Posted on 03/07/2007 6:57:43 PM PST by Bob J
I have diligently watched the rise in size and influence of conservative websites, including Free Republic, over the last 7-8 years. I have been shocked and concerned over the drop in traffic at the most popular ones over the last year or so. There was good growth up until 2006 but since then there has been a steady downtrend that would crash any other market.
Anyone have any ideas as to what is happening? I'm out of explanations. The deficiencies in alexa.com are noted, but even if the numbers aren't accurate you're still comparing off numbers to off numbers so the decline is consistent.
That was pretty funny!
Is the issue of a charity event even substantive to begin with?
When done at a homosexual charity event, it is relevent. If Rudy had been raising money for some other group it would have been funny and acceptable.
Well, yeah.
So what you do is make sure you don't try to run off half the coalition -- i.e. if homosexual marriage and abortion are positions in which you know they are unwilling to compromise don't support it and expect to keep their votes.
Similar things could be said about gun rights, tax increases, labor issues etc.
Global warming? People spend more time outdoors.
What I would like enforced is the rule against ad hominem attacks. I would like that enforced not only for those who post but also a prohibition against ad homnem attacks against candidates.
Much of the rancor has been stirred up because people call a candidate or politician a name or make some wild-eyed accusation, and then that candidate's supporters take offense and retaliate.
It does not advance the discussion to call Romney a RINO liberal, Guiliani an abortionist, Hunter a knuckle-dragger, etc. All it does is cause more ill-will.
I also would suggest that attacking the President doesn't help things. He is making decisions based on the information HE has, not the opinions of people on the internet. Name-calling only serves to alienate his supporters and embolden the left, who think that comments like that mean that they can win with their divisive strategy.
To my mind if you can't criticize without name-calling or promoting an alternative idea, you really belong somewhere else.
Exactly right. Good analysis.
Perhaps many have thrown their hands up with the loss of a voice in the White House.
That's it in a nutshell. We've been sold out by lip service conservatives and we have to face the facts, Republican politicians are like all other politicians - first and foremost for themselves and job security.
Many of us thought...and still think...of this site as a 'conservative site'....
..and this opinion is backed up by the website owner, Jim Robinson, in his own words, mission statement, etc.
Although the Clinton years gave most of us common ground & somewhat united us...
..the prevailing years revealed that many who come here are not the strong social conservatives, I, for one, expected at such a website...
..instead I find libertarians, moderate conservatives or fiscal conservatives, and some liberals/infiltrators.
...Mr.Robinson graciously made room for many opinions/ideologues....while trying to keep the infiltrators out.
Maybe this mix was present all along..
...but it took the loss of conservative proponents in government to separate the wheat from the chaff at FR.
Those of us who won't yield our vote or our allegiance to a so called 'moderate conservative' who doesn't value life, family or the 2nd amendment are routinely ridiculed.
...As much as you've been a part of the solution through the years, BobJ.....I hope you're still aligned with Jim Robinson ....
..and won't become part of the problem .....by aligning yourself with those who seem to want many of us to disappear.
Any good church, any good organization can go bad.....from within.
But if it has strong leadership, the foundation will stand!
The lynchpin issues I see are the war/defense, abortion, guns, and combination of the border and illegal immigration (can't separate those, really).
Me neither, and especially not the Liberal media.
I agree.
Good post, I share your views and I believe that tens of millions of other Americans would also agree.
At least the Republican party supports that idea. What do they call it? Azatlan?
GWB happened. Nuf said...
Go to your home page and click "In Forum."
Look at the address bar and you will find your user number.
Your number is 255227.
I love this post because it is so true. Thanks.
sw
Imho, you nailed it. The press has done its share to ignore the bigger picture as well, except when it lets them attack someone.
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