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weagle99
Ridin' on the Gus Bus
Member since Nov 2011
4142 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 5:43 pm to Joshjrn)
quote:
Now that the darling "right" of the Republican Party is in the cross-hairs, all of a sudden, they have time to consider issues other than the economy. It's amazing.
I respect your contributions to this board. 
Politics is fluid. Also, Washington has shown an unwillingness to grapple with our fundamental economic problems IMO. I suspect a good portion of the electorate interested in politics has thrown their collective hands up in the air over Washington's economic negligence and is now focused on issues they believe they still can influence.
ETA: And to your point, gun rights supporters have almost always preferred inaction by Washington on the matter. A desire from that group to focus on other topics is really nothing new.
This post was edited on 1/19 at 5:49 pm
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Alahunter 
Alabama Fan
Member since Jan 2008
70726 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 5:49 pm to lynxcat)
There is a complete divide in this country on economics. The left is happy to continue to enslave half the population with entitlements and continue to welcome illegals who leech off benefits without contributing. Collapse is inevitable because too large a portion cannot understand and refuse to do what needs to be done. Hence one of the many reasons for the fight on gun rights and hoarding and prepping.
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Archie Bengal Bunker 
Florida State Fan
UWF Fan
Member since Jun 2008
14045 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 5:49 pm to lynxcat)
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Joshjrn 
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
4173 posts
 Online
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 5:49 pm to weagle99)
Call me cynical, but I think that's giving them far too much credit. I think that when it comes to debating issues of liberty they themselves don't enjoy (gay marriage, ending the War on Drugs, etc, etc) they pretend as though no one should care about anything other than fiscal issues. Yet, when it's a liberty issue that affects them, they are up in arms.
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weagle99
Ridin' on the Gus Bus
Member since Nov 2011
4142 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 5:58 pm to Joshjrn)
You have just subtly illustrated one of the fundamental obstacles facing the Republican Party when it comes to mobilizing its base.
Pro-Life people don't necessarily care about fiscal responsibility.
Gun-owners don't always care about abortion.
Anti-gay marriage voters can be anti-gun.
It was Karl Rove I think that once discussed the difficulty of marshaling these differing groups into a unified voting block. I think 2012 illustrated this to some degree.
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Joshjrn
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
4173 posts
Online
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 6:03 pm to weagle99)
Certainly. That's why Libertarians view Republicans to be hypocritical. Republicans claim to be the pro-liberty, small government party. In reality, the Republican Party has no ideology. Its list of wants is patently arbitrary. It wants small government when arbitrarily chosen and large government when arbitrarily chosen. As much as I loathe the Democratic platform, at least they tend to be more honest about believing that government is the solution to all of life's ills and behaves as such. Republicans claim to be pro-liberty yet abandon their claimed ideology whenever it is in the least bit convenient.
This post was edited on 1/19 at 6:06 pm
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weagle99
Ridin' on the Gus Bus
Member since Nov 2011
4142 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 6:16 pm to Joshjrn)
I find myself agreeing with the Libertarian Party more and more. And I think many within the Republican Party probably feel the same way.
The issue might be that people don't feel like the Libertarians have a realistic chance at affecting change at the Federal level so they 'settle' for the Republicans. As much as I would like to see the Libertarians with significant control in Washington, it is hard for me to believe it will happen in my lifetime. Does someone like me stand on principle and possibly 'waste' my vote, or select the lesser of two evils approach and hope that issues important to me are well represented? I am still trying to answer that question for myself, as are others I am sure.
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Joshjrn
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
4173 posts
Online
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 6:21 pm to weagle99)
quote:
Does someone like me stand on principle and possibly 'waste' my vote, or select the lesser of two evils approach and hope that issues important to me are well represented? I am still trying to answer that question for myself, as are others I am sure.
I would appreciate the lesser of two evils argument if there were more difference between the evils. It's my contention that, were you to remove the names and merely listed the "accomplishments" of the Clinton, Bush, and Obama presidencies as well as the hypothetical presidencies of McCain and Romney, you would see huge swaths of similarities and a few minor differences.
