Conservatives who didn't vote? (Vanity)

11/8/2012 | Al Gore Vidal

[Al Gore Vidal]

 

Part of me believes that the biggest reason for the Romney loss was because he could not get out the conservative vote, and all the FReepers who predicted this were right.

 

Having said that another part of me can't help but be mad at these people because they, in essence, helped to get Obama elected. 

 

But will these non-pragmatic conservatives now do the work to start there own party because they correctly see the Republican party as not truly conservative?

 

I'd like to be able to understand why they sat it out. And can a conservative who did sit it out for lack of ideological purity really be called a true conservative? If you actively and knowingly aid and abet Obama by helping him to get reelected how can you call yourself a conservative?

 

I just want to know how they justify themselves. 

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I don't see how any party can win these days. I'm looking at 2016. No matter how bad Obama screws up his second term how do you think these tickets would do,

2016 D- Biden-Free stuff. ( They don't even need a running mate )

R- The perfect candidate and running mate.

I see the Biden free gubmint goodies ticket winning 99 times out of 100. Will keep on too until the free stuff runs out.

Why do cities like Phili and Cleveland hold so much power in the elections? We know the answer but until more people start asking it we're all screwed.

[VAFreedom]

You are probably right.

I do feel like I’m in a minority group in an echo chamber. “but everyone I know didn’t vote for the ONE, how could he win”

[DManA]

The base voted for Mitt. The problem was he countn’t attract anyone else. That is Mitt’s fault. Your anger at “purists” is misplaced.

[Proud2BeRight]

“Not all of us live in states where our votes matter ...”

We voted but when it comes right down to it, only about 4-5 low-level candidates would the votes have any chance of significance.

[stop_fascism]

Romney won the primaries. How do you expect the party to “give the people a true conservative”? Are they supposed to call you up and anoint anyone you recommend? Like it or not a majority of Republicans choose Romney.

[wayne_shrugged]

I didn’t vote for Mittens ... Mitt Happens is a genuinely nice guy, but nice doesn’t win elections and he didn’t excite me.

You showed us! I hope you enjoy wallowing in your smugness for the next 4 years and for helping to give Obama the opportunity to select at least 2 more Supreme Court Justices.

[CatherineofAragon]

Same here. The Benghazi outrage was the deciding factor for me. I’ve never had any illusions about Romney, but Obama is a destroyer and an enemy in the most dangerous sense of the word.

[ishmac]

—I do think the “mormon thing” is something few want to talk about, but is real

Among evangelicals at least, Ralph Reed is disputing that claim this morning. He states that evangelicals turned out in great numbers and supported Romney as much as they did Bush. Reed's numbers show bigger turnout and a 78-21 edge for Romney among evangelical Christians. An FR thread about this issue can be read HERE.

[Atlas Sneezed]

78% of white evangelecals voted for Romney. Name me any other demographic group that matched that.

You can’t blame white evangelicals.

---

My point was about turnout, not defecting to other candidates.

[DannyTN]

"I'd like to be able to understand why they sat it out. ... I just want to know how they justify themselves. "

I voted third party (for Goode), because I wanted my dissapproval of both candidates recorded.

I weighted the candidates and I didn't see enough difference to justify voting for one over the other.

Usually I vote social values over pocket book on the theory that if we are a morally upright nation God will bless us with wisdom in other areas. And if we are not, the best economic plan in the world won't help us.

There were many serious concerns I had about Romney.

Social Values

• Romney's a non-Christian and the President is a role-model. That is mitigated a little by the fact that Obama's Christianity is questioned by his actions.
• Romney has a history of saying supportive things of traditional marriage but then doing the opposite in office. He told the Boy Scouts to allow gay leaders. He appointed known homosexual activists to the judicial bench as Governor. Romney actually did more harm by personally instituting gay marriage in Mass to the nation than Obama has done as President on this issue. And the way the MSM sold Romney for 4 years convinced me that he is cut from the same cloth as Obama.
• WND had an article pointing out that Romney says as little as possible about abortion and has been a "weathervane" on the issue, turning which ever way the wind blows.
• Romney's own campaign manager talked about etch-a-sketching campaign positions. Consequently, Romney doesn't have credibility for anything he says. And we don't need another lying role-model.

Economic Issues

• Free trade with low wage countries has decimated our industries, and neither candidate has a clue about this.
• Romney came closest with his promise to label China a currency manipulator and possibly raise tariffs. However then he linked tariffs to whether or not China plays by the existing rules indicating he still doesn't get it. Worse, he then promised to open up more markets with more free trade agreements. Fine, if we are at full employment. Stupid when we are at 25% unemployment. Romney's trade plan is worse than Obama's complete lack of a plan in this area.
• Romney's call for energy independence was great. Except he didn't offer many specifics. And this was mitigated by the fact that U.S. oil production has soared despite Obama. And Romney's call for a 2 year approval process for existing site nuclear reactors indicates he isn't serious about nuclear and is unlikely to sign approvals during his first term. Meanwhile Obama has actually signed about 3.
• Obama wasn't lying when he said Romneycare was the same plan. Sure Romney will make it optional to the states. Except there will be huge federal purse strings that no state can afford to pass up, so it's semantics. Romney will probably try to restructure the tax penalty for not buying insurance into a tax credit for buying it. Math is the same, but one is more palatable, again it's semantics.

