Posted on 02/05/2008 6:35:23 AM PST by Mobile Vulgus
That’s right, you read the title to this piece correctly. I am admitting that I am a RINO. I admit it openly, freely, with relish even.
For those unfamiliar, RINO is not only shorthand for rhinoceros, that great beast of the African plains, but it is also an acronym. It stands for, “Republican In Name Only” -- RINO.
Now, I am not going to pull a fast one here and spell RINO out with other words. No, I’m happily sticking right with the words “Republican In Name Only.” So, there it is. I am a RINO.
Some of you reading this may already be feeling your stomach curdle at the very mention of the word RINO. After all, it’s really gotten some bad press. Rush Limbaugh and his brethren have really done a disservice to this fine descriptive word. Heck, even I have hurled it as an epithet when confronted with a politician who hasn’t lived up to my standards.
But, after reflecting on recent events, I realized that I myself am a RINO. At first I bristled at my own thoughts. But, after a time it appeared obvious that I am, indeed, a RINO.
I’m just going to have to accept it. Own it, as our pop psychology spewing friends on the left so earnestly say.
I am a RINO and here’s why…
Let me explain further why I now feel ready to accept my RINOness. (Or is that RINOcity?) Yes, I am proud that I won’t vote for a candidate who happens to claim the mantle of Republican if he does not support keeping the Guantanamo Bay terrorist holding facility open.
I am proud to oppose a Republican who thinks our troops are torturers as bad as Saddam Hussein.
I firmly stand against any Republican who is for open borders, opposes a border fence, and refuses to believe that this country faces self-destruction through cultural dilution.
Further, any Republican who works with Democrats to place moderate judges on the bench, or doesn’t want judges that are “too conservative” will not get my vote.
If the GOP candidate is for quashing free political speech, that candidate will find me ready to quash his vote totals.
If a candidate is only picked because the party “says so,” or because he is pals with the “right” people and not because of what he actually stands for, that candidate will find that no vote from me will go his way.
You see I won’t support a Republican just because he somehow was able to affix the appellation Republican to his name. I will not automatically vote for a Republican merely because he claims to be one.
I vote for candidates that happen to be right on the issues, not the ones that happen to just be a Republican. Mere Republicanism is not my way.
I support life. I support the Second Amendment. I support English as the national language. I support religious freedom. I am for school choice. I am high on defense and tough on crime. I am for smaller government, fewer regulations, less government spending and low taxes. I am for untrammeled national sovereignty and would love to see the UN cast into the ocean.
I oppose union thugs, socialist programs, unconstitutional powers, abortion for any reason, the so-called doctrine of a “living Constitution,” open borders, unearned paths to citizenship, anchor babies, high taxes, uncontrolled regulations on businesses and bans on religious expression in schools… any schools.
And, I am really against working with Democrats just to “prove” I am “reasonable” so that the liberal media establishment will love me.
Also, I will not vote for a Republican, merely to stop a Democrat from winning. The reason for that is, that such a practice leads to candidates the feel no compunction to buck the principles that the electorate wanted him to observe when he ran for office. After all, why would a candidate hold himself to such stringent standards if he won’t lose his votes anyway? Why not just do what is easier, or might benefit his wallet -- or campaign coffers -- more? Since there wouldn’t be any consequences for belying his claimed principles, what stops him from doing so?
If there are any candidates running for president on the GOP ticket that once said they did not want to seem like Ronald Reagan or once supported abortion, even if only tacitly, then he won’t get my vote. If there is a candidate who freed more criminals than any other governor in the country and was very weak on illegal invaders of our country, well that man is not for me. If there happens to be a candidate, say running for president maybe, who said that Samuel Alito was “too conservative” for him, or once supported amnesty, well he is also out for me.
I really don’t care if he claims to be a Republican or not.
I also don’t care if there are so many people just like me that the Democrat wins the White House (nor do I care which Democrat). My non-vote is NOT a vote in favor of someone else. I am a man of principle, not a man of convenience.
