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?
Not a riposte? That's what I got on my first Vanity!
Ooo, ooo, Mr Kot-ter, Mr Kot-ter!!
Abortion - Against it except under extreme circumstances
Minimum Wage - Eliminate it
Universial Healthcare - Against it
Corporate Taxation - Eliminate it
Social Security Privatization - For those that choose to be in the program, it's fine and dandy. For those of us who don't, we'd like to keep that 14% of our earnings (you didn't think it was just 7% now didja?)
Affirmative Action - Eliminate it
Hillary Clinton - I have no response for that
That sounds more likely from what's been posted so far
I was kidding LE loves my voice.
'Freedom of Speech', 'censorship'? What are you talking about? You're here to learn? Learn: your 'Freedom of Speech' idea has no application to private forums, to private homes, to private property! There is no 'Freedom of Speech' in my house or in my business, and that's the way I like it.
Maybe these idiots, meaning liberals, don't know what partial birth abortion is.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."- John Adams, Oct. 11, 1798
In my estimation, this is the fundamental, foundational principle associated with what we today call conservatism. It is the basis for our constitution and all of our laws. If we fail to recognize it, then our liberty, our nation, our way of life....and ultimately our very lives will be at risk.
There are many liberals who fight tooth and nail against this...who are in fact nothing short of marxists. There are many who simply do not understand it and were never taught it. In the latter category we can find those sincere souls who will "come over" as soon as they understand it.
As much as anything else, we are faced with the daunting task of finding the sincere and educating them as to the true roots of this Republic.
Anyhow...hope that makes some sense. Even today, amongst the liberals of our time, I believe (as was the case under Reagan) that there are many who can be educated.
Thanks. I'm glad to be here. I think it is easy to stereotype people--I certainly have been as guilty of that as anybody. But, at the end of the day, we have to work together. I figured talking to each other might be a good start.
Dogs run away when I sing.
Welcome to Free Republic, first off. Declaring your ideology in a courteous manner, and replying in that way as well, has scored you full marks from those of us who watch and wait.
You are about to receive a multitude of replies - you're probably overwhelmed by this point. Take your time, and use that reason which you've demonstrated thus far, for each response.
Part of what makes up a FReeper is, not only the willingness to help a sincere newcomer, but also the eagerness to show their knowledge of issues, as well.
You'll also find that FReepers run the spectrum, from the far right, through the conservative, the Libertarian, and the moderate, even up to the moderate-left. But I will caution you on one thing: the very first page you see upon logging in, bears the Mission Statement of Free Republic, and I post it here for your use.
I'll be looking to see how some of your questions are answered, and might provide a few on my own.
Yes, there are some.
Being a liberal he is probably on dial up or at the public liebury and has to wait his turn.
Do they ever come back?
*************
Exactly right. The Left has a basic misunderstanding of both issues.
HMMMMMMMMM!
We shall see what develops here....
This obligation to constantly prove to the government that one is not guilty provides government with the means to further erode our liberties.
The result is that one becomes guilty, not of injuring another person, but of failing to jump through the hoops put up by the government.
In the government's eyes a law abiding citizen who does not register his gun is worse than a criminal who injures his neighbor.
In the government's eyes a citizen who does not have a driver's license is worse than a person who commits vehicular homicide.
A crime against the government is worse than a crime against a subject under the government.
"Conservative" examles were used for your benefit. But there are examples that push "liberal" hot buttons also. The interesting thing about our society right now is that many of us on both sides have a double standard. When Janet Reno's FBI wanted to snoop on the internet conservatives were outraged and liberals supported it. When Ashcroft wanted to do exactly the same thing that Janet Reno wanted to do. The liberals flipped position. The conservatives flipped position. There were a few exceptions... but not many.
The liberal paradox is that the erosion of civil liberties that they support benefits the rich elitists while it hurts the poor they claim to speak for. Environmental and safety rules are the best example. They push jobs for the poor outside the US. They make the products that the poor must buy more expensive.
As a safety professional and database professional it is proven that seat belts have no net benefit to society. They are a feel-good symbolism that puts the cost of a car out of the reach of a poor person who needs that car to get to work. Seat belts hurt the poor.
HIPPA is intended to protect a person's privacy by forcing everyone to prove their innocence, and to always be ready to prove their historical innocence, of violating someone's privacy. HIPPA has caused the recent increase in health care costs, more so than any other contributing factor. Has anyone met a single person who has better health due to HIPPA? And privacy? HIPPA has caused companies to collect and retain much more information on people than was previously retained. The way the HIPPA law is written, everyone must retain private information to prove their innocence of violating a person's privacy.
There are plenty of examples of "erosion of liberty" on the favorite lists of both conservatives and liberals.
I couldn't carry a tune if it had handles welded to it.
We should form a trio.
Patience! I'm new here. I am glad you have all come out to greet me, and I am not being intentionally rude. But the short answer is yes, I am here for two-way conversation, not to make speeches.
Neat---and to-the-point!
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