I’ll check out the full email when I have a little more time, however, I’d like to welcome you to the board. I’m new to FR as well, and I also feel like it’s the only board where I can freely share my beliefs and conservative values.
I also don’t understand why we feel the need to have a pissing match about who is the most conservative, or who isn’t conservative enough. We’re all obviously conservative, to vary degrees. I understand the frustration among conservatives as it relates to idiots like Boehner... but I don’t understand the hostility aimed at newer conservatives like you who have just now seen the light.
Yeah, I caught a little flak on the last go round. I do understand it to an extent. If I and a few million others like myself had "seen the light" four years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess that we're in now. I can see how people might be a bit po'd about that. If they knew my influences throughout my entire life though, they wouldn't hold me responsible at all. I grew up deep "Behind the Blue Wall"!
My problem is that I am a converted liberal. I grew up in Mass thinking that the 1988 convention speech by Dukakis was the greatest speech I had ever heard. At that point I was reading conservative magazines (e.g. Chronicles) and should have known better. But I was too ingrained in liberalism. It was not long ago and it takes lots of time and effort to shake off the liberalism especially when one spends a lot of time and effort on a career instead.
I'm not suggesting either of you gentlemen are not adequately conservative but that many of us have a long road ahead of us.
I think that’s a very important distinction you make, Hawk.
Reagan knew better than to insult Reagan Democrats or those he didn’t agree with 100%, but he also knew he had a primary (in more than one sense) battle with the GOPe.
I wish more here could understand the difference.