Posted on 07/17/2005 7:46:15 AM PDT by joe_oak
June 26, 2005
Guest Viewpoint: The party's over for betrayed Republican
By James Chaney
As of today, after 25 years, I am no longer a Republican.
I take this step with deep regret, and with a deep sense of betrayal.
I still believe in the vast power of markets to inspire ideas, motivate solutions and eliminate waste. I still believe in international vigilance and a strong defense, because this world will always be home to people who will avidly seek to take or destroy what we have built as a nation. I still believe in the protection of individuals and businesses from the influence and expense of an over-involved government. I still believe in the hand-in-hand concepts of separation of church and state and absolute freedom to worship, in the rights of the states to govern themselves without undo federal interference, and in the host of other things that defined me as a Republican.
My problem is this: I believe in principles and ideals which my party has systematically discarded in the last 10 years.
My Republican Party was the party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Barry Goldwater, and George H.W. Bush. It was a party of honesty and accountability. It was a party of tolerance, and practicality and honor. It was a party that faced facts and dealt with reality, and that crafted common-sense solutions to problems based on the facts as they were, not as we wished them to be, or even worse, as we made them up. It was a party that told the truth, even when the truth came hard. And now, it is none of those things.
Fifty years from now, the Republican Party of this era will be judged by how we provided for the nation's future on three core issues: how we led the world on the environment, how we minded the business of running our country in such a way that we didn't go bankrupt, and whether we gracefully accepted our place on the world's stage as its only superpower. Sadly, we have built the foundation for dismal failure on all three counts. And we've done it in such a way that we shouldn't be surprised if neither the American people nor the world ever trusts us again.
My party has repeatedly ignored, discarded and even invented science to suit its needs, most spectacularly as to global warming. We have an opportunity and the responsibility to lead the world on this issue, but instead we've chosen greed, shortsightedness and deliberate ignorance.
We have mortgaged the country's fiscal future in a way that no Democratic Congress or administration ever did, and to justify the tax cuts that brought us here, we've simply changed the rules. I matured as a Republican believing that uncontrolled deficit spending is harmful and irresponsible; I still do. But the party has yet to explain to me why it's a good thing now, other than to say "... because we say so."
Our greatest failure, though, has been in our role as superpower. This world needs justice, democracy and compassion, and as the keystone of those things, it needs one thing above all else: truth.
Republican decisions made in 2002 and 2003 have killed almost 2,000 of the most capable patriots our country has to offer - volunteers, every one. Support for those decisions was gathered through what appeared at the time to be spin and marketing, but which now turns out to have been deliberate planning and falsehood. The Blair government's internal documentation only confirms what has been suspected for years: Americans are dying every day for Republican lies first crafted in 2002, expanded and embellished upon in 2003, and which continue to this day. This calculated deception is now burned into the legacy of the party, every bit as much as Reagan's triumph in the Cold War, or Nixon's disgrace over Watergate.
I could go on and on - about how we have compromised our international integrity by sanctioning torture, about how we are systematically dismantling the civil liberties that it took us two centuries to define and preserve, and about how we have substituted bullying, brinksmanship and "staying on message" for real political discourse - but those three issues are enough.
We're poisoning our planet through gluttony and ignorance.
We're teetering on the brink of self-inflicted insolvency.
We're selfishly and needlessly sacrificing the best of a generation.
And we're lying about it.
While it has compiled this record of failure and deception, the party which I'm leaving today has spent its time, energy and political capital trying to save Terri Schiavo, battling the threat of single-sex unions, fighting medical marijuana and physician-assisted suicide, manufacturing political crises over presidential nominees, and selling privatized Social Security to an America that isn't buying. We fiddle while Rome burns.
Enough is enough. I quit.
James Chaney is a Eugene attorney who has been in private practice for more than 20 years, and who has been a registered Republican since 1980.
GUEST VIEWPOINT
" this is a "real" letter from a "real" person."
"It's a joke from a rat op."
He is one of those girly-men.
A lawyer? And you believe what he says?
I find it amazing how many people on this website agree with this bozo and his spew. Then again, seeing how daily people here for the President to be impeached, I guess it shouldn't be amazing at all.
