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.
In all honesty, I'd have to say Mass. and Calif beat us all.
Now, is the NJ legislature worse than the Pa. one? Hmmmmmm
What a list. Conservative bashers of the President largely don't know what they are talking about. They should still be celebrating his actions and stance on abortion alone which used to be the "single issue" issue. They have forgotten too quickly and now have jumped to the new "single issue"....immigration.
George Bush has pushed forward the conservative agenda not only on abortion but many other issues which are listed on Southack's list. Pres. Bush is not only a great guy, but a great leader for America. The problem is that too many conservatives watch TV and follow the lead of the MSM, whom they claim to hate. The MSM are loving it and when they get conservatives to get angry they also know their ratings go up. Clever ploy. I wish conservatives would get smarter, but I don't even know if that would help. They love to get angry which is a big part of the problem.
I hope many print out that list of Southack's and meditate on it. It is a very impressive list of our President's accomplishments despite opposition from all sides. And he is not close to being done yet thank God.
Re: port 2404 - Good post.
As my father used to say, "these aren't your grandfather's Democrats". 40-50 years ago, you could count on at least *some* Democrats being pro-defense, pro-growth, pro-family, pro-fiscal soundness, etc. Nowadays, can we name 10 Democrats in the House like that? In the Senate?
The Democrats have pandered and sold themselves out to all manner of nutter, splinter groups, such that they cannot offer any coherent national strategy other than giving people "more stuff", especially those who, in the words of Dick Gephardt, are "losers in life's lottery". What a bunch of monkey muffins. Unfortunately, a lot of folks buy into that.
The VAST majority of Democrats are simply not going to be able to deliver on national security, pro-growth, pro-family, etc issues. They try and try to re-invent themselves, but it always seems to fail. I've always said that the biggest threat to a Republican being elected in is a Democrat that has conservative principles. But hose folks are just not around much anymore. Knowing that, and knowing what Congresswoman Pelosi has stated about her intentions if she becomes Speaker of the House, it should be no surprise what's going to happen if Democrats get control of the House or Senate. NO SURPRISE.
As stated previously by others, primary elections are the place to make our voice herd. That and keeping in contact with elected officials. Write them, call them, let them know you are holding them accountable. I used to say that if George Pataki was the Republican candidate, that I would sit out the election in 2008. But I can't do that, even though I think he's been an awful governor in New York the last 4-6 years - the alternative is even worse (am hoping Pataki never gets past a more conservative candidate). But if he is the Republican candidate, I'm voting for him. The alternative will not be good.
So, in other words, Bush is counting on broad support from the Dems to pass his immigration agenda.
Which means all the yelling at the border security folks that they want the Dems to win is absurd - because the man they are backing on this issue, President Bush, is allied WITH THE DEMS.
No, it means that President Bush is allied with the Republican Senate over the the Republican House on this ONE issue. The Democrats want to IMPEACH President Bush. To say without any qualification he is allied with them is false, period.
A day late but STILL more than worth the read BUMP! EXCELLENT rant, PD.
No, he's not even allied with the Republican Senate - only about a third of the GOP voted against the border security first resolution.
For Bush to get his way, he needs the nearly full support of the Dems in both houses. That alone shows he is wrong on this issue.
Here is an excellent post on this subject, it mirrors what I was trying to say, heck, maybe they copied my thoughts..... Please read and comment: http://smokeonthewater.typepad.com/smokeonthewater/2006/05/us_or_them.html
A gread read for this topic, sorry for the repeat: http://smokeonthewater.typepad.com/smokeonthewater/2006/05/us_or_them.html
I will support our President till my last breath.
Your memory and mine are in conflict. I remember most of the anger at slick was due to the fact that he was a political shape-shifter - his views seemed to follow his polls . The first year there was dont-ask-don't-tell and Hillarycare, but from then on it was all about triangulation.
It only requires a short answer and not a rehash of all things good or bad about the Republicans or how horrible the country will be if the Dems regain a majority. In fact, I won't think less of you if you choose not to answer. The question can be left to hang about and be pondered.
Question; if the Republicans lose their majority in the upcoming or future elections, whose fault will it be,,, The elected officials and their supporters,,,,or the people who choose not to vote for them?
Of course, that all changed during midterms. He lost 40 seats.
Top of the morning to all! (.....after I've paged through Post #~1300 to here)
Don't forget, the Dems are in a pickle over this, too. The unions do NOT want amnesty. I'd say about half the Dem rank-and file disagree with THEIR leaders on this one. It's a political loser all around.
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