OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

Frank Schaeffer

Open Letter to the Republican Traitors (From a Former Republican)


Dear Republican Leaders: The Republican Party has become the party
dedicated to sabotaging the American future. Check out the sermon I just
delivered about the Republican Party on CNN when being interviewed by
D.L. Hughley -- and/or read on.

You Republicans are the arsonists who burned down our national home. You
combined the failed ideologies of the Religious Right, so-called free
market deregulation and the Neoconservative love of war to light a fire
that has consumed America. Now you have the nerve to criticize the
"architect" America just hired -- President Obama -- to rebuild from the
ashes. You do nothing constructive, just try to hinder the one person
willing and able to fix the mess you created.

I used to be one of you. As recently as 2000 I worked to get Senator
McCain elected in that year's primary. (McCain and Gen. Tommy Franks
wrote glowing endorsements regarding my book about military service,
AWOL.). I have a file of handwritten thank you notes from Presidents
Ford, Reagan, Bush I and II. In the 1970s and early 80s I hung out with
Jack Kemp and bought into his "supply side" myth and even wrote a book
he endorsed pushing his ideas.) There's more, but take it from me; my
parents (evangelical leaders Francis and Edith Schaeffer) and I were
about as tight with -- and useful to -- the Republican Party as anyone.
We played a big part creating the Religious Right.

In the mid 1980s I left the Religious Right, after I realized just how
very anti-American they are, (the theme I explore in my book Crazy For
God). They wanted America to fail in order to prove they were right
about America's "moral decline." Soon after McCain lost in 2000 I
re-registered as an independent in disgust with W. Bush. But I still
respected many Republicans. Not today.

How can anyone who loves our country support the Republicans now? Barry
Goldwater, William F. Buckley and Ronald Reagan defined the modern
conservatism that used to be what the Republican Party I belonged to was
about. Today no actual conservative can be a Republican. Reagan would
despise today's wholly negative Republican Party. And can you picture
the gentlemanly and always polite Ronald Reagan, endorsing a radio
hate-jock slob who crudely mocked a man with Parkinson's and who now
says he wants an American president to fail?!

With people like Limbaugh as the loudmouth image of the Republican Party
-- you need no enemies. But something far more serious has happened than
an image problem: the Republican Party has become the party of
obstruction at just the time when all Americans should be pulling
together for the good of our country. Instead, Republicans are today's
fifth column sabotaging American renewal.

President Obama has been in office barely 45 days and the Republican
Party has the nerve to blame him for the economic and military cataclysm
he inherited. I say economic and military cataclysm because without the
needless war in Iraq you all backed we would not be in the economic mess
we're in today. If that money had been spent here at home on renovating
our infrastructure, taking us toward a green economy, putting our
health-care system in order we'd be a very different situation.

As the father of a Marine who served in George W. Bush's misbegotten
wars let me say this: if President Obama's strategy to repair our
economy, infrastructure and healthcare fails that will put our troops at
far greater risk because the world will become a far more dangerous
place. So for all you flag-waving Republicans who are trying to
undermine the President at home -- if you succeed more of our troops
will be killed abroad.

When your new leader Rush Limbaugh calls for President Obama to fail
he's calling for more flag-draped coffins. Limbaugh is the new "Hanoi Jane."

For the party that created our crises of misbegotten war, mismanaged
economy, the lack of regulation of our banking industry, handing our
country to rich crooks... to obstruct the one person who is trying to
repair the damage is obscene.

Just imagine where America would be today if the 14 to 20 million voters
-- "the rube base" who slavishly follow the likes of Limbaugh -- had not
voted as a block year after year thus empowering the Republican fiasco.
We would have a regulated banking industry and would have avoided our
current financial crisis; some 4000 of our killed military men and women
would be alive; over to 35,000 wounded Americans would be whole; we
would have been leaders in the environmental movement; we would be in
the middle of a green technology boom fueling a huge expansion of our
economy and stopping our dependence on foreign oil, and our health-care
system would be reformed.

