Will you take my hand, or spit on it? ZOT it!

11/8/06 | Joshua Lander

[landeraepi]

Full disclosure, I'm a democrat, so get over it. I'm not here to insult you, and I'm certainly not here to gloat. I'm not here to trade barbs, undermine Free Republic, or infiltrate your ranks. I'll be honest — I disagree with most FReepers on almost every issue.

So, why am I posting a new thread?

Because I — we — need you. We at Democratic Underground and Daily Kos, and all of the lefty blogs you love to hate, and who love to hate you. We need you to acknowledge that if there's one thing we're learning about our country's political system, it's that there's way too much corruption. Too much greed. Cronyism. Lying. It's on both sides, folks — I'm no apologist.

Yes, the Democrats won. Yes, we're very happy about that. It means we get to put the emergency brake on what we see as runaway irresponsibility in our government. Some of you FReepers see it, too — the Bush administration is spending like Paris Hilton on a bender and Harry Reid is spending his afternoons thinking about how to double his real estate money instead of how to lead his minority majority. Result? America's losing its ethical center.

Indulge me for a moment: we at Daily Kos and Democratic Underground are ecstatic for one particular reason that it may be difficult for FReepers to understand. Candidates like Jon Tester, Jerry McNerney, Paul Hodes, and Jim Webb were all relative political unknowns — guys with great ideas who just had no "street cred" at all. The lefty blogs — dKos and DU, chiefly, coordinated the fundraising and did the canvassing, calling, and late-night video posting on YouTube.

We wanted this one like rabid dogs, and we got it. You guys will win again, and win big, but this time it was the democrats. If Jon Tester and Jerry McNerney begin taking money from lobbyists and accepting flights on Learjets, do you know what we'd do?

We'd castrate them. We'd end them. Ask a DUer — if these guys let Washington's corruption get under their skin, we'll vote against them.

But the truth is that they won't. I know this because that's why we picked them. They're committed to bringing some civility and dignity back to our country's political system — and so am I.

And, hopefully, so are you.

So, today, I'm reaching across the aisle, in earnest, and in what I hope you will realize is good faith. America isn't America without all of us, and I'm not about to let this election force us to self-segregate and turn into the epitome of what we hate. This country wasn't founded on ideological differences. America was founded as a place for people with unpopular beliefs. That's why the Puritans came here — and why everyone else followed.

Disagreement is no justification for acrimony.

If Free Republic joined with Daily Kos and DU to denounce corruption, cronyism, and dishonesty in government — regardless of our political stripes — we'll all be better for it.

I'm cross-posting a similar thread to dKos and DU in the hopes that the netroots on both sides can come together to reorient our government's ethical compass. Let's agree to disagree, but let's do it in an American way — in a way that helps all of us. We can (and should!) continue to fight for our personal morals, beliefs, and ideas — but we must ensure that our government, no matter which party controls it, is still a government of, by, and for the people.

So, come on, FReepers. Let's fix this country. Concentrate on common ground instead of ideological divisions. What do we all believe, and how can we leverage the immense power and respect of the blogosphere to do the most good?

I wish you all the best, and I'm sorry if I've ruined your day.

[trumandogz]

99.9999% of all corruption in Washington is in the Democratic Party.

[Americanexpat]

Every time a Democrate starts preaching about corruption and lobbyists I want to puke.

[Enosh]

We\\\'d end them.

You pegged my BS detector.

[Calpernia]

>>>Yes, the Democrats won. Yes, we're very happy about that.

Won fraudently.

HAVA, Election Reform, was suppose to be in place BEFORE 11/7/06.

[nopardons]

IBTZ

Go back to DU!

[MadIvan]

"We shall have no truce or parley with you, or the grisly gang who work your wicked will. You do your worst, and we will do our best....We do not expect to hit without being hit back, and we intend with every week that passes to hit harder. Prepare yourselves then, my friends and comrades, for this renewal of your exertions. We shall never turn from our purpose, however sombre the road, however grievous the cost, because we know that out of this time of trial and tribulation will be born a new freedom and glory for all mankind." - Winston Churchill, 1941

PS - Up yours.

Ivan

[Xenalyte]

If Free Republic joined with Daily Kos and DU to denounce corruption, cronyism, and dishonesty in government — regardless of our political stripes — we'll all be better for it.