Ok, but read the article again, please. This nitwit doesn't debate whether Pres. Bush is conservative or not, nor does it discuss values. It repeats left-wing LIBERAL talking points. This troll poster was trying to get a few FR members to believe this crap. Looks like he/she/it was successful.
Its funny you mentioned that, I was commenting to my friends how we should all pick up and go somewhere like Montana.
I am sick of NY and looking for a way to leave.
After doing research I was sickened about how anti-military and anti-freedom the Democratic party really is. After listening to bilge coming out of the mouth of Tom Daschle one afternoon I jumped in my car and drove straight to the town office to change my registration.
"We're poisoning our planet through gluttony and ignorance.
We're teetering on the brink of self-inflicted insolvency.
We're selfishly and needlessly sacrificing the best of a generation.
And we're lying about it."
Yeah, this is from a conservative. Sheesh.
That was my thought. If this guy lists G.H.W Bush before Reagan, then I have trouble believing in his Conservative credentials.
Yep. Instant give-away.
If you are as conservative as anyone, then you'd HAVE to think that they're wrong sometimes.
There are a lot of issues where the Bush-led GOP has gone to the left.
I remember early on in the Kerry campaign when they were trying to present him as a conservative, alternative to the liberal G.W.Bush. I really couldn't believe it. Even if I were upset with some of W's more liberal policies I certainly wouldn't turn to the likes of Kerry as an alternative.
Well, looky there! Nice work, SM!
"Why would you assume nobody crosses over?"
I never did assume that nobody crosses over. However it works both ways. Go ahead and cross over to the pessimistic party of "I quit", they need you over there.
So? The Republican party, a small third party, was also emboldened in times like the Civil War. Your point was?
Yes, Teddy Roosevelt. Don't confuse Teddy with his socialist cousin Franklin. The man who drug out the great depression 10 years longer than it should have. Here is a quote from your About Page: Here's a run-down of my views: Economic Issues: Milton Friedman-inspired capitalist. Less Taxes, Less Regulation, Free Trade, and cut govt. spending! Foreign Policy: Anti-Communist, Anti-Islamist. Believe in "Peace through Strength". Maintain a superior military so that you won't have to use it.
Teddy was nothing at all like his cousin. In fact Teddy wasn't too much like any other president, the closest being Ronald Reagan. Teddy's philosophy was "walk softly and carry a big stick" He was extremely military minded, and was one of the foremost proponents of "Peace through Strength"
Because of childhood illnesses which had weakend him, and his small physique, Teddy was bound to overcome his apparent shortcomings. Apparent to others, not himself. He was the quintessential take charge, take responsibility for yourself.
Back in Teddy's day, the Republicans were more pro big business than they are today. Teddy saw definite flaws in having business totally lawless, and was the originator of antimonopoly laws. He was also an avid outdoorsman, and attacked the outdoor lifestyle with the same vigor he did everything else. I see Teddy Roosevelt being one of the ultimate capitalists and ecologists. A man who understood BALANCE. Teddy would understand the needs of people and business for lumber, and would try to balance our need for ecology. Teddy understood business and that it drove the economy of the nation, without it everybodies lifestyle would be poor, not just a few. But he also understood that SOMEbusinesses left unregulated, would hurt others. I guess I see Teddy as the first true compassionate capitalist.
Barry Goldwater might have been a great Republican for his day, but there are a few differences between Barry and Teddy. Barry was a "might have been", Teddy "was". Secondly, Barry was great in his day and time. Teddy was great for all time. Lastly, Barry Goldwater will be remembered mainly by Republicans, and only those who study history. Teddy will be remembered by all parties, even if all you have is basic American history.
|
Contributor |
Occupation |
Date |
Amount |
Recipient |
|
CHANEY, JAMES |
MCKENZIE COMMERCIAL |
10/23/1997 |
$1,000 |
Wyden, Ron |
"Unless there is more than one James Chaney in Eugene, OR, according to the FEC, this guy stopped being a Republican no later than 1997."
By jove you've got it!!!
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