Certainly, our nation is built on compromise and sometimes the proverbial half a loaf is better than none. It is an undeniable truth and one that we shouldn’t try to destroy with unbending spine. But, here is the thing: compromise implies that both sides get a little something out of the deal. And, let’s face it, there isn’t much gettin’ for a conservative out of the GOP these days.
Oh, they claim to be conservative during the campaign. They say all sorts of comforting things, stand on lots of first principles and pretend that without them in office all sorts of things will go awry.
And then as soon as they take office they begin to forsake nearly every position upon which they ran. Then they start palling around with the Democrats and hobnobbing with denizens of Hollywood and skulkers in the press. And, then it’s all over. They’ve become Washington. Suddenly, being liked by the illiterati of the left becomes more important than principle.
And we, those who were foolish enough to vote for them the first time, are left wondering what happened? Yet but a few years later, we vote for that same apostate politician all over again.
After these last few primaries, I finally came to realize that I just cannot vote Republican just because. It turns out that I have realized that my loyalty lies with my conservative principles, not a political party. If there happens to be a candidate here and there that agrees with me and they happen to be a Republican… well, then that candidate will get my vote.
So, it’s no more for me. I will not blindly vote Republican just because I often canvass with them. I will not be a fool for the party while getting nothing in return. I am not a Republican first. I am a conservative.
And I am a RINO, remember?
Sorry...done holding my nose and voting for liberals just because they have an 'R' by their name. If anything, it's time you liberals (AKA "moderates") were made to hold your nose and support REAL Republicans for a change.
Well, I voted for Glenn Poshard over Lyin’ George Ryan for gov in Illinois, and even for the Constitution Party candidate for Prez when I was actually running for state rep as a Republican, so I guess I am, too.
By foisting McKennedy on us as the GOP nominee, the party has thrown down the gauntlet to conservatives. They want to see how many will stay on the plantation and vote for an open-borders, Gang of 14, Keating Five candidate just because he has an R after his name.
Count me out.
Didn’t read the article, eh? :)
Sorry...done holding my nose and voting for liberals just because they have an 'R' by their name. If anything, it's time you liberals (AKA "moderates") were made to hold your nose and support REAL Republicans for a change.
I'll bet you didn't read the whole article. Right?
LOL, this is what liberals do - they are so full of prose and other things.
This nimrod should just come out and say he’s a liberal and voting for McCain - the destructor of the conservatives in the Republican Party.
I was thinking about becoming a DINO (Democrat in name only). I think we should have a movement to create more of these. Our standards will be Zell Miller. We will only support and work to elect democrats who measure up to be like Zell Miller. Of course, being only one it will not work unless more people follow me. Will you agree to be a DIMO?
Would it not be wonderful to have two conservatives to choose from for President instead of the other way around?
I am shamed. I skimmed. And I paid the price with my own flippant remarks. *bowing head*
You MIGHT want to read the article before commenting.
I am shamed. I skimmed. And I paid the price with my own flippant remarks. *bowing head*
There is the heart of the matter. Which would be worse- President Hillary or President McCain. It is not an easy question- there is a good argument to be made that we could end up with *worse* Supreme Court nominees under McCain; it might be far easier to rally opposition and prevent cloture against a nominee of Hillary’s. She may be a fervent socialist but she also may be smart enough to leave the Guns issue alone. I could see how a president McCain could fracture and damage the Republican party far more than President Hillary (I can’t bring myself to type that last name again). Grim choices ahead :-(
lol...I thought it was going to be a pro-RINO piece too. :)
“Will you agree to be a DIMO?”
Whoops, sorry meant that to be DINO...
sometimes you should get past the third paragraph before making up your mind about something ;@)
Ha. Looks like the Sniper forgot to scout.
It looks that way, doesn’t it.
It’s the only explanation given the content of the article and the content of his/her post.
OOPS i GET IT NOW (GRABS FOR MORE COFFEE)
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