Post by: The Annoyed Man on April 30, 2008, 07:17:16 AM
'Dear Mr. xxxxx,
I don't want to believe you've abandoned the Republican Party, but I have to ask.....Have you given up?
Our records show we have not yet received your Republican National Committee membership renewal for the critical 2008 presidential election year.
As the Treasurer of the RNC, I know our Party's success depends directly on grassroots leaders like you.
So I am surprised and concerned especially because I know how generously you supported President Bush and the RNC in the past. You helped to advance our vision for America and elect Republicans at all levels of government.
But we've not heard from you this year--and I hope you haven't deserted our party"
Then it continues with the usual demonization and fearmongering of Democrats. Then, they butter me up again
"Mr. xxxxxx, the RNC relies on the voluntary support of Republican activists like you." Then they ask for money. The reverse side continues with the standard trigger words 'Reid/Pelosi/War on Terror' I found this line particularly delicious:
"If we fail to hold on to the White House and make gains in Congress, the Democrats have made clear they will overturn every reform you helped President Bush achieve."
I wonder why they found the need to develop a form letter with this kind of language. Is it because there are more than a few of us formerly longterm loyal Republicans who have 'abandoned' the party? If that's the case (and I suspect it is), I give them credit for beginning to notice. Nonetheless, I don't think the complete realization will set in until after the November election.
Post by: HankB on April 30, 2008, 07:34:38 AM
I'm HOPING that they'll call me . . . I'll tell them that I'll write out a check to them after I get the $600 tax rebate check our Republican president told me I'd be getting.
(I expect that will be quite a while, since by my reading of the law I'm ineligible . . .
)
Post by: Sergeant Bob on April 30, 2008, 09:44:23 AM
Quote
I wonder why they found the need to develop a form letter with this kind of language. Is it because there are more than a few of us formerly longterm loyal Republicans who have 'abandoned' the party? If that's the case (and I suspect it is), I give them credit for beginning to notice. Nonetheless, I don't think the complete realization will set in until after the November election.
It wouldn't matter if they did realize, either way we have no candidate.
Post by: Leatherneck on April 30, 2008, 10:18:40 AM
Quote
I wonder why they found the need to develop a form letter with this kind of language. Is it because there are more than a few of us formerly longterm loyal Republicans who have 'abandoned' the party? If that's the case (and I suspect it is), I give them credit for beginning to notice. Nonetheless, I don't think the complete realization will set in until after the November election.
Exactamundo. I'm glad they're noticing. I do feel guilty about not telling them that sending me more mail will not change the result. I think the RNC is part or all of the problem, not the solution at this point.
TC
Post by: Standing Wolf on April 30, 2008, 10:49:40 AM
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on April 30, 2008, 11:38:36 AM
Post by: Perd Hapley on April 30, 2008, 01:19:53 PM
I get those sorts of letters from the NRA sometimes. I think it's a fairly common ploy used by all sorts of large membership-driven organizations.
Yup.
Post by: grampster on April 30, 2008, 01:47:32 PM
The second letter I sent back to sender, addressee is asleep till 2009.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on April 30, 2008, 03:19:46 PM
I think they may be in for an epiphany come November.
Post by: wmenorr67 on April 30, 2008, 03:56:40 PM
Lesser of three evils and all.
Post by: SomeKid on April 30, 2008, 07:35:24 PM
Post by: taurusowner on April 30, 2008, 09:45:02 PM
Post by: MicroBalrog on April 30, 2008, 09:46:13 PM
Quote
If we fail to hold on to the White House and make gains in Congress, the Democrats have made clear they will overturn every reform you helped President Bush achieve."
Outside of the repeal of the estate/death tax, what reforms are these? Inquiring minds want to know.
Post by: Leatherneck on April 30, 2008, 11:57:29 PM
Quote
Paddy, with the type of views you have espoused here, I have to admit I find it hard to believe you ever identified yourself with the Republican Party.
ditto.After I posted a response I thought; "What? Paddy O'Riley was ever a registered Republican?" The more things change, the more they stay the same.
TC
Post by: seeker_two on May 01, 2008, 01:31:30 AM
Do you have any cinder blocks that you need to get rid of?
