Posted on 02/01/2008 5:03:19 AM PST by A2J
In the coming weeks, I will acknowledge an anniversary of thirty (30) years as a registered Republican. I have always been a Republican and my first presidential election was a vote cast for Ronaldus Magnus, one of my heroes.
I have always voted the GOP line in state and local races, except when there were only Democrats running wherein I would either vote for the most conservative or skip that particular match up entirely.
I'm afraid that this year will be different.
As a conservative who found a home in the GOP 30 years ago, I now find myself without a home, particularly as the GOP has been gradually becoming the DNC-Lite over the past eight (8) years. To say that I'm now frustrated with the GOP would be an enormous understatement but yet I find myself more frustrated and even bitter at such conservative stalwarts as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, two I have always enjoyed listening to and agree with for the most part.
It is not my intention to challenge the pedigree of their conservatism, but rather to tell them and the collective conservatives and conservative wannabes who are now complaining about the ascendancy of John McCain, a despicable little man, to shut the hell up.
Why? Because they've laid the steps for McCain's rise.
Just this week I listened to Rush complain about McCain and Huckabee, who should step aside and support Romney who is more conservative than McCain, with Rush's earlier comments that should McCain or Huckabee receive the nomination, they would destroy the GOP...a statement to which I agree. Additionally, just this week Rush was championing conservatism over the GOP, as he and all conservatives should, and yet when asked as to whether he would support McCain if he is nominated, Rush flip-flopped, ala John Kerry, when he said that he would do nothing to harm the GOP.
Such doublespeak is what cracks the door open for rats like McCain.
Sean Hannity, "Mr. Nice Guy," is no different especially when it comes to anyone who has an "R" after his name.
During Arnold Schwarzenegger's gubernatorial run against Grey Davis, Hannity nearly wet his pants in adoration of Schwarzenegger. He has been the same toward "Mr. Character," Rudy Giuliani. And now he wants to feign anger and frustration over Schwarzenegger's endorsement of the little man from Arizona. In fact, Hannity ridiculed Schwarzenegger's comments as being void of the ideals and core values of Ronald Reagan.
While I cannot speak for all true-blue conservatives, I know that my frustration truly lies with people like Rush and Hannity who openly embrace liberal Republicans and yet now complain that those same ones whom they have embraced are now going to destroy the party. Maybe the GOP should be allowed to continue to merge with the DNC. Maybe then we can build a true conservative party from the ashes.
To me, true conservatism transcends parties and labels and remains absolute and unchangeable, however hard others may try to redefine it. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are the "marching orders" for all conservatives regardless of party and while the GOP is currently undergoing a redefinition, conservatism must never.
But, alas, as long as we are more obsessed with making sure that GOP candidates are elected instead of true conservatives, we are not only guaranteeing the destruction of a Grand Old Party, but worse, we become the willing participants in the assault on conservatism.
This year will mark a new era in my long history of voting Republican in that should John McCain become the Republican nominee, I will choose my convictions over my party and withhold my vote because if I truly love America, as we all claim to, then why would I continue to inoculate her with more poison by choosing party over principles?
That is not an endorsement. The difference being that Rush will not do something to harm the GOP. It would be nice to believe that the three candidates left in the race will also not do anything to harm the GOP. One of them, McCain, has already harmed the GOP.
"He's saying that even if McCain is the nominee, he will vote for the GOP standard bearer."
That is not an endorsement. It only means that he will vote for any of the three who wins the nomination. At this point the nominee is unknown, thus the statement amounts to endorsing an "unknown."
"Can you give any more of an endorsement than that?"
Yes, but only if at this point in the process he unequivocally endorses a specific candidate. And he will not do that.
Is the GOP a conservative party?
Because if my nose had cancer that would ultimately spread to the rest of my body, I would be stupid not to remove it.
Don't you agree or are you just a GOP martyr?
