Posted on 07/04/2002 6:16:32 AM PDT by B. A. Conservative
It is beyond challenge that most, if not all, of the problems America faces today originate in Washington. It is fallacious reasoning to suggest that the problem lies with the people of the United States. Our government is a republic. Our republic is predicated on the theory that those elected to public office have intellectual competence, educational skills or experience that exceeds that of the electorate and that those elected public leaders will do what is right for the country even in opposition to commonly perceived public opinion. During most of the past century, the political class has demonstrably failed to lead, but have instead become political prostitutes selling laws and benefits in exchange for votes transforming our Constitutional republic into a tyrannical mob-rule democracy destined for bankruptcy. Non-producing parasites now use the Democratic Party to prey on their neighbors, the still producing members of our country.
Under our Constitution, the power of the United States resides in We the people. For too long, we have allowed that power to be delegated or sold by the prostitutes in both political parties, primarily those in Washington. Clearly, ours has become a top>down government. As one voice among We the people, I think it is time to withhold the delegation of that power by only delegating it to selected politicians and then only with strings attached. FreeRepublic is a much larger segment of We the people, with a much larger voice. We at FreeRepublic are the roots of the grassroots. Newcomers and some that have been frequenting this site for years may deny that Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives because of the discussions that took place on this web site. They are wrong. Our voice is loud and it is heard in the Halls of Congress and in the Whitehouse. The stain that will be remembered in history is not the stain on Monica's dress; it is the stain of Impeachment. And that stain came from the computer ink that spilled from the hearts of Freepers determined to see justice done. We at FreeRepublic are the roots of the grassroots. The buck starts here.
There has been a great deal of discussion on FreeRepublic lately about what role we should play in this fall's election and that we should cut Bush and the Republicans some slack. Variations of this theme have been discussed on other threads: "THAT which you believe"---"An open letter to Republicans" by redrock. I particularly like the comments by DoughtyOne and "Move the RINOs and we move the party. I really think it's that simple," by NickDanger.
Ronald Reagan won two landslide elections by telling Americans he was going to cut the government in Washington down to size. The Contract with America gave the Republicans control of both houses of Congress for the first time in roughly thirty years. Prior to the Contract with America Republicans only had control of even one house in Congress one other time in 70 years. The lesson that Republicans seem to have difficulty in learning is that the people are conservative and when presented a conservative agenda they will vote for it. And conversely, when pandering is all that is offered, the public prefers the real prostitutes every time. I have a solution to this problem. I call it the
I am not giving my vote to anybody in November. I have decided to auction my vote in this fall's Congressional elections. Politicians are going to have to bid for my vote. I have decided not to exclude any particular politicians or parties from the bidding. And I have decided to attach some rules to the bidding itself:
Minimum Bid:
This is only the Minimum. There are a number of suggested options that politicians could add now or that we will add in future contracts for future elections.
Suggested Options:
Most of these problems would eventually be solved by Term Limits. I think the Term Limits Amendment should be saved as part of the ultimate threat packaged as a part of a package to be presented under Article V to a Constitutional Convention. It takes time to put together sufficient public arousal and support to apply the kind of pressure that we may need to bring to bear on people who are used to exerting power rather than being subjected to it.
To: exodus
The GOP leadership does NOT take you and your ilk into " consideration..."
# 217 by nopardons
What a shame.
In that case, the Republicans will lose quite a few "ilk" votes.
We "ilk" seem to be well represented on this thread.
To: exodus
Of course YOU are having a good time. FR gives you a platform, where you can spew your garbage and make you " feel " as though YOU are " important " / correct. You are neither. It also gives you a gathering place, wherein your numbers look larger than they really are . I suspect that it also imflates your ego, by allowing you to prick your betters. Wrong again. Those of us, Jim included, BTW, who REALLY understand history and political reality , know exactly how egregiously wrong you and your childish positions are.
# 219 by nopardons
If I wanted to feel "important," I would be on the "a day in the life of" thread, telling everyone how special it is that President Bush is able to use big words, thereby proving that the Democrats were wrong about him. Everbody would love me, and everybody would tell me how >special< I was for realizing the truth.
Tell me, how can I come onto this forum and "make" my view look larger than it is?? I promise you, I'm not using multiple accounts. I could never type fast enough for that anyway.
There really ARE a lot of us who are fed up with the direction the Republican party is going. Some just can't stand voting for anyone who's not a Republican, so they'll just stay home rather than vote for a liberal.
