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?
Well, considering that the 30% will further erode our First Amendment protections, cost us untold billions on hokey science, and further "across the aisle" antics from Stubby, then I'm VERY concerned.
That is a purely emotional statement with no facts to back it up. On Immigration, taxes, free speech and communication skills Romney is far better. Even on the war issue, McCain wants to shut down Club Gitmo and is against water boarding.
I have concerns about Romney as well but he is far far better than McCain and he actually likes his base. McCain hates conservatives.
He won't because the GOP is afraid to lose the presidency, even if that means Mr. "I did it for patriotism, not profit," is the nominee.
The blood is on our hands as well for putting up with these dolts. The Big Tent has collapsed.
Even now, when I try to listen to Hannity, all I can hear is him spewing/gushing over JulieAnnie. Mr. God Bless America literally drooling over JulieAnnie! ugh... I prefer Colmes!
His statement this week saying that he would not do anything that would harm the GOP.
He's saying that even if McCain is the nominee, he will vote for the GOP standard bearer.
Can you give any more of an endorsement than that?
And he will give away 100% of America to his illegal pals.
Bingo!
Back in 1999, I was very excited to vote for George W. Bush. I thought I saw in him the end to the Klinton and Marxist Dimocrat rule. He played himself as a conservative. Spoke like a conservative. Talked all the time about "compassionate conservatism." Funny, something happened along the way. Bush ignored conservatism for the huge spending of socialism. He never was one bit conservative. If anything, he is a moderate to liberal RINO. Bush and his crap did it for me. I had already thrown in the towel with the RNC. Did not renew my membership. Kept my money.
For these past eight years, while I support Bush for his efforts on a few tax cuts and his fight of the Islamic murderers, he has totally let me down with his huge spending, his butt kissing of Ted Kennedy, his total refusal to close or do anything about illegals, EXCEPT to want to legalize them. Bush was naive to think he could get along with these dimocrats. If he could not see them for what they were, are, then he had no business being president. All of us know these people. We know their hate of people of faith, of the military, of the Republic as founded. Yet Bush "thought?", "believed?", whatever, that he could deal with them. Wrong. They are not in the business of "dealing" with us. They truly hate us. The hate is mutual. I hate them as well.
I will never make those mistakes again. No more nose holding. No more voting for the lesser of evils. If a candidate does not come close to my beliefs, conservative beliefs, belief in the Republic and the Constitution AS WRITTEN, then I will not vote for those people. Simple as that.
I am voting McCain, because Hillary would be a disaster.
I used to listen to Beck in the morning but ever since he called Huckabee “Mullah Huckabee” I have been looking for something else.
Mike Gallagher is better.
As for Sean and Rush, they rant and rave against McCain yet give guys like Rudy and Romney a pass on their past positions.
Thats why this rally for Romney won’t work, Romney isn’t appealing, he is phony and when it comes down to it, McCain is the only one left.
Lets not forget their blasting of Huckabee. He sure is more conservative than Rudy and Romney!
Give Teddy Kennedy a copy of the Republican platform to read at campaign stops and you have an equal replacement for Romney!
Romney has a negative rating that is equal to Hillary. There is a reason for that even if some can’t see it.
“I have concerns about Romney as well but he is far far better than McCain and he actually likes his base. McCain hates conservatives.”
Yup.
Finally, somebody gets it...
What is the appeal of that idiot?
Excellent and very articulate post. I agree with you 100%. No more compromise, McCain is unacceptable. Not even with a face mask and a fumigator could I vote for McCain.
I love these types of post because they make me wonder if you really listen to Rush.
He has always said he is a conservative first, not a republican.
A Hillary presidency will be horrendous, but it will not be as bad as you may think.
Remember, even Bush with a solid Republican House and Senate for six years could not accomplish very much because of dedicated Democrat minority opposition and some deviant (inadvertent pun!) Republicans.
Similarly, Hillary will be thwarted on a lot of her big plans by wayward Democrats and an energized Republican minority, especially one being purged of the old elite bulls by retirements and age.
OK, we won’t get a conservative Supreme Court nominee, but the Justices being replaced are liberals - Stevens, Ginsberg. Do you think John McCain is going to nominate an Alito or Scalia, or an O’Connor or Lieberman?
The battle against illegal immigration will not be much different whether it is McCain, Clinton, or Obama. We are in for a temporary retreat on rolling back illegal immigration, and will have to fight it like we did last year on amnesty and the Dream Act - from the grass roots. We will lose some on the margins, like grants and some amnesty to illegals, until the pain threshold (i.e., it hits YOUR neighborhood) gets too high.
The bottom line is this - except for the War in Iraq, which may well be essentially over come January 20, 2009 thanks to Petraeus and Bush, there is little difference on the big issues facing America (immigration, the judiciary, tax increases, a few others) between McCain and Clinton/Obama. Like 1994, a few years of a Clinton presidency with a supportive Democrat Congress will be such a total failure that it will change the political alignment back to conservative (not Republican!) positions.
With John McCain. the Republican Party, now safely back in the control of the elites like the old Rockefeller days, will repeat the mistakes of Gerry Ford and Bob Dole candidacies. But the unintended consequences of their smug “leadership” will their own loss of control to a motivated conservative base, like in 1980 and 1994.
A purely emotional response which is how liberals argue. On immigration, taxes and the economy Romney is a strong conservative and to call him Kennedy is laughable.
Go vote for McCain, I guarantee he will lose.
Now he's into the whole "We're in a recession so buy all of your goods now before it's too late. Anything your kids need: coats, clothes, shoes, food, etc...buy now!"
I only tune in for moron trivia.
BTW...I’m not voting for McCrazy either!
I’ll write in Fred Thompson.
I have already said that I have concerns about Romney in several areas. Of the choices remaining, he is by far the best we have. By no means perfect but at least for me just within the limits of acceptability. McCain is over the line.
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The mess we are in today didn't happen overnight.
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