Is Free Republic too "Republican?"

Jim Robinson

[Consort]

I just happen to believe that in the current political environment we stand a better chance of defeating the left (liberalism/socialism/marxism, etc) by using the Republican Party to defeat the Democrats.

Yes, the GOP is an effective political tool for use against the Democrat Party which, as well, has become a political tool for the Socialists. If we don't keep that GOP tool in power, then we lose legislative effectiveness that the country can not afford to lose.

[PatrioticAmerican]

"Telling the GOP leadership that you will vote for Republicans, even if they are RINOs, will only embolden them to hand-pick more RINOs. Once you give up the leverage of your vote, they can ignore you with impunity. "

AbsoFReepinglutely!

Jezz, we've been shouting that for a long time and it is working. "You want OUR vote? Then you do what we say, or else we vote in your opponent."

[Tauzero]

"I see the same groupthink here that I saw us accuse the Clinton supportors of doing. Some of that groupthink is perpetrated by the moderators."

Ayup.

IMO things really changed after the 2000 election. Reminds me a lot of how my best friend's wife and his mother started having these insane fights after his first child was born, though they seemed to get along o.k. before that, working together on having a healthy pregnancy.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

And you called a lunatic a christian. That was my point.

[Ignatz]

Jim, I lurked at this site long before I joined in September of 2000.

My belief is in a Conservative form of government as defined today. At the present, the home of that political belief is in the Republican party, therefore I am a registered Republican. Should the Conservative movement migrate to another party, say, Libertarian (as it seems to be doing, based on the legislation passed by Republicans throughout the last decade, imho), then I will become a registered member of that party.
By tying FreeRepublic to a particular party, you risk being left behind by the Conservative body should a move actually occur.
For me, FreeRepublic has always been a "clearinghouse" for Conservative thought, opinion, and discussion on the events of our time, irrespective of party. Thus, I vote NO to tying your website to a particular party.

[jehosophat]

Why must we adopt the Republican party?. We should follow any political movement that advances conservative principles. Occasionally one finds excellent ideas emanating from Democrats e.g. The Feinstein Amendment (D-CA), the Jordan Commission from former Rep.Barbara Jordan (D-TX) or Robert Byrd (D-WV) all of whom have expressed support for immigration reform! Most Republicans (i.e. Grand Old Pandererors) will not touch this issue with a 10 foot poll!

[George W. Bush]

Conservative it is then. Tax cutting, welfare chopping, property respecting, skull stomping conservatism. ; )

The problem is that there are only about a half-dozen elected Republicans who actually believe in such things. The rest pay lip service if even that much. Too bad the GOP is the only party in town for conservatives. I'd say that most GOP congresscritters can't be distinguished from the Dims back when they were in the majority. Sad but true. The GOP's '94 class lost its will to fight. Conservatives and constitutionalists continue to lose ground within the Big Tent.

[clamper1797]

After a little more thought I realized that I left one part out ... It should read ...

Conservative by nature ... Republican by spirit ... Patriot by heart ... AND ... ANTI-Liberal by GOD

[PatrioticAmerican]

Bump to your #241!

Dead right. If they act like liberals, why do I care that they carry the (R) label?

One theory says that if the Republicans are in office, then there are more conservative Republicans than liberal ones, so they conservatives can advance the agenda. So far, so good, but what if the average Republican is a bit liberal or too weak to stand against liberalism?

We have some great fighters, but overall the Republican party is leaning more liberal every day, constantly caving. We need to stand strong on our ideas and demand conservative Republicans.

[Bob J]

There is nothing inconsistent with being conservative and at the same time agree that backing the pubs is the best chance, right now, to achieve some or most of our goals. Theoretically, if we believed that backing Dems would be the best chance to eliminate gun grabbing, big government and the Clintons, would we not pursue that course of action?

Conservatism is a political philosophy while political parties are about getting people elected. One is a blueprint, the other, a tool. If the plan calls for using a hammer but all we got is a screwdriver because we tossed the other tools, where would that leave us?

Let's not confuse the schematic with the soldering iron.

[Freedom2specul8]

You wrote "They're just pissed because they don't have lunatics like Keyes or Boocannon in power.

?

Personally, I don't think Keyes is a lunatic. Nuff said.

[RottiBiz]

Our only real hope is to firmly support the Republican Party until the liberal/socialist beast is totally powerless here at home... only then will it do any good to debate our internal differences. It seems our current battle in this crucial political war has only two outcomes right now... win small a bit at a time, or lose big entirely.

Well said!

The importance of being the majority party, and therefore able to set the agenda, is often overlooked by many. Look at the chaos that ensued when Jeffords switched.

Until such time as the Republicans have a comfortable majority, I will vote straight Republican.

At the local level, I'll always choose the most conservative Republican candidate. I will not vote for any Democrat, no matter how conservative, which could help make them the majority party once again.

[Redcloak]

Is Free Republic too "Republican?"

I'd have to say no. There's a very strong libertarian bent among the posters. Also, there has been no shortage of threads hammering the GOP when they abandon principle for short term political gain. (For example, I would guess that only about 10-20% of us support Bush's "Prescription drug" or "tax credit" give-away programs.)

It is good, however, that you're asking the question. The GOP, while it talks about the things you cite as FR's raison d'etre, doesn't always act in a way that promotes those values. It's important that a site like FR be independent and thus able to criticize the Party as well as support those outside the Party who hold our values.

[iconoclast]

If the vast majority of the FReepers want it so, then Free Republic will officially become the newest "Republican wing" of the Republican Party.

I vote nay.

Me too.
I think it would be a serious mistake.

[Rebelbase]

Nice analogy of yours at #270.

[Consort]

Indeed. Shouldn't that serve as a cautionary note to Republicans willing to cast aside principle?

No. You don't replace a Bush with a Clinton under any circumstances that I can think of.

I voted for Bush41, but it's his own fault he lost the votes he won in '88. No one's vote is a politician's entitlement.

We did our part. Others did not.

[Sabertooth]

If the plan calls for using a hammer but all we got is a screwdriver because we tossed the other tools, where would that leave us?

If I toss away my vote on a hand-picked RINO, what tool will I still have to prevent the future hand-picking of RINOs?

Even now, the "realists" who sought to annoint Dick Riordan thump their chests and say "see, we were right." Yet, if he'd been nominated and elected (hypothetically), we'd see a boom cycle of RINO annointings.

Tell a politician your vote is his entitlement, and he'll step on your face to get to a swing voter.

[skeeter]

I feel about politics as I do about orthodox religion - calling yourself a Catholic or a Protestant misses the point. Its the principles, the essential doctrine, that matter.

Hanging a party label on FR will serve only to distract fm its mission IMO.

[Bob J]

Keyes is not a lunatic, however, he is a poor manager and strategist. He gave too much authority and power to too few who surrounded themselves with incompetent "yes-people".

Every organization needs a few who will tell the King he has no clothes. Running them off only increases the hubris that will end up suffocating the whole.

[TLBSHOW]

There is nothing inconsistent with being conservative and at the same time agree that backing the pubs is the best chance, right now, to achieve some or most of our goals. Theoretically, if we believed that backing Dems would be the best chance to eliminate gun grabbing, big government and the Clintons, would we not pursue that course of action?
Conservatism is a political philosophy while political parties are about getting people elected. One is a blueprint, the other, a tool. If the plan calls for using a hammer but all we got is a screwdriver because we tossed the other tools, where would that leave us?

Let's not confuse the schematic with the soldering iron.



BUMP

To truth and hoping you have some sway on this very important matter.