Greet the Freep!

[Mythsaje]

Hi, Freepers! We know you're lurking in record numbers, so I figured I'd post this to, hopefully, get you to think beyond the trash-talk of Limbaugh and Hannity for a moment. I know it's a bit too much to hope for, but, in the interests of a better America, I have to try.

****************

Dear Average Republican,

There is NO "liberal agenda" but the shared interest of liberals who want to see things get better for everyone. You, your parents, and the guy who bags groceries down at the corner market. Liberals want to see you with enough money to buy groceries, pay off your house, and put at least one fuel-efficient vehicle in your garage.

It's not an agenda. It's people hoping for the best for other people.

It's about hoping that your Uncle John, who's been farming the same plot of land for the last 40 years, doesn't lose his farm because he falls off his tractor and breaks his leg and can't pay his doctor bill. It's about hoping that you have some options when your town's biggest employer goes belly-up because it can't compete with that textile factory in China.

It's about making sure you get paid enough that you don't have to take two or three jobs just to make ends meet. So you can spend more time with your family...so you can play catch with your kids, or take them fishing on weekends, or take them to the local swimming hole or municipal pool to teach them how to swim.

It's not an agenda to want the best for people. It's just humanity. It's about being a good neighbor, even if that neighbor lives half a country away.

Ask a liberal what empathy is...it's about understanding where someone else is coming from. And most of us try very hard, even if we don't agree.

Being a liberal isn't about making fun of God, or your beliefs about him. Most liberals take the Sermon on the Mount to heart. They try to live the teachings of Jesus, even if some aren't sure he's really the Son of God. Thomas Jefferson called him the World's Greatest Moral Philosopher. You'll find very few liberals who'd disagree with that.

It's because of liberals that your ten year olds get to go to school rather than being forced to work in factories for spare change. It's because of liberals that you can trust your workplace to be safe and free of unexpected dangers. It is because of liberals that, should you be injured at work, you can expect fair medical treatment and compensation for your lost work, and have money coming in if you’re laid off. It’s also because of liberals that you have reasonably clean water to drink and bathe in, and that the local swimming hole isn’t completely polluted.

That's what we do. We try to look out for everybody. Even the people who hate us. We don't have an agenda. We don't take marching orders from anyone. We do what we do because we believe in people. We believe in you.

All we ask is that you begin to believe in us.

[texastoast]

1. Excellent! Nominated! P.S.

May I please copy this?

[Mythsaje]

3. Oh, absolutely...

Just trying to get the message out.

[Coexist]

2. thank you for this - I swear - I don't have cloven hooves

I just want to leave my children hope, a decent infrastructure in our country (and not as a consumer society - as a PRODUCTION one) and a functioning ecosystem.

That is all I want, and I think that (most) Democrats have the right way to do it.

[LeftHander]

56. I do...nt

:evilgrin:

[johnnie]

4. K&R

Very good. If it was all about politics it would be a different story. It's about all of us.

[Joe Fields]

5. Nicely put.

There are many reasons why I wonder what makes the average republican voter follow a madman, but when it comes down to it, we are all in this together. Let's get beyond calling each other names, and move toward holding our leaders accountable.

[izzybeans]

6. Funny enough I had a great uncle Eddie who fell off a tractor and

nearly lost his leg. Three years later they lost the farm.

[Mythsaje]

10. Wincing...

I didn't want to hit TOO close to home with that, but I figure it might strike a chord here or there.

Sorry to hear about your family's misfortune.

[izzybeans]

17. No problem. Many folks lost their farms where I grew up

back in those days. Mellencamp wrote a song about it (or Mellenstein as my friends from NJ call him Bruce Cougar Mellenstein).

This was an excellent post. I was just pointing out that this does hit home for some folks. And it's why my entire family is filled with liberals. The farmers included- most of the farmers I know would be democrats if they'd just put the NRA propaganda down long enough to see that nobody is in their cabinet trying to take their guns away.

[Mythsaje]

18. My dad was an NRA member

until fairly recently...he decided they'd simply gone too far.

He's also been a Democrat all my life. From an early age I was told that the Republicans were for the rich and the Democrats were for everyone else.

Reasonable gun control legislation is one thing, but there are some who'd gladly take it too far. It's a big wedge issue and that's too bad.

