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Frank discussion re our loss to Obama/Romney and the future direction of FR and tea party movement
Click here to pledge your support! ^ | May 4, 2012 | Jim Robinson

Posted on 05/04/2012 6:31:27 AM PDT by Jim Robinson

My FRiends, we might as well face the reality that we the combined pro-life conservative movement and tea party coalition have lost this round (the presidential election) in the larger battle to reclaim our constitution and our inalienable rights. Rove, Romney and the GOP-e have successfully destroyed and driven off each and every pro-life conservative tea party candidate from the race and all have surrendered to the Romney camp. It is no secret that Romney is not one of us. There is absolutely no doubt that he has never accomplished a single conservative thing in his entire political career (one term as liberal governor of liberal Massachusetts and six years campaigning for president). In Massachusetts, he undeniably championed abortion, gay rights, global warming, gun control, big government statist mandated/socialized health care programs, liberal judges, TARP, bailouts, stimulus spending, debt limit increases, etc, and even though he's recently claimed a complete reversal in political beliefs and no longer despises pro-life conservatives or the time of Reagan-Bush, I still don't trust him. He still stubbornly holds on to some of his statist beliefs, like global warming, gays in the military, RomneyCare, stimulus spending, etc, so there is no way I can vote for him or join Cain, Perry, Bachmann, Newt or any others who are endorsing him. But I will not act on my prior promises that I would actively campaign against him if he wins the nomination. Our combined movement is already torn and splintered and is going to have to be mended if we're going to have any impact whatsoever against the liberal/progressives and statists after the election. To that end I propose a TRUCE among our conservative forces during the remainder of this election cycle.

We conservatives have already lost the presidency to either the Dems or the GOP-e, and if we tear the tea party apart, if we tear the pro-life movement apart, if we tear FR apart then we lose it all. It's far more important that we re-unite and live to fight another day. Even if we can't vote for a true conservative for the presidency, it's doubly important that we all turn out on election day or sooner and drag our friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, etc, to the polls to vote straight conservative for every slot on our ballots. The only way we can win our freedom back is to vote out the liberal progressives and vote in as many liberty loving conservatives as is humanly possible into every elected office at every level of government all across this great land. To prevent a total loss to the dems or GOP-e, we must continue the tea party rebellion into November and beyond. Whatever else you may do, you must turn out and vote straight tea party conservative down ticket!!

We must continue expanding our inroads into the state houses and into every elective office in the land. We must continue building on our majority in the house and we must retake the senate!! We must help the conservative governors and state legislatures to fully restore the ninth and tenth amendments and reclaim the real political power away from the federal usurpers and return it to the states and the people per the constitution!! This way, regardless of who wins the presidency, we can cut his unconstitutional expansionist movements off at the knees. And if any executive, civil officer or judge dares commit impeachable offenses, we must hold the majorities so we can impeach and remove them from office!!

And we must salvage and rebuild and continue strengthening our conservative pro-life, pro-family, pro-gun, pro-borders, pro-constitution, pro-small government, pro-defense, pro-liberty movements and our tea party coalition. And we must stop ripping each other apart!!

Therefore I hereby propose a general truce among our conservative forces!!

The Republic we save may be our own!!

As far as FR's finances go, we're in the same boat as the rest of the economy and will have to make do with what we can raise. Fortunately, the big debts we ran up a couple years ago have been paid off. We borrowed approx $20,000 a few years ago from two FReepers to fund our national convention, plus we ran up another $20,000 in legal fees during the last couple of years fighting off Righthaven. But those are now behind us and paid off. We also did quite a bit of traveling each year for the last three years on cross country tea party tours, but I think we can now cut that back and remove it from our budget requirements. If we're fortunate enough to not incur any additional legal costs or equipment costs (other than what we've already planned), and cut the travel and a few other areas, we should be able to tighten our belts enough to weather the storm even if we fail to reach our short term fundraising goals.

Whatever the outcome of the elections, we are prepared to roar into 2013 with the tea party chewing up liberal/progressives and RINOs and raising hell in our never ending fight for liberty!!

We are the resistance!!

Let's take the enemy head-on instead of fighting each other!!

Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!!


