Posted on 07/24/2008 6:57:21 AM PDT by ZakCarter
My reasons for leaving the Party that I’ve felt at home in since I became politically aware are numerous. I will start with quoting countless conservatives who feel as I do - I didn’t so much leave the Republican Party, it was the Party that left me. The elected Republican officials failed to implement a conservative agenda, despite having the Presidency and both houses of congress. No Child Left Behind, Prescription Drug Entitlements; they even tried to force Amnesty for illegal aliens upon us. They have given us a government that would make even LBJ blush. Our businesses and land have more regulatory red tape to deal with than ever.
Where is the Republican Party that stood for limited government, personal responsibility, a strong national defense, and against being the world’s policeman? As recently as the 90’s Republicans railed against a foreign policy of “making the world safe for democracy”, (which is historically the Democrats foreign policy, ala Woodrow Wilson) when Bill Clinton was President and he took us to war in Bosnia and Kosovo.
From its inception, the Republican Party advocated a humble foreign policy in line with our founding fathers recommendations, now, with John McCain as the leader and voice of the GOP, we are told to get behind his idea for a “League of Democracies” which sounds terrifyingly similar to Wilson and his Progressive Democrats “League of Nations” almost 100 years ago.
We are also being told by McCain that we will have to Cap and Trade our liberty and our pursuit of happiness in the fight against global warming, essentially that if we don’t give government more money and power, utopia will never be reached.
Some have told me that I should support him because he will appoint conservative judges, but I ask these questions - 1. Who’s definition of conservative are we talking about? And 2. Why would I trust the man on this issue when he is one of the “Gang of 14” who was blocking President Bush’s conservative lower federal court and Circuit Courts of Appeal judicial nominees? His long-standing, but little-noticed association with left-wing donors such as George Soros and Teresa Heinz Kerry is receiving new attention among his Republican critics and definitely troubles me. I would also remind you of his historical propensity to appease those even more liberal than himself. His version of “reaching across the aisle” looks more like a group hug when he crafts legislation like the McCain / Kennedy and McCain / Feingold bills. McCain / Feingold happens to be the reason McCain should not get the NRA’s endorsement, the NRA spent years fighting this trampling of our 1st amendment rights. McCain has not been the solid 2nd amendment supporter he would like you to believe he is - he cosponsored legislation which could require registration of attendees at gun shows and even ban such shows. Add to this the barely passing “C” grade from the NRA in his last senate run in 04‘, the “F” grade the Gun Owners of America gives him today and reflect on the work he did in 2000 with Americans for Gun Safety, an anti-gun group with a deceiving name, and you get a very different picture than the one he wants us to see.
The differences between McCain and Obama are minimal, when you consider that both believe big government can save you from yourself, and that we can save other nations from themselves as well. Given McCain’s track record of conciliatory dealings with Democrats, I fear what this man would do with a Democratic House and Senate. I will not play along with the game of lesser of two evils, as I believe that is part of what has plunged this nation into the mess we find ourselves today.
Once upon a time the Republican Party stood against special interests, corruption and abuse of power. Today their candidates campaign is “ of the lobbyist, by the lobbyist, for the lobbyist.” A man who admits Washington’s corruption has tainted him. Google Keating 5 and read all about it.
The Republican Party today would be unrecognizable to my favorite Republicans of yesterday, such as Barry Goldwater, who said “ A government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take it all away.” President Eisenhower, who warned us of the Military Industrial Complex, and one whose party membership is a surprise to many today but shouldn’t be, Martin Luther King Jr. The party is just as unrecognizable to myself and others of my generation.
I had to draw a line in the sand, and the Republican Party wasted no time in crossing it, when they and the President pushed for “economic stimulus checks.” The only problem is this, the money isn’t money that we have, its money we are borrowing, and our excessive borrowing becomes a tax on future generations, as we wont be paying it off any time soon. Want to try to sell this as economically conservative? Excessive borrowing and spending has the added affect of devaluing our currency, so it acts as a hidden tax on us today. As I heard one of the presidential candidates say in regards to these stimulus checks, “ Whose economy are we stimulating here? Ours or Chinas? We are borrowing more money from China so everyone can go buy more stuff made in China.” I get it, others in the GOP get it, so why doesn’t the party leadership?
