on with this bill.
The veterans most likely to be affected are dying at a rate of about 300 per day.

The bill is a small measure of justice for our veterans and their heirs, that it is not getting more support is shameful.



Hmm, maybe I skipped a beat there. I thought this bill was the one that was going to do away with the "sporting purpose" requirement? That would affect a LOT more than WWII vets. Right now as I undersand it there are lists of firearms acceptable for import, decreed to have "sporting purpose". Plenty of OTHER firearms are prohibited for import, because they are decreed to NOT have a "sporting purpose" -- even though it's perfectly legal to manufacture, sell, and own them IF they are made in THIS country.

This harms competition, helps make the domestic manufacturing industry lazy -- which in the long run is bad for them as well as bad for the market in general -- and, it limits people's access to firearms on a completely arbitrary basis.

The icing on the cake is that the domestic manufacturers (other then small boutique shops) don't seem interested in building comparable arms. I suspect "pressure" from on high may play a nontrivial part in that process. Witness Bill Ruger's decision to break rank with his customers, suck up to the gov't, and as a result, get a pass on the AWB's prohibitions for his "little gun" (the Mini-14). And witness too his continued refusal to sell "non-sporting" capacity magazines OTHER than to the government, even though there is NO law obligating him to do so.

Anyway, if this IS the law we're discussing, then it affects a LOT of people. But if we're talking about a law that only affects WWII "bringbacks", then I guess none of the above applies.


86 posted on 09/26/2005 12:28:50 AM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

BUMP


87 posted on 09/26/2005 12:34:21 AM PDT by AnimalLover ( ((Are there special rules and regulations for the big guys?)))
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To: Tom Thumbs; Pessimist
The problem also lies in the GOP needing to do things to grow government to keep up with the RATS. If the GOP doesn't grow government and its programs, they lose out because the other party will show them as being uncaring. This is unfortunate because it proves a majority of our nation has been conditioned to be grabbers and budding socialists. Any time the RATS propose legislation and the GOP counters, the RATS get their way. Once the program is started, it can only grow and the RATS know it. If they want a department of natural disasters and the GOP counters with a department of hurricanes, the department will eventually morph into what the RATS want and then some. It is a sad state when government tries to manage everything instead of focusing on their constitutional duties.
88 posted on 09/26/2005 5:43:30 AM PDT by satchmodog9 (Murder and weather are our only news)
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To: Tom Thumbs

Well put!

Particularly the point about their promises being generally understood as vague statements of intention rather than actual pledges.


89 posted on 09/26/2005 8:25:57 AM PDT by Pessimist
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To: SpaceBar
... the GOP are just another cabal of attornies fighting the other cabal of attornies for the American taxpayer's purse strings.

Well said.

90 posted on 09/26/2005 8:35:46 AM PDT by elbucko
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To: sergeantdave
The Republican party should not be dumped; it needs to be taken back from the New York Rockefeller socialists (RINOs).

Hallelujah brother!

91 posted on 09/26/2005 8:52:06 AM PDT by elbucko
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To: Tom Thumbs

You are referencing H.R. 1703, which does away with several infringements on our RKBA for the general public.
Disgustingly, it has possibly ONE cosponsor!
NRA, GOA, JPFO, etc. all seem to pretend it does not exist.

I thought we were discussing H.R. 2088, which does have 55 cosponsors and offers some justice for at least three generations of our veterans and their heirs.
This is not a trivial issue, it has been shown beyond any doubt that the NFRTR is incomplete and inaccurate, leaving thousands of law abiding Americans at risk of unjust federal prosecution, or the confiscation of their very valuable personal property at the least.
A disproportionate number of those at risk of such prosecution or confiscation are veterans or their heirs.

Detailed information, including past congressional testimony leading to the granting of a $1,000,000 appropriation specifically for "Correction of the NFRTR database", can be found at http://www.nfaoa.org


92 posted on 09/26/2005 1:36:00 PM PDT by Richard-SIA ("The natural progress of things is for government to gain ground and for liberty to yield" JEFFERSON)
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To: adam_az
That is BAY Buchanan. Not Pat.

Two peas and a pod. An isolated Jew hating pod.

93 posted on 09/26/2005 2:48:57 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: elbucko; sergeantdave
Sergeant Dave: "The Republican party should not be dumped; it needs to be taken back from the New York Rockefeller socialists (RINOs)".

elbucko: Hallelujah brother!

OK, I'm open for suggestions. Just give us some ideas to accomplish taking the Republican Party back.

I voted for Jimmy Carter, I voted for Perot, and I voted for Allan Keyes in the primaries. Did I vote for a winner? Was I hoping I voted for a winner? Unfortunately AND fortunately the answer to both questions is no. I voted for what I thought was principled intelligent leadership.

