An Open letter to Jim Robinson: Can the Bush-Bashers

none ^ | today | me

[VRWC_minion]

I used to think this (about the du's), back when I supported Bush %100.

Interesting statement. I only supported Bush about 60% when he ran for office and today I am still about the same.

I can see how disapointed someone would be if they supported him 100% from the outset. I also wonder if the 100%'ers only have an on/off switch and nothing in between.

[eraser X]

You may find that annoying but I'd just like to read a thread that hasn't been sanitized by the moderators. You give them a button to push and they just can't resist the temptation--immature if you ask me.

[Corin Stormhands]

These Bush-Bashers are brining us down. When this infighting happened in 1992, Bill Clinton got elected. let's not let that happen again.

I'm not even going to bother reading the whole thread. I'm not a Bush Basher, but I'm not blindly following either. We worked our butts off to get him in office. And on many fronts, he's betrayed us.

I was one of the strongest on these threads arguing that he was our best choice and that the third parties were hopeless and could only bring us down. I still believe that. But Bush needs to remember who put him in office. Bush needs to remember who showed up in Florida on the front lines.

Given two choices again in 2004 (Bush/Gore, Bush/Hillary, Bush/Any rat), I'll still vote for Bush. But he's got some work to do if he expects me to be enthusiastic.

And for the record, George H.W. Bush didn't lose in 1992 because of infighting. He lost because of an inept campaign run largely by snotty-nosed rich kids who wouldn't listen to anyone. I encountered several of them.

[editor-surveyor]

When your ideas have no merit, your only hope is to stiffle the opposition.

Perhaps FR has become a propaganda organ for the corporazi? ;o)

[Joe Hadenuf]

You bet, I agree.

[oldvike]

A while back that either JimRob or one of the moderators created a "trash and be trashed" type of thread that was no holds barred. They even reinstated several long-time banned freepers come back and vent a little. I wonder what ever happened to that thread?

[Lazamataz]

You may find that annoying but I'd just like to read a thread that hasn't been sanitized by the moderators. You give them a button to push and they just can't resist the temptation--immature if you ask me.

The place ain't what it was. Moderators will be the death of Free Republic.

[Willie Green]

The Moderator's pull of this thread is unacceptable to me and shows me there are great flaws in the current moderator staffing.

Hmmmmm.... this is a surprise....

Are you gearing up to write an opus???

Not that I'm encouraging that, but you've been around long enough to know that those who do often appear quite sheepish and embarrassed when they come crawling back.

[MozarkDawg]

Disagree 100%.

This is a CONSERVATIVE forum, not a BUSH forum.

I voted for him in 2000. My vote in 2004 is up for grabs. If he signs a freedom grab like the Patriot Act, I can't attack him? I'll attack him for his refusal to support armed pilots. I'll slam him for his CFR cave. I'll slam him for his vagueness. I'll praise him when he's right too, like his tax cut.

I call them as I see them. Period.

Thank you for putting it so succinctly, could not have written it better myself. I have never, ever been one of the *when it's my guy, it's okay* types -- if that makes me a Bush Basher, then I'll wear the moniker proudly.

[Burn24]

Hey, why did Laz's thread get pulled? That was funny.

[Lazamataz]

Hmmmmm.... this is a surprise....

It shouldn't be. There is a pendulum swing in moderation around here, and right now we are in an oppressive Kill-Everything-In-Sight-Questionable-Or-Not mode.

[oldvike]

They even reinstated several long-time banned freepers come back and vent a little.

Should be:

They even reinstated several long-time banned freepers so they could come back and vent a little

[Lazamataz]

Hey, why did Laz's thread get pulled? That was funny.

Yet another Moderator fan! You guys are making friends left and right today!

[rabbitdog]

I think people should state their disagreements with the President, but realize the socialists are the real problem. People who say this President is no different from what Gore, or Hillary, or etc., would do, and won't vote for him next time are being foolish. These issues need to be fought out in Republican primaries and then people need to quit being thumb suckers and whining when Bush doesn't do something that is exactly the way Alan Keyes or Pat Buchanan would do it and realize who the real political enemies are. Alan Keyes and Pat Buchanon were not chosen to represent the Republican party and GW was. I don't agree with everything the President has done, but the President himself probably wishes the legislation sent to him was more conservative. The President is trying to do just as he stated, and that is to be a uniter, not a divider (not to mention he has a war to fight and needs all our help). Unfortunately, you have to take independents into consideration and win a majority of them over if you want to govern. If you want more conservative legislation signed into law then there needs to be a push to get Republican control of everything so we can truly get the conservative agenda passed.

[texlok]

Perhaps. But is that because GW is leading the way to liberalism; or because the political reality on the ground is such that the correlation of forces is going to cause some leftward movement on some issues and that to resist them is to get thrown out of office? Obviously, the question is rhetorical.

I don't think he's leading the way to liberalism. I think he is getting bad advice. At times, his administration seems out of touch with the rest of us. I do think some of the things he has done (that some of us think are left-leaning) were unnecesary, and I think that's something to think about. Also, the votes he gains by moving leftward, do they really offset the potential votes that goto a another Conservative candidate? He's got some very sharp people around him, some of whom are concerned with the next election, and who measure his actions versus how they will impact the election. You have to wonder what advice he's getting.

[VRWC_minion]

And if there's one thing that cannot be abided or condoned by JimRob, it's censorship based solely on a person's sincere opinion

The number of folks with faux sincere opinions is on the rise and heading toward an epidemic. We don't need seminar posters to keep draging down each thread to a name calling contest.

[texlok]

Yes, Mueller et al telling us to treat terror in the US like Candidate Clements in Tejas i think it was years ago told women to treat rape -- it's like rain, so just relax and lie back and enjoy it. Seemed the worst thing to do. A totally passive attitude, squandering the country's anger and unity.

That's the worst of it. We had this unity, and this justifiable anger (I say outrage, same thing). Good things could have come out of it, we could have secured ourselves a little more security against those who would do us harm for a few generations to come. Then they tell us "welp too bad, something will happen, nothing we can do, sorry". Yes, hearing them did make me think about (and I gotta correct you :-) Clayton Williams telling a group of reporters when a storm came up, "Rain is like rape, there's nothing you can do about it, so you might as well lay back and enjoy it." Cost him the election here in Texas and set the GOP back a few years.

The last thing anybody wants to hear from the Secretary of Defense, or VP or FBI Chief is there is nothing we can do. If this was an election year, you can be dang sure nobody from the administration would be saying we are helpless. The only reason I can think of for them saying that, is to justify this super homeland department.

[Marysecretary]

Texas and OK are more in the Bible belt than a lot of our schools, especially those here in the north. I have Christian friends who moved to Virginia who send their kids to public school because they aren't anti-God like they are in some areas. I suppose it depends on the school boards and leadership as well. Who can figure?

[pgkdan]

Sounds to me like you're so insecure and unsure of yourself that you can't tolerate any dissenting opinions. Grow up.

[oldvike]

In the moderators' defense, I'd sure as hell hate to have their job. However, your thread should not have been pulled. If you had been some guy with a brand new account then I could see pulling the thread (as you would have been easily seen as a disruptor trying to stir the pot), but not a long-time poster such as yourself.