Post by: Perd Hapley on May 01, 2008, 02:41:41 AM
Paddy, with the type of views you have espoused here, I have to admit I find it hard to believe you ever identified yourself with the Republican Party.
I'm just surprised they want him back.
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 01, 2008, 03:34:23 AM
Post by: grampster on May 01, 2008, 04:24:00 AM
which in some ways is understandable. The only thing I can't understand it sounds like he's gone further to the left of those who lost his confidence.
I'd like to be a Republican again, too. I'm just not going to be a Democrat in the meantime. We get the government we deserve. I don't deserve McCain or Obama or Clinton, so I'll sit this one out. I've done my piece with all of my critters. One voice isn't much, so I'll just quietly watch from the sidelines from now on.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on May 01, 2008, 06:01:19 AM
Paddy, with the type of views you have espoused here, I have to admit I find it hard to believe you ever identified yourself with the Republican Party.
I have been registered Republican and voted Republican in every election since 1968. Except 1992, I voted Perot. (Can you say 'read my lips, no new taxes'? and other 'new world order thousand points of light' b.s.) I voted for George Bush in both elections, and actively worked for his campaign in 2000. I celebrated his inauguration with the purchase of a Marlin 336 Model 'W' on inauguration day in 2001.
Until very recently, and I'm talking within the last year, my views were traditionally conservative. Lower taxes, smaller government, less welfare, less regulation. A Methodist, church attending Christian conservative, anti abortion, antigay (IOW narrow minded and judgemental). If anyone reads my posts on this board and THR over a year old, you'll see my views were like most of the other members, maybe even more radically right.
During the 2004 elections, (by then I was very unhappy with both Bush and the Republican congress), I had an opportunity to speak with the Chairman of the California Republican Party. I expressed my displeasure with the big government, big spending direction our party had taken. I asked him 'what's the point of voting for Republicans when they act just like Democrats'? His answer "So what are you gonna do, vote for Kerry? You have nowhere else to go."
My disappointment with George Bush and the Republican party continued to increase after the election. I began looking into third parties and started down a path of discovery. I did some reading and investigation of the facts and came to some conclusions quite different than my lifelong beliefs. I've explained specifics other threads, no need to repeat them here. Suffice it to say the Republican party no longer represents my views, and in fact, they never have. What you see and what they pretend is not what you get. They're no better than the Democrat party and just as dishonest. The whole 'liberal vs. conservative' debate is just a smokescreen and a diversion for us to argue about.
Bottom line is, I'm unwilling to compromise anymore. I'm unwilling to support the so-called 'lesser of two evils', because it isn't 'lesser'. It's just a different evil, but just as destructive and maybe even more dangerous because it purports to be something else.
I don't have any answers or quick fixes. I only know that I'm not going to continue doing the same things and expect different results.
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on May 01, 2008, 06:15:20 AM
I thought (silly me) they may have noticed I'm no longer registered Republican and voted 'no party affiliation' in the last election.
Silly indeed. Neither the Republican Party nor the electoral process at large give a flying fig about you withdrawing your precious self. Be glad you even got the courtesy of a form letter. If they'd known your political beliefs they probably wouldn't have bothered paying the postage.I don't have any answers or quick fixes.
That's odd. You seem to pollute political threads with your crotchety answers and fixes at every opportunity.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on May 01, 2008, 06:26:19 AM
Quote
Silly indeed. Neither the Republican Party nor the electoral process at large give a flying fig about you withdrawing your precious self. Be glad you even got the courtesy of a form letter. If they'd known your political beliefs they probably wouldn't have bothered paying the postage.
Thanks for making my point. Spoken like a true Republican apparatchik and endemic of the contempt the party has for its loyal
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 01, 2008, 07:37:14 AM
Quote
Silly indeed. Neither the Republican Party nor the electoral process at large give a flying fig about you withdrawing your precious self. Be glad you even got the courtesy of a form letter. If they'd known your political beliefs they probably wouldn't have bothered paying the postage.
Thanks for making my point. Spoken like a true Republican apparatchik and endemic of the contempt the party has for its loyal
WTF?
