Posted on 07/06/2002 2:31:54 PM PDT by B. A. Conservative
"Founded in 1996 by Jim Robinson, Free Republic is a loosely organized group of grassroots Americans who support our Constitution and look for honesty, integrity and honor from those in government."
What is our mission? "Free Republic is dedicated to reversing the trend of unconstitutional government expansion and is advocating a complete restoration of our constitutional republic." Jim Robinson has listed a great deal more worthwhile information and detail concerning the mission and a description of Free Republic. The current mission statement has been edited from an earlier version to account for past events. The original mission statement included language advocating the impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton, then President of the United States. Free Republic accomplished that portion of its mission statement by playing a central role in the events culminating in the successful vote in the House of Representatives to Impeach William Jefferson Clinton. For its role in the impeachment, Free Republic is an unequivocal and unqualified success.
However in evaluating and measuring Free Republic's performance with regard to the larger and by far the more significant role, "reversing the trend of unconstitutional government expansion and a complete restoration of our constitutional republic", I think the leadership and members of Free Republic need to refocus their thinking. By using any yardstick of your own choosing, there are few if any parameters in which conservatives can claim any improvement. And in any small victories that might have occurred, I would ask that you point out the role played by Free Republic in bringing it about. In short, I think that Free Republic has lost its focus on its most important reason for being.
Before offering my suggestions for getting back on track, I would like offer some thoughts on how and why we have become distracted from the primary focus as so eloquently stated by Jim Robinson:
The two courses of action most likely to offer a speedy and effective return to our Constitutional Republic are political and judicial. The left has used judicial appointments very effectively against the Constitution. Reagan advanced the task of recovering the federal judiciary, but we still have a long way to go in this area. Nevertheless, strategic use of the courts could be a very effective weapon in our arsenal. I think this should be the topic of some very serious discussions on how we can use the courts to attack existing unconstitutional government actions, laws and regulations. It takes someone to bring an action, and some legal thought to make such efforts productive. Forum shopping and plaintiff seeking are actively used by our opposition. I think this is an area where we can do much more than we have been doing.
And that brings us to the area of the greatest interest to us all. And it is in this arena that we are more likely to bring the quick results that we all desire. Well thought out, carefully crafted political activism can be effective. And each election offers opportunities to build on prior successes and to learn from prior mistakes. I will proffer that we have done little more than chat or indulge in wishful thinking. Our attempts at organized planning, coordination or unification of efforts, orderly assignment of tasks and delegation of responsibilities have been largely non-existent. All volunteer labor is hard to harness and effectively deploy. But it is not impossible.
Our computers and the internet provide the means to share and coordinate our efforts. It could also provide the means of choosing our leaders, delegation of tasks and responsibilities, and our most powerful weapon in recruiting new talents. Every human on the planet that has an internet connection has access to our materials and our efforts. It is a means to make our voices heard and to recruit more voices.
Everyone that frequents this site has visions of making their voice heard and making their vote count. Individually our voices are lost in the crowd noise. And even with our dismal lack of voter turnout, there were still more than 100 million votes cast in the last presidential election. It is difficult to know that your vote counted when it constitutes such a small part of the total vote. Political parties make a difference in the outcomes of elections by pooling the votes of like-minded individuals. Political candidates exercise power because each supporter transfers a portion of their individual power to the candidate. Coalitions gain power by pooling the individual powers of their members.
Free Republic can exercise the power of a coalition through uniting behind either common candidates or common issues or both. By acting as a unit, we can multiply our political effectiveness considerably. By recruiting and enlarging or attracting new members or supporters, we can multiply our effectiveness even more. We have proved that we can be effective. Ask the House managers and other members of the House how Clinton came to be impeached in spite of all the efforts of the media to prevent it.
We are approaching another election in a few months. Traffic on this site will increase progressively as we get closer to election day. Our political clout and power will increase exponentially as our viewing numbers increase. No matter what anyone wishes, the polls will be relatively close and the outcome of the election uncertain until the polls are closed. We will only have a good idea of the outcome when the exit polls and returns begin to come in. Before Election Day, the closer the polling data and the more uncertain the outcome of the election, the more our votes and our voices will matter. The more unified we are leading up to the election, the more our voices will be heard, and the more our votes will be courted.
We will have zero influence on Democratic voters or candidates. Any efforts directed at Democratic candidates will be a complete waste of our time and resources. Almost all directed at Democratic votes will have the same sad results. But our efforts directed at Republican voters and candidates can have a tremendous impact on the election and more importantly on the campaign leading up to the election. And surprisingly, our efforts in this election could have an even greater impact on the election of 2004.
