Posted on 01/31/2004 12:41:27 PM PST by jimkress
Had dinner with an old friend last night, a long-time Republican political operative who – in 1981 – talked me into taking a sabbatical from journalism and going to Washington as a press secretary to Congressman Paul Findley.
He’s been a Republican all his life. Grew up in a GOP family. Served more than one term as a county chairman as well as a Republican National Committeeman.
So it surprised me when he opened the dinner table conversation with: “I’m not going to vote for George W. Bush in November. I may vote for John Kerry if he’s the Democratic nominee.”
Strange things can happen in this world. Joe Gibbs can come out of retirement to coach the Washington Redskins one more time. Hell, the Carolina Panthers might even win the Super Bowl. But when a lifelong Republican tells me he might vote for John Kerry, I wait for a voice to start saying “you’re entering another dimension…next stop – The Twilight Zone.”
“I’m a Republican because I believe in less government, of letting states make the decisions that affect our lives,” he said. “I believe in a balanced budget. But my party no longer believes in any of these things. I can’t be a part of what I think is destroying this country.”
His comments echo what I have been hearing after three weeks on the campaign trail. Republicans are fed up with an administration that has created the largest federal bureaucracy ever, with record deficits and with increasing federal power and control over our lives.
But they’re not just fed up with George W. Bush, they’re fed up with a Republican-controlled Congress that passed the largest, most pork-laden transportation bill in history, that abandoned its promise to impose term limits and that broke most of the promises of the 1994 “Contract With America” that gave them control of Capitol Hill in the first place.
My friend’s theory: “You know the old bromide that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely? Well, my party has taken it step further. Absolute power leads to madness. It makes me, a Republican, long for Democrats back in control. That is pure madness but I can’t help it.”
I’ve been around politics as a journalist or an operative for nearly 40 years and the dissension within the GOP is the worst I’ve ever seen. At a Republican caucus earlier this week, California Republican Congressman Chris Cox headed a group of conservative members who told Speaker of the House Denny Hastert that a GOP Congress was being undermined by Bush's actions in the White House. One member reportedly said a GOP Congress could deal more effectively with a Democrat in the White House than they can with Bush.
“At least we know what to expect from a Democratic President,” he said.
Figures........go drink your diner, and keep that stupification going.
Ended a very frank conversation just a while ago.
The words "Titanic" and "Losing water fast" kept coming up in the conversation . .
Don't forget to roll out a red carpet.
Don't make me go get the big dictionary cause it's real heavy.
Here's the thing: I want a Third Party proponent to actually tell me what they expect will happen when they vote Third Party.
Do you think your third party will win? Explain how.
If your candidate doesn't win, who do you think will win? Explain your reasoning.
Should your vote for a third party lose the presidency for George Bush, explain how a democrat would be acceptable.
Explain how we will take back the White House with a conservative in 2008 when 75% of the country is not conservative, and when the media is actively against us.
Explain who you think a democrat would appoint for Secretary of Defense.
Explain the effect on military morale when the Commander in Chief that they love is turned out of office.
You kids have a rude awakening coming.
Perhaps someday you'll manage to grow up, mature, and stop being petulant little kids.
I assume they will be re-assessing the iceberg situation at the point where Kerry's poll numbers are 55%-45% over Dubya.
I'm OK with the budget, planning and successful policy can bring it back down - Reagan did it and Bush has said he'd do it.
BUT if he continues to sleep with senor Fox he is looking at a revolution.
However, I certainly have concerns about some of President Bush's past and present agenda, and I can understand the frustration which might drive some conservatives to take a serious look at the Constitution Party.
It appears to me that even if the Constitution Party candidate successfully won the White House at this time, he would not be successful in accomplishing the smaller government, lower taxes goals that I definitely support.
I believe the reason would be that a single person fighting both major parties (in congress and the judiciary) would fail, and permanently kill any future chances for the Constitution Party to be successful on a National scale.
I do believe that there is a real possibility that if the Constitution Party could convince enough conservatives to elect its candidates at local and state levels, followed by in-roads into the congress and Governorships, conservatives would have attained the political "throw-weight" to achieve the White House at some future point.
In my view, President Bush represents the best choice for the next four years. I do believe that there is a real possibility for a third party. However, it will have to learn to crawl, walk, then run before it will be in a viable position to provide a future President.
Additionally, while it was working it's way toward political viability, it would provide a large lever for conservatives to use in redirecting the ship of state toward conservative waters.
It would be foolish for President Bush and his administration to disregard the concerns being voiced, and I empathize with conservatives who are legitimately concerned about many of the President's policies.
At this juncture, I believe I will be voting for President Bush's re-election, however, if the Republicans do not come to their senses, it will only be a matter of time before I will have to look for another party and/or candidates who will pursue smaller government, less taxes, etc. I can't foresee the democrats ever coming back from the leftist abyss that they have fallen into, so I don't expect that I could/would ever vote for a democrat.
This is probably a bit rambling, but I read almost all of these Bush "yes/no" threads, and I can see some validity in both sides of the arguments.
I hope the Republicans can keep their conservative base intact, based upon their actions, if not, I hope that another party will rise up and provide a transitional path for conservatives to continue to take this country back from the leftists.
Note: This wasn't aimed at you in particular, you just had a good post that provided the jump off point for me.
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