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?

[unsycophant]

Okay toots! Your word is good enough for me.

ps: You used to be a member of a couple of my Yahoo clubs, and many AF-related clubs. Yet, you never participated. I always wondered why someone with such a charming personality and great insight to offer, only lurked.

Take care dear!

[Mo1]

LOL .. I didn't say that ..

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I love em both. Perhaps the White is a tad sweeter.. but they have to be smothered in butter, not the fake stuff either!!

:o)

Now, how about GRITS? We love GRITS!!! (Again, with REAL butter!). Grits and eggs.. Grits, eggs, toast, and BUTTER. Grits, eggs, ham, toast, butter.. dang I'm HUNGRY!! BRB!!

[Howlin]

Bump for the truth.

[xsmommy]

what is a nice boy like you doing on a thread like this????; )

[FreedominJesusChrist]

LOL, I am sure.

RBA's confusing fixation on thongs appears to belie your claims though.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Wasn't it Jackie Gleason who said "Hominy, hominy, hominy?"

Gee, Howlin. I'd be WAY to young to remember!!! (NOT!)

:o)

[Neets]

Thank you US..I appreciate that.

I consider myself an "OWL"..so to speak...I find I learn more about people by watching/listening to them. I only really chime in when it is a comment or subject that gets under my skin...but then I have a tendency to not know when to quit..hehehe...it's the Italrish in me I guess.

[tomkat]

just heard it through the grapevine, huh ?

wife brought some of those home once.
youngest boy thought they were slingshots ...

[Howlin]

Clue: this thread is NOT ABOUT YOU.

Except where you libel people.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I'm betting this thread makes it to 500 by 11am Pacific time!!!!

[hchutch]

I don't think he has sold out. I think Taliesan made a point. The key to enacting our agenda is to obtain political power. To obtain political power, you have to win elections. To win elections, you have to get the most votes of all the candidates running for office. To get the votes, you might have to cut a deal or suboridnate your personal ego/agenda for the good of the Party and be a team player.

However, I also think that the Clintonization of the Democratic Party - the fact that the Democratic Party lately seems to act more like a mixture of facism and the Mafia - probably also led to a determination to keep the Dems out of power at virtually any cost.

Quite frankly, I think that he has run this site well. The question is, when the time comes, do we, as Freepers, work to elect people have the guts to make the right call and stick by their guns, even if we disagree with them?

If the Democrats were more like Tony Blair in England and still possessed honor and integrity in general, then I'd be a lot less concerned about this, but after the election of 2000, I learned that is not the case. They are a Mafia in all forms, determined to crush any who disagree with them as enemies. And I do not want that for America.

[xsmommy]

i think i saw a picture once!; )

[Mo1]

I think I might lost this bet .. lol

[Constitution Day]

Don't ask me.
I guess it's captivating, kind of like why people rubberneck at car accidents.

Maybe it's schadenfreude.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Whateva Howlin.

You are just so agreeable when you are mad, ya know.

[tomkat]

enquiring minds want, nay, demand to know !

[xsmommy]

how are you doing girlfriend?

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

"Italrish"

Gotta try this. It would be the "GerIndrish" in me!!

[Constitution Day]

Heh heh... I try not to gamble. :)