After Obama was elected, you Republican leaders had a unique last chance
to send a patriotic message of unity to the world -- and to all
Americans. You could have backed our president's economic recovery plan.
Since we all know that half of our problem is one of lost confidence and
perception, nothing would have done more to calm the markets and project
resolve and confidence than if you had been big enough to take Obama's
offered hand and had work with him -- even if you disagreed
ideologically. You had the chance to put our country first. You utterly
failed to rise to the occasion.

The worsening economic situation is your fault and your fault alone. The
Republicans created this mess through 8 years of backing the worst
president in our history and now, because you put partisan ideology
ahead of the good of our country, you have blown your last chance to
redeem yourselves. You deserve the banishment to the political
wilderness that awaits all traitors.

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...

Frank Schaeffer

Open Letter to the Republican Traitors (From a Former Republican)






Seldom have I seen my thoughts so well expressed G
and, if possible,
I'd like to send the original to many people that need to read it.


LINK? to the original publishing

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

Larry L wrote:
Frank Schaeffer

Open Letter to the Republican Traitors (From a Former Republican)

Seldom have I seen my thoughts so well expressed G
and, if possible,
I'd like to send the original to many people that need to read it.


LINK? to the original publishing

I don't know that it's the original publishing, but I read it he

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-..._b_172822.html

--
Ken Fortenberry

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

Democrats destroy the housing industry with Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac
then blame President George W. Bush for the Housing Crisis. Democrats
steal our money via taxes, but ridicule corporations for making a
profit. Democrats call people racist for doing what they do with no
shame.

During the election, to highlight Barack Hussein Obama’s constant
position changing, two entrepreneurs cooked up “Obama Waffles”,
selling the mix in boxes featuring caricatures of Barack Hussein
Obama. Liberal Democrats predictably called it racist and even got
them tossed out of a national event by complaining to reporters who
provided the equally predictable bad press.


Democrats have now stopped a black American, Senate designate Roland
Burris, from entering the Senate and taking his rightful place as
Junior Senator from IL. It’s outrageous, offensive to the American
people, insulting to the people of Illinois, and disrespectful to the
Senate itself. What does it say about an American political party
that
prevents a qualified black man from becoming a US Senator...racist,
hypocrites!


Democrats like portraying themselves as the best friend of the black
American community while disrespecting their representatives.
Democrats see a person not as an individual but the color of their
skin first and foremost..... That is the definition of a racist.
Democrats love to play racial politics to divide us and make us hate
and distrust our neighbors.


Democrats complained of the increased deficit before the 2006
election. But since gaining control of government in 2006 the
national
debt has increased by 23% in just two years. In typical hypocritical
fashion they blame others for their own lack of fiscal responsibility
and ability to govern effectively.


Democrats are corrupt hypocrite racist and no honest, self-respecting
Leftist Liberal Democrat (an oxymoron) can deny these truths.


The toilet is flushing and Capitalism is going down the drain to make
room for the stinky turd that is Socialism.


Capitalism is the uneven distribution of wealth
Socialism is the equal distribution of poverty.


The Axis of Taxes - Harry Mason Reid / Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro
Pelosi / Barack Hussein Obama.

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

On Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:12:04 -0700 (PDT), "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:


Democrats have now stopped a black American, Senate designate Roland
Burris, from entering the Senate and taking his rightful place as
Junior Senator from IL. It’s outrageous, offensive to the American
people, insulting to the people of Illinois, and disrespectful to the
Senate itself. What does it say about an American political party
that
prevents a qualified black man from becoming a US Senator...racist,
hypocrites!

Maybe you and Burris could open a waffle shop together...

HTH,
R

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...

Frank Schaeffer

Open Letter to the Republican Traitors (From a Former Republican)


Dear Republican Leaders: The Republican Party has become the party
dedicated to sabotaging the American future. Check out the sermon I just
delivered about the Republican Party on CNN when being interviewed by D.L.
Hughley -- and/or read on.

