Posted on 05/17/2006 7:47:58 AM PDT by Pukin Dog
Edited on 05/17/2006 8:30:59 AM PDT by Lead Moderator. [history]
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." – Abraham Lincoln, 1858
It is getting somewhat strange around these parts when not only the President, but yesterday the First Lady was personally attacked by someone claiming to be a ‘Conservative’. Can there be any doubt that there are forces among us looking to drive a wedge between us?
A few weeks ago, this forum’s owner attempted to remind all of us of the big picture, that regardless of any personal animosity towards the President or Republican Party over their adherence to Conservative principles, that they are still a clear choice over the alternative Democrat Party rule. At that time, I assumed that FReeper-sanity had been restored, and that some of the negative rhetoric aimed at those in Washington D.C. would be dialed back.
Free Republic is a political forum with a proud history and vision, responsible for dragging Dan Rather from his post, and providing countless radio-talk shows with their daily talking points. FReepers are unique in their determination and energy towards protecting and defending the goals of our Founding Fathers.
We are also quite a powder keg of emotion and anticipation, expecting our Republican majorities to take advantage of this opportunity to make permanent gains in our Conservative agenda. Some might argue that this opportunity has been squandered, but those persons would be ignorant of history, lacking understanding that change cannot occur overnight in Washington, and that this is the way our Founders designed our Republic.
In frustration, impatience, and ignorance, we have allowed this forum to become a haven for those who do not share our Conservative goals. I do not blame our enemies anymore then I would blame a scorpion for stinging me. If anger and stupidity were one’s nature, I would expect the trolls that infect this forum to be angry and stupid consistently, which also makes them somewhat easy to detect.
The trolls are not the problem, though. The problem is that so many of us are allowing ourselves to be taken in by those who seek only to prevent us from going to the polls in November to keep their stinking hands off our government for another term. There can be no doubt, that no matter how disappointing our current government has been in promoting the Conservative agenda, that the alternative, enabled by our staying home will be MUCH worse.
The way to deal with Republicans who have actively worked against our goals is to defeat them in Primary elections. We do not even have to defeat them all, only enough of them to send the message that we will indeed target them if they work against our agenda. It should be the goal of EVERY conservative to see that Lincoln Chaffee is defeated in November. His seat is one we can afford to lose. Were I a Rhode Island resident, I would vote for the Democrat if only to send a message to Snowe, Hagel, Collins, Graham, and especially that bastard Specter that their primaries just got a lot tougher.
We only need to get one of them, and Chaffee is the one to get. It does not really matter if a Democrat takes his seat; he will be junior and mute as long as we maintain our overall majority in the Senate.
The one thing that bothers me here like nothing else, is the simple disrespect of the President. Am I am Bush-Bot? Damn straight I am. If you want to know why, click on my handle to read Southack’s excellent list of Bush’s accomplishments in office. But if Bush had done almost nothing in office, it would be no excuse for some of the slights and disrespect he has received from some of us on this forum.
Some of the things I have read here this past week match in tone what one can find on our favorite Democrat sewer site. Someone calling himself or herself a FReeper was promoting shooting aliens at the border until they stopped coming. Is that what we are about? Obviously not, and that so-called Conservative has been eliminated from this forum.
I think it is important to remember that you and I have just as much responsibility as George Bush does in changing our culture to better reflect Conservative values. Right now, this very moment, Conservatives have the government they deserve. We put them there. They are not our mommies and daddies sent out to bring home our Conservative bread. That responsibility lies with all of us. These Republicans represent us, they don’t serve us. Our job is to pick the best individual and send him/her to Washington in the hope that their CHARACTER will see them through.
This is why it is such a nutty thing to consider punishing the Republican party, when we should be letting them know that we’ve got their back, but if they cant do the job, we will replace them with ANOTHER Republican, instead of handing the reigns of government to the party of anger, hopelessness and despair. We sometimes like to think that those people we send to Washington are different from us, that they are capable of meeting our every need and desire.
I want every one of you to think about what you would consider to be your perfect mate. Maybe some of you think you have found that person. If you are married and totally in love with another person, that is great. Now I want to ask you to think about the last time that person you love, who is PERFECT for you, completely pissed you off. Remember, this is your perfect mate, your one true love. Do they do everything you want them to do? Obey your every desire? If you answer yes, I am going to put you on my troll list.
Those people in Washington do not even cut your lawn, yet you expect perfection. Get over it.
I am issuing a challenge to every person who considers him or her to be a Conservative; why don’t we all commit to a return to HONOR? Do we honor our Conservative agenda when we comport ourselves in disgraceful ways? Is it an honorable thing to suggest that our President is a moron, as I read here a few days ago? Is it honorable to attack Laura Bush or any other person representing true Conservative values?
Some of you might argue that George Bush is not representing Conservative values to your liking. I would remind you that the first thing Bush said upon taking office, is that he was going to be President of ALL the people, not just some. You know that if you followed Bush from the beginning that he campaigned of the very immigration platform he is defending right now. Did you vote for him? Yeah?
If you have ever had a steak at a Ruth’s Chris restaurant, you know that sometimes they bring that wonderful steak to your table with a sprig of parsley on it. I hate parsley. Hate it. If I were to treat my steak the way some of us want to treat our President, I would have to throw out the steak, due to that nasty parsley that comes with it. I can deal with the parsley to get the steak, and that is what I am asking FReepers to do.
