Is Free Republic too "Republican?"

Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

Is Free Republic too "Republican?" I've been receiving a lot of complaints lately that FR is not really conservative, it's Republican. Is that a bad thing?

When I started FR (see the wayback machine) I don't think I even used the labels conservative or Republican. But, even though I was a registered Democrat at the time (I registered when I was very young), I was definitely anti-Democrat. And definitely anti-big government, anti-government corruption, anti-government abuse, anti-liberalism, etc. And I still am.

As FR became more and more popular, people started referring to it as a "conservative" web site and so eventually I posted the label to the front page. If it no longer applies, big deal. What's in a label? I'll change it to "Republican" if demand warrants.

I'm still anti-big government, anti-government corruption, anti-Democrat and anti-liberalism. 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. The organization is there. The platform is there. The winning candidates are there. The dollars to run winning campaigns are there. The momentum is there. And the vast majority of the conservative voters are there.

Makes perfect sense to me. I want to defeat the left, and I want to do it as quickly as possible. I'll go with the organization that can get the job done.

My current goal is to defeat liberalism by defeating the Democrat Party. If that labels me a Republican, then so be it. If the vast majority of the FReepers want it so, then Free Republic will officially become the newest "Republican wing" of the Republican Party.

Long live Republicanism. Long live the Republic!'

What say you, FReepers?

[catfur]

Please don't change a thing.

Although I'm a life long Republican, there are many here who claim no particular party affiliation but do claim conservative values.

I vote for keeping the tag Conservative News Forum

Besides all other considerations... remember I identified FReerepublic as being a Conservative News Forum when being questioned by our local TV station at my lone Hildabeast FReep. Don't want to give them any support in figuring I was probably some Republican plant.

Conservative seems to me to be the best designation for your wonderful site as not all Republicans fit the bill for true conservatism.

[tpaine]

JudyB1938 said:
I truly believe that we are all conservatives first, as another poster stated, and Republicans (most of us) second.
-JB1938-


Of course, the problem is that there are moral-liberals here posing as conservatives under the guise of wanting a smaller government, much as Sacco and Vanzetti or Al Capone so wanted.
They formulate the opinion that people should be allowed to consent to destroy their own civilization without first getting the consent of the unborn who would otherwise arrive in a cruel world of their making.
554 -CJ-



Judy, as you see, we have another bizarro zealot from the 'Kevin Curry School of FR Critics'..

-- CJ is convinced that, -- "there are moral-liberals here posing as conservatives under the guise of," -- God only knows what.

It's a sickness, imo. Might even be contagious, as there is some evidence it is growing. Surgery may be needed.

[Buckeroo]

I want to point out one more consideration about your flawed initial post upon this thread. Can you show anywhere since Dubya has been elected that he has talked about a republic?

All of my references is that he talks about a democracy. The leader of the republican party speaks with fork-tongue ... as is usual with GREAT_WHITE_FATHER way off in Washington_DC.

[Liberal Classic]

In all candor, CJ, trollers from left-wing sites are identifed easily. A good many of the libertarians around here are opposed to aborion, and in any event none of them are pretending to be something they're not.

[Liberal Classic]

If we can reform the Republican Party and reclaim our lost rights ...

James Bovard Bump!

[Jim Robinson]

Gore vs Bush. I'll take Bush everyday. Thank you.

[tpaine]

If we can reform the Republican Party and reclaim our lost rights I believe FreeRepublic will have saved the nation from the decay that Liberalism is fostering.

I will also point out that FreeRepublic has give voice to a great many Libertarians who I also share many views on different maters. I would hate to see these people leave FreeRepublic because of a mere label.
-Pontiac-


Well said Chief...

RLC Liberty Caucus | latest posts
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/rlc/browse

518 -bump-

[Liberal Classic]

I'll drink to that.

[Buckeroo]

All Gore talked about was a "democracy" too. Just like Hillary Clinton talked about a "living and breathing Constitution" because of her brain dead professor, Dr. Tribe. Still, you posed a problem about your own ideals substantiating a web-site versus principles concerning our republic, here in America. You know, too, that I think the world of you and all you do, but you are spinning republicans as conservatives is an unusual notion, IMO.

Define a conservative political thinker without using political party jargon to help me and others understand your thinking.

Best Regards! Buckeroo

[kuma]

The problem is that the whiners here on FR are really fighting for Democratic moral-liberal goals, such as acceptance of sexual perversion and drug legalization, and against religion in the public square.