You Republicans are the arsonists who burned down our national home. You
combined the failed ideologies of the Religious Right, so-called free
market deregulation and the Neoconservative love of war to light a fire
that has consumed America. Now you have the nerve to criticize the
"architect" America just hired -- President Obama -- to rebuild from the
ashes. You do nothing constructive, just try to hinder the one person
willing and able to fix the mess you created.

I used to be one of you. As recently as 2000 I worked to get Senator
McCain elected in that year's primary. (McCain and Gen. Tommy Franks wrote
glowing endorsements regarding my book about military service, AWOL.). I
have a file of handwritten thank you notes from Presidents Ford, Reagan,
Bush I and II. In the 1970s and early 80s I hung out with Jack Kemp and
bought into his "supply side" myth and even wrote a book he endorsed
pushing his ideas.) There's more, but take it from me; my parents
(evangelical leaders Francis and Edith Schaeffer) and I were about as
tight with -- and useful to -- the Republican Party as anyone. We played a
big part creating the Religious Right.

In the mid 1980s I left the Religious Right, after I realized just how
very anti-American they are, (the theme I explore in my book Crazy For
God). They wanted America to fail in order to prove they were right about
America's "moral decline." Soon after McCain lost in 2000 I re-registered
as an independent in disgust with W. Bush. But I still respected many
Republicans. Not today.

How can anyone who loves our country support the Republicans now? Barry
Goldwater, William F. Buckley and Ronald Reagan defined the modern
conservatism that used to be what the Republican Party I belonged to was
about. Today no actual conservative can be a Republican. Reagan would
despise today's wholly negative Republican Party. And can you picture the
gentlemanly and always polite Ronald Reagan, endorsing a radio hate-jock
slob who crudely mocked a man with Parkinson's and who now says he wants
an American president to fail?!

With people like Limbaugh as the loudmouth image of the Republican
Party -- you need no enemies. But something far more serious has happened
than an image problem: the Republican Party has become the party of
obstruction at just the time when all Americans should be pulling together
for the good of our country. Instead, Republicans are today's fifth column
sabotaging American renewal.

President Obama has been in office barely 45 days and the Republican Party
has the nerve to blame him for the economic and military cataclysm he
inherited. I say economic and military cataclysm because without the
needless war in Iraq you all backed we would not be in the economic mess
we're in today. If that money had been spent here at home on renovating
our infrastructure, taking us toward a green economy, putting our
health-care system in order we'd be a very different situation.

As the father of a Marine who served in George W. Bush's misbegotten wars
let me say this: if President Obama's strategy to repair our economy,
infrastructure and healthcare fails that will put our troops at far
greater risk because the world will become a far more dangerous place. So
for all you flag-waving Republicans who are trying to undermine the
President at home -- if you succeed more of our troops will be killed
abroad.

When your new leader Rush Limbaugh calls for President Obama to fail he's
calling for more flag-draped coffins. Limbaugh is the new "Hanoi Jane."

For the party that created our crises of misbegotten war, mismanaged
economy, the lack of regulation of our banking industry, handing our
country to rich crooks... to obstruct the one person who is trying to
repair the damage is obscene.

Just imagine where America would be today if the 14 to 20 million
voters -- "the rube base" who slavishly follow the likes of Limbaugh --
had not voted as a block year after year thus empowering the Republican
fiasco. We would have a regulated banking industry and would have avoided
our current financial crisis; some 4000 of our killed military men and
women would be alive; over to 35,000 wounded Americans would be whole; we
would have been leaders in the environmental movement; we would be in the
middle of a green technology boom fueling a huge expansion of our economy
and stopping our dependence on foreign oil, and our health-care system
would be reformed.

After Obama was elected, you Republican leaders had a unique last chance
to send a patriotic message of unity to the world -- and to all Americans.
You could have backed our president's economic recovery plan. Since we all
know that half of our problem is one of lost confidence and perception,
nothing would have done more to calm the markets and project resolve and
confidence than if you had been big enough to take Obama's offered hand
and had work with him -- even if you disagreed ideologically. You had the
chance to put our country first. You utterly failed to rise to the
occasion.