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Breaking News; Free Republic; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012; adminlectureseries; bachmann; cain; elections; freepathon; freerepublic; freerepublichistory; gingrich; gop; gope; jimrobinson; newt; obama; perry; prayer; romney; santorum; teaparty; truce
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To: ZULU
ALSO, its important to get CONSERVATIVES elected to those County Committee seats. They are the hidden government and power base of the GOP party.

I am a county Committee man and you are right.

101 posted on 05/04/2012 7:18:56 AM PDT by painter (Rebuild The America We love!)
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To: NoKoolAidforMe
A President Romney can be held in check with a continuing republican majority in the House and by taking back the Senate.

A true Machiavellian would vote Romney for President and vote for Democrats for Senate/Congress.

102 posted on 05/04/2012 7:19:57 AM PDT by central_va ( I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Jim Robinson

Very wise and thoughtful, Jim. We are all in this together and must stand as one. We may not all be able to cast a vote for Romney but we can work hard to get Conservatives into local and state offices.

I was interviewed by NPR yesterday concerning the TEA Party, the GOP, and Gov. Romney. I said many of the things I’ve seen here today. It will air on All Things Considered, 3PM, CST, early next week. Conservatives will put Romney in or they won’t. I am all for keeping Obama OUT!!


103 posted on 05/04/2012 7:21:11 AM PDT by jch10
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To: ArrogantBustard

>What entities do you expect to exist or come into existence, over the next four years, that will have the power to defeat a sitting Republican president?

We always have the power. What’s happening to Lugar and Hatch right now? Keep the pressure on and people informed. The difference now is that we have a alternative media that is vibrant and growing.


104 posted on 05/04/2012 7:21:52 AM PDT by struggle (http://killthegovernment.wordpress.com/)
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To: sneakers
I’m just sick to death of having to hold my nose when I vote though.

So true. I remember voting for Reagan with gusto. Twice. At 20 and 24 years of age.

105 posted on 05/04/2012 7:22:03 AM PDT by ecomcon
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To: Jim Robinson

"But I will not act on my prior promises that I would actively campaign against him if he wins the nomination... To that end I propose a TRUCE among our conservative forces during the remainder of this election cycle."

We need to get as many Conservative Senators elected this November as possible, and we need to be ready to primary Romney next time around if he wins in November and turns out to be as bad as feared.

Too many Conservatives sat on their hands when Bush went off the rails, fearful of criticizing him because he was a Republican- that can't happen this time. We should make it clear the alternative to a bad Republican president in 2016 is not a Democrat... but a solid Conservative.

106 posted on 05/04/2012 7:22:27 AM PDT by Qbert ("The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry" - William F. Buckley, Jr.)
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To: sitetest; Jim Robinson
what specifically does this truce entail?

I suspect the truce means that, if you decide prior to the morning of November 6 that voting for Romney is prudent, all things considered, that you can stay.

107 posted on 05/04/2012 7:22:32 AM PDT by Jim Noble ("The Germans: At your feet, or at your throat" - Winston Churchill)
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To: Abathar

I, too, am glad and pleased by Jim’s words and direction. Mitt Romney was not my choice at all, but......Obama is out to destroy our freedom, liberty, individualism and our magnificent country. Obama must not be re-elected!!! So....this “Barry Goldwater/Ronald Reagan” conservative is casting his vote for Mitt Romney. Hate to say it, again and again, but......ABO = “ANYBODY BUT OBAMA”. It is my fervent hope and prayer, that Freepers will heed the wise sage advice from the astute, pragmatic, strategic, Mr. Jim Robinson. Thanks, Jim!!!


108 posted on 05/04/2012 7:22:55 AM PDT by JLAGRAYFOX (My only objective is defeat and destroy Obama & his Democrat Party, politically!!!)
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To: Jim Robinson

Jim,

Please give some consideration to Virgil Goode of the Constitution Party. For 2012, he is the conservative left standing. There is still a plethora of down-ticket races featuring good, conservative Republicans who deserve our support.

As for the Presidential ticket... yes, this round is lost to the GOP-e/Dem axis, BUT.. a strong statement could be made to the GOP-e schlubs the conservative movement has other options.


