Posted on 03/27/2018 1:00:28 PM PDT by The Citizen Soldier
My journey with Free Republic began in late 1998. It was near the end of the Clinton Presidency, and there seemed to be a new wave of hope and a sense of renewed patriotism as we gathered to defeat Al Gore and elect George W. Bush. But, on the whole, we lacked a platform, a vehicle, whereby we could gather together and speak with a common voice.
Jim Robinson provided that platform, utterly unique at the time, a place for conservative voices to sing out, to proclaim their views, to unite, and to encourage one another that we were not battling alone.
I would meet FRiends when I traveled to Washington D.C. in January 2001 to attend the inauguration of George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States. I’ll never forget the joy and the celebration of that day; a new day, a new hope, a new opportunity.
Along the way I lost my Free Republic password, and there was no way to recover it. And so I started anew as The Citizen Soldier on November 26, 2002. Over the past twenty years, Free Republic has been my go to site to confirm conservative stories, to read thoughtful and insightful conservative comment, and generally “lurk.” Actually, evidenced by my relatively few posts over the years, I would categorize myself as a life-time lurker at Free Republic.
In 2016, in the run-up to the election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States, I began to detect the seeds of dissension and disharmony at Free Republic, ala the “Never Trump” crowd that emerged. Less and less, I frequented the site because it seemed that every thread was a mini-battle, not with liberals and socialists—I would have welcomed that—but with ourselves; conservatives and libertarians taking off the gloves, continually entering the battle royal.
Oh, I participated now and then, but I tired of fighting our own side, and found new online homes where I could find more consistent support for our new President. Through it all, Free Republic has remained bookmarked and like a magnet it has continually drawn me back. I lurk again and again. But lately it has all become too much. Every move our President makes is scrutinized and criticized, often with the reminder, “I’ve always been a never-Trumper,” either voiced or implied. The thought of a Hillary Clinton Presidency, and the CERTAIN destruction of our great nation that would have brought, makes me cringe to this day, now into the second year of the Donald Trump's Presidency. But I feel like a voice in the wilderness, as the criticism of Donald Trump and his administration escalates week by week.
I’m not leaving. I’m 70 years old now, and I’ve moved from California to Arizona to enjoy the “sunshine years” of my life. Recently my 46 year-old son visited and before he left he said, “Dad, please don’t ever stop fighting.” And I won’t. But, my dear FRiends, Free Republic must recapture the spirit of independence and conservatism.
As a Christian, I end my comments with a paraphrase from Bob George’s, “Classic Christianity.”
“The answer is not simply calling someone wrong or proving yourself right. The real issue is what answer can we give to those who desperately need to hear the message of conservatism?”
“Foreign entanglements” hardly includes secession, but I got that from the movies anyway.
When the destructive greedy Smithians get a brain or there is a complete economic collapse- which ever come first. The trade deficits and the de-industrialization is not sustainable. That's what you Free Traitors™ don't get or don't care.
Communists are to the left wing as Libertarians are to the right. Both cancerous radical groups destroying(destroyed?) both the Democrat and Republican Parties.
Only a truly progressive or libertarian and definitely NOT a Conservative, would use the adjective "constructive" when describing any form of taxation - especially the income tax! All forms of taxation are destructive in nature; it's a question of the best "necessary evil" as a way to collect them.
Do you even THINK before you post? Are are you really a comedy writer?
>>They [The John Birch Society]
>>are against the Convention of States.
From The John Birch Society
An Article V Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) is an Urgent Threat to Your Rights
Since 1787, America has chosen to avoid the risk of a new convention that could rewrite our Constitution and Bill of Rights. But 28 state legislatures have now applied for a convention. The Constitution’s Article V says that if 2/3 of the states apply (34 states), Congress shall call a convention for proposing amendments. ...”
Learn More...
Overview:
Warnings Against a Con-Con
Article: The New BBA Con-Con Threat
Video: Crash Course on a Con-Con
Video: What Will Balance the Budget?