The worsening economic situation is your fault and your fault alone. The
Republicans created this mess through 8 years of backing the worst
president in our history and now, because you put partisan ideology ahead
of the good of our country, you have blown your last chance to redeem
yourselves. You deserve the banishment to the political wilderness that
awaits all traitors.


I have just had a glorious day.....warm weather, went up to the local tavern
and we had the door open and were just talking and drinking...quite
nice...so...I am NOT going to respond to this! more to follow..hehehe
john

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

On Mar 10, 6:53*am, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

Banishment, quitting etc etc.. Not that anyone will take this advise
but . . .

I think a much better approach would be for R moderates and true
Conservatives to work within their party to renew it as more of a
centrist-slightly to the right, party, respectful of the power of
government for constructive as well as oppressive administration, and
capable of GOVERNING effectively. and constitutionally, when in
control of the Executive branch.

Our system of government is designed for a continental, federal
republic. Radical, ideological political parties ("factions") were the
subject of many warnings by most of the Founders and, I believe they
were right. Our two "party" system evolved as a practical way of
implementing the inherent bias of our system toward gradual, slow,
conservative change (adaptation?), based on the empirical world view
of the Founders. (Some call us the "children of the Enlightenment").
Politically, 2 reasonable alternatives, not 2 radical alternatives,
are a necessity for us. I believe that if the Rs OR the Ds trot off
into radical ideological spaces, we will become ungovernable as one
Nation.

The above is why I think moderate Rs in particular should work to move
that party toward the center where they can be a reasonable and
competitive alternative. (And also why personally I have favored a
"mainstream" approach in the Democratic party, although the Bushies
have had me wishing for criminal trials and worse at times.)

Anyway
Dave

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

DaveS wrote:
...
I think a much better approach would be for R moderates and true
Conservatives to work within their party to renew it as more of a
centrist-slightly to the right, party, respectful of the power of
government for constructive as well as oppressive administration, and
capable of GOVERNING effectively. and constitutionally, when in
control of the Executive branch. ...

Yeah, I agree that a loyal opposition is a good thing if for
nothing else than to force us to look at the issues from all
angles and be fully versed in alternative ways of accomplishing
our national goals. I don't know that the GOP can be that loyal
opposition, they may be too far gone.

Take Arlen Specter for instance, a thoughtful, diligent, capable
Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter faces a primary challenge he
may very well lose in 2010 even though he would be reelected easily
were he the GOP nominee. GOP chair Michael Steele has already
indicated that he could back a challenger in the Pennsylvania GOP
primary.

Specter's problems in Pennsylvania are mirrored all over the country.
The challenge to a moderate GOP comes not from Dems on the left but
from whackjobs on the right. The GOP no longer has the majority of
any demographic save one, older, less affluent, uneducated white males.
Every other demographic, women, the younger voters, affluent voters,
people of color, people with an education are leaving the GOP in
droves. In America, just like on roff, the only folks left in the
GOP are the whackjobs.

--
Ken Fortenberry

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

On Mar 11, 7:54*am, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

I think its a serious concern (deep wounding of the 2 party system)
but maybe the next election will see the R moderates reassert, and the
America haters tone it down. At the State and local level there are
some mixed signs, as Rs have to deal with the practical issues of
governing, that RNC and the ideologues can gloss over. There are Govs
and some R congressmen that seem to be making these shifts away from
the lockstep march into oblivion the shock jocks are stage managing.
It could take a while. Remember that it took a while for the
Democratic Leadership project of the Clintons to start to pay off in
terms of making the internal moderating compromises with the diverse
special interest groups, while keeping the party focused on mainstream
issues with broad appeal. The key now for the Ds is to deliver more
effective government at a price the country can afford, and social
progress that unites rather than divides. And that can only happen if
the Ds can get the cleaned up, private sector economic engine
restarted. For now the R radicals seem bound and determined to be AWOL
from that job.

Dave

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

On Mar 11, 2:35*pm, DaveS wrote:
And that can only happen if
the Ds can get the cleaned up, private sector economic engine
restarted. For now the R radicals seem bound and determined
to be AWOL from that job.

Alas, not so much AWOL from the job as intentionally hindering it.

