Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

I'm a liberal and I'm here to learn

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?


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: blogpimp; brownshirtsforkerry; bukkake; civilwar2; civilwarii; commonground; findyouranswers; freedom; freeperinfusion; heterophobic; heterosexualagenda; imabedwetter; imlost; justpassingthrough; kerrybetrayedamerica; kerryonline; liar; liberal; liberalinthehouse; marxism; mobyisthatyou; nannystate; nevermyfault; newbievanity; pc; politicallycorrect; postandrun; postingorgy; redroger; reprogramming; satanic; socialist; sodelluded; troll; warthog; welcometofr; youbepimpin; zot
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 381-400401-420421-440 ... 861-874 next last
To: BJungNan

Very good!


401 posted on 12/10/2004 11:20:02 AM PST by bmwcyle (I wear sleepwear therefore I think (When they are off I am single minded))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 398 | View Replies]

To: rogerv

When it comes to personal beliefs and what is more personal than politics, debate is pointless. YOU have nothing to say that I haven't heard and long since stopped considering as valuable. Jim set this site up so that like minded conservatives could exchange VALUABLE INFO between each other. I cant begin to tell you the things I've learned on these threads talking with people whose opinions and knowledge I VALUE. If I want to know what someone like you thinks, which I dont, I'll stop some freshman on any college campus in the U.S. and ask them. Come back when you've grown up and have something to offer.


402 posted on 12/10/2004 11:20:06 AM PST by MAWG (Arafat, Kerry and now Rather..... I'll drink to that!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 349 | View Replies]

To: rogerv
I like what Elliot Spitzer is trying to do

Boost his political career??? He just announced he's running for Gov of NY.

He's like a bull in a China shop running from industry to industry acting as if he was elected to clean up Wall Street.

He's a "white" Jesse Jackson extorting business after business.

This is very telling, you are a liberal, no offense.

403 posted on 12/10/2004 11:20:10 AM PST by Mister Baredog (PLEASE be sure you have a flag up on your FReeper homepage.!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 311 | View Replies]

To: rogerv
"Taming Corporate Power." Hhmmm...... Doesn't have a really good odor to it. Does it. Who did you say you were.??
404 posted on 12/10/2004 11:20:12 AM PST by Pompah (The price of greatness is responsibility)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jpsb
I look at government as a collective effort to battle evil and advance good.

If that's a common view among leftists, then I wonder why so many of them were so vehemently opposed to the removal of the evil Saddam Hussein and his henchmen from power.

405 posted on 12/10/2004 11:20:12 AM PST by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 320 | View Replies]

To: Rytwyng
Today is the company Christmas party, so I am short on time. I would like to continue the conservation, but I can't. In short I think conservatives believe that man is basically good, liberals believe man is basically evil. I think I can prove that in a long debate but like I said, duty calls.
406 posted on 12/10/2004 11:21:07 AM PST by jpsb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 370 | View Replies]

To: BJungNan

See how that works? :-)


407 posted on 12/10/2004 11:21:20 AM PST by Howlin (W, Still the President)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 384 | View Replies]

To: Gingersnap

No doubt. I'll have to come back and read all these replies when I have more time. It's going to take awhile!


408 posted on 12/10/2004 11:21:29 AM PST by rogerv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: rogerv; Landru; joanie-f
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.

FWIW, this is the reason I ultimately switched from being a liberal to a conservative. Many of my previous points of view, though well intentioned, were fundamentally flawed. Critical opinions allow a person to see things from a different perspective, one not normally accessable to the viewer.

One can convince him/herself they've thoroughly considered all the angles of a subject, yet in the end still be without true knowledge because of an angle or a position they failed to recognize or consider. Regarding this forum (or any other), the finest posters are the purveyors of knowledge who can cause you to recognize the missing pieces of the puzzle without making you feel like a schmuck for missing them in the first place; they are the ones with true talent.

You'll find a lot of them here . . .

409 posted on 12/10/2004 11:21:47 AM PST by BraveMan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rogerv
Thanks. BTW, I new to this--getting a bunch of replies all at once. This is going to take some getting used to!

You mean as oppsed to being told to $%#% off and get back to FR when we post something on DU?

410 posted on 12/10/2004 11:22:16 AM PST by BJungNan (Stop Spam - Do NOT buy from junk email.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: airborne
He's taking this thread for a ride, and most of the people on here are actually pulling his wagon.