Others, like me, realize that we can still influence policy decisions by voting for a third party conservative. Sitting at home creates a statistic that can be spun to mean anything the statistician wants it to mean. A vote for a third party conservative means only one thing--
I will not vote for a liberal.
That's a message that was heard in 1994, and Republicans gained control of Congrss when they responded.
"...You may imagine that you are a " good " Conservative , you may even delusionally imagine that you are a political " expert ". BOTH ARE UNTRUE ! Your " feelings " will cost you far more than you think and shan't result in any favorable outcome."
# 217 by nopardons
Whatever else I am, I am a vote.
Moreover, I am an evangelistic voter, and I influence those around me to vote as I do.
If you want to make a difference yourself, if you want to convince me that I'm wrong, give me something besides the Democratic boogieman as a reason to vote Republican. I outgrew unreasoning fear decades ago.
There's a lot of freepers on this thread who think as I do, and have said so. There's even more freepers who read the thread silently, and see the reasoning behind my opinions.
Add to those the hundreds of lurkers every day, and I'd say that you have the perfect opportunity to correct the thinking of possibly thousands of misguided people.
The fringe candidtaes, whom you consider to be " Conservative ", aren't, for the most part. Pat is a " populist " and has publicly admitted, that even he doesn't really believe everything he says and writes.
Harry Browne espouses more " lefty " positions, than any RINO ever has.
Keyes ? He's now a caraccature and the flip side of the coin ( and can't draw as many votes ! ) of Jesse Jackson.
Phillips ? A complete and total nonentity, who is so far below the radar, that a vote for him , doesn't even register on anyone's wave length .
A vote for any of the above, makes not one stir, in GOP land. You influence N-O-T-I-N-G and NO ONE !
The 1994 Contract WITH America was NOT in reaction to any fringe candidate . The GOPers won a lot of seats, that election cycle, for many reason besides tha CWA. The massive and punative tax increase and Hillary Care, were but two.
As far as " my opinion " V. your's , is concerned, at least I make sense, can state factual and historical reasons for things, support my positions, and quite obviously know and understand a great deal more about politcs , than you do. You claim that your pipe dreams are hard facts. I present REALITY ! I've been interested and involved in politics for a very long time. I deal in what is ; you post what you imagine. It's just that simple.
redrock
Well, that's, er, different!
To: exodus
"You and your kind, post a LOT, which gives the impression that there are more of you, than there are. Most FREEPERS, actually do NOT post to threads, or do so sparingly ; however, many DO write FREEPmail, and they aren't on your side..."
# 227 by nopardons
How long have you been reading our Freepmail??
Do you know that you can be sent to prison for violating our privacy?
You assume that I haven't and that I don't influence other voters ? What hubris. You must be rather young . LOL
Besides my personal efforts, in conversion, I have given money and my time for candidates. Much more, of ALL, than you have or able to, I'll wager.
" FEAR TACTICS " ? No, dear, I don't use them. I use facts. If the facts make you ( or anyone ) afraid, that just means that you have given no real thought to the consiquences of your positions / acts. It is a FACT , that there are NOT enough fringe voters ( especially because they are so few and so divided ), to elect a fringer candidate to a high elected office. Even if ONE does manage to slip through ( which is NOT possible, unless he / she runs under the mantle of one of the two major parties ! ), he / she has NO power. As I have repeatedly stated, we are NOT a parlimentary system and it is ONLY in a parlimentary system, wherein coalition governance is even a possibility.
Dems, for all of their differences, join together , in order to beat the Republicans. Nader was the FIRST lefty fringe candidate, who has ever managed to be somewhat of a spoiler.
The control of both Houses and the presidency, even WITH RINOS, allows Conservatives to get a leg up, when it comes to swinging this nation into the right direction. It also allows for more CONSERVATIVE judge appointments to get passed.
If even a few more people turn to your side, Conservatives have absolutely NO chance, whatsoever, of EVER getting anywhere, at anytime, into even the unforseeable future. That's what political naifs and thoughs who have a paltry ( if even that ) knowledge of history don't seem to grasp.
YOU ? You're just " playing " at politics, as though it were a video game. I don't reply to you, for your benefit; I doubt that I make even a slight dent in those blinkers. I reply, so that the lurkers have another opinion to mull over. :-)
Agreed.
To: exodus
"...The ONLY countries, where a fringe party has any say so, is a parlimentary one. Since the USA is a REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC , fringe parties can weild NO power, whatsoever ; not now, not ever !"
# 208 by nopardons
Really!
You mean that anyone who's neither a Republican nor a Democrat has no power?
That's ghastly!
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