Not Going to Take It Anymore

FreeRepublic ^ | 4/01/02 | Ben A. Conservative

[B. A. Conservative]

How many times have you heard this statement? Have you used this phrase yourself? Is FreeRepublic just a support group (form of group therapy) for burned-out or recovering conservatives much like the function served by AA for alcoholics?

I have a list of questions to which I don't have the answers, but believe that these are questions that deserve answers. If you have asked yourself more than a few of these questions or even entertained the thoughts that these questions express, then I am inviting you to participate in an exchange of ideas. I hope that enough Freepers will provide their thoughts in order that we can use your answers to end and reverse the damage that is being done to our country and our way of life by Democrats and other liberals.

I intend to provide the complete list as part of this post. I am going to post each question one at a time for its own thread. Each posting of a question will be several days apart to allow time for those willing to participate. I hope that anyone willing to participate will hold their replies to specific questions until each question is asked as a topic of its own with the first question to be posted on Thursday. I am hoping that you will use replies to this post as a means of attracting Freepers whom you know might have an interest in this discussion and the direction in which it goes. Here is the List:

1. Is the United States broken?
2. If it is broken, can it be fixed?
3. If it can be fixed, how long will it take?
4. Who will fix it?
5. Will there be opposition to fixing it?
6. Can the opposition be defeated within a reasonable period of time?
7. How long is reasonable?
8. How realistic are your expectations about whether it can be fixed?
9. How realistic are your expectations with regard to time?
10. If it can't be fixed, have you considered other solutions regarding your disappointment with the present state of affairs in the United States?
11. Could other countries offer the freedom you seek?
12. Are there other existing countries that offer more freedom than what is currently offered in the United States?
13. If one state were to secede and offer a Constitutional Republic like the one we had, would you consider living there?
14. How would the United States respond to one state's elective and voluntary peaceable declaration of its own independence from the United States?
15. Would the United States be willing to use military action including the killing of peaceful secessionists?
16. If a Boris Yeltsin took a stand in the state capitol, would the United States send in the tanks and kill him and/or his compatriots?
17. If the United States were actually willing to use force to surpress a state's secession, would you still want to live in the United States?
18. Would that be the final straw proving to any "doubting Thomas"es that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are now empty meaningless words that no longer have validity as ideas?
19. Would this be the proof to some that the United States is now no different from any other form of tyranny?
20. If one state successfully and peaceably seceded, would others follow?
21. Would we see groups of states organizing as regional republics competeing for citizens by offering more freedom than their neighboring nation/states?
22. Could our freedoms and liberties be restored more certainly and more quickly by forcing governments to compete with one another in an effort to please its citizens and/or prospective citizens?
23. Does the United States have a monopoly on government?
24. Is the military superiority that the United States possesses over the rest of the world sufficient reason for its citizens to sacrifice their freedoms in the interests of security?
25. Could the military strength and superiority of the United States be obtained through the equivalent of a North American Nato?
26. How can we restore our freedoms without secession?

    I suspect most Freepers share my frustrations, but have not let their thinking run as far afield as I have let mine. Quite frankly, I am not at all happy with my answers to these questions. And while this may prove to be a fool's errand, I assure you it is not intended as an April Fools. As is so common on this site, feel free to Freep This Poll.

[schu]

BTW, if you plan to create a ping list for these threads, please attach me. Thanks very much.

[headsonpikes]

Reading CJ's postings always leaves me with the creepy feeling that there is something to Ickes' hypothesis about lizard creatures from other dimensions inhabiting human forms.

[Notforprophet]

Who are you?

[tacticalogic]

I usually find his stuff has a kind of "Naked Lunch" quality to it.

[B. A. Conservative]

This discussion is hopefully headed toward finding and defining Galt's Gulch. Those that have not read Atlas Shrugged, should.

[JohnGalt]

But there are two (actually three) distinctly different groups on this site:

Libertarians, true Conservatives, and "neo-Conservatives."

Libertarians are will to sacrifice the nation-state to save the culture. Paleo-Conservatives wish to conserve the culture to save the nation-state. And neo-Cons just don't agree with the Democrats this year, but aren't really interested in metaphysically "conserving" anything.

In the context of my post in regards to political issues, the libertarian wing would be interested in making access to capital cheaper; reducing trade barriers;....

A (paleo)Conservative wishes to promote policy that help conserve the culture and reduce 'change.' Protectionist policies to keep factories open and workers of a community from being displaced are perfectly sound ideas for the end-result they wish to achieve.

Neo-cons have no coherent metaphysical political thoughts, however, they are extremely pragmatic political thinkers in understand the issues of the day. Libertarians and (paleo) Conservatives find the neo-Cons almost perverse fixation that American Exceptionalism will save us all to be not only intellectually un-satisfying but also contrary to the basic tenants of liberty at the root of the American tradition..

We can all work together to smoke out corrupt members of the power elite, but it is our efforts to find common ground that gives us a coherent political agenda and defines us culturally with in these interesting times.

