I always have a desire to enter these threads, absorb it, learn from it and comment on it, but I often enter, skim, and depart without commenting.
If I had to guess, there are more people like me who feel as I do, and interact the same way for many of the same reasons. (Note that I don't feel that any of these "excuses" reflect at all negatively on these threads. Rather, they probably reflect negatively on my focus or priorities...which although negative, are realities for me...)
1.) As another poster stated (and I have seen lots of these) it is a subject of vast width and breadth. Appropriately so. But, even for someone such as myself who has taken the time to build at least a historical base for discussion by reading Joseph Story's "A Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of The United States", the subject is daunting.
2.) It is difficult to find the time to absorb the discussion, some of which is fact, some of which is opinion, and some of which is somewhat unrelated (as is this post...with my apologies) I love the recent threads of this nature, particularly the one focused on "Atlas Shrugged", a book I have read five times and listened to twice, but even with my ingrained knowledge of the book, it is difficult to have an hour or occasionally two for posting, and be able to allocate time both to read and to formulate postings.
3.) I personally dislike jumping into a thread to make a comment, only to learn that I am unintentionally turning back the momentum of a thread by reiterating posts, repointing out facts, or generally just bombing the rubble, so to speak. I have found that people are pretty understanding in this respect, but it makes me feel like I haven't done my homework.
4.) It has been my experience that there are many "conservatives" who are not as interested in the finer points of the Constitution, and are satisfied to trust in the wisdom of the framers to have pointed us in the right direction. I find some of that in me as well, but I temper it with the fact that unless the Constitution is followed, it is simply a piece of paper somewhere. And that is why I do try to learn more about the details of it. But I fear there are too many conservatives who fail to see not only the strength and weakness of the document, but are blind to the open attacks on it, which are lately like running water in a fast moving river eroding the supporting foundations of a bridge. This is, I think, the biggest danger to our republic: the fact that our own government completely (and at a seemingly accelerated rate) disregards the Constitution, and is never called on it. Health care 'reform" is one example, the bailouts are another example, and for years, Campaign Finance Reform was something that should never have passed muster.
As Publius has correctly stated, these threads will be here for a long time. And there is always time to come back to it, for this it is a great service to all of us to have it here for reference. But I agree with Bigun, and am as guilty as others in this respect: Free Republic is a forum that is not just suited to this particular task, but is MADE for it. We should all use it more in that respect, something I plan to try to do.
I agree with you that FR is made for something like this. Sooner or later, I hope people will see the benefits of these threads and come in to participate.
And certainly I would agree!
Glad to know that you are here and that there are others as well. I certainly understand that the demands on one's time these days are many and that one must do what he has to do in order to fulfill them all.
Please do not hesitate to comment at any time however. That is what this place is all about!
I often read without posting...for the simple reason that I would sound like a frothing seething mad woman.
I shake my head in amazement at times watching news commentary that individuals can keep their cool, speak eloquently while the liberals are screaming at them.
I often feel like I need to have my blood pressure checked while reading this thread.