I reached this exact point in the LAST election. The GOP doesn’t need me. From now on, I vote my conscience only and will not play the GOP’s perennial “lesser of two socialist evils” game. I will sit out. Folks like Ann Coulter are trying to change that game by voting for Obama if Romney is nominated. She’s not crazy; she’s just disgusted and mad and not going to take it anymore.
I think we’ve reached the end of the line for the GOP. With the exception of Reagan, they’ve done little or nothing to roll back any of the moves toward bigger spending, higher taxes, and moral breakdown.
And even Reagan gave up after a while on trying to cut spending and bureaucracy. He could only do so much, and decided that that aspect was hopeless.
We’ve gone past the point of no return. Romney would be as bad as Obama, if not worse, since he would do much the same, but would step in to take the blame for the economic disaster and prepare the way for the next Obama.
We need a new Second Party. The Republican Establishment not only is hopelessly corrupt in DC, but pretty much everywhere else. Not a new third party, but a new second party. There is a conservative majority out there, longing for change, but they need to get behind some really strong candidate of their own.
Sarah Palin was my earlier hope—she has proved that she can do this sort of thing, and clean out her GOP “allies” as well as the Democrats. But I don’t know if that’s in the cards any longer.
If you look at reform in history, it needs new institutions after things have gotten bad enough. That’s how monastic reform recurrently happened in the middle ages, as the old religious orders sank into irrelevancy and new ones took their places. And that’s how parties have changed—not be reforming them, but by replacing them, after they have sunk too far to be saved.
Some of the best Whig politicians moved over to the new Republican Party, and helped out. But there was no way that the Whigs were ever going to change. That party had to die, and take most of its corrupt leaders with it.
1. Don't expect change from someone who gets your approval regardless of his actions.
2. Our Founding Fathers had no problem creating new political parties that reflected their values.
3. God will not reward doing what is expedient rather than doing what is right.
How could they ignore the 2010 elections?
I feel like I gave the Republican party one last chance to save themselves, and they were too stupid to take it.
My take on the next election is:
R 33, D 33, a conservative candidate as Tea Party, Independent, Constitution Party, whatever 34%.
It’s time to use the numbers against the status quo.
Ross Perot was crazy, and he still got lots of votes.
This year, we’ve got the internet and youtube, and can SEE them laughing at us.
If Mitt is the nominee, then I say it’s time for revolution!!
That stinging sensation in your back, Mr. Santorum? It's probably nothing.
There is a BIG difference between not voting and not voting for Romney.
2012 is not just a Presidential election for one thing.
For another, I will not vote for Romney and I could care less if people repeatedly say I am therefore voting of Obama.
I voted for McCain last time and guess what.. Obama won???
Otherwise, either I have a choice or I do not.
There is no evidence that Romney would be any different than Obama.
All we have is Romney saying the oposite of his own liberal record.
All we have is experts? Questionable polls? telling us Romney is the “most electable” but they can’t say why..? Just becuase? That’s a convincing argument?
>>...A heretical question: Is actively withholding one’s vote in protest a sign of apathy, or can it be an apothecary for the patient in question?...<<
It will provide temporary — *very* temporary — satisfaction. The day after the election, the frustration, disgust and anger will continue unabated.
If we *truly* want to fix the situation more to our liking, then we will simply have to increase the number of voters who will nominate, support and vote for more conservative candidates and reduce the number of voters who are (as I type this) ready, willing and able to support & vote for Romney/RINOs/RNC/GOP-e. We are flat outnumbered, fair and square. We can fix it, but it’s easier said than done.
If Obama is re-elected It is GAME OVER! Let us, first, ensure that doesn’t happen.
Who is the GOP?
Anything you can do with a third party you can do easier and quicker within the GOP.
We hear these same cries every election. We hear the cries from the right, and from the left.
The majority of Americans aren’t political junkies, and don’t spend a lot of time analyzing politics, finance etc. The vast majority of Americans are center-right or center left.
There will be no new party. The two major parties have made sure of that. We can make the best of the situation or become victims of it.
That is our choice.
I’ve prepared for years and I’m making the best of it. I think this is hardest on the younger folks, they have less experience and are more idealistic. Been there myself. I would trade my knowledge for their youth, but that can’t be done either.
It’s been a great ride, and I’m ready for the challenges ahead. As always, it’s what I do that makes 98% most difference. Reliance on elected officials is a liberal trait. Thinking that if we just elected the ‘right people’ problems would be ameliorated is a pipe dream.
I react to the power structure and use it to my advantage where possible. It’s a tough world. You are on your own, and you always will be on your own, other than family and perhaps a few friends. Any problems you have will only be solved by you.
Good luck, and as my Native American friends say, Many Blessings.
Voting just encourages the b@st@rds. That said, voting is still the only recourse most of us have to be heard in DC. Still not sure when we’ll have a primary here in Texas. The black robes here are doing their best to deny the voting rights of the citizenry.
First, this is not over yet, so work for either Newt or Santorum to defeat Romney; donate, call, volunteer.
Second, work for the best slate of conservative candidates in congress, the senate, and down the ballot locally.
Third, if Romney wins, it's because we didn't (which would be a huge bummer), so suck it up and work harder for those other candidates in order to push Romney as far to the right as is humanly possible.
Last, if Romney wins, buy a fifth of something good, enjoy, and go vote for anyone but Obama. Obama really is horrid, and really must be stopped from four years of more tyranny and total leftist corruption.
Even with a liberal like Clinton, a “more” conservative Congress (well, House of Reps) was able to contain the damage somewhat of the Executive..led by Gingrich by the way.
So, even if Mitt were to oust Obama (although I’ll be voting for Gingrich if he’s on the ballot when the primary gets to my state), a “more” conservative Congress could conceivably force Mitt to govern more to the right (as it did with Clinton) than it ever could a 2nd-term Obama.
Folks who elect to abstain from voting because of their dislike of the Republican nominee, or who vote third party and allow Obama another 4 years will be part of the problem, rather than part of the solution, in my view.
Bottom line: we need to do what we can to increase the power and influence of constitutional conservatives in every level of our government and not focus solely on the Executive.
Put another way, which would be easier for a more conservative Congress to check, a radical ideologue like Obama or a semi-liberal, RINO like Romney?
Not the ideal situation here (much rather have a good constitutional conservative candidate), but there it is.
I think if you are at that point you focus your political energy on House/Senate/Governorships etc. I am almost positive you have several serious conservatives running for one or more of these offices. Even getting to the local level, Mayor or Supervisor and so on.
I don’t think that the GOP does not want the conservative vote. I think they feel that conservatives are a done deal and they do not have to earn our votes. We are to the GOP what the African-American vote is to the Dems. They know we aren’t going anywhere else and at the end of the day we’ll hold our noses. That’s why I keep saying we have to support conservatives only and write in where there is not a conservative on the ballot.
I live in WA. My vote does not matter ... Obama will get all 10 of our votes anyway. So, I can vote for Mickey Mouse with no consequences to the election. So I might, but I will NEVER vote for Romney.