Other Issues

I want the rule of law observed with regard to natural born citizenship and eligibility. But the GOP is now part of this conspiracy, because they've had control of the House and failed to investigate it. Consequently this issue is off the table for this election.

Middle East: Romney seemed a stronger supporter of Israel, but I took that with a grain of salt. I don't think he views Israel the same way most Christians do. And his lack of credibility mitigates his strong stance on Israel. Plus he failed to distinguish what he would have done different with regard to Arab Spring.

Liberalism and future elections. If we are going to have a liberal president, let it be a democrat one. It'll be better for us in the future, than if a GOP labeled liberal gets into office.

[Shery]

There are way too many whose pastors say that voting for anyone but a Christian is not Christian. We are NOT voting for a national pastor, so this is LAME! We ARE voting to continue in a Constitutional government instead of tyranny. Thanks to all who are too narrow of sight to see that America’s future depends on a free society. I guess when they start rounding us all up for the concentration camps they’l realize, but too late. I am ANGRY. Stupid people. Cannot think for themselves, but follow a warped “theology” that doesn’t hold up in the True LIGHT of Scripture. You cannot bend Scripture to hold to every form of government. We do not have a theocracy. Our Constitution was based on Biblical principles. But we were not given a theocracy. but a civilian government. The Scriptures were to inform the people for life and relations with one another and God. They do not tell us how to vote, other than to uphold men and women who live morally and uphold moral principles. I just want to cry! But the worst is their smugness. They think they are superior. Pride cometh before a fall, but we wil ALL participate in your consequences.

[unique1]

Go back into the history of threads here, also the Romney Files that were posted by Robinson for months. Votes for Romney, even against Obama were discouraged and a lot of freepers were banned for disagreeing with that tactic.

I’m not complaining, just noting this in response to your post. I suspect that up to 3 million less votes for Romney versus McCain in 2008, had to do with freeper activity, he’s a Mormon, and, yes, he switched policies, etc. All valid issues at some level, but they all ended up producing 4 more years of Obama and a liberal Supreme Court is on the way.

[Vaduz]

Agree

[Niteranger68]

It’s almost unbelievable how many “conservatives” are willing to let the USA get raped for 4 more years because Romney wasn’t conservative enough. They were given the choice between brain cancer and and a head cold, but apparently were too naive to tell the difference. We could have started the process of reversing some of the damage we’ve incurred under Obama but these people just didn’t understand that sometimes you have to play defense and limit the damage when the only other option is full destruction ahead. Their conviction ate their common sense.

[qwicwted]

Well how backward thinking is that? I don’t think Romney is conservative enough, so I won’t vote, thus allowing the other guy to accumulate votes.

If that is the reason why people didn’t vote, then they deserve what they got and shouldn’t be allowed to vote in the first place.

[Rashputin]

And that number includes black folks who say they’re Evangelicals make up about a third of the black population? If not, then the reality is that about 50% of Evangelicals voted for each candidate proving that Evangelicals as a whole don’t put their theology first any more than any other group.

[drypowder]

poles indicated that 70% of the people wanted to repeal obozo care, gas price is $2 per g higher than in 2008, food prices are 40% higher than in 2008, real unemployment is 20%, then there are the suicidal rules of war the obozo imposed on our troops, wars obozo encouraged and supported to remove Muslim dictators in the middle east, obozo is a Muslim, fraud birth cert, fraud SSN, not constitutionally eligible to be president, Fast & Furious, Benghazi and on and on and on. The system is corrupt and rigged and I refuse to participate in any election from now on. When the apex of the resistance against this corrupted government turns hot, then I will be ready to do my part.

[DannyTN]

And one other key issue that hurt Romney in the Social Values category was choosing Ryan as VP.

I give Ryan credit for trying to balance the budget. But he failed to recognize that the Budget reflects a seriously impaired economy. Instead of putting people back to work, he went after the safety nets and entitlements.

I want a fiscally responsible government but not one that unwisely drops the import tariffs our founding father’s had in place and then kicks people when they are out of work as a result. Not this way.

How we treat the poor is near and dear to God’s heart. Scripture repeatedly says He watches that. I’m all for eliminating fraud and putting programs on sound footings, but arbitrary cuts and without addressing the economy. Not for me.

[tennmountainman]

Romneys strategy was heavily weighted on getting a huge number
of moderates and independents on both sides. He trashed conserative
candidates during the primaries, but then treated Obama with kid gloves. I am a conservative and I voted for Romney.
Howevr, He failed with his strategy to win without conservative voters.
My suggestion to you is to address your disappointment to the moderates and independents on both sides who did not turn out in
the numbers his campaign expected.
Pick a different strategy or a different type of candidate next time.

[joe fonebone]

Just a quick note to all those that told me if I vote third party I am throwing my vote away...

I voted for rinoromney in spite of myself.. and that was throwing my vote away!!!

my protest vote for a third party would have had a more far reaching message, especially if all on here that KNEW what a fraud rinoromney was stuck to our guns and voted third party..

I am done wasting my vote.... no more moderate or liberal pubs get my vote, EVER...