We denounced it for years under your boy Bill Clinton. We've been denouncing it in the form of Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, et al as recently as today.

We got rid of our sexual predator the second we found out about him. Yours are still in power.

We make our criminals resign, and usually they go to prison. Yours are still serving in Congress, including some under current indictment.

When are you gonna clean house? Because until your side does so, puff pieces like this are just so much Kumbayah-singing.

[meandog]

Well, you have guts...I'll give you that. The trouble with you liberals is that you cannot seem to see moral absolutes when it comes to things that conservatives hold deeply: Late term abortions, death sentences for killers, availability to own firearms, private property freedoms, and the obligation to leave alone those who will not work, or choose to destroy their lives with stimulants.

[landeraepi]

Term limits. That's how to ease that issue.

Agreed. Definitely. No more lifetime appointments to the Senate -coughKennedycough-

How about limiting lobbyist conributions to a reasonable amount per election cycle? Or funding elections through personal contributions only?

[4CJ]

If Free Republic joined with Daily Kos and DU to denounce corruption, cronyism, and dishonesty in government — regardless of our political stripes — we'll all be better for it.

If we all denounced corruption, cronyism, JUDICIAL ACTIVISM, and dishonesty in government — regardless of our political stripes — we'll all be better for it.

[jennyjenny]

We don't agree on anything, remember? That's all you morons have been saying for 6 years.No, no.....you're all on your own. Good luck, heh.

[roylene]

How about this...I'll take your hand when your side apologizes for disrespecting our military, country, Christians, the President, and pre-born babies. I'll take your hand when your side apologizes for taxing the wealth producers in this country into oblivion, you know these guys the ones that create jobs. When your side apologies for wanting to seize my money after I die when I worked hard to leave it to my children...should I go on.
Do not treat me like scum for decades and then ask for my hand in cooperation..

[Cinnamon]

'"We shall have no truce or parley with you, or the grisly gang who work your wicked will. You do your worst, and we will do our best....We do not expect to hit without being hit back, and we intend with every week that passes to hit harder. Prepare yourselves then, my friends and comrades, for this renewal of your exertions. We shall never turn from our purpose, however sombre the road, however grievous the cost, because we know that out of this time of trial and tribulation will be born a new freedom and glory for all mankind." - Winston Churchill, 1941'

Thanks Ivan.

[keithtoo]

The problem is that Lefty control freaks want to stop most of this thru Big Government control mechanisms - Camapaign Finance Reform anyone?

We prefer freedom - as in voting - to clean up our reprobates. Not some clumsy mechanism from the Bureau of Central Planning.

[cripplecreek]

Couldn't have said it better Xena. The democrats set the precedent on many of the dirty things we see in DC.

[nopardons]

Spit.

[Darksheare]

What, slobbering on the other thread wasn't getting you enough attention?

[spunkets]

"America's losing its ethical center. "

Democrats have no ethics. They deny freedom and personal responsibility. They also use other people's money to fund their benevolent jobs programs and nanny state scams. You also used the art of the con to gain your recent takeover of the Congress regarding the Iraq war. It was not about oil, it was about denying the terrorists a friendly safehaven and industrial bases. Notice all your Ds drove drive everywhere, including to the polls to vote for what they can extract out of other folk's pockets.

Notice the money for ME oil goes to those countries not "big oil". In Iraq and the other countries, the oil belongs to the people, they're selling it and the money goes in their pockets. It;s their countries treasury and companies. The folks that produce oil are earning a living. Notice their is no "big interests", there are only the interests of a Free people, that consists of individuals and their enterprises.

Don't come here looking for allies to justify your BS. It won't fly. You hate Freedom so much you can't stand it. Your petty ideas go nowhere, unless you can force it through govm't action after conning folks into electing your d-clowns as official pilferers.

BTW, MOLON LABE you ethical bastard!

[MadIvan]

You're nicer than I am. I keep thinking about reaching for a mallet to break said hand.

I remember Impeachment and how this scum spewed lies day after day in honour of the Sink Emperor. They should not be trusted.

Regards, Ivan

[A CA Guy]

Democrats go into this with Republicans handing them 4.4% unemployment, $2.08 gas, a kicking economy and a sky high stock market.
They were handed a war effort where the military had won every single battle.

NOW, let's see what they do on their watch the next year or so.