[benEzra]

51. A good reason to tell Feinstein et al to shut the **** up

and leave law-abiding people alone who own guns she doesn't like...

There are a few DU'ers, and a number of prominent national Dems, who do want to outlaw various civilian guns (guns holding over 10 rounds, rifles and shotguns with protruding handgrips) and unfortunately they tend to grab the airtime and the spotlight on the issue, leading to the perception that every Dem wants to take away people's guns if they have modern-looking stocks or have 15 or 30 round magazines.

That was a huge problem in 2000 and 2004 in pro-gun states, including mine (NC).

[datadiva]

7. Hear Hear

Well said

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. Everytime I see posts like this, I want to...

get a bumper sticker that says:

The Liberal Agenda: Caring For Your Neighbors As You Care For Yourself

[Mythsaje]

9. That would be a good bumper sticker indeed...n/t

[Radio_Lady]

12. It's a little long for a bumper sticker, but I like it anyway.

Kicked and recommended. Thanks so much for stating it this way.

[Brothaman2k]

96. There's plenty of room,

just put them on two lines. And by the way, I'd actually put that on my car.

So DU will producing and selling these, when?

*Hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge* lol

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

68. Love your neighbor as you love yourself

How about that one?

[Pacifist Patriot]

85. It's been tried. They didn't get it. ;-)

[Tyler Durden]

11. K&R even thought I can't do this anymore.

After more than 40 years of this, I can't wish them the best anymore. I applaud your aim, and am glad others are coming up behind me with the idealism I can no longer feel or follow.

I hope that it doesn't work out for you the way it did for me; like a sucker at a snake oil sale held by NEOCONSERVATIVES. I wanted to believe that THEY want what we want, but I can't anymore.

To them, it's a contest; and the only thing is winning. The credo of the New Republicans is, in my opinion: He who accumulates the MOST, WINS, and he who comes in second is SHIT.

Sorry.

[Mythsaje]

14. I think that may be the agenda of the leaders

but I honestly don't think that's the case with most of the folks who honestly don't understand what's at stake. For them it's about the "values" credo, not realizing that they're being conned by people who only pretend to believe the same things in order to reel in their votes.

[Laelth]

42. I think you're right, Tyler Durden.

"To them, it's a contest; and the only thing is winning. The credo of the New Republicans is, in my opinion: He who accumulates the MOST, WINS, and he who comes in second is SHIT."

What's tragic is that they can't see how stupid this attitude it. Ford was right. Modern industrial society is based on the idea that you have to pay your workers well so that they can buy the products the factory produces. This, in turn, produces wealth for all. What the Repukes don't see is that they'd be doing better, themselves, if the so-called "losers" were doing better. Instead, we have companies cutting jobs, outsourcing jobs, and forcing labor to sacrifice benefits and pay in order to keep a job. This is dumb because without that labor earning money, there's nobody to buy the products that America produces. We are all getting poorer.

-Laelth

[Mythsaje]

44. This truth is exactly

where their ideology falls flat. It may be a little too complex for someone who works in a factory somewhere in the heartland, who listens to Toby Keith and Rush Limbaugh and doesn't have time to work out the details of economic theory. But it's a fact.

[Zookeeper]

98. Today's corporations are primarily interested in pleasing...

their shareholders. It's all about short term gain and instant gratification...about making rich investors and CEOs richer. If they are thinking long-term about the well being of American workers or consumers, they certainly aren't showing it.

(I always point out to my kids when we watch the news: This is why you can't rely on big business to regulate itself. Especially on environmental issues.)

[Mythsaje]

104. Their first obligation is to their shareholders...

a fact the (so called) Supreme Court has upheld.

It's all about the bottom line.

[the observationist]

13. Thanks

Thanks Mythsaje. This is well said. I have been talking with some conservatives on another discussion board and I particularly like what you wrote regarding religion. So many conservatives think that liberals want to destroy Christianity when that is not the case. I love the marching orders part. Great Piece!!!!!!!

[Mythsaje]

16. Welcome to DU!

And, yeah, it's important we get across to them that we want them to have the freedom to practice their religion, and that religious sentiments vary. The founding fathers didn't want any particular sect to gain ascendency because there were quite a few here from the very beginning, all with their own views of the bible. They didn't want their neighbors getting to tell them how to worship.