Expecting perfection from any person, group or team is a recipe for disaster. George W. Bush is my president. You can disagree with him, you can blame him for your problems if that is your desire. If you disrespect his office, his service, his risking his life to be with our troops in Iraq, his steadfast desire to bring a new tone to Washington, or if you just like the way he keeps Democrats so pissed off they lose their minds on a regular basis, I ask you to treat him and his wife with respect and cut the personal attacks. If you call him ‘Shrub’ or ‘Jorge’ consider yourself my enemy.
Right now, our real enemy are the Main Stream Media, the Democrat Party, and all who follow and support them. If you want to jump-ugly on someone, why not start with those leaky bastards and give our side a break?
Do it for Pukin.
I knew that you could.
Neither Starr County nor Cameron County are good examples in reading the Texas Latino vote, especially in South Texas.
Cameron County, which includes Harlingen, has a large population of old-school DINO Germans and therefore makes it more conservative than surrounding areas.
Starr County doesn't have enough population to really warrant comparison to the larger Texas Latino population, but for example Bush 43 in 2004 ran almost 10% ahead of Bush 41 and Ross Perot combined there (Bush 43 in 2004 ran ahead of Reagan in 1984, not many counties in America where you'd find that.)
The best counties for general comparison are Hidalgo County, containing Brownsville and McAllen (Kerry 55%-Bush 45%) and Webb County, containing Laredo (Kerry 57%-Bush 43%). In both counties, Bush 43 ran roughly about 10% ahead of Bush 41 in 1988.
Overall, I would say that the South Texas Latino movement has been about 20% towards Republicans since the mid-1980s and somewhere in the range of 10-15% since the mid-1990s. This is starting from a base range of about 20-25% in the mid-1980s. Now, on the local level, the Republican party still basically does not exist in these areas, but it'll probably just take a strong Hispanic politician from this area at the statewide level to change that, just depends on when this happens (it might be 5 years or 25 years).
Urban movement has been smaller, but is still noticeable. My old CD-29 in Houston is a good example of this.
However, Texas Latinos really do not compare that much to Latinos in other states. Politically, they tend to be socially conservative and fiscally fairly liberal and support free trade, a combination which I don't necessarily believe you'll find anywhere else among Hispanics except southern New Mexico.
Can I have your parsley?
I'm the straight-ticket choir you preached to, so have nothing to add. I haven't read the past 2000+ posts - just wanted to find out who it was that was bashing Laura so I can beat them up.
Thank you!
What I was trying to do there SP was voice a side from an angle that many here have never looked at things from. The side of trying to moderate highly charged emotional debate fairly and being complained at for whatever decision is made.
Sorry if it offends you to hear that being a mod is not all some think it is cracked up to be or that it is gravy to sop up with a muffin.
Holy mackarel!
I'm gonna need a lot of popcorn for this one...
Wrong, and you want to know why? Because the President has already set the national agenda on border and immigration reform and all it takes is a quick scan through the numerous immigration threads on FR at this very instance and you will see it's not enough for this core of single issue voters.
The process has only just started and they are still throwing their tantrums and demanding more, more, more. No, the nation and conservatives DO NOT need to appease them...they cannot be appeased.
I suggest that you visit the Whote House web site. Most speeches by the President have been ende with "God Bless America", or a variation of that.
It won't be swept under the rug, but it can be very well be placed in gridlock while the extremists on both side hold out for their stringent demands...then complain to Holy Blazes when NOTHING gets done.
And, if you think that dear Howlin is "the queen of attack mode on FR", I guess that that makes me her major domina of finishing the job, then. :-)
If you talk about staying home, or voting fringe, then you give aid and comfort to the damned Dems. If you constantly trash and bash, slice and dice the president and/or all other GOPers, and if you give the president NO credit for anything, then yes, YOU really do appear to want the Dems to win.
And you haven't a leg to stand on, trying to dismiss your blatant incivility, by saying that it's all Howlin's fault. Conservatives are supposed to be for self responsibility...what happened to you? Did the dog eat your homework, when you were in school, dear? :-)
What personal attacks do you refer to? I was called a troll, with not a single "personal attack" because I will not march lock step for the RINO ticket. I'd bet $10 the person has done less service for their contry than I have.
bttt
I think that's the major reason for the incredible tension on this thread today!
Well, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said in a somewhat different context, "...not possible without our consent".
The trolls and obvious poseurs who signed up today are no-brainers (double entendre intentional).
The sleepers are more problematical. It doesn't take long to cause them to fall apart and "out" themselves.
Is there really a problem? Perhaps. Anyone who would attack the First Lady (this First Lady in any case) has to fall among the first two groups described: trolls or poseurs. Anyone who asks why the previous First Lady was fair game either doesn't have the brains to see the clear difference, or has just outet herself as a poseusse...
What's left to discuss? That Bush is beyond criticism? I suppose sillier claims have been made. When the criticism consists of facts, analysis, opinion based on experience or history, everything and anything is fair game, as far as I'm concerned.
I am looking forward to where other Freepers stand; at least the ones I respect. No one (with rare exception) under 25 need apply...
Well I for one think you posts have been pretty good.
Even though your start and stop style gives me fits sometimes.
Name a "good" Dem and you can't use Zell Miller, he's gone and you can't you Joe LIEberman, because he stinks!
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