One Less Republican in Camp

Sierra Times ^ | 3-29-02 | Colonel Dan

[oursacredhonor]

I can no longer tolerate the GOP's disgraceful lack of principle and outright hypocrisy. I have therefore officially resigned from the Republican Party. Here's why.

Life is a balance scale of choices and few choices consist of all positive or all negative factors. Most are a combination that we must weigh and then make our choice.

Such is my case with the GOP. On the positive side, Bush brought personal morality back to the White House, has been an effective war time President and for now, has slowed the all out assault on the II Amendment. For this, I applaud him and his team.

However, the negative side of the Republican scale is heavily weighed down by serious failures to stand firm on principle, serious dereliction of duty and hypocrisy.

Although my voter registration card indicated Republican, I am much more of an independent Constitutionalist. I could have "un-registered" numerous times and aligned my voter card with my ideology but I just delayed getting around to it.

I delayed in 1995 when the GOP took control of Congress for the first time in 40 years and we heard bold promises of change. Despite the rhetoric about smaller government and replacing the income tax, government expanded and income taxes became even more complex!

I delayed resigning again when a Republican was elected president but look what happened.

A Republican education bill increased funding 11% for the unconstitutional Department of Indoctrination, a.k.a. Department of Education.

A Republican president signed the USA/Patriot Act after it passed the Senate 98-1, and the House 356-66, giving government the power to install the carnivore e-mail snooping system without a court warrant.

Under a Republican administration, airport security was federalized and Gestapo-like screening tactics implemented.

Bush told the world we would go after terrorists wherever they were, yet we pressure Israel for restraint in battling terrorism in their own backyard. That's tremendously hypocritical. Then on 14 March our Republican president committed 5 billion of your tax dollars to the war on global poverty—an international version of Lyndon Johnson socialism. The final burr under my saddle was the GOP disregard for the Constitution in two major ways: Ongoing failure to secure our borders and Campaign Finance Reform.

This Republican administration has failed to effectively enhance border security even after 9.11. Recently, it even prevented the National Guardsmen patrolling that border from being adequately armed because they wanted to avoid sending an "undiplomatic message" to Mexico and Canada. This violates government's constitutional duty to provide for the common defense and sending soldiers on a security mission unarmed is totally unforgivable!

Such neglect clearly says that America's security, even in light of 9.11, takes a back seat to the potential benefits gained from political pandering. That's dereliction of duty bordering on criminal negligence in my book.

Campaign Finance Reform passed both houses and Bush signed it even though it's "flawed in some areas" as he said.

Yes sir Mr. President it sure is flawed! Besides not complying with any of the principles you specified in a letter to Trent Lott, it clearly violates the Constitution you swore an oath to uphold. So why then did you sign it?

Our Constitution was clearly subordinated to political expediency and this "new tone" of yours. 'Politics over Principle' is standard operating procedure with the Democrats but it's also clear that's the theme and substance of this "new tone" as well. 'Go along to get along and to hell with the Constitution' is the same old tone we've seen in Washington for years Mr. President—there's nothing "new" here.

Despite how the Supreme Court may finally rule on Campaign Finance Reform or how our border situation ultimately turns out, when those sworn to uphold our Constitution can't be trusted to do so, it tells me a lot about them and we've been cautioned about such folks:

"If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust him in greater; while anyone unjust in a slight matter is also unjust in greater." ~ Luke 16:10 ~

Although their rhetoric proclaims more freedom and less government, facts clearly show the GOP isn't really interested in standing firm in defense of and preserving America's constitutional principles—period. As most now realize about our major parties, the Republicans are nothing more than miniature Democrats. While the Democrats are clearly "SOCIALISTS", the Republicans are merely "socialists."

Don't take this as surrender or dropping out on my part. I'll remain decisively engaged and fight for the principles of colonial traditionalism through my writing. After all, I'm still 100% American and a son of my colonial forefathers. I'll just not be officially registered as a member of any party where principles and the Constitution are so easily ignored, blatantly stepped on and repeatedly compromised.