It's no different now, except that we have to consider the feelings of those who might not be Christian as well. I know they don't like it, but if they were a minority, they'd want the same protection themselves.

[Laelth]

43. Destroy Christianity?

I'd be a happy if conservatives were a lot more Christian, and that means walking the walk--not just talking the talk. I see too much Christian hypocrisy from the right to listen to a lecture on moral values from them.

-Laelth

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

69. That's called the Corporate Christ

Google that and you'll find an outfit called LibertyTV who has done a number of video stories about the Religious Right.

There seems to be a divide emerging in Christian America between people who follow the Christ of the Bible caring for the poor and disenfranchised and the those who follow the Christ of Jerry Falwell. That Jesus wants us to be greedy bastards.

[PleadTheFirst]

15. K&R - brilliantly put, Mythsaje.

Time to close the pointless divide caused by wedge issue politics, and for the people of this country to work together to make things right.

[Ecumenist]

19. Mythsaje....

This post need no further words. It is eloquent, intelligent, compassionate, understandable and so concise that anyone, (and I mean anyone..hint, hint), can digest the information that you composed in such an elegant manner.:loveya: :pals:

[Mythsaje]

22. I wrote this quite a while ago

and post it occasionally when I think it'll get around to those who need to read it most. I've edited it over time, based on the recommendations of the various DUers who comment on it. I think it's about as good as it can get now.

Thanks for the positive feedback.

:D

[calimary]

45. Just an absolute beauty here! VERY nice work!

Now I have TWO MOST compelling manifestos - what it means to be a liberal... I'm adding yours to my favorites file.

Here's the other one:

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JOE REPUBLICAN!!!

By John Gray, Cincinnati, Ohio

July - 2004

Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers’ medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe’s employer pays these standards because Joe’s employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It’s noon time, Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.

Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dad’s; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republicans would still be sitting in the dark!)

He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home.

He turns on a radio talk show, the host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.) Joe agrees. We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives. After all, I'm a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have.



This evidently goes around the internet(s) every so often. Don't know much about the person who originated it, but he's likely someone just as eloquent as our Mythsaje.

NICE work. DEFINITELY a keeper!

[Maestro]

94. I thought I had read that before.

Thanks for posting again.

[FSogol]

20. Well said. n/t

[Just Me]

21. Thanks. You speak perfectly on my (our) behalf.

:hi:

[arikara]

23. I like that...

When you look at what everyone wants/needs, its the same. A good job (preferably singular) clean air, pure water, healthy food, comfortable home, time with their families, decent health care... basically a life.

What THEY are doing so successfully is dividing and conquering by stirring up issues of religion, abortion, gay marriage and guns. I believe that the dark side is doing this deliberately. There has to be a coming together between the people. There has to be peace between us so that we can take THEM on.

[mwb970]

52. At least we can agree on one thing.

Increasingly, none of us like Bush. Left, right, R, D, everyone can see that he is in way over his head, that presidentin' is hard work and the Chimp just isn't up to it.

With new revelations literally every week about this president's worthlessness, it's getting harder and harder to pretend he's great. Sure, we knew it years ago, but they know it now.

Bush bashing is the American thing to do. It's not just for left-wing pantaloons any more.

[CrispyQ]

24. Thank you for the wonderful post. ..nt

[dogday]

25. K&R

[Blue-Jay]

26. Well done!

[karlrschneider]

27. I'm sure you have seen this one (don't know who wrote it) but I like to

put it out on the internets once in a while, it's usually called "A day in the life of Joe the Conservative"
===========================================================

Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare
his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some
tree-hugging liberal fought for minimum water-quality standards. With his first
swallow of coffee, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe
to take because some stupid commie liberal fought to insure their safety
and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's
medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid
medical insurance -- now Joe gets it, too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs.
Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal
fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry. In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his
shampoo.
His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents
because some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he was
putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and
takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some
environmentalist wacko liberal fought for laws to stop industries and government from

polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his
government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and
transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a
contributor.


Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay,
medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some lazy
liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's
employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union.
Its noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay
some bills.


Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some godless liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who
ruined the banking system before the Great Depression. Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his
below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Joe
and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more
money over his lifetime. Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at
his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal
fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third
generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't
want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until-some big-government liberal
stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

Joe is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and
a union pension because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating liberal made sure he could take
care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host
keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that Joe's
beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his
day. Joe agrees. "After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of
themselves, just like I have."

[Mythsaje]

28. Yeah...that's actually one of the things

that inspired "Dear Average Republican."

Thanks for posting it though. It's full of good info.

[Left_Winger]

29. Well stated!

:kick:

[Blue Belle]

30. Right on Mythsage!

Truer words have not been posted.

:applause:

[RazzleDazzle]

31. Actually, we DO have an agenda --

it's more of the same of this, every bit of which is under attack and vulnerable:

JOE REPUBLICAN

-- oops! I see karlschneider beat me to it. Well done.

[MelissaB]

32. I'm proud to give this #40 because we do care about

all people. I teach, and it doesn't matter who the kids are, where they came from, or how much $$ they have. I love them all and want the best for every one of them.

:kick:

[Iris]

33. what happened to your other thread?

[Mythsaje]

35. I committed a boo-boo...n/t

[Raffi Ella]

34. Great post

I'm not sure if the average bushbot will take anything from this but I think Republicans in general feel the same sentiment.
I,for one,wish everyone would just stop and realize that we're being manipulated by the President/Rove et al to hate one another when this IS America...We are ALL Americans.It's like shooting your nose off to spite your face when we wish eachother dead.

And really;would you really want a One Party system?Is that really what you(they)want?I don't think so.

I hope we as a nation can recover from this horrible atmosphere BushCo has created.I truly hope one day we can disagree and still respect eachother enough to agree to disagree and not to hate the other side like we do now.

Again-Great post.Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.

[yourout]

36. Outstanding.......K&R

[lonestarnot]

37. Oh fun.

Thanks for your contribution in ruining our country asshats!

[the other one]

38. Hey! That was good! And so unconfrontational.

[ninkasi]

39. Excellent post

I also believe that being paid a living wage would be better for families. You know, all of those "family values" Republicans? A living wage would prevent people from having to take second and third jobs, just to keep from going under financially.

Of course, Republicans won't do that, because it would include non-traditional families, such as gay and lesbian couples, who in the liberal world would be able to marry, and adopt children. I'll bet it would also reduce crime, since people who get desperate enough to steal food for their families would be able to work at jobs that are not our sourced.

[Greylyn58]

40. Extremely Well Said!!

I only hope that they listen and take what you've said to heart because it was certainly delivered in that spirit.

[bonito]

41. Kick!!!

[mousie]

46. well said & recommended!

[LibertyorDeath]

47. Very well said!

Rec.

[Wordie]

48. K&R

[NMMNG]

49. K&R!

[Vektor]

50. Nice post, thank you!

Great way of putting things in perspective.

[exlrrp]

53. Facts won't change their minds

Nice letter but it won't come across to the conservatives.
The only way to talk to a conservative is with the dumb end of a .45 shoved down their lying throats.
As long as liberals wuss out like this the conservatives will walk all over them.
The last line should be: All we ask is that YOU GIVE US OUR FUCKING COUNTRY BACK!! And that includes our Constitution!!
If it will make you feel more liberal, say it with a friendly smile

[sadiesworld]

55. Divisive crap.

:puke:

[VaYallaDawg]

61. Sorry you feel that way.

I happen to think this letter is an intelligent, thoughtful way of expressing the kind of person I hope to be as a liberal.

Maybe you don't agree, but that's OK too.

[othermeans]

95. I agree with you. Divisive or not this turn the other cheek stuff is

getting old. If everybody here thinks that this sentiment is going to work go post it on Free Republic and see what kind of response you get. Do you remember what they said about Kerry and Gore? How they continue to denigrate our values and infringe on our constitutional rights? Well go ahead and try to make peace with them it worked so well for Chamberlain in 1939.

[Mythsaje]

105. You can't make peace with the terminally vile

but you can reach out to those who don't really understand what's going on. I think a lot of Republican voters are simply 'out of the loop.' They don't get it and NO ONE, not the corporate media, not their clergy, and not anyone who can get the message out, is explaining to them the truth of the matter.

[kiteinthewind]

54. Purrrfect!

:hug:

[kimpossible]

57. Very effective piece. K&R!

[Epiphany4z]

58. this would be

an excellent letter to the editor in local papers.