Joe F.

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
Take Arlen Specter for instance, a thoughtful, diligent, capable
Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter faces a primary challenge he
may very well lose in 2010 even though he would be reelected easily
were he the GOP nominee.

there is debate in Democratic Party meetings over whether to support Specter
in the primary(as he IS a good representative of the State, and has lots of
clout), which could easily get him past any challenge(think a million union
members temporarily changing party affiliation next March....), or letting
him get beat and hammering the bejeezus out of the right-wing loon that
beats him. Downside to the latter is having two fairly low tenured Senators,
not conducive to helping the State in the long run.
Tom

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote

, just like on roff, the only folks left in the
GOP are the whackjobs.



Ken, they need you over at rec.outdoors.rv-travel


I've been doing a little research in preparation for a more full time rv
lifestyle after my wife retires and have asked a couple questions on that
UseNet group.


The demographics over there seems to be, old, enough money to own an RV,
old, white, not well educated, old, retired, scared of almost everything,
and, ... old

It's nearly impossible to wade through all the political jibberish to find
any post vaguely on topic ( similar to ROFF ) but the average wackjob looney
over there makes Dave LaCourse seem level headed and open minded ( and they
average 2 or 300 posts/day )

You might want to get over there and straighten them out if ROFF gets any
more lonely.

OT GOP scolding from a former true believer
 

On Mar 11, 6:03*pm, "Larry L" wrote:
Ken, they need you over at rec.outdoors.rv-travel

I used to hang out at alt.rv.pop-up-trailer, and it wasn't the
politics as much as the apparent demographic that finally got to me.
Not quite the old retiree cohort, but a lot of religious conservatism,
home schoolers, and general intolerance for any liberal viewpoint.
Lots of good folks there despite our political and social
disagreements; but after a few dozen versions of the same discussions
on trailer sway and dutch oven recipes, it just lost my interest.
That; and I sold my pop up.

If that group is still around, there is, like roff, some good
practical info among the other stuff. I haven't been back in years,
so I don't know what it's like any more.

Joe F.

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

"rb608" wrote

a lot of religious conservatism,
home schoolers, and general intolerance




Heah !! We home schooled my kid one year ( 2nd grade ) and I'm pretty
sure I don't deserve to be lumped into a group that includes 'religious
conservatism' or 'general intolerance' G

////////////


IMHO, one of the great shortcomings of our culture is the low status and
social position given teachers.

My son had a TERRIBLE teacher for first grade. When you met her it was very
clear she didn't like children or her job. My son, who had loved
Kindergarten quickly became a youngster that hated school. He would sit
in my truck as we waited for the school bus ( it wouldn't come down to our
end of the road house ) and want to play math games with me, or read the
street signs, or read magazines I might have in the cab ... but he HATED to
go to school. Think about that, a child eager to learn but dreading
school ... I still shiver at the sad image.

At the end of that year we determined that we would get him out of that
school ( very small, rural, anything but progressive ) after the principal
told us he knew he 'had a problem' in the awful teacher but he wasn't going
to do anything about it. So we tried the home schooling. It went 'OK'
but my wife worked, as did I ( at home), and it wasn't the answer, for us.

So, we transferred him to a different district. That meant I had to drive
him to and pick him up from school each day, but, lord was it worth that and
more.

His 3rd grade teacher was Penny M____ and I'm tempted to use her full name
because she is one of my greatest heroes. The first couple weeks of 3rd
grade the kid would explain that he just wouldn't go to school, that he'd
run away if that is what it took, if the new teacher turned out to be like
1st grade. Scared about his future, and nearly as sad as having at a very
ill child, we'd promise him that if it wasn't better we'd find a different
school.

Penny recognized his badly damaged attitude, and his unique abilities, took
him under her wing, and turned him around. I am, as I've told her several
times, eternally grateful for her skill and her caring and her profession
( in such good hands) .

My 'little boy' graduates from the University of the Pacific in May, with
honors, Phi Beta Kappa, etc .... something I honestly believe would never
have happened without Penny's dedication to her extremely important job of
teaching 3rd grade. We all, at the Linthicum house, love you, Penny, and
respect your work as much as any work done by anyone, anywhere.