FreeRepublic has the power within its grasp to achieve its mission and change the course of history. Organization, delegation, and unity of purpose are the keys to success. On another thread, I have offered what I believe to be one solution to the problem. There may be others. That is what the mission of this forum is about. Let's Roll!
Personally, I want to start a collection of jackboots... taken from JBTs who make the mistake of coming after someone who knows what they are doing... Remember the comments made regarding the Waco Barbecue in Unintended Consequences?
"FR" IS the "Liberty Tree;" WE are the "1/3" who "Made a Difference" when "Revolution" was the ONLY OPTION for AMERICA!!
WE, (& others of "Like Mind"), ARE the "Intellectual Core" of ANY future American Revolution!
We are NOT, "Divided in Thirds;" WE are the "Intellectual & Moral Basis" for the Future Evolution of our Nation!!
{I say this HUMBLY Aware of my own Prejudices}; Yet I have Come to Believe that HERE is where our Forefathers would be debating our Future--& HERE speak the Patriots who will Direct the Future course of our Blessed Nation!
In Recorded Human History, NO NATION such as Ours has EVER Existed!
The Good People on FR seem to grasp the Principles & Worth of our Nation better than ANYONE ELSE!
HERE ARE the "Precious 1/3" who understand & are willing to sacrifice their "Lives & Precious Honor" for the sake of the "Concept" of a Nation!
We should NOT "Lightly Dismiss" the POWERFUL BELIEF of the FReepers in the Principles of our Constitution!
The FReepers ARE NOT "Divided into Thirds" about our Freedoms; WE ARE the 1/3 who BELIEVE!!
WE are the "Ones" the Tyrants FEAR!!
WE are the "Ones" who fought--& WILL FIGHT--the "Revolution!!"
We are the "Ones" who write--& read--the "Notes" on the "Liberty Tree!!"
WE are the "Ones" the Tyrants FEAR!
Doc
The "No True Scotsman..." Fallacy
Suppose I assert that no Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge. You counter this by pointing out that your friend Angus likes sugar with his porridge. I then say "Ah, yes, but no true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge.This is an example of an Ad Hoc change being used to shore up an assertion, combined with an attempt to shift the meaning of the words used in the original assertion; you might call it a combination of fallacies.
and Damned proud of it Sir
Or, have we failed Free Republic?
What do you know about true conservatism? You are nothing more than a big government liberal with a slightly modified agenda. They want to outlaw the Second Amendment, you want to outlaw the First. They force multiculturalism and diversity down our throats, you want to force your thin definition of "morality" based on your personal interpretation of the Bible. They believe in throwing away the fourth amendment to combat hate crimes and insensitivty, you would toss the constitution to protect people from themselves under the scourge of drugs. You both believe in compulsory social conformity by force of government mandate.
I, a constitutional conservative, have no more tolerance for your "Praise Jeesus Or Burn In Hell!" sanctimonious ilk than I do for a tree-hugging, homo-loving lefty. You are all cut from the same "Let The Government Control Our Lives" statist cloth.
This forum is called Free Republic. You seem to be unable to grasp what that word means.
Slavery was also ok then. Oh...maybe you liked the way life was back then, eh?
Michael: Are you saying that no one in New York will work with me?
George: No, no, that's too limited. No one in Hollywood wants to work with you either. I can't even send you up for a commercial. You played a tomato and they still went a half day over schedule because you wouldn't sit down!
Michael: Of course not, it wasn't logical.
George: YOU WERE A TOMATO! A tomato doesn't have logic! A tomato can't move!
Michael: That's what I said, George! If he can't move, how's he gonna sit down? I was a stand-up tomato, George; a juicy, sexy, beefsteak tomato! Nobody does vegetables like me! I did a whole evening of vegetables off-Broadway! I did the best tomato, the best cucumber...I did an endive salad that knocked the critics on their ass!
TRUST ME, that's a winning strategy. I'm not telling you what I've heard. I'm telling you what I know. Thanks for pointing this out.
Perhaps I am not on Islam threads daily, but you can be sure I am a "JESUS FREAK" and proud of it.
You can be what ever other kind of "freak" you want to be, but I can assure you, the top slot has already been taken.
Low OiL
Most of us got here by Accident, more than by Intent; those of us who stay harbor a GREAT LOVE for our Nation (often, we learn the "Whys & Wherefores" of this Love HERE--at "FR!")!
No Single Act in MY life has been as Important as Learning WHY the Nation I was so Fortunate to have been "Raised In" is SO special; & FR is where I Learned that!
I NOW know the true value of the Debt I owe our Forefathers!
We owe our Future Generations the Freedom we enjoy, & the Understanding of our Freedoms' origins & the Cost & Value of our Freedoms!
Doc
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