[msgadget]

59. A sincere welcome to open-minded conservative republicans

I've never seen anything remotely like this at conservative sites

:kick:

[VOX]

60. Beautiful piece. Recommended! n/t

[Roland99]

62. Now, get the DNC to push that as a message!

[Darkhawk32]

64. You don't like "We can do better!"? n/t

[Roland99]

67. "You're going the right way to a smacked bottom" - Shrek.

;)

[catrose]

63. K&R

Thanks for putting words in my mouth.

[LSK]

65. K&R

[jahyarain]

66. truly inspiring

thank you!

[progressivebydesign]

70. K&R!! And to freeps with daughters and wives. THIS IS IMPORTANT.

This is a delicate subject, but one that needs to be addressed. While abortion has been used as a political hot button by the conservatives, the banishment of abortions is becoming a reality in many states, perhaps the ones you live in. Laws are being passed, as you read this, that will ban abortion in ALL cases, except for the life of the mother. This means, that if any of our daughters, a wife, a sister, is raped, she will be FORCED to bear the child of the rapist. Let that sink in for a moment. Then, she cannot give the child up for adoption, without the consent of the RAPIST, and can be forced to share PARENTAL CUSTODY of the rapist. It's not a stretch to say that a female in those states could be forced to bear the child of someone who brutally attacked her, left her for dead, and then... either forced to raise the child or watch it raised by the family of the rapist, or even the rapist himself (all the while SHE is paying child support until the child is 18). Is that a scenario that sits well with you? If your wife is raped, do you want to have her forced to bear the child of the rapist? The laws also state that the LIFE of the mother is excepted, NOT the health. BIG distinction, and if an exception for HEALTH is not made, an 11 year old girl would be forced to bear a child, even if it meant physical and emotional devastation. If you took her out of state for an abortion, you would go to prison.

Is that what you want? Is that what you want for the women in your life? You need to be completely sure that this is the America you want to live in.. because by continuing to support the conservative agenda, you are leaving us with less freedoms. Not more.

I hope that the very fact that you are on DU, checking it out, means you have some doubts about where the Country is headed. Talk to your female friends, coworkers, and relatives, about where the abortion issue is headed and if they'd feel comfortable with it. You might be surprised.

[Zookeeper]

99. Good post, PBD! However, I think that a couple of the states...

where pro-choice laws are under attack, would actually prohibit abortion even if the LIFE of the mother is at risk. (Ohio and Indiana, according to what I read.)

[Brazenly Liberal]

71. Dumb newbie question

How permanent is the link to this post?

It is utterly brilliant. Just beautiful. We have rotating links to blogs on our site and we've linked to this, but we'd like to put up a permanent link to it.

[Mythsaje]

72. That's a good question.

I'm honestly not sure.

If you give me a day or so, I'll put the edited version up on my blog, or create a whole new page for it specifically on my site, if that works.

[Brazenly Liberal]

76. Thanks!

I'll watch for that.

[Brazenly Liberal]

78. Oh, the permalink was right in front of my face!

Right by the "reply" link I clicked on to ask the question.

DOH!

[orion9941]

73. Wonderful!!

Truly wonderful! This couldn't have been written any better! Kudos!

[Raydawg1234]

74. All I have to say to the freeps is that your President wants to sell our

ports to the Arabs.

[young_at_heart]

75. Wouldn't it be nice if ALL Americans read this!

Thank you for putting into words what we all feel. I will never understand how the "freeper types" get along in this world....they seem to have one-dimensional thinking and are very self-righteous...SAD!!!

[Dr Ron]

77. Conflicts wtih their strategy

Republicans are afraid to campaign based upon the issues or by consideration of the facts. If they go that route, they know lose.

They are forced to resort to demonizing their opponents.

Therefore they claim that Democrats are socialists, even though the economic measures of Democrats are far more in accordance with capitalism than the corporate welfare programs of the Republicans. There's reasons why the economy does better, and the stock market rises more, under Democrats.

They claim Democrats are weak on national security, even though it is the Republicans who ignored the warnings from Democrats on the risk of terrorism pre 9/11, and the Republicans responded in a manner which decreases our national security virtually every step of the way post 9/11.