I can’t take anymore disrespect for conservative values, and unless the Republican Party wakes up and gets it’s head on straight real soon, I will be taking my vote, my time, energy, money, and passion from the GOP and taking it to the Libertarian Party to send a message to the Republican leadership that I will not be taken for granted. I believe that it is solid conservatism that wins the day and elections - limited government, individual responsibility, and a strong national DEFENSE (secure the borders!), not conciliation and surrender to Democrats to the point that our differences become blurry.
The Libertarian Party seems to be a perfect temporary home, the GOP has its work cut out if its sincere about winning me back, even President Reagan said “Libertarianism is the very heart and soul of conservatism.” I will be doing everything I can to sway like minded conservatives to join me in this exodus and vote for Bob Barr for President and Wayne Root for Vice President on the Libertarian ticket. Both of them were recently Republicans, and are among those countless conservatives I‘ve heard myself say “ It wasn’t that I left the Republican Party, it was the Party that left me.”
Thanks and God Bless, from Zak Carter
I would agree with that, but it is important to differentiate between the two. A conservative is not always a republican. Right?
WOW! You flamed yourself???
Is this the same Bob Barr who has endorsed Al Gore's idea that would essentially require the nationalization of the American economy? I'm sure the LP is proud of him!
You are clearly suffering from Ed ZAKery disease:
Your HEAD looks exZAKery like yo AZZ!
Good riddance troll, soon you will be zotted, and the rest of us will still be here.
AMF!
Same here.
Despite the man’s Opus, he’s sorta correct. The party has drifted into being nothing more than socialism lite. 20 years ago, somebody like John McCain would have been laughed out of the primaries.
Pass the kettle corn.
Cool! I’m never IBTZ anymore.
Buddy, you ain’t nuthin’ but a zotwanker.\\
so:
ZOT - you Wanker
You signed up today to pick your nose and eat it?
Wow, that’s pretty lame.
Any other talents you can showcase?
I did the latter once, 25 years ago from my church. I know what's involved -- the RINO party hasn't quite crossed the line but it's close.
“...such as Barry Goldwater, who said “ A government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take it all away.”
I think this quote originated with Thomas Jefferson.
I’m with you on some things, and others I think McCain is getting a bad wrap.
The Keating 5 thing is old news. No one knows whether he actually did anything wrong, and a situation like it certianly hasn’t happened again. I think it’s a reach for people who aren’t into him to try to attack him with it because there simply is no proof that it means anything at all.
McCain is indeed wrong about global warming and cap and trade is wrong. In any event we can’t afford for the government to take more money out of the economy, especially to curb a phenomina that there are still major questions being raised to its cause, and is now being refuted by major scientific organizaitons. We need to put an end to the debate by actually deterniming the cause of warming, rather than spending tons of money and hurting the economy for most likely no particular benefit. Until we know beyond the shadow of a doubt, spending any money on reducing global warming is a kin to stockpiling snake oil, the real expensive imported kind at that.
I understand McCain’s desire to be compassionate about illegals. I don’t like the idea of rounding them all up regardless of their situaition and sending them back. It appears rather brutal to me. The bill he had with Kennedy was simply a bad bill because it actually provided protections to people caught crossing the border, did nothing to strengthen enforcement against the employers, and let way too many people stay here. That bill deserved to die.
The heart of the immigration debate for me is that these people somehow manage to vote. Frankly, if they are peaceful and don’t bother other people I don’t have any problem with them staying here, but they should never be allowed to vote in any way, shape or form, and they should not be able to get any kind of government aid except for public education though high school. No welfare, no health benefits, no higher education grants. If they want to be here they have to pay their own way or it’s time to leave.
Any kind of compassionate immigration bill must include restrictions on voting and must mandate to states that any federal election must follow new voter identification rules. We simply cannot have them impacting our national politics.
On a positive note, McCain has promised to reform failed bureaucracy, veto pork, clamp down on corruption (he was the one who blew the whistle on the DeLay bunch — part of the party that left me). These things are very important to me. I want a government that works for average folks, is worth the money we spend on it, and is more concerned with common sense solutions than playing games. These are, to me, the main things that are wrong with government and because of that I will vote McCain.
If he wins, however, I will have to do my part and pay attention to what is going on, and become as vocal as possible about the things he might be contemplating that I don’t like.
IBTZ !!!!
"I haven't been in before the zot this much since I was a Boy Scout leader!"
So, you’ll be voting for George Washington this fall? As a write in? If not, why not?
So, you’ll be writing in George Washington on Election Day, right? If not, why not?
So, you’ll be writing in George Washington on Election Day, right? If not, why not?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
