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?
Think more coffee will help? =)
lol.
Don’t you mean the voters of New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina, McCain wasn’t favored by “The Party” at all.
AMEN!
RINO? Maybe, but what you appear to be is an actual Conservative.
That is a VERY different thing from a Republican.
Sean Hannity is a Republican.
Ann Coulter is a Conservative.
Just hit me on the back of the head and get it over with! AHHH!
;-)
By this definition, I am a RINO. I will not vote for McCain or Romney just because they can win as they do not meet the minimum qualifications to be a Conservative, the first of which is being more truthfull than not.
Compromise and "half a loaf" are part of the problem. Why is it that ONLY Republicans compromise?
One never hears of Democrats compromising on their core principles. Sure, they'll "compromise" by cutting the costs from 17 billion to 15 billion - but they'll never compromise on the principle that government provides the solution in the first place.
For me, that's the problem with RINOs. They are willing to compromise principle for political expediency and personal power or status and invitations to all the "right" parties.
RINOs and Democrats working together could lead to the demise of the USA as we know it. (I'm not saying it will, but it could.) For the sake of my children and future generations, I will not go there!
Yes, drink another pot or two. I’m going to.
;^)
I didn’t get that the writer was a “Moderate”. What I got is that (if you read the whole article) he is saying that he is going to vote on PRINCIPLES - something a lot of people on this site won’t do, but rather look for the “electable candidate”, or “work with Democrats to be able to be liked by the media” and so on.
I think all those people are dumbasses. And this guy isn’t a “RINO” because he is acting exactly like we expect Conservative Republicans to act. Thus he is a Republican, and not in Name Only.
Compartmentalization of Clinton fame is one of those traits one is born with so I struggle to discern how to get there from here to vote democrat.
Maybe. Maybe I’ll move to independent.
“One who masquerades as a conservative to get elected, then sides with the tax-and-spend/pro-abort liberals.”
I used to have a tagline:
“Proudly posting without reading since 2005.”
Believe me, we’ve all done it.
Amen, Amen.
In most tiffs with Libs I say I am an independent, not a Republican.
Normally they give me that blank stare. They have no clue how to continue the conversation unless they can peg me as an “Evil Republican”. I’m not. Never have been. Voted R almost every time. But it blows them out of the water.
Today is Super Tuesday.
I made my decision on whom I shall vote.
(We have Caucasus here in Colorado tonight at 6)
I’m staying home.
Screw it. Let’s see what the idiots here do with what they’ve got to work with.
It’s too bad Thompson didn’t stay in, because I’d be working to make him President. I don’t think he has a chance in hell even in a write-in campaign (which is being run as we speak by the way).
What I don’t get is how people can foist liberals on us and think because they have an R by their name, we’ll vote for them.
I look at it this way....
I’m 50 years old and I’ve voted in several Presidential races now, and I’ve been ALIVE for ten Presidents now. (Eisenhower through Bush). I had no influence on any of them save Reagan and the first Bush (because I knew them personally). I have little influence in the outcome of this election.
If I stay home on election day, the WORST possible thing can happen, Hillary Clinton will get elected as President.
Right now, I suspect that no matter HOW I vote, she’s going to get elected (because I think that our party has been INVADED by Liberals to destroy us... and they’ve done a good job). So, people want socialism in this country? They want Liberalism? They want this to lead to Communism?
Fine. Let them.
I’m armed. I’ll fight them when the time comes.
Excellent, Mobile Vulgus.
Tagline matches your post perfectly.
Read before judging. It’s a conservative thing to do.
Troy Record (NY): Local GOP Support Swells For McCain
By Ryan Fitzpatrick, Troy Record
February 5, 2008
ALBANY - National security and the war on terrorism took center stage Monday afternoon as state Republican leaders gathered at the Crowne Plaza hotel to rally support for presidential candidate Sen. John McCain.
As New Yorkers head to the polls today, McCain, who campaigned in New Jersey Monday, has all but guaranteed his victory in the Empire State Republican presidential primary, according to recent polls. In light of McCain’s more than 30-point lead over second-place contender former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, New York Republicans urged their constituents to get out and vote to secure a landslide victory for the Arizona senator.
“I want someone who can win. And John McCain will win, and John McCain will be the next president,” said former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato. “There’s no question John McCain will carry New York, but let’s carry it with record-breaking numbers.”
According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday, McCain leads in New York with the support of 54 percent versus 22 percent for Romney. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is in a distant third place with 9 percent. The poll, which surveyed 370 likely Republican voters, has a margin of error of 5.1 percent.
Nationally, McCain leads but by a slightly smaller margin of 45 percent versus Romney’s 25 percent, according to a Gallup Poll conducted over the weekend. Huckabee has 17 percent in that survey.
McCain’s military service during Vietnam and his current position in support of the war in Iraq were main themes of Monday’s rally. Supporters touted McCain’s national security credentials and his support of a troop surge in Iraq despite the measure’s initially unpopular reception.
“The people of this country and this state need someone who has the courage of his convictions,” said state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno. “You all know his war record. There is no one who is more dedicated. There is no one more conscientious ... than Sen. John McCain.”
Waterford Mayor Bert Mahoney and McCain both served aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Oriskany in 1967 after McCain volunteered to transfer to the ship’s VA-163 squadron, also called “The Saints.” Mahoney, who served as an aviation electrician in the squadron, said he attended the rally to lend his support to a fellow veteran and someone he believes has the best credentials to lead the nation as commander in chief.
“His service for our country, his service in the House of Representatives, his service in the Senate. ... I think he’s got the courage, the character, the experience,” said Mahoney. “There’s nobody that can hold a candle to him, that has the experience we need.”
McCain’s aircraft was shot down over Hanoi and taken prisoner while on a bombing mission for the Oriskany. That ordeal and his military service were noted by supporters as evidence of his commitment. Rensselaer County Republican Chairman Jack Casey said how he recalled watching television when he was younger and seeing McCain return home after being released from a POW camp.
“And now he’s decided to pick up the standard and run for president of the United States,” said Casey. “This guy is the real deal.”
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