Our Republic and Our Free Republic

9-6-02 | Joe Phillips

[BADJOE]

History teaches some very good lessons. They are hard to learn but our forefathers did a great job.

From the beginning of time man has overthrown one form of centralized government only to re-establish another one in its place. Our forefathers understood this far better than anyone ever had. They said governments are the eternal enemy of free men. They said that in order for man to remain free it would take a bloody revolution every other generation, unless you bound down (bastard) government with the chains of the constitution.

On another site this week a poster asked if anyone else hated government as much as he did. I replied to him

"Hell !! I thought you were not a good American if you didn't love our country and hate our government.

At least that is how I have always felt about it"

I think our forefathers had the same attitude that I have now. And I think it is inherent in the average Americans attitude to distrust and have disdain for any government, including ours. One of the hardest conclusions I had to arrive at as a young man, after having been a product of the public school system, was that our government was not on our side. As James Forrestahl, former secretary of the Navy, who suffered a mysterious death, once said about our State Department's foreign policy, " Stupidity is never a mark of consistancy. If they were merely stupid, they would occasionally make a mistake in our favor".

Newt Gringrich put it in a humourous manner when talking about the attitude of Europeans. He related the following story. If you go to Europe and drive on the Autobahn, you feel pretty good cruising down the highway at 100 mph when some some German passes you doing 140 mph. Now he said if the Bundestag passed the 55mph speed limit law, every German would dutifully obey that law, untill the next election. They would vote the 55 mph crowd out of office and the no speed limit crowd in. In America Newt said "A speed limit sign is a benchmark of opportunity.

It is obvious that Yankees and Euros have entirely different attitudes about government's edicts. There are darn few Americans who do not break the speed limit laws everyday.

Now we come to the Free Republic. Once a free wheeling, joyful site for news and discussion of politics, economics, philosophy, ethics and morals. I could not understand the transformation that has taken place in the last six months. Camaraderie, the sense of family, and cooperation seems to have disappeared. Are the Freepers exhibiting the same disdain for the new FR as Americans have for our government?

[Freemeorkillme]

I, in no way, intend this post to be disruptive and will pursue it no further than this post. That being said, a couple questions have remained with me since the first public dustup(and they are, by no means, a knock to this fine site or its members):
How is the personal FR member info handled when making a secure donation?

How many have authorized access to site contributor secure info?

Again, no knocks, just concerns.

Back to the "Latest" section.

KMOKM

[Askel5]

Hey, I don't hang with those people like you and BADJOE do.

You ding dong ... who's keeping you up to date on where Badjoe and I have been posting or are you sullying yourself by actually stepping off the FR flagship from time to time?

I mean, you're speaking from Actual Knowledge, right? Or are you somehow hooked into the Byzantine information network by which FR posters are liable to lose their FR privileges for posts they make on other sites?

I must admit, the mentality of late has had a great effect on me. I'm pushing 40 as you know and -- thanks to FR -- remembering how much I loathed high school has been a great help to kissing my youth goodbye and Good Riddance! =)

[VA Advogado]

Your best post ever!

[Physicist]

All I did was ask the questions .

That's the problem, here! The questions are a form of innuendo, which is not helpful. If there's a problem, drop the circumspection and tell us what YOU think it is and what YOU think needs to be done about it. Having gone this far, you should either give us the specifics or drop the matter.

[HairOfTheDog]

For the record, I will concede that there are way too many Bush Kool-aid drinkers here for my taste.

Well, at least we are here hashing out what the next step should be now that we at least have the presidency in the hands of a non-Democrat.

Granted, it is harder to take the second step towards a solution than the first. But no matter what, the right idea is NOT to just come apart.

It was really easy to be united when there was a morally bankrupt Democrat in office. It is harder now. I agree. Lets all split into factions now and rip each other apart. Perhaps we can get a Democrat back in office so we can agree on who the enemy is.

No, I would suggest the enemy is still the left. In bowling, when you have a split, you have to choose to attack either the right pin or the left pin. Aiming for the middle will get us no where, so I suggest we continue to go after the left one!

[BluesDuke]

A true conservative wants and demands a very small government. This government has been growing into a gigantic monster for a long time. And it continues to grow.

And, among other things, today's conservative remains pretty much as today's conservative was when "today" was 1978 and George F. Will isolated the condition: Today's conservative has reached into his heart of hearts, prayed hard, and decided that it was high time the government cut his neighbour's benefits..

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Maybe you should ask her how she likes to tell tall tales about Kristinn.

[Mo1]

Maybe you shouls Re read his comment in post #1

Has FR been bought by the GOP behind the scenes? Are the two gung ho GOP moderators the go between to oversee and direct FR to be the power internet arm of GOP politcos?

Sorry .. As a poster I find that insulting

[dubyagee]

The more you stir the s**t, the more it stinks.

I nominate that for post of the day. 8 * )

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Precisely, and the tools for such a totalitarian or semi-totalitarian state are being crafted before our very eyes.

And that's what we should concern ourselves with. Frankly, I'm for keeping the rhetoric ramped down whenever possible. I believe you and I are on the same side a lot of the time. I have no beef with you, I enjoy your posts, and my intention wasn't to start any battle here.

[Area51]

No, honey. It isn't a cult.

But when a person with some responsibility lays in a pit with a bunch of vipers, he has to have some of the same characteristics lest he get bitten himself.

124 posted on 9/6/02 9:17 AM Pacific by one_particular_harbour

Hehehehe! So says the Dukakis, Clinton Voter! Hahahaha

[Mo1]

Well is there???

[tomkat]

for the sake of clarity, you're saying it won't make 500, correct ?

gigglin' on down to the FR bank ...

[xJones]

Louie, here we go again. Pass the beer and I'll get the popcorn.

[Neets]

You haven't left YET????

[Jack Bauer]

Where there is smoke, there may be fire.

Or there could be someone blowing smoke.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

LOL! I am still here and there, depending on what sparks my interest at the time.

[tomkat]

KMOKM

uhmmm, is that a sorta suicide wish or sumpin' ?

lmao !

[strela]

Dittoes to all the GOP carrying water, yard signs, stuffing flyers, phone bank stuff, but I'm mad -- I never got ANYTHING from them except a lot of pleas for money from ME! (and satisfaction every time we actually elected a candidate who kept his/her promises.)

Listening to slugs like Cynthia McKinney blame whitey for losing elections is all the thanks I really ask for. I'd sure like to hear a similar speech by Martin Frost one of these days.

[4CJ]

Excellent post. But you'll be hearing a knock on your door .... ;o)