I'm done squabbling over a 5% difference between candidates. I'm willing to "waste" my vote for the foreseeable future to work towards actually electing someone who isn't practically identical to every president of the last few decades. If more people did the same and spit out the bull shite the media is feeding them about not "wasting" their vote, we'd be a lot better off.
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Mike da Tigah
Ft. New Richmond
Member since Feb 2005
36705 posts
Online
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 6:25 pm to Joshjrn)
I think what you're seeing with conservative republicans and libertarians as it pertains to small government is a difference in between compromise to appease the big government liberals and RINOs in order to get anything done, and having the luxury of pure idealism. Idealism I agree with, but still idealism that doesn't face the harsh realities of dealing with Washington Politics as we all know it be.
In essence, the real reason you don't see action with real conservatives is in large part due to their small numbers, and the fact of how bat shite crazy liberals, and many RINOS are in justifying growing government, and if you hope to get anything done, you end up having to appease the establishment. Either that, or good luck in your term in office.
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TheDoc 
USA Fan
Louisiana
Member since Dec 2005
88125 posts
Online
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 6:25 pm to lynxcat)
if our economy fails, the 2nd amendment will be pretty fricking important
but maybe that's just me
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Joshjrn
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
4173 posts
Online
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 6:32 pm to Mike da Tigah)
quote:
In essence, the real reason you don't see action with real conservatives is in large part due to their small numbers, and the fact of how bat shite crazy liberals, and many RINOS are in justifying growing government, and if you hope to get anything done, you end up having to appease the establishment. Either that, or good luck in your term in office.
I appreciate the plight of our poor, handcuffed politicians. What I don't understand is how people can get in the least bit excited about these a-holes. Bush spent like a drunken sailor. Obama spends like a drunken sailor. McCain and Romney would have spent like drunken sailors. None of them give two shits about the civil liberties of the American people.
Put another way, electing someone just to do "something" is irrelevant if what they would do is exactly what your opponent would have done. To me, it makes far more sense to vote in a true small government candidate who would actually act on their ideology if given the opportunity. If they get blackballed and accomplish nothing, fine. At least there was a chance something good would happen. There is zero chance anything good will happen as long as we keep electing the same people in the mold of the big government politicians who got us into this mess in the first place.
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Mike da Tigah
Ft. New Richmond
Member since Feb 2005
36705 posts
Online
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 6:40 pm to Joshjrn)
I couldn't agree with you more Josh. I just don't know what else will come from it until we get Americans to come to their ever lovin senses, and IMO, that's going to be the hard way, when they are finally confront with the harsh realities that come with the kick the can game is over and there is nothing left to grab.
I wish I had more hope than that, but if 6 Trillion in only 4 years didn't rattle them to change directions, or at least not reelect Obama, then I don't think it's going to come about by an epiphany.
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Brick67 
Georgia Fan
Barksdale AFB, LA
Member since Oct 2012
34 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 7:42 pm to Mike da Tigah)
Trouble is most people/not enough people aren't paying attention.
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The Easter Bunny 
Georgia Tech Fan
ATLANTA, GA
Member since Jan 2005
40331 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 8:01 pm to lynxcat)
The real problem is they won't do jack shite about the economy either
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Patrick_Bateman
USA Fan
Member since Jan 2012
5077 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/19/13 at 8:22 pm to lynxcat)
2/10
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lynxcat 
Rutgers Fan
Member since Jan 2008
13190 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/20/13 at 1:39 am to The Easter Bunny)
quote:
The real problem is they won't do jack shite about the economy either
I think this belief that Washington is a complete lost cause is the core issue.
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Bayou
LSU Fan
Arizona Desert
Member since Feb 2005
22728 posts
| re: Stop the gun discussion and focus on the things that actually matter (Posted on 1/20/13 at 6:23 am to lynxcat)
Without the 2nd Amendment there would be no Constitution, therefore, there would be no economy. So, YES, we will continue a focus on the 2nd Amendment as well.
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