They claim Democrats are immoral by considering the rights of all Americans, even those who are gay, or women who desire to exercise their rights to control their own bodies. They hid behind such claims of immorality so that they can hide the fact that, despite all their rhetoric in favor of freedom, it is Democrats who support individual liberties and the Republicans who support a government which is more intrusive in individual's lives.

They call Democrats the "tax and spend" party, but it is under the Republicans that government spending has risen the most. Under a Democratic President the budget was balanced until we got record deficts from a Republican President. (They previously tried to claim that the balanced budget was due to a Republican Congress, but both Clinton and Bush had a Republican Congress, but only Clinton could exercise fiscal responsibility).

Thoroughout history liberals have pushed for progress while Republicans have fought it, despite benefiting from the fruits of such progress.

[Katherine Brengle]

79. This should be the new Dem Slogan------------------

"Democrats are good neighbors"

I really like this approach--THIS IS OUR MESSAGE! We want the best for everyone, not just ourselves.

I love it.

:toast:

[Mythsaje]

90. That's great!!

I hadn't thought of that, but that's an excellent slogan!

[Katherine Brengle]

102. Definitely--it is positive, for a start, and it is a frame that every Amer

ican can understand--it will speak to people and tell them exactly what we are about without having to explain.

It is the progressive equivalent to Bush's "permission slip" thing from the SOTU a couple of years ago.

[bluerum]

80. Very nice. I like it. But the 34% will laugh and kick your dog. eom

[Mythsaje]

88. They kick my dog,

the other three are likely to object. Ferociously. :D

[bluerum]

92. He he he,,,, good. eom

[slingsam]

81. Do you really believe?

You know they are going to say your appeal lacks conviction......

By the way........one could not have made a more effective appeal (than yours).....but their collective blindness sometimes astounds me..........:toast:


Well done....hic....I mean, said!!!

[Mythsaje]

89. Absolutely!

Welcome to DU!

[rd_kent]

82. Well Done!!!!

And welcome to DU you FREEPERS!!!! I mean, ahem, curious, open minded Free Republic subscribers.

[Trevelyan]

83. I think they call themselves FReepers just like DUers, thought I saw that

on one of the few times I visited The Free Republic -- Many are very angry about the NSA Domestic Spying and the turning over of the safety of our ports to an Arab country that has ties to those responsible for 911. We need to welcome them.

A few weeks ago someone asked why a FReeper hated liberals and he/she said they had been called redneck and worse on AOL Messageboard and the person responded honestly to a nice appeal about not hating. Don't know if that person is back talking down "liberals" or if it is others but worth a try to be nice and listen to the reasons why they are blaming liberals for all the problems they and America faces.

Execellent writing, I will try to use it on AOL and have been looking for the Joe Conservative writing, I read it a year ago on AOL and never thought I would find it again. So thanks to the 2 people who posted that one as well.

Too late to recommend, if I can Kick, I kick this very important thread because I think we may be getting an influx of very disgruntaled former FReepers and in fighting the bush/cheney Nazi machine, we really do need all the help we can get and it is hard to lose face by admitting you were wrong as those who see the truth about Kerry's lackluster campaign and conceding before the votes were counted found out.

[Trevelyan]

84. Please sign Amnesty's petition against torture and go to their site to see

all of the very important work they are doing to stop the torture and kidnapping. God Bless Everybody!

http://www.tellthetruthabouttorture.org/site/c.fgLRI3OCKnF/b.1354133/k.B617/TellTheTruthAboutTortureorg/apps/ka/ct/contactcustom.asp

Download Our Free Anti-Torture Posters

Amnesty International USA's anti-torture posters help raise awareness about abuses being committed by the U.S. government in the name of the "war on terror." Download them for FREE and post them in your community or on your campus to raise awareness

[Minnesota_Lib]

86. Outstanding post.

[connecticut yankee]

87. Beautiful!

I wish there were some way to post this on the right wing websites. Or at least a link to it.

Does anyone know how?

[libhill]

91. Great post -

however, I doubt that you'll get your point across. God / guns / gays - that's all these people focus on. Maybe some day they'll wise up, when their working some shit job 16 hours a day, for minimum wage. By then it'll be too late.

[Kurovski]

93. I for one welcome the New Reformation.

An extra benefit is that it will increase the dating pool.