I think you're slipping cleanly off the deep end.
Post by: Matt King on May 05, 2008, 05:30:23 PM
Hah! I got two letters. I sent the first back with some remarks and NO money. My remarks were about how offensive the platitudinous crap for questions were regarding what I'm supposed to believe in. All the same damn sound bite crap about health care and the rest of the bread and games dreck ad nauseum. I crossed all that crap out and said that once McCain and the RNC woke up to the major, single issue facing us; energy! and the lack of the balls to put forth a sane, forward thinking solution (which is so obvious, it's painful) I'm gone. Throw McCain to the curb and find someone who actually is living in the 21st Century. Start making America energy independent and the rest of the problems will solve themselves as we grow stronger, both economically and in our spirit.
The second letter I sent back to sender, addressee is asleep till 2009.
The second letter I sent back to sender, addressee is asleep till 2009.
I'm just wondering, what do you think the best way to become energy self-sufficient is?
Post by: AZRedhawk44 on May 06, 2008, 05:44:49 AM
Quote from: Paddy
During the 2004 elections, (by then I was very unhappy with both Bush and the Republican congress), I had an opportunity to speak with the Chairman of the California Republican Party. I expressed my displeasure with the big government, big spending direction our party had taken. I asked him 'what's the point of voting for Republicans when they act just like Democrats'? His answer "So what are you gonna do, vote for Kerry? You have nowhere else to go."
My disappointment with George Bush and the Republican party continued to increase after the election. I began looking into third parties and started down a path of discovery. I did some reading and investigation of the facts and came to some conclusions quite different than my lifelong beliefs. I've explained specifics other threads, no need to repeat them here. Suffice it to say the Republican party no longer represents my views, and in fact, they never have. What you see and what they pretend is not what you get. They're no better than the Democrat party and just as dishonest. The whole 'liberal vs. conservative' debate is just a smokescreen and a diversion for us to argue about.
My disappointment with George Bush and the Republican party continued to increase after the election. I began looking into third parties and started down a path of discovery. I did some reading and investigation of the facts and came to some conclusions quite different than my lifelong beliefs. I've explained specifics other threads, no need to repeat them here. Suffice it to say the Republican party no longer represents my views, and in fact, they never have. What you see and what they pretend is not what you get. They're no better than the Democrat party and just as dishonest. The whole 'liberal vs. conservative' debate is just a smokescreen and a diversion for us to argue about.
No such thing anymore as "liberal vs. conservative."
Now, it's statist versus more statist.
Paddy, judging by many of your previous posts I have developed a tendency to skim over anything you say and move on to the next poster. You've just said something here though that brought your stock up a point in my book.
Now you're at point 1.
To all others: I too am convinced that oil reserves are either a geothermic or organic process that renews itself. The idea that it is "dead dinosaurs" is just so much silliness. We need more "taps" into this process on our side of the world so that the shifty-eyed-arabs have less influence on our economy and energy sources.
Post by: grampster on May 06, 2008, 06:32:01 PM
Hah! I got two letters. I sent the first back with some remarks and NO money. My remarks were about how offensive the platitudinous crap for questions were regarding what I'm supposed to believe in. All the same damn sound bite crap about health care and the rest of the bread and games dreck ad nauseum. I crossed all that crap out and said that once McCain and the RNC woke up to the major, single issue facing us; energy! and the lack of the balls to put forth a sane, forward thinking solution (which is so obvious, it's painful) I'm gone. Throw McCain to the curb and find someone who actually is living in the 21st Century. Start making America energy independent and the rest of the problems will solve themselves as we grow stronger, both economically and in our spirit.
The second letter I sent back to sender, addressee is asleep till 2009.
The second letter I sent back to sender, addressee is asleep till 2009.
I'm just wondering, what do you think the best way to become energy self-sufficient is?