[B. A. Conservative]

Current Article

Favorablilty - Allowing regular roadblocks to search vehicles?
Favor 50.3 Oppose 46.8 NS 2.9 Total 100.0

Favorablilty - Allowing your mail to be searched at random?
Favor 36.4 Oppose 62.4 NS 1.2 Total 100.0

Favorablilty - Allowing your car to be searched at random?
Favor 48.2 Oppose 51.0 NS .7 Total 100.0

In the Congressional race in 2002, for which party's candidate do you intend to vote - Democrat or Republican?
Dem 31.4 Rep 32.5 Neither 4.6 NS 31.5 Total 100.0

Polling data supposedly based on a representative cross section of America provides clear evidence that we are anything but "United" in our beliefs about what constitutes freedom. Based on this survey, at least one third, and maybe as much as one half would repeal the Bill of Rights. Are these the people you want to call friends, neighbors, and to have a major say about how you are going to live your life?

Without listing the evidence, there is substantial and credible evidence that the government of the United States poses a significant threat to the safety, well-being, health, and personal security of its citizens. There is substantial direct and indirect credible evidence that for any individual that their own government poses a greater threat to their lives and liberty than any foreign power or terrorist group. And there are those like Cultural Jihad who seem to consider freedom seekers the threat.

[ImpBill]

I think we have been beyond the point of "no return" for quite some time. However, the Constitutional Conservative and traditionally valued patriot can not roll over and give up. Our resistance will serve to delay the time when we are totally consumed by liberal socialism. Now the question becomes how is resistance defined?

I don't believe in a violent resistance. This change that has been occurring over the last 40 plus years has come as a result from the "will" of the American people, either through apathy or active participation. And it has happened at the ballot box. Violence will not slow the slide into Godless socialism, but, in my opinion, only serve to hasten it.

Therefore our resistance must be at the ballot box. It is difficult to accept the "will of the people" when it so obviously is swinging to the left, where no one has to be responsible, and Big Brother will take care of us all.

So, I am still left with the question; Given that we can't return to the Republic we once were, what is the conservatives course of action?

I have my "steel pot" on as I can almost feel the tenor of what many of the replies to this thread will take.

[ImpBill]

Your #3 is extremely well said. Thank you.

[FourtySeven]

I think I realized the United States was "broken" when I realized that the 2nd Amendment should still mean something. Before, in my youthful "liberal" days (hehe) I used to subscribe to the idea that "The concept behind the 2nd Amendment is outdated. We don't need guns in every house anymore, this is the 20th century!" This is, of course, a very popular view today.

As it should not be popular! The whole point of having a "well armed militia" of course was not to simply aid in the common defense, but to protect us from any tyranical government, any tyranical government. That includes our own, if need be!

So when I realized that the second amendment was FAR from "out dated", and realized that most people were thinking the opposite, I realized there is something seriously wrong with this country.

As far as fixing it goes, I'm not sure if we'll ever return to pure "constitutionalism", but I'll be damned before I see the second amendment taken away.

[stuartcr]

What do you mean by 'broken'?

[stuartcr]

What is a 'Judeo-Christian sense of liberty'?

[The Westerner]

Are you implying that the European base was "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." Kipling wrote in the "Gods of the Copybook Headings" about robbing the collective Peters to pay the collective Pauls, and Ayn Rand in her fable of the 20th Century Motor Co. wrote about what happened when everyone owed their livelihood to everyone else. I think of these examples when I hear on the news that the upper half of wage earners pay most of the taxes these days. Just how long will they take it before they shrug?

[JohnGalt]

I would answer, the Ten Commandments as the whole of the law and the New Testament Golden rule, 'love' your neighbor as you love yourself.

This concept of liberty has nothing to do with compelling charity, correcting 'economic injustice', or punishing 'consentual crimes.'

[stuartcr]

OK, I think I know what you mean.

[Alas Babylon!]

Important points, but our original War of Independence never had the obvert support of more than 1/3 of the Colonists. 1/3rd were Tories, remaining loyal to King George III until the end (we now call the Canadians). 1/3 could of cared less. Righteousness and preseverance can still overcome raw numbers.

Bottom line, I hate polls and don't care what some numb sheep thinks. Win or lose, the fight is damn well worth it.

[JohnGalt]

what is the conservatives course of action

Identify the things that are worth 'conserving' and don't rely on outside institutions to conserve them. In the end, is an arbitrary government ruling, an arbitrary land with arbitrary borders worth conserving, or is the English language, the Christmas/Thanksgiving/Easter Holidays, American football, and the Christian ethic more worthy of our conservation efforts?

He who defends everything, defends nothing.

Frederick the Great

[Alas Babylon!]

You all can START fighting from here, especially if your a Veteran. Veterans' for Constitutional Restoration is a new organization dedicated to educating our young people about the Bill of Rights, and review legislation at the federal, state, and local levels for Constitutional correctness.

We need help and members, in any case. Please visit our site!

[ImpBill]

Thanks again. I really like the clarity of the logic you share. Proving once again we are never finished learning, even us old farts.

[dcwusmc]

Thanks for the ping. Will be reading this series often.