We’re finding out some interesting things about our fellow ‘conservatives’.
***I think what’s happened on Free Republic is that in the 2000 and 2004 elections, it got invaded by middle-of-the-road GOP republicans who like to call themselves conservative, but in reality they gulp when they read JimRob’s definition:
From the front page of Free Republic:
Statement by the founder of Free Republic
As a conservative site, Free Republic is pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights, pro-gun, pro-limited government, pro-private property rights, pro-limited taxes, pro-capitalism, pro-national defense, pro-freedom, and-pro America. We oppose all forms of liberalism, socialism, fascism, pacifism, totalitarianism, anarchism, government enforced atheism, abortionism, feminism, homosexualism, racism, wacko environmentalism, judicial activism, etc. .... We are not connected to or funded by any political party, news agency, or any other entity. .... We aggressively defend our God-given and first amendment guaranteed rights to free speech, free press, free religion, and freedom of association, as well as our constitutional right to control the use and content of our own personal private property. Despite the wailing of the liberal trolls and other doom & gloom naysayers, we feel no compelling need to allow them a platform to promote their repugnant and obnoxious propaganda from our forum. Free Republic is not a liberal debating society. We are conservative activists dedicated to defending our rights, defending our constitution, defending our republic and defending our traditional American way of life.
This is NOT a GOP website, it says so right there, we have no affiliation with any party... That often catches republicans by surprise.
Why has there been so much emphasis lately on poll results rather than idealogy? Because of all those republicans that flocked to this site, it was the “place to be”.
What can be done about it? Do what we can for Duncan Hunter. Like Sun says, call a radio talk show. Send money to Hunter’s campaign. Send a 10cent donation to the GOP and say that the rest of the money went to a real conservative cause. Call the New Hampshire GOP.
When all the smoke clears, if Hunter doesn’t get the nomination, I have one more suggestion for all of us remaining conservative freepers. It would make sense for us to have an idealogy score, a set of questions with rankings of how important the issue is and how strongly a freeper agrees/disagrees with it. We could all put these results on our home pages, so that when another freeper is debating with us (or us with them) we could just go to their home page, check their score on that issue & others, and realize “Ohhh, this is a Ron Paul supporter” or “ohh, this guy is a small l libertarian” or “ohh, this guy is a Big F FISCAL Conservative and a small l social liberal.”
Ah, but this is the same site that called McCain and his cohorts ‘traitors’! Yet who is being endorsed??!! Times they are a changin’.