Posted on 12/10/2004 9:37:54 AM PST by rogerv
Hi, gang,
I was a regular contributor to the Kerry Online Forum and am now a regular contributor to the Common Ground Common Sense forum. I am a liberal, but I'll be the first to admit, I don't have all the answers. In fact, many of hte questions that matter to me probably matter to you too. I'm concerned with questions about how to tame power, whether governmental or corporate. I'm concern with the rule of law and how we can get the powerful to take it seriously. I'm concerned with the erosion of civil liberties. And yes, I am concerned about some things you may associate with liberalism--social safety nets and taking care of those who fall through the institutional cracks.
I'm here because I think agreement is overrated and that critics can be your best friends: they keep you from getting sloppy or careless. At any rate, I think there are things I can learn from you. I don't expect you are all agreed on anything--I expect there is a lot of diversity of opinion here. If you are interested in what I have said over at Common Ground Common Sense, I'm using the same handle both places, and you should feel free to come over and look around.
Anyway, I'm new here. Anybody care to give me a tour?
There seems to be a difference between the Reagan Years Democrats and Libs.
The RYD's seem to be a different breed entirely.
But this sounds like bantering semnatics at the moment, like 'how many pancake bunnies can exist on one thread' and such.
*sigh*
May just be an opinion of mine based off of local observation of my area's Political types.
In my area at least, Liberals tend to not accept laws unless it is convenient for them.
(Sheldon Silver in NY state legisalature is a prime example. "What? My assistant raped a woman? Impossible! Oops, two women? Well, I uh... No comment.")
The Reagan Years Democrats would call for his head.
Unfortunately, none of them remain in politics in NY that I am aware of.
(Am i making any sense? Dunno if I am conveying the thought clearly at all.)
True.
He is responding.
Welcome.
Please understand that its very rare that we get a liberal who is civil and doesn't use a lot of profanities.
Its actually kind of refreshing.
Tour tips:
1. Avoid vanity posts, especially when you're new here. We get a lot of hit and run cowboys.
2. Find linkable articles and post them for discussion. Choose areas that interest you, or those in which you wish to gain insight into the "conservative mind"
3. Participate in threads, but have a thick skin.
My vantage point:
I was always conservative, except when I started here I was what some might consider liberal on gun control and the death penalty.
Gun Control - I learned, through the Free Republic, that I was ignorant on gun control. I've received quite an education on guns, legislation and crime, simply by reading the discussions here. I rarely participated in these threads because my knowledge of the subject was really weak.
Separate what you know from what you feel.
Death Penalty - I've learned that the death penalty issue is really not a conservative/liberal issue. Probably 30% of the posters here are against the death penalty (although most everyone here is against the relatively posh ammenities that murderers are granted during incarceration). On the liberal side, Bill Clinton and Al Gore are for the death penalty. I have not changed my opinion about the death penalty, but I've learned a lot of pros and cons about it.
Allow your beliefs and knowledge to be challenged.
BTW---Welcome to Free Republic...if you can hang with it we are glad to have ya here...with some of the posters just learn to roll with the punchs...
I would rather stick pins in my eyes.
But thanks, anyway.
Sounds great. I was wondering if there was a page at the other forum which led to all of your posts there. Free Republic has such a feature. Here's yours.
There is also an individualized feature that shows you all of the posts to and from you. Just click "Pings" at the top of this page.
First step: Lurk. The answers you are looking for are here to find. But this board moves faster than any you will ever find on any part of the web, so don't feel like you have to try to read everything. Jumping up and down looking for attention is the first indication of trollism, so take some time and read and learn about how things are done here as much as learning the answers to the questions you have.
Second step: Read. Read the Constitution, read the Federalist Papers, read the writings of Locke, Paine, Hamilton, Jefferson and the others who founded this country. Be familiar with them and with the history of our Government. Sounds like a lot of work but you find that most on this board require facts and logic rather than feelings and impressions in our arguments. A knowledge of the history of our Nation and our form of Government is essential to put those facts and logic in coherent assertions.
Third step: Post, but carefully.
Hope this helps and Merry Christmas.
Wrong. I you look at the voting records from years past, you will find that the leftist politicians were the ones holding back women and minorities.
Second, libs also think the Republicans were FOR continuing slavery, when again it was the leftist politicians who voted FOR keeping slaves.
Check this story and let us know why the MSM is the only place to allow "Freedom of Speech."
CBS News supports censoring blogs
I am concerned about some things you may associate with liberalism--social safety nets and taking care of those who fall through the institutional cracks.
Social safety nets, as you call them, have made an entire generation of dependents on the government's nipple. That is why taxes were going thru the roof under the likes of Carter and clinton.
Aaaah..
Okers.
Jeff, post 178 more accurate than my ramblings?
;-)
I think you have an excellent point here, and I submit that this very fact has helped our side in its recent political power ascendence.
The left-leaning mainstream press does SUCH a bad job of calling out your side for anything questionable that our side has gotten a virtual baptism by fire that has produced, on the whole, a slate of better political candidates.
A quick example that I will point out is that of the difference between Bob Packwood and Bill Clinton.
It's an amazing the double-standard, which is truly not fair, but an unintended side-effect is that the Republican Party is held to a higher standard.
I like the explosions best :-).
bump for later read
Governmental power: you mean like Over Taxation? Public Schools?, Affirmative Action?, State Sponsored Eugenics? State and Federal Violation of 2nd Amendment Guarantees? A Gov't that permits a foreign invasion over our borders? Welfare Programs that keep subjects on the gov't plantation? All the programs that liberals/dems endorse ENCOURAGE MORE Government power. Libs/Dems are all about bigger and more government control over the people and free enterprise. Hope your visit to the "sane side" is an enlightening experience.
Modern Liberals do not learn they disregard and conceal. Modern Liberals are not "liberal" they are communist idealogues and those who cling to the old image of liberalism are just useful idiots for the communists who run the democrat party.
Nancy Pelosi, as democrat party leader in the house, chairs the National Socialist Caucus in the house of representatives. Last time I check the National Socialists had fun in Germany in the 1940's.
There are no magic words, or propaganda platitudes which can conceal what the modern liberal really is about or believes. They might as well be flat earthers trying to convince the world that the earth is flat in this day and age.
Darksheare wrote:
True.
He is responding.
Thank you. It always make Laura Earl cry, cause I sing so bad! : )
Welcome to FR, keep an open mind and be willing to examine,
question, and refocus your previous belief systems, and you will be alright. We have many former liberals who had come
to confront, yet stayed and now are working to repair the damage done in their former lives.
Gee, I'm only wrong on 95% of what I believe? I'm doing better than I thought!
Yes you are, that 5% is the foundation you must build on.
We tend to question even our selves here and that is a GOOD thing.
Again welcome, read Jim Robinsons statement, and jump in!
ZOT Launch Warning to Blue status, Repeat BLUE!
Firing moderators will not stand down as yet.
Well, you knew enough to ask for help, and you knew to come to the right place for help. That has to count for something.
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