109 posted on 05/04/2012 7:23:10 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Buying Drain-O requires photo I.D... so should voting!)
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To: struggle

I agree. All independents, moderates, and conservatives should get behind Romney and beat Obama. Get conservative majorities in congress. Then the real work starts. Hold his feet to the fire, deal with the fallout as best we can, then work toward 2016.


110 posted on 05/04/2012 7:23:31 AM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: Jim Robinson

Jim - good post. But unlike you, I will hold my nose and vote for Ronmey this fall if he’s the one with the R beside his name, for one reason, and one reason only. And it goes to one of the points you made about why Romeny is no conservative: appointing liberal judges.

I can live with, and I think the nation can survive with the centrist to somewhat liberal judges that Romney would likely appoint (tho’ I would much rather be pleasently surprised.) I know our nation won’t survive four more years of the Marxist appointments that Obimbo has made.

Keep the House, take the Senate and may the conservatives hold Ronmey’s feet to the fire.


111 posted on 05/04/2012 7:23:39 AM PDT by green iguana
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To: sitetest

I will be interested in the answer to your question, since I am supporting Paul over Romney in the Texas Primary. But I don’t want to get banned like so many others for saying nice things about Paul on FR.


112 posted on 05/04/2012 7:23:44 AM PDT by jpsb
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To: Jim Robinson
I agree with Jim Robinson.

I will vote for Mitt Romney even though I don't like him, because it takes time for a new president to get sufficiently entrenched in the presidency to do a great deal of damage. Obama and his followers have hurt America, and they will do even more now that they have their plans and people in place. I will vote for Romney to get rid of Obama, then to work to get an American who understands and adheres to the Constitution to replace Romney.

113 posted on 05/04/2012 7:24:35 AM PDT by July4 (Remember the price paid for your freedom.)
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To: Jim Robinson
We are the resistance!!

A perfect motto, because we have to start thinking and acting like resistance fighters. Ambush, subversion, concentration of effort, and most of all carefully picking our fights.

Sun Tzu said if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.

We did not know our enemies. We assumed Obama was the enemy, and he certainly is an enemy. He is not however The Enemy. We completely failed to realize how far the GOPe would go to win. We failed to recognize Fox News and Drudge as agents of the enemy. We failed to recognize the real enemy, and we lost.

More catastrophically we certainly did not know ourselves. Mitt Romney was completely beatable in the primaries. Yet time after time after time we ripped apart the alternatives. Talking up your candidate is one thing. Ripping down another conservative candidate because he didn't use your preferred buzz word is a very different matter. The Perry people savaged Cain, The Cain people hammered Gingrich. The Gingrich people hammered Santorum. Yet would not every one of you prefer any one of them to what we are being offered now? Romney cruised to victory while we conservatives slit each others throats over whether to cut the budget, then limit abortion, or stop abortion then cut the budget. Well thanks to our efforts there will be a big budget pro abortion president, no matter who wins.

The war is over, we lost. Now the question is how to deal with it. On a very long thread the other day i commented in the number of Zots and opuses that were resulting as the thread pushed the 2,200 post mark. I said that if we kept ripping each other apart we would end up with 50,000 posts and a dozen members. The resulting flames got me to write my own opus, but I decided to wait until morning to post. Never did, but I'm keeping it on file, just in case.

We can argue with other Conservatives, but we must avoid fights. If you don't know the difference, here it is. When you lose an argument, you are better off for it. Losing an argument means correcting an incorrect world view or gaining some key piece of knowledge. No amount of name calling will ever accomplish either of those goals. Name calling, word play, gotcha posts, grammar and spelling Nazi replies will ever win an argument. They will however change an argument into a fight. In a fight all you get is an upset stomach and a burning desire to get even.

I once argued that reducing our nuclear stockpile wouldn't leave us a deterrent to China. A fellow Freeper calmly explained that there were a limited number of targets in China worth a nuke. I lost the argument, but It was was because I had a better knowledge of the real world. If the Freeper had instead just called me an idiot and pointed out I misspelled a word I would still have the wrong perception, and would have put another name on the enemies list, instead of one on the list of sources to consult.

