Posted on 11/08/2006 2:53:58 PM PST by 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.
FR doesn't buy the Communist Socialist agenda.
The Dims spent years as obstructionists, and accused the Pubbies of stealing, lying, etc.
What about Kennedy, Kerry, etc.?
Payback's a bitch.
No. Absolutely not will I cooperate with the Party that hid Clinton's authorization, sale and wholesale stealing of our nuclear jewels, the miniaturization technology. Treason.
I'll spit in your hand, and on your face, and then won't be nice enough to use lube.
How's that?
I fart in your general direction.
Like you did with Harry Reid?
Oops, wait a minute, you made him your party's leader in the Senate.
We here at FR,unlike kos and du refrain from using vulgarities,but in this case I'm going to go against my better instincts,do ya know what a big old honkin' loogie is?;)
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..
Let me add this. Do not spit on the people who defend this nation, or Boy Scouts and others who carry the American flag.
Now if you can convince the leaders of what used to be my party, the Democrats, to support this nation, especially in a time of war, and this is truly a war that can leak onto our shores (9-11 proved that), convince them that raising taxes on the wealthy does not bring in more money for the politicians to spend, as the last decent Democrat President, John F. Kennedy knew, then we might have grounds to discuss points here.
Shove your wishes up your little Commie Ass!
LOL!
Many of those "incorruptible conservative" democrats, aka new blood, were funded by Nancy Pelosi and the moon-barking left as a front to gain the votes of a largely conservative/moderate American public.
Those new democrat legislators were bought and paid for by Pelosi, Dean and Co- they are are owned - and will be obedient to the flaming liberal democrat leadership (speaking of Red Nancy's $55 million personal fortune and how she got it and grows it) - or they will be "de funded" and many will be shown the door after one short term.
Your vote will have little to do with it. So enjoy people like Ted Kennedy, Nancy, Harry, Alcee Hastings, Henry Waxman, John Conyers, Murtha, Kerry, Obama, and Charlie Rangel being fawned over by the MSM as experts on "fixing America". We await their governance.
What made my day difficult was to look into the eyes of one of my colleagues who has a son who is an intelligence officer in Iraq.
She came up to me crying telling me, "They are going to do to my son what they did to my husband in Vietnam."
Another generation betrayed.
Defend them to your last dying breath, as you did the Clintons...?
Just a guess, mind.
Now you to make friends? No thanks. You could have done that after 9/11
We make our criminals resign, and usually they go to prison. Yours are still serving in Congress, including some under current indictment.
I love my wife, but OH YOU KID -- !!! :)
At the risk of being dog-piled on by my fellow FReepers, I agree with the spirit of Joshua's post. Politics isn't a football game and I'm not going to consider myself an adversary of the Democratic party just because I'm not a Democrat.
I have serious ideological disagreements with guys like Joshua, but I don't question his patriotism or his sincere desire to reach out to those "on the other side" on behalf of a shared desire to keep this country strong and free.
Our ultimate visions differ in many ways, but we probably share a lot more common ground than we think, or than the other side thinks.
Yes, there are many genuine moonbats on DU and Kos et al; our side isn't totally devoid of looneys either. Guys like Joshua, willing to respectfully share his views and hear ours, should be welcomed warmly.
Okay, go ahead and throw peanuts at me now.
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Viking Kitty/ZOT ping list!. . . don't be shy.
Trust but verify.
He can can back here with this proposal when his party has made some progress cleaning out their own swamp
Oh sweetie, if only what you are proposing were true. Of course it isn't, and in answer to your question, I wouldn't waste spit on you .
:)
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.