For what it's worth, and it's not worth much because I'm just a crabby 64 year old from Michigan, we need to exploit the resources we have available to us in or near America. There is no conversation going on about that in our political system. All we have is defeatism by talking about conservation. That is stupid. What made America great was our defiance in the face of adversity and plowing ahead full bore. Those who call for conservation are really calling for defeat, to give up and move backwards. I spit them out of my mouth. The 21st Century Know Nothings barrage us with "Save the Earth", Carbon Footprint, Water Footprint, Alternatives to "fossil" (if they truly are..) fuels, woe is me, America bad. We are not bad, we are a great nation and great people. Consider what the world would be like if Americans were not here. I submit it would look like the Middle East and Africa; chaos.
Certainly it makes sense to be concerned about our surroundings. We should not waste anything. Not wasting doesn't mean not finding, processing and using. One should not pee in one's bed for sure. There is a large difference however, between careful and deliberate exploitation of resources for our benefit, sober judgment about how important energy is to our freedom vs the nonsense that is going on now regarding destruction of our planet, mostly spouted by hypocrites of the highest order, or scientists looking for ways to confirm preordained notions.
If I were president, the morning after my inauguration I'd call to the White House the decision makers in charge of the American oil, gas and coal exploration companies, the refinery bosses, American and French nuclear engineers, CEO's of the companies that manufacture tooling, supplies and equipment for the those aforementioned businesses, the bright minds that are thinking about harnessing the ocean currents, river currents, the waves in the oceans, wind, hydrpgen and solar power.
We'd settle in and flesh out an energy policy for the next 50 years that would exploit the vast resources that go untapped in the oil shale in the Green River watershed, (2 trillion barrels, 1.2 trillion extractable at a profit with today's tech at a profit at $40.00 a barrel), ANWR, the Dakota/Montana/Canadian oil find, off both coasts and in the Gulf of Mexico and Straits of Florida. There are vast reserves of gas under the Great Lakes, we have coal up the oogotz. We should build at least two nuclear power plants in each state. I wouldn't subsidize a dime of what it would take to exploit those resources except with a tax credit up to eliminating any tax entirely, given only if certain benchmarks were met.
As for the niche resources such as waves, currents, wind, solar and hydrogen I'd do the same. No subsidy, only a tax credit based on performance.
Then I'd address a joint session of the congress and point fingers and name names. I'd remind them that what we are doing is in the best interests of America and Americans. You want to keep the America safe, powerful and not dependent on tin pot dictators and evil governments? I'd invite any of our Western Hemisphere friends to join with us as well as a hand in friendship to the French who have nuclear tech down pretty pat. I'd remind the congress that they serve all of America, and start thinking about unemployment if they didn't start putting our needs as Americans ahead of their election. In fact if they'd do that, they'd not have much trouble getting re-elected. I would point my fingers at and name names again while spelling out the obstructionism they have and are engaging. I would televise much of the energy deliberations that would not endanger certain proprietary advantages companies happen to have and for sure the address to the congress. I would ask the American people en mass to contact their congress critters to advise them regarding their employment.
I'd also announce the formation of a group to explore the efficacy of a national program to create a high speed electrical elevated rail system using the interstate highway rights of way which would provide safe, inexpensive travel and shipping around the country.
But since this is just me and this is just the internet, it's just another fantasy.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on May 07, 2008, 05:35:17 AM
Post by: AZRedhawk44 on May 07, 2008, 06:43:07 AM
Quote
I'd also announce the formation of a group to explore the efficacy of a national program to create a high speed electrical elevated rail system using the interstate highway rights of way which would provide safe, inexpensive travel and shipping around the country.
Interesting, but sounds non-viable to me if it is to include freight services.
Terminals, coupling/uncoupling, etc.
Post by: grampster on May 07, 2008, 05:23:23 PM
The nay sayers regarding oil are fools. Obama just put his foot in his mouth again a day or so ago when he proposed we reject our "addiction to oil". Some Americans are so gullible to high sounding speech with no substance or answers. Oil and gas are what makes the world go round at the moment. Maybe not in 50 years, but in the short run it is the only viable means of freedom and prosperity that would lead us into the paradigm shift that's needed. So we need to get it, refine it and use it. 50 years is a short time and a long time. It's short in the vast scheme of things, but it's two generation of investment and wealth creation with an eye toward the segue into whatever shakes out as the replacement for oil. Electricity probably will be the answer.