If you listen to enough Mass. radio you will find that Mitt is a lot better than Huckabee. First of all Romney has no scandal unlike Huckabee who did that wedding registry bit to get around Arkansas gift laws. Romney gave no pardons. Huckabee was letting everyone out including a guy whose wife just happened to contribute something like $20K to Huckabee. Romney spent millions of his own money to try and get republicans elected in Mass. in order to try to keep the libs under control. Romney has been anti illegal for ages unlike Huckabee who just had an epiphany a few weeks ago. Romney became pro life several years ago. McCain just decided a few weeks ago that maybe the borders should be tightened. Romney may not be perfect but he’s a million times better than the other 2. I’m not telling anyone who to vote for (I still wish Fred was running) but as of today I don’t see any way I can vote for McCain. Quite honestly, it doesn’t make a bit of difference if Hill, Barack or John are in the white house. The agenda will be the same.
Still the emphasis for Rush is the PARTY and not conservatism.
Can't you see that?
That is not an endorsement. It only means that he will vote for any of the three who wins the nomination. At this point the nominee is unknown, thus the statement amounts to endorsing an "unknown."
Oh, my goodness. Are you serious?
There is no greater endorsement than your vote.
Assuming you are married or of marrying age, would you marry the person your enemy would select for you? I would hope not.
ROFLMHO!!!!
We still have a chance to deny McCain the nomination by going out and voting for Romney in the primaries on Tuesday or beyond.
And even if McCain is the (very flawed) GOP nominee, we would be stupid not to vote for him vs. The Witch in November. A McCain presidency would be bad, but a Witch presidency would be a complete disaster.
A bullet in the head or in the heart.
What's the difference?
You are so wrong. Romney’s problems with the base have nothing to do with his religion.
Good Lord.
You cut off the cancerous part and replace it with..a worse type of cancer?
I’m no martyr, but I can tell the difference between a 50/50 RINO and a Stalinist.
You are moving the goal posts and changing the argument here. I remind you of your initial statement: "I know that my frustration truly lies with people like Rush and Hannity who openly embrace liberal Republicans." Now if I recall correctly, Hannity said that he would vote for Giuliani in the primary. That to me, is unequivocal. Rush did not say who he would vote for in the primary. If you know who he voted for, please post it. As for saying that he would vote for the nominee, what else can he or the rest of us do? He, and we, may be desirous of a conservative, and despite supporting and espousing conservative beliefs if no conservative is nominated then his choice, and our choice, is to vote for the candidate regardless of our beliefs, or sit it out. And that is hardly a ringing endorsement.
"There is no greater endorsement than your vote."
Your understanding of the term endorsement is different than mine then. Rush has said what he will do in a given circumstance, which has yet to manifest itself. That is a spoken expression of loyalty to the party, and it is not a repudiation of conservative principles.
"Assuming you are married or of marrying age, would you marry the person your enemy would select for you?"
I married the person of my choice. I cannot elect the person of my choice. Eight years of Bill Clinton was something I had to endure due to the choices, or votes, others made, and their wishes/votes overwhelmed mine. This is what is happening in the present election, and there is nothing I can do about it.
Ok, cut to the chase here A2J. What would YOU advise Rush to do now, and what will you advise him to do if a liberal Republican is nominated?
“As a Christian, I can tell you that those who feel that way about Romney are the bigoted, self-righteous “believers” who will never vote for a Mormon.”
I know you are right but I’ll take it a step further - I know self righteous Christians who won’t vote for a Mormon because they think it’s “some kind of cult” - however - these same Christians have no problem voting for Obama who voted for a Bill in Illinois that doesn’t recognize an infant that survives a botched abortion as a “person”. Talk about hypocrites.
I don't know where you live, but here in the South it's a very big issue.
To stand by his supposed conviction that the preservation of conservatism is more important than ones party.
This will require him to refrain from voting for McCain and perhaps even Romney.
If it does not, then Rush is nothing more than a spineless blowhard.
BTW, I certainly am not endorsing McCain for the GOP nomination.
i think Rush’s position is similar to mine
we can vote for a ford/dole/mcpain - if we are given nothing else, and hope they will do less damage than a carter/clinton/clinton-obama
but, whether or not we let the rino in the whitehouse, we must start working yesterday on lifting up and supporting conservative gopers for congress, so even a mcpain can be blocked by his own party, as we have blocked bush on immigration, harriet meiers and the dubai ports deal
I was and am a re-constructed southern democrat.I joined the republican revolution with Reagan.
But if McCain,
the communist traitor,
anti Bill of Rights,
open borders,
Global Warming slime
is the nominee,
I will find a Political party I can vote for.
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