In other words, "the system made me do it." A squandering of conservative principles is a squandering of conservative principles, even when--or especially when--it's a conservative doing the squandering. Nobody gets a pass. Tom's endorsement of a measure he knows to be a snow job has caused a lot of problems. His imprimatur is being used to silence conservatives and sell what certainly appears to be an undesirable Proposition.
"He's a victim of the two party system and I don't believe he would have taken this course had he a viable alternative. Had he not cooperated with the CAGOP he wouldn't have gained their full support. Had he again stood up to the CAGOP, his candidacy would have again been torpedoed at the primary level and again he would have been a minority loser."
These are excuses, not justification.
"Candidates like McClintock...are victims of their own aspirations within a system that values winning over principles."
Nobody is a victim. Those who make a calculated decision to let aspirations trump principles should not be offended when they are called on it. The first compromise may seem insignificant but, too often, it turns out to be the slippery slope; once on it, it's hard to get off.
I'm not trying to start a big argument here. I wanted you to understand how I, and perhaps at least a few other conservatives, feel about this. I will continue to support Tom because I believe he can actually fix the damn system if we can ever get him elected.
I suppose I am guilty of being willing to compromise my own principles--at least on this issue--in order to get a real conservative elected. So I now join Tom on that slippery slope. This, however, changes nothing. I just hope we can contain any damage that may have been done.
Which leads to some thorny questions.
Would you rather have seen MClintock remain pure in his small kingdom or change to seek political success in another?
How much more borrowing will McClintock have to support before he becomes part of the problem and not the solution?
If events are predictable, McClintock with have to stand shoulder to shoulder with Schwarzenegger and muster his best enthusiasm to support a candidate with whom he shares limited principle. How much back slapping will you tolerate before you say "Enough!"?