When you have been a part of something for a long time, even online, you can become more involved than you should. When I get that way I take a break from it. Miserable might have been a strong word. I have no problem blowing off and forgetting the critical posts like the one you just made. I’m a lot tougher than that but nobody likes to be personally attacked over and over by trolls pushing an agenda. I usually respond once and then I’m done responding. I will say what I think but I won’t continue to feed the trolls and stalkers like I did last time.
Ethics and morals are not defined the same by everyone. So in a country that espouses freedom you have to take that into consdertaion. I hold values and ethics dear. I am patriot and I believe in then teachings of Jose. But I don’t I’m use my vapes unless it effects my rights. For example. If a morman man wants 4 wives and they agree, I have no issue with[ it. One wife is enough for me, maybe too much. I feel the same way about gays.
i worked with gays who were some of the best employees and seemed to be nice people. And what’s the old line, I’ve had a few gay friends. My fundamental christian wife’s best friend is lesbian. I wouldn’t go down that road myself . But it’s really none of my business what they do in their lives. In that sense I am a libertarian. But on broader scale I believe in liberty and the pursuit of happiness and sometimes that means not putting people, who do things I wouldn’t, in jail.
Best wishes!
The teachings of Jesus, not Jose. LOL
To be frank, 2nd DIvision Vet has been in the hospital for months - he was one of our main news posters.
That makes absolutely no sense. Do you have any idea what you are talking about?
All forms of socialism are Godless and anti-freedom. I am not sure why you would imply that communism is anything more than just a more extreme version than fascism.
Libertarianism is not socialist, and at least it bears some consistency with the US constitution (the true political middle). The biggest problem is open borders.
Both the modern Republican and Democrat parties generally lie under the political left. Both are closer to fascism than communism. Both of them believe in open borders as well.
Libertarianism would be an improvement on our current political order if it agreed to borders. There are people on the anarcho-capitalist right who argue that borders are quite in keeping with liberty, the idea being that illegal border crossers systematically violate private property rights along the way.
Libertarian Republicans like Massive and Paul are massive improvements on their colleagues
Is he reading posts in this forum? Can we send him our best wishes, and he is able to read them?
I never used the term “constructive”. Put the bottle down.
American companies can compete without government help.
Now Smith is “greedy”?
You are quite the trip, man.
Trade Deficit is not a term used in the Floating Exchange Rate system we have been on since Nixon took us off the Gold
Standard. It doesn’t exist since the exchange is between the commodity purchased and the dollar. Money varies in value every day against every other currency. If we run a “deficit” it just means the dollar is valued at the price of the commodity.
You need to look at the difference between a Floating Rate exchange system and a Fixed Rate system if you have any desire to understand Reality.
No but there are explicit warnings directed at the Democrats who were toying with the idea of splitting the Union and allying with France. I think the term he used was “...cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men” inflaming sectionalism as a danger.
The no foreign entanglements was also particularly directed at those wishing to ally with France.
Libertarians are pulling the right to the loony extreme, farther from nationalism and MAGA, trying to reach some governmentless(made up word) place that can never exit, that is not to imply they are Communists; just the opposite. The only similarity between them is the extremism.
The USA became an industrial power because our founders applied tariffs from the start. Thank God they did that. Libertarians and Free Traitors™ would have us forget that one.
Which bills, budgets and/or policies have been “pulled to the extreme”, specifically? How did the 10 or so libertarian Republicans in Congress manage to achieve this?
Do you believe that all elected officials are obligated to strictly follow the original intent of the Constitution?
Libertarians hate tariffs but you know what? Tariffs and duties are defined in the US Constitution, not the income tax! So absolutely the US Constitution should be followed - as written.
Anarcho capitalists definitely do believe in borders.
There’s virtually nothing libertarian about the federal government. You think libertarians are responsible for globalism?? LOL! Neither libertarians nor paleos nor constitutionalists support managed trade agreements. It would actually be the political left (including GOP) which is for globalism.
I think you have your definitions mixed up. Badly.
There was a lot of time and energy spent on targeting dems with the same issues we now write off regarding Trump. We no longer have the ability to do that because of how we ignore Trump’s legacy. To me that’s good. It’s about issues, not candidates and their skeletons.
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