What can we do about the election. Fight local. I don't give a darn who you vote for in the presidential election. Romney, Obama, Ron Paul or Mickey Mouse, they are all the same to me. But no matter who you vote for get off your A$$ and vote down ticket. Win the Congress and Senate and the damage either bad president can do will be limited. I have been contributing to my local house race where the GOP can actually put a Tea Party conservative in an Illinois seat. Won't be easy but unlike pipe dreams about a brokered convention or miracle candidate that nobody has seen yet, it is possible.
114 posted on 05/04/2012 7:24:41 AM PDT by GonzoGOP (There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
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To: Jim Robinson
Dear Jim,
I, like you, have run the gamut of emotions regarding our pathetic lack of choices to vote for President. For the longest, I too have vowed to never vote for that fake conservative Romney, but gradually, my conscious has continued to force me to focus on the unmitigated evil actions and subversive deeds that have been carried out by the Manchurian Candidate currently fouling the White House and our Constitution with his marxist stench and thuggery.

Personally IMO, and FReepers certainly may disagree with me, I firmly believe what we have in the Presidency, Senate, House, and Judicial system is proof positive of the beginning of God's judgment on this nation for turning away from Him. This nation is no longer willing to repent, turn away from its increasingly wicked ways, and restore its faith and obedience in the Almighty Creator that gives us our unalienable rights in the first place.

Over the past couple of months my thinking has evolved on how I plan to vote. Firstly, I plan to vote FOR any candidate I believe exhibits true conservative principles. That part never changes. The part that has changed is where there is no conservative candidate to vote for. When you think about it, most every argument is framed in the context of who one plans to vote FOR. Well, from now on, I don't necessarily vote FOR one candidate over another. For the upcoming election and future elections, I've decided I will vote FOR conservative candidates. Where no such candidates exist, I will be casting my vote AGAINST the loathsome candidate that I absolutely refuse to be led by.

Others may see this as simply wordplay and that I'm still voting for the lesser of two evils. That's their opinion. Only I know the real reason I vote the way I do, and I will choose to vote AGAINST the evil that is currently destroying this nation at an increasing pace. May God have mercy on us in this upcoming election, although as a nation we no longer deserve it.

115 posted on 05/04/2012 7:25:02 AM PDT by OB1kNOb (The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. - Prov 22:3)
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To: Jim Robinson

I think people on this forum should stop telling other people how do vote.

As you know, I am voting for Romney but it is none of my business who anyone else votes for. You can vote for Palin or Goode or Obama or even Hugo or Fidel for all I care.


116 posted on 05/04/2012 7:25:04 AM PDT by staytrue
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To: Jim Robinson

Just one concern -

Does this mean I can’t call Romney a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey sh!t anymore?


117 posted on 05/04/2012 7:25:11 AM PDT by APatientMan (Pick a side)
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To: Jim Robinson
We focused too much on the presidential election over the last 16 months.

Our focus should be on the house and senate when it comes to the federal government.

The January after every election cycle we need to:

These should be coordinated projects, not just wish lists.

While the presidency is the golden ring of American politics, we need to remember the power of the presidency can be greatly limited IF the congress is willing to fight like hell and do so.

118 posted on 05/04/2012 7:25:19 AM PDT by Brookhaven (Don't mistake my vote for Romney as a vote FOR Romney, it's a vote against Obama.)
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To: Jim Robinson

Jim,

I am heartbroken over the GOPe’s choice of Romney. I will never vote for him and am leaving the GOP (something I never thought I would do) because they have already left me.

I will be voting against BOTH Romney and Obama by voting for Virgil Goode (not perfect but at least conservative).

Keep on fighting, because we lose no matter who becomes POTUS.


119 posted on 05/04/2012 7:25:30 AM PDT by reaganaut (VAB! Voting against both Romney and Obama. Constitution party, here I come!)
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To: Jim Robinson

JR, I was a Santorum supporter on these pages, dealt and absorbed some stings. Now we’re left with Romney, don’t tell me about a Constitution Party or Ron Paul, vote for Mitt, don’t ask me to volunteer or contribute, hopefully wait his term out, pressure Senators on appointments and the House on taxes and spending.
The mods were at all times during primary season proper and respectful to all; no truce is needed, JR.
That’s why I like it here.


120 posted on 05/04/2012 7:27:08 AM PDT by steve8714 (The answer, surprisingly, is Carnahan.)
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