I leave with a note of caution..."Loose lips sinks ships".

He is a spy for the the DUmmies.

Bye

411 posted on 12/10/2004 11:23:05 AM PST by processing please hold (Islam and Christianity do not mix ----9-11 taught us that)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 397 | View Replies]

To: hushpad

I'm sorry. I didn't know where would be the best place to post an introduction. I didn't want to be rude and just start posting opinions without introducing myself.


412 posted on 12/10/2004 11:23:06 AM PST by rogerv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: rogerv
I'm concerned with questions about how to tame power, whether governmental or corporate.

While I think governmental power needs to be tamed, corporatate power is overrated. Corporations don't have the police behind them, nor DA offices. Governments do. I can also take my business elsewhere in the case of corporations. It's harder with governments.

I'm concern with the rule of law and how we can get the powerful to take it seriously.

Agree there, but your party is the worst of all on it. Activist judges.

I'm concerned with the erosion of civil liberties.
Same here. This was my biggest problem with Bill Clinton. I oppose the patriot act that John Kerry voted for. I also strongly oppose the attacks on free speech and attacks on the 2nd amendment from government officals. John Kerry's vote to ban .30-30 ammunition(all centerfire actually) was the number one reason why I voted for Bush.

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 don't problems with hand ups at the state and local levels(not a place for the feds). I do have a problem with handouts and a bigger problem with pyramid schemes like social security.

413 posted on 12/10/2004 11:23:16 AM PST by Dan from Michigan ("BZZZZZT You are fined one credit for violation of the Verbal Morality Statute")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rogerv
You probably won't get this but this is the first I've seen of this thread.

I stopped reading your post at: "I'm concerned with questions about how to tame power," No disrespect intended.

You cannot tame power by giving those in power more power. So many of the "liberals" solutions involve giving the government MORE power. Be a champion of freedom and individuality, not group-think.

Vote Libertarian
414 posted on 12/10/2004 11:23:34 AM PST by pnome
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: shadowman99
This sucks. People here blast the left for being hateful, and here comes this guy - polite and upfront about his politics. He didn't go on a rant. He didn't go and zot anyone. He's asking questions. Would it kill us to be decent to him?

I don't see anyone being overly rude to the guy. He has to expect a little razing when he walks into the room.

415 posted on 12/10/2004 11:23:35 AM PST by BJungNan (Stop Spam - Do NOT buy from junk email.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: rogerv
I welcome you sir!

I am an ex-lib so i have been where you are now. I also second the comments from other posters to ignore the rude and "gotcha" comments. There are plenty of thoughtful, polite, Christian posters here who represent conservative & libertarian positions.

416 posted on 12/10/2004 11:23:42 AM PST by NJ Neocon (Democracy is tyranny of the masses. It is three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 408 | View Replies]

To: rogerv
You haven't given a decent thought on this thread yet.
I think you're just here to disrupt.
You don't have to start a vanity thread for each question/thought/position. You already have the thread open and running, use it, if you dare.
417 posted on 12/10/2004 11:24:04 AM PST by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mvpel; Zavien Doombringer
Well, the freedom of speech doesn't mean you can say anything you want to say with out any reprocussions. You can yell "fire" in a crowded auditorium, but is it wise to do it?

Yes, if there's a real fire.

The problem with leftists, particularly on the gun control issue, is that they want to apply duct tape to the mouths of every theater-goer to remedy the problem of falsely shouting "fire" in a crowded auditorium

And, of course, when there's a real fire nobody can shout a warning, and more people die.

418 posted on 12/10/2004 11:24:33 AM PST by Rytwyng (we're here, we're Huguenots, get used to us)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 364 | View Replies]

To: jpsb

Try this statement,

Conservatives believe that man is mostly good, note all the references to creator endowing, etc, early in our history. This leads conservatives to believe that if men and women are left on their own, with little interference from government or criminals or whatever will mostly do good things and society will mostly progress in a good way. Liberals believe that man is mostly evil and that government must intervene to protect society and less fortunate from the evil that men would do given the chance.


419 posted on 12/10/2004 11:24:42 AM PST by Sprite518
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 392 | View Replies]

To: appalachian_dweller

Glad to meet you.


420 posted on 12/10/2004 11:25:14 AM PST by rogerv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 381-400401-420421-440 ... 861-874 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson