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?

[Night Hides Not]

Well, I want to defeat liberalism, and not only defeat it, but drive a stake through it's cold, dead heart. I could care less what label they put on me or what tools I use to get the job done. Right now the Republican Party appears to be the only party that can do it.

Aw c'mon, Jim, haven't you seen the exponential increase in the Libertarian vote? It's risen at least 200% over the past election cycle...from .5% to 1%.

All kidding aside, I'm with you as a member of the 'glass is half-full' set. Would I like to see the Pubbies in the Senate get some real cojones? You bet!

However, there is legislation that has passed that would have never taken place had algore won in 2000, such as banning partial birth abortion, and significant reductions in income tax rates.

At the risk of being called a Bushie, I shudder to think what a Gore administration would be like.

Retaining the 'Republican' moniker makes us more effective, IMHO. We worked hard to get Dubya and other Republicans elected, and the vast majority of Freepers are registered Republicans. Dropping that label, rightly or wrongly, would leave us on the fringes of the extreme right, just as the DUers are on the fringes of the extreme left. I've been posting here too long to know that we are more mainstream than that.

Thanks for the early wake-up, Jim.

[metesky]

Keep the "independent" label - and the Republican spirit.

I'll go with that.

Even though I switched registration from Independent to Republican in 2000.

[Neets]

No matter what changes you make to FR, be it in title, vision statement or mission...there will always be a group who are not going to be happy.

FR has enough of a history to show that there are people out there and in here who for whatever envy they hold will pick and peck at the slightest thing they see that falls outside of their agenda.

Don't make FR like this bumper sticker I have seen:

GOVERNMENT: IF IT AIN'T BROKEN, FIX IT TILL IT IS.

[D-fendr]

FR represents a spectrum of conservatism. And I think it pretty closely reflects the size of various factions.

A great many are Republicans, as the majority of conservatives have tended to be for some time.

Their representation would decrease with a less popular Republican president.

[Night Hides Not]

Darn! Why couldn't you have posted your response 15 minutes earlier? Then all I would have had to do is post 'Dittos & a Bump' instead of my meandering screed!

Ergo...dittos...and a Bump! Nice job!

[Godebert]

Unbelievable. When will you make Republican party membership mandatory to post on the forum?

[Rodney King]

It's great the way it is. Conservatism encompasses a wide range of different beleifs. All of them are well represented here. The whining that you are hearing is certain inviduals who simply don't like it when people disagree with them. There are certain people, who, say, want to put all homosexuals in jail. They just can't believe that others here are allowed to disagee with them.

The point though is that its not so much the individual positions, rather its the character of the people complaining that is the issue. If the issue was what the best flavor of ice cream is, they would want everyone to agree with them.

In addition, most of these people seek out those who disagree with them, not vice versa. Although I voted for W and generally like him, I am one of those who can't stand the "Day in the life" love-in's. Therefore, I don't click on them. Problem solved. Although I have strong views on the WOD and the civil war, I don't post on those threads as dong so is a useless exercize. Do I complain that the other side ought to be kicked off of Free Republic? No, I just avoid those threads.

Everything is great just the way it is. Conservatism has long encompassed people of significantly different outlooks, from Pat Buchanan to PJ O'Rourke. Don't let a few compaliners force any unneccessary changes around here.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I'm Republican and proud, but let's keep FR independent. As much as I love my party, they need a good whack in the head when they stray.

[canuck_conservative]

The Republican Party only exists in the United States. If this site appealed only to "Republican" ideals, then you would have no interest from anyone outside the US.

Clearly, the opposite is true, as there are many freepers from around the world. I suggest you have it backwards: conservatism is a state of mind, that currently happens to be best-represented by the US Republican Party. Conservatism is basically a common-sense, assume-respnosibility philosophy that occurs worldwide.

Consider, that most of the people who are members on this site all had different, independent upbringings, educations, cultures, and even religions - and yet - they still all came to the same common conclusions (conservatism)! That's really amazing! That's true human equality!!

[Caipirabob]

I would stay with the "Conservative" line of thinking.

I see little these days to support the thought that Republicans are the true "Conservatives" we need them to be. Both parties seem to be addicted to the "Big Government" mentality and they have done little, despite being the majority party in every branch of government, to forward the conservative agenda. I don't care what Tom Daschole or Hitlery does, the Republican party is a let-down when it comes to promoting conservatism.

I'd rather not be too closely affiliated with dissappointment.

[harrowup]

You don't have to be a Republican to like President Bush and you don't have to be a Democrat to question some of the administration's gaffes. That said, I have been a liberal all these years because long ago the country club set wouldn't let labor into the club. Now, anyone with money is in the club, and that is how we ended up with Clinton.

Elimination of corruption should be more than bi-partisan, it should be universal and no politician is immune from greed.

If Libertarians, Republicans, Democrats, Liberals and Conservatives would truly support term limits and making Congress a citizen friendly environment and get the damned lawyers out it wouldn't matter what anyone calls themselves.

For what it's worth, Republicans still make me itch, Libertarians make me think, Conservatives scare me and Democrats embarass me and being a liberal Democrat is just not fun anymore.

[TN4Liberty]

As "conservatives," I believe we discuss ideas. As "Republicans", I believe we discuss strategies.

As "conservatives" we can admire some of Zell Miller's ideas. As "Republicans," we support Olympia Snowe.

I say we are conservatives first and foremost, and as conservatives, we lean hard toward the GOP as the vehicle for change. If a better vehicle comes along, we recalibrate.

Just one guy's opinion.

[Jeff Gordon]

I want to defeat the left, and I want to do it as quickly as possible.

If your looking for labels, it seems that "anti-liberal" fits your mission best.

[11B3]

I agree with both of you. The Republican party is the best vehicle for use in destroying the DemonRats due to many reasons. While none of us agree completely with the path of the party, that would be the case no matter how conservative the party is. There will always be those who complain, just as there will always be alternative methods to accomplish our goal of getting rid of the American left.

I used to think that educating the left on the truth would sway many of them. I've given that up. In order to completely marginalize the left, we have to get as many voters as possible to vote Republican. Most of America is either too busy or too stupid to understand the gravity of the Left's agenda, and by exposing the communist/socialist/authoritarian nature of our enemy many of these voters will be brought out of their stupor and join us in this cause. Votes for the Losertarians - while making a political comment - do nothing except draw votes away from the Republican candidates, helping the cause of the Left. Further, the run up to the Iraq war showed that the Losertarians are little more than the far left wing of the Democratic Party in many ways, differing only in 2nd Amendment issues and government size.

In reference to your question, Jim, I don't think that this site needs to be affiliated with anything other than Free Republic. We could nearly become our own party as far as that goes - and probably do a better job of running the nation than either party. When one of us gets out of line or goes tinfoil, there are plenty of folks to set them straight (even before the Admin Moderator), so there is a very definite mindset within the posting group. Your own polls show that to be true as well.

[weegee]

May want to refrain from claiming party allegience what with Campaign Finance Reform. Someday the courts will look at website activity for Federal Election violations (they have avoided the issue for now).

Does GWBush.com openly campaign against Candiate George W. Bush and collect money to do so? Yes.

Remember that campaign finance reform permits the media to continue commentary on the issues/candidates of the day but fundraising and advertising are limited (even for special interest groups).

You are a media commentary site (with vanity postings encouraging activism).

[Maurice Tift]

Republican! I don't know. Lincoln Chaffee, Olympia Snowe and John McCain are Republicans.

I like the term Conservative. It makes me think of Ronald Reagan.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

If Truth always wins out, then you are on the correct course. "Seek the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." I don't have time to research banned members. So I have no idea how many of them were banned for saying the Truth. And that powerful force, Truth, according to scripture, will be spoken throughout the entire world before the Tribulation.

I believe we are on the verge of the Truth Revolution that was predicted. Those forums which bravely face the Truth will thrive. Those forums which ban the Truth will fade away. It's that simple. Just take a look at the Leftist Media, the old, formerly-dominant media. They are crashing and burning, just as I predicted a long time ago. And we grew at their expense. It can work both ways. If any forum bans the Truth, they might help out one election cycle. But what about the long term consequences? I think we should be in for the Long Haul.

As for what you are like inside, you answered your own question:

"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."

It is impossible to be overly loyal to the RNC after being a former democrat so recently.

Newcomers here might not remember the Bush primary. You were furious at the thought that Bush might possibly be a cocain user. With the media sending out all those loaded 'when did you beat your wife?' style questions about cocain, it's no wonder you became suspicious, pointing out how damaging it was to have 'Mr. Vacuum Cleaner Nose' in charge.

Being a recent convert, just as you are, I am always re-questioning the RNC. I'm sure you do the same thing.

I like the way Boortz handles it. He says, "Not all of us are conservatives. But we are all anti-leftists."

[Jaxter]

I'm a Republican and I've been a member of Free Republic for a long time (remember when it was a Whitewater link on Matt Drudge's home page?). I'd vote to leave it as is. At the polls, vote Republican...remember that Ross Perot cost us Bill Clinton.

[djf]

Don't give up. There are some here who really do enjoy honest discourse and despise the flame wars. Live and learn, right or left!