Sorry to deflate one of your theories, but I'm not on the couch, nor the sofa. And, although I am quite aware that FR exists to pose discussion among conservatives, I'm surprised that you posit that you can determine who is and who is not among those. I know how I vote and what my voter registration is and to what political party I volunteer and donate and contribute, and I don't see the point of proving or engaging in relative "party contests" on FR about who is what and why who isn't. If someone's using FR and doing so in good standing with other users, generally, then I think it's respectful to accept them for their values as stated and not to presume to insult them otherwise.
It's the simplest means to stifle and undermine discussion, on the other hand, by introducing the "you aren't (conservative, Republican, whatever)" because when that occurs, the discussion is changed from the thread issue, whatever it is, to personal affront.
I've now seen this occur so many times but it's always on threads about Schwarzenegger, and about CA GOP.
What is the point of this type of personal malignment? People sign up and remain here because they're almost to a person conservative in one or many if not all areas of their lives. I know that I am. But, when I read these sort of statements such as you've just made -- referring to my comments and others here as evidence that someone or all of us misperceive a forum for conservative discussions vs. a forum for political talk -- I question your intense and purpose.
Because you call into question your ability to respect the statements of others, the premise, questions and points of view. If the CA GOP threads, particularly, are going to be consistently devoted to questioning who is a Republican and who isn't, then they're going to continue to upset and disenfranchise and they serve to UNDERMINE the Republican purpose, not assist it.
Unless, the CA GOP purpose is to undermine and disenfranchise (and by that, lose).
There was one person attempting to make a constructive comment about Schwarzenegger who was then questioned about their party affiliation. Now you question mine. Ah, I guess a vote for Simon in the past election indicates I'm no conservative, eh?
I can appreciate the lecture about who frequents FR but since I am here, and you are here, and so are others also here, it's a case of here we all are and most of us are conservatives and those who aren't are usually easy to spot over a brief time.
Threads about Schwarzenegger (and CA GOP, also), in my experience on FR, go like this:
1. The thread is posted
2. Someone comments in support of Schwarzenegger
3. Someone questions the political affiliations of commentor 2.
4. Commentor 2. responds and objects to 3.
5. Someone else comments about the thread
6. Commentor 3. questions political leanings of 5.
7. Commentor 5. objects to 6. and to 3.
8. Commentor 2. writes complaint about thread
9. Commentor 3. writes complaint about Commentor 2.
10.....etc., etc.
What I think is proven over and over again is that there is little to no shared understanding nor objective among CA conservatives, CA Republicans.
Here's where I am about this today, and as I tried to comment earlier: I'm glad we have Schwarzenegger and not Davis, and not Bustamante. I'm sorry we have Schwarzenegger and not Simon. I'm glad we have the possibility of more Republicans in state legislature and perhaps again in the Governor's office. I am not confident that Schwarzenegger will be re-elected. I would prefer a Republican and a conservative Republican in the Governor's office instead of a moderate Democrat, which I conider Schwarzenegger to be, despite is Party affiliation.
I've yet to read a thread lately on FR about Schwarzenegger that is not about personality -- and, most of us KNOW and AGREE that he is not a fiscal conservative so I think that ought to stop being an arguable point because nearly no one alleges otherwise -- and not about solving the problem that is harming improving conditions in CA and that is that there is no community among CA GOP beyond the isolated few who seem to cloister themselves away from the wants and needs of the voting Republicans in the state. Thus, there's enmity in CA among conservatives in addition to enmity between the parties.
CA GOP does not appear to be (d'oh) in touch with the voters in CA. That's the biggest problem I can see this morning. That and that it's next to impossible to discuss the reasons why on FR without someone questioning and accusing and thus, harming and preventing the discussion itself.
Which implies reasonable due dilegence. Yet ...
but I am not knowledgeable this morning to any extent to reasonably discuss those.
2) If someone's using FR
An obvious problem. Republicans using FR to promote their product which is widely separated from the values of this forum.
doing so in good standing with other users
Partisan spammers are never in good standing. They are tolerated but not in good standing.
3) Referring to my comments as evidence that someone misperceive a forum for conservative discussions vs. a forum for political talk -- I question your intense and purpose.
The purpose is to point out to observers that the comments are partisan, not conservative. That the author is not contributing to the discussion but rather obfuscating it with partisan misdirection.
There just is no unity of purpose in CA among self-assessed "conservatives" at this point, and it really, really, really needs to be improved upon. Because it loses elections every time.
Obviously a partisan statement outside of political philosophy, hence the reference to partisan intrusion and obfuscation. Evidence that the CAGOP has lost it's way, abandoned it's traditional principals and is now supporting a liberal in a futile attempt to cling to the idea that they remain significant in California.
4) If the CA GOP threads, particularly, are going to be consistently devoted to questioning who is a Republican and who isn't, then they're going to continue to upset and disenfranchise and they serve to UNDERMINE the Republican purpose, not assist it. not assist it.
Bingo. That is the exact goal. To upset and UNDERMINE the Republican purpose, not assist it. That is why we gather. As long as the CAGOP is unwilling to honor its traditions, it serves little value to our culture or our political sensibilities. If Republican state officials continue to advance and support liberal ideas and actions, with the blessing of the CAGOP, then the CAGOP needs to be dismantled and its representatives turned from office.