**Would you say that the "whiners" also include people who whine about Karl Rove meeting with gays and threaten to bolt the party? Or is it just the evil capitalist liberdopians?**

I had to get it off my chest. Senator Santorum is my FABULOUS Senator and I didn't like him being marginalized. Would you rather I foam out the mouth on here or keep it inside festering till election day?

Oh by the way Senator Santorum wasn't the least bit harmed with the voters in his own district. We love him the way he is which is why we vote him in.

For all of you suffering under Spector.
Go Toomey Go!
Why should we Santorum voters have all the fun ^_^*.

[Tall_Texan]

It would be a shame to have Free Republic join up with the Republican Party at a time when the Republican Party is leaving conservatives like us in their rear view mirror. I don't doubt that within the next 30 years, we won't recognize that Republican Party as it is today any more than Republicans of the 1950s could have seen themselves in the Reagan 1980s.

[Registered]

Hey, what's this thread all about? I think it belongs in Chat or whatever that backroom thingy is.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

I was on the fence about it from the original post which started the thread.

I considered both sides. I thought...maybe he (JR) is defining Free Republic for those that are socially libertarian and so he's stating that this place IS Republican?

There seem to be a lot of Libertarians here, not sure why. They're on the WOD threads (pro-drugs - ick!) and other places here.

However, after careful consideration on my part I thought of some of the people here (like conservative canuck) and others who are not from America and also need this place as an organizing/connecting place for their conservative ideas.

I know that in my case I felt alone in this city until I met LOTS of people that were also from San Francisco - the CITY OF(!) and it brought joy to my heart that there are others out there! I'm not the only Republican in San Francisco!

And, also so much more. There are also The New Cool Hip Republicans here (like Bella, Kneel, weegee, etc etc!)...I met them HERE! Again, I was not alone.

To me Free Republic is so much MORE than just the GOP. I am a Republican and have been for several years, however, I don't agree with the entire platform.

To me that is what the other side expects, that you go along with all their *wonderful* ideas: " diversity, gays are great, christians and religion is awful unless you're a Muslim who wants to kill Americans.... "

I don't want to follow any party line. If the GOP got crazy I would leave. Wouldn't you?

I say...leave Free Republic free of *influences*, free of the GOP. I know there's at least ONE Democrat (who's pretty conservative and a Californian) here, and he's a very nice fellow.

Thanks for this forum Jim.

[FairOpinion]

"Don't fix want aint broke... tell the whiners to get a life. "


I tend to agree.

[Deb]

Quit bitching about "RINOS". Left-wing states elect left-wing Republicans. Get over it.

The object of the conservative movement should be to concentrate power in one direction for maximum effect.

If all you RINO denouncers spent as much time getting conservative Republicans elected as you do justifying your own personal brand of individualism...we might be able to achieve a working majority in the Congress so our president didn't have to compromise with the enemies of the Constitution.

Get over yourself and help full the friggin' wagon.

[Mo1]

Is Free Republic too "Republican?"

In a word .. Nope!

I am a proud card carrying Republican and support the hard work that President Bush has done to lead our country

With that all said .. Calling the site Conservative is find by me. Conservatives may not agree 100% on how to handle matters, but in the end we all have the same goal .. and that is to get rid of the Liberals

Oh and to run the Clinton's out of town too

[Consort]

I say...leave Free Republic free of *influences*, free of the GOP. I know there's at least ONE Democrat (who's pretty conservative and a Californian) here, and he's a very nice fellow.

We leave Free Republic free of the GOP, but very nice Conservative Democrats from California are OK? Does that advance the cause?

[Buckeroo]

But American government *IS* broke. Today, we have more government workers per actual American citizen .... than ever before in our 225 year history. Moreover, the accumulated debt for recent wars around the world as encroached to $7 trillion dollars while the government continues to dole out our hard earned tax dollars to nations around the world just to form alliances that support a government war-drum.

The government is breaking America. The two major political parties are destroying our nation.

[Jim Robinson]

I didn't pose a problem about my own ideals. I posed one about yours and people like you who are complaining that when FR uses the "conservative" label, we are falsely advertising our position. Some people say we should use the "Republican" label rather than "Conservative." Well, apparently, those who use FR everyday and enjoy it very much don't agree. They like it fine just the way it is and don't want any changes. And that's fine with me. So we press forward. Steady as she goes.