[tlsmith1963]

97. This is How Our Party Needs to Talk

If our leaders said the kinds of things you said, I think we could win more elections. Somehow, we have been perceived as too elitist & arrogant. Maybe we need to change how we come across, because the problem isn't what we stand for. I think we stand for great things.

Tammy

[Divine Discontent]

100. this is great!

HOWEVER, I have only one complaint. On DU, all too often, my belief that Christ is Savior is mocked repeatedly, fervently, and caustically. If someone doubts that, I will spend a few days pulling over 500 comments out of the archives that call anyone of one faith or another, as kooks, puppets, and needing of a crutch, and it's done with a ton of swearing and acidic comments.

I commend the writer of this post for saying things that I would have written in an open letter to the average Republican, and continue to question the negative division of DU members because of one's choice to believe in a god, or not to and point out that all this does is make moderate Republicans in my area, and areas like a lot of you live, continue to believe that the Democratic Party is full of anti-faith, far left freaks who have no respect for the 1st Amendment right to have freedom of religion, not freedom FROM religion.

We have a LOT of differing opinion among our DU community, we need to respect all views and not flame bait with calling people who have faith in God in their lives as outcasts.

God bless DU, the impeachment of the dictator, and civil liberties being protected in a time of grave danger for them.

[Mythsaje]

101. Personally I believe that the 1st Amendment

covers both freedom OF and freedom FROM, in that you can't have one without the other. The 1st offers the believer freedom from the tenets of other sects of his or her own own faith...there can be no law passed that requires a Baptist to observe Lent, for example.

In extention it also grants non-believers the right not to have to observe the tenents of ANY sect of any religion, as well as pagans the right to observe their particularly holidays that they believe predate Christianity.

I'm not religious. But I respect the right of people to observe their own faith, as long as it doesn't interfere with the right of others to observe or not to observe as they so choose. No believer would want followers of another sect to determine their method of observance, nor do I want believers to dictate to me based upon things I do not myself believe.

I think some of the hostility you sense here has more to do with the people who've been doing their best to shove their religious views down the throats of EVERYONE than it has to do with religion itself. People over-compensate. It's unfortunate, but true.

Just try to keep in mind it's not personal. It has nothing to do with you. It's about the same type of people we're all engaged in this struggle against.

[Divine Discontent]

109. thank you! excellent thoughts. yes, I think they're just TESTY about it.

:)

[Hamlette]

103. thanks for this, so true, wish they could hear over the noise machine. n/t

[Clyde39]

106. Reagan is responsible for the negative slant on the word "liberal"

He started it and "they" kept it going. Think Tank people really were able to use it effectively...I suspect far more than we realize.

[lmarcotty]

107. Lesson well learned

I posted something on Huffpost once and specifically said, in the message, that if someone wanted to engage in a substantive discussion or debate or argument, I would welcome that, but if all someone wanted to do was insult me and engage in name calling, please keep their comments to themselves.

Like clockwork, or actually, like one of Pavlov's dogs' responses, someone wrote a reply in which they called me an elitist, <put your selected insulting name here> liberal with some other empty verbiage. I don't know how they got "elitist" except that's what they call any liberal. You want to talk elitist, let's talk about giving all money and tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. All privileges for the rich; no rights for the poor. But liberals are the elitists. Right.

Sigh.

L-A

[Mythsaje]

108. It's amazing how some people can go through life

yet not see what's plainly laid out in front of their faces.

The elitist comment is a great example of this. Is it elitist to want to talk about real issues and not throw insults around? Apparently, for some people it is.

:shrug:

[Random_Australian]

110. If you think about it psychologically

there must be a reason for it (if someone's posted in the meantime I mean a reason for using insults on the left not debate). One I've thought of is that it's part of a defense mechanism for your beliefs.. we all have them, and it looks to me like the mind is filtering out information that would render it's beliefs invalid, thus making our (And I use that term with pride) arguments seem.... well I'm not sure of the adjective puerile perhaps. Question: What would remove that wall?
If only we knew the answer it we could convert so many. *sigh*

(P.S. that may sound mechanical, but hey that's the way I think.)

[Mythsaje]

111. Indeed...

Welcome to DU!

I guess I'm an optimist. It's a failing. Or a gift. One or the other.