Posted on 08/29/2008 8:51:20 AM PDT by SeƱor Zorro
August is rolling over into September and, before we know it, election day will be upon us. Perhaps it is merely my impression, but most here on FR seem to have settled down with the idea of John McCain both as the Republican nominee (which he is certain to be, regardless) and, even, as President of the United States. The initial candidate debate has all but faded and virtually all here have gelled back into the Republican camp instead of the "Republicans for Romney", "Republicans for Giuliani", "Republicans for Hunter", etc. ad nauseum, ad infinitum. No doubt, this is precisely what the party dons are happy to see: lively debate during the primaries and then the base falls lockstep in line with the leadership in their infinite wisdom.
And it makes me feel like I am in the Twilight Zone. Compare the tenor of the threads, between McCain's maverick moments during Bush's presidency, especially the "Gang of 14" incident, and now. Does anyone remember the hate for "The Maverick"? The "Traitor"? Two years ago, how many here would have voted for McCain. The reason for the change, most would say, is political pragmatism. We gotta stop Obama. How many here would pick Gerald Ford over Ronald Reagan today? Not many, I should think. Yet, when Carter won the general election, we, as a nation, got Reagan after Carter managed to spend four years highlighting everything that is wrong with liberalism. It is easy to say that we will take McCain so that we will not have Obama. It is giving up the long term good to maybe (I stress maybe; the winner of this contest will be far from certain) prevent a present evil. A lesser evil. That is precious little consolation.
As soon as that line is crossed, there will be no chance left of the Republican party going back. They know that the faithful will plod along, voting Republican though the Republican party has long since turned its back on their principles.
I will vote third party--not because I think that the candidate will win (numerically, I think it is all but impossible, though God works miracles in his own time). Nor because I think the candidate is ideal (if that were the standard, not a single human being could be elected to any office), but because I will not cross this line in the sand.
Let's add this to the list so far (this from cynwoody posting earlier in this thread)
Voting is not about crossing lines in the sand. It's simply a secret action logically calculated to favor one outcome over a different outcome. It's not a post on FR or a statement of principle or anything like that.
Really??
This post is really unhealthy for me(and I suspect others) and is not helping me “Mac” the twisting “Knife” in my back for November. Palin or no Palin. I suspect prayer is going to the only way people may fully resolve themselves to the decisions needing to be made in November whatever they may be.
To hear people using the same logic and phrasings the RINO’s used to reason away conservative principles for the sake of being “liked” over the last couple of decades only to paint themselves into moderate corners *right here on FR* when you *rarely* if ever would have seen this on FR a few years ago......
Torturous, painful and wounding.
to clarify->”years ago” means the few years before I joined up(lurker) and a few in...
Choosing a President is rather more serious than Coke v. Pepsi. The US has a two party system and there are not an infinite number of choices as you imply.
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