Larry L ( who admits the home schooling sub culture is a bit odd ... during
that 2nd grade year we went to several social events designed to help HS
kids get more contact with others, and we were not really in a group of
ideological peers :-)

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

On Mar 12, 10:27*am, "Larry L" wrote:
Heah !! * *We home schooled my kid one year ( 2nd grade ) and I'm pretty
sure I don't deserve to be lumped into a group that includes 'religious
conservatism' or 'general intolerance' G

Ironically, I tried making a similar point in the arvput group a few
times that homeschooling by itself wasn't a bad thing; but a few of
them, from what I could determine, had removed their kids from the
public system for the wrong reasons and to the likely detriment of
their kid's education IMO.

I also echo your praise of teachers. Too few people, I think, really
understand what the science of teaching entails. It's not necessarily
expertise in the subject matter, it's the art/science of how to best
impart that knowledge to the students. Like Penny, the good ones
understand each student's particular avenues of learning and adjust
their approach accordingly. Not so hard if you're teaching one's own
child; but damned tough with a class of 30 diverse learners. (Judging
by the results of my class' midterm grades, I kinda suck at it.)

We had a 2nd grade teacher who we still consider a friend because of
her amazing ability to reach and motivate her kids, ours included.
She's the greatest. It's truly amazing to see how a good teacher or
team can change the lives of kids.

Joe F.

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

"rb608" wrote

(Judging
by the results of my class' midterm grades, I kinda suck at it.)


Hopefully you're mostly kidding .... if not, back up and remember that
'scores' are only a small part of success ... another thing our culture
needs to understand better




It's truly amazing to see how a good teacher or
team can change the lives of kids.



AMEN And let me continue by adding that each of those positively
changed kids is FAR more likely to make positive changes in dozens and
dozens of other lives, over time, not just by teaching but simply by being
'better' What we do, good or bad, spreads out from us and ...yes ...
genuinely changes the world ... our part of it, for sure. As you teach,
remember ( for me:-) that YOU are changing the lives of your students, their
kids, and their grandkids ... and for the better I'm sure, Joe.


Larry L ( who thinks of you daily since the neighbor girl as baby lambs
...... 4H .... she just won a laptop, one of those animal carriers that fits
in the bed of a pickup, and a fancy animal weighing scale at a show ... and
is going to the Cow Palace soon, I think )

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

On Mar 12, 11:29*am, "Larry L" wrote:
..... 4H .... she just won a laptop, one of those animal carriers that fits
in the bed of a pickup, and a fancy animal weighing scale at a show *.... and
is going to the Cow Palace soon, I think )

Very cool. I'm just hoping the bottle feeding stage ends soon.
They're cute, but it's getting old. :-)

Joe F.

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

rb608 wrote:
Very cool. I'm just hoping the bottle feeding stage ends soon.
They're cute, but it's getting old. :-)

Pardon my ignorance, but I've got to ask. Why bottle feeding ?
Doesn't the ewe take care of feeding the lambs ?

--
Ken Fortenberry

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

On Mar 12, 1:08*pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Pardon my ignorance, but I've got to ask. Why bottle feeding ?
Doesn't the ewe take care of feeding the lambs ?

No ignorace; you're exactly right. The ewe is *supposed* to take care
of the lambs; but sometimes that instinct doesn't kick in for some
reason. Two things happen: You bottle feed the lambs or lose them,
and the ewe ends up in the chili so it doesn't happen again next year.

Joe F.

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

rb608 wrote:
No ignorace; ...

Joe, I really like this word. Even beter as a noun - ignoracist. Just watch.
This word will be all the rage in a few years.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Thanks teachers like Penny ... we're forever grateful
 

"Tim J." wrote in message
m...
rb608 wrote:
No ignorace; ...

Joe, I really like this word. Even beter as a noun - ignoracist. Just
watch. This word will be all the rage in a few years.
--
TL,
Tim

hilarious!
Tom