My voting for what I saw as thoughtful principled leaders was not shared by others and the result was a mistake by the name of Clinton. Am I a little gun shy about voting for principles? You bet I am and this is in part evidenced by my voting for GW. Am I sorry I voted for GW? No, as the alternative was ten times worse. Did I waste a principled vote? Maybe. But, what exactly was the alternative?
In this world there is nothing perfect but if Americans want to maintain the best imperfect country in the world for their progeny then they should do what's right and not just what is expected. I hope to live long enough to see the day when once again doing what is right is also what is expected. My final thought is "do what's right" (no pun intended). At some point, even if it's too late and freedom and opportunity have slipped away, truth seeking Americans may once again do what is right and vote for a principled leader who just happens to win, (e.g. Ronald Reagan).
94 posted on 09/26/2005 3:46:36 PM PDT by bazbo
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To: bazbo
At some point, even if it's too late and freedom and opportunity have slipped away, truth seeking Americans may once again do what is right and vote for a principled leader who just happens to win, (e.g. Ronald Reagan).

When Ronald Reagan ran in the primaries in 1980 he was considered "unelectable" due to his age and his conservatism. The Ronald Reagan's are out there, but not in the Rockefeller wing of the party. They may even be Zel Miller Democrats who have not yet come over from the Darkside. The "Reagan's" are out there, somewhere. They're just not from New York or Connecticut.

95 posted on 09/26/2005 4:38:32 PM PDT by elbucko
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To: PRND21

"Two peas and a pod. An isolated Jew hating pod."

Haven't seen ANYTHING like that about Bay. Cite a source?

As a Jew I tend to notice these things.


96 posted on 09/26/2005 4:42:46 PM PDT by adam_az (It's the border, stupid!)
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To: adam_az
Buchanan's harsh critiques of the "Israel lobby," of third world immigration and of such civil rights leaders as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. have resonated with groups that see Jews as corrupters of American culture and that see blacks and Hispanics as threats to white majority rule of the United States...

Angela "Bay" Buchanan, his senior campaign adviser and sister, declined to be interviewed for this article but issued this statement: "My brother Pat does not now and has never belonged to any organization or group that preaches or practices intolerance or hatred.

97 posted on 09/26/2005 5:42:08 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: PRND21

"Angela "Bay" Buchanan, his senior campaign adviser and sister, declined to be interviewed for this article but issued this statement: "My brother Pat does not now and has never belonged to any organization or group that preaches or practices intolerance or hatred."

Technically, that's true.

Of course, Bay is still in the GOP - Pat isn't, so they clearly have their differences.


98 posted on 09/26/2005 5:49:02 PM PDT by adam_az (It's the border, stupid!)
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To: Tom Thumbs
"the RATs don't care nearly as much about "guns" as they do about POWER."

I am in 100% agreement. I do not know what tactics the DemonRATs will use to try to regain the House and Senate. What is absolutely essential is to rat out their lies and make sure Ma and Pa America know the truth. I suspect that the Republican leadership has a huge amount of issues on the fire and have put the gun issue on the back burner. When this happens, the opportunist DemonRATs steal in and eat the bottom out of the feed sack.

We need to light some fires.

99 posted on 09/26/2005 7:19:40 PM PDT by jonrick46
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To: jonrick46

"the RATs don't care nearly as much about "guns" as they do about POWER."



I am in 100% agreement. I do not know what tactics the DemonRATs will use to try to regain the House and Senate. What is absolutely essential is to rat out their lies and make sure Ma and Pa America know the truth. I suspect that the Republican leadership has a huge amount of issues on the fire and have put the gun issue on the back burner. When this happens, the opportunist DemonRATs steal in and eat the bottom out of the feed sack.

We need to light some fires.


When/if it comes down to "crunch time", I see something shaping up that... well, let's look at a (for now) hypothetical and you tell me how you think a LOT of gun owners will cast their ballots:

What I fear is a choice between a RAT regime that makes REAL promises to support the 2nd -- with MORE than mere GOP-style lip-service -- and, the alternative, a "more of the same" mealy-mouthed GOP "stick with us, we're your party" BS.

If you knew -- I mean really KNEW -- that by voting RAT, your RKBA would make REAL progress in the right direction -- but, if you continued giving the GOP the votes it seems to think it OWNS, your 2nd Amendment rights would continue to ERODE, how would YOU vote?

I think that given that choice, a LOT of people will pull the "D" lever on election day.

And don't kid yourself that the RATs will NOT "allow" you to "keep your guns" because of any perceived fear of gun owners vs. "the government". The government is SO powerful that NO amount of "gun owners" are going to strike fear into its heart.

The RATs can "allow" you to keep all the guns you want, with NO fear whatsoever of it posing ANY challenge to the absolute dominance of the state.

This combination of facts makes gun owners a VERY real target for Democrat "outreach", and the GOP had better rent a clue or two before they find a very large rug pulled out from under 'em.

Rove's smug "where are they gonna go?" quip may very well come back to haunt the party, bigtime.

The irony is that the GOP is trying to woo "minorities" away from the RATs, who treat THEM the same way the GOP treats gun owners (and "the religious right", too).

The RATs act like they OWN the "minority vote", and the GOP treats gun owners' votes the same way.

Things may get real interesting over the course of the coming election cycle. If there's any overriding theme, any major lesson to be learned by ALL parties, it may very likely be that NO votes can be taken for granted -- and, TAKING them for granted is the best way to LOSE them.

JMO, of course.


100 posted on 09/28/2005 12:24:30 AM PDT by Tom Thumbs
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