I can accept compromise on style [technique] but I can't accept compromise on principle and our Constitution is the very foundation of America's most basic principles.

As Thomas Jefferson put it, "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock."

With extremely rare exception, the Republicans never stand like rocks on anything and are thus untrustworthy guardians of America's principles.

Personally, I don't care for any party, Republican or otherwise, where principle is negotiable, lip service is paid to the Constitution, sacred oaths are ignored, and America's security is bargained away. If that means I'm "party-less" and remain an independent irritant in the side of all politicos, so be it. As a "gun slinging columnist", that's probably as it should be anyway.

I've had my fill of disingenuous politicians, ulterior motives, incremental socialism, sacred duties neglected, constitutionality ignored and sworn oaths brushed aside.

The GOP has violated my trust for the last time. Since I will always choose Christ's teachings and Jefferson's wisdom over political hypocrisy and lack of principle, there is now one less Republican in camp.

Note: This isn't intended to persuade anyone to follow me out of camp. This is….

Just the view from my saddle…

The Colonel

DON'T TREAD ON ME

[AmericanInTokyo]

The evolution and revision of major American Political Parties throughout the history of the Republic shows a number of cases of people 'leaving and running', realigning and refurbishing as the parties and their philosophies changed.

I think this is nothing new nor should anyone be surprised.

[Jaidyn]

Absolutely! For me to abandon the republican party now would be like abandoning my body on a bad hair day! Instead, I do the best I can for my appearance and try to improve it rather than becoming agoraphobic or avoiding a mirror. We have more power on the inside than on the outside looking in.

[realpatriot71]

You can't debate someone who's stomping his feet and holding his breath.

Or you can come up with a straw man to avoid the whole debate, huh?

[Jethro Tull]

Welcome to the "I'm no longer a Republican and I will promise to vote for the most qualified person club.

[grellis]

Under a Republican administration, airport security was federalized and Gestapo-like screening tactics implemented.

LOL. That would explain how my mother-in-law recently boarded a plane with six Swiss army knives in her carry-on.

BTW--the federalized airport security personnel has yet to start their work in airports. They are still in the training stage.

[exmarine]

Two other issues that really make me angry about Bush: His pandering to the latinos on illegal immigration. The second one is his penchant for global government. He needs to read the U.S. Consitution and do what he swore to do - uphold it! Globalists are a scourge and a cancer on our nation.

[Countyline]

"Personally, I don't care for any party, Republican or otherwise, where principle is negotiable, lip service is paid to the Constitution, sacred oaths are ignored, and America's security is bargained away. If that means I'm "party-less" and remain an independent irritant in the side of all politicos, so be it. As a "gun slinging columnist", that's probably as it should be anyway.

I've had my fill of disingenuous politicians, ulterior motives, incremental socialism, sacred duties neglected, constitutionality ignored and sworn oaths brushed aside.

____________________________________________________________

Thank you Colonel. You are taking a stand and not hiding it under a rock. Fare thee well.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Steve and Pat for sure. They had strong philosophical positions; the Party won out, though. Certainly you know how the party machinery was rigged.

[ImpBill]

Welcome to the club Colonel. I ended a 32 year association, service, and work for the party just after the Lottian decision to "not have a real trial" simply because there wounldn't be 19 Democrats to vote for conviction.

While Republican candidates more than likely will get my vote, the party and the elected leadership have done nothing to cause me to re-think my decision. A decision that, by the way, I am sure was as agonizing as yours.

Voting in general elections as a little "r" republican was a great experience in the last election. Much to my surprise when re-registering, it was perfectly fine with the registrar for me to write in the blank "Party of Choice" NONE.

Again, welcome to the club. I would suspect the ranks of non-affiliated voters is growing.

[Notforprophet]

These grand goodbye opuses never turn out the way people want them to.

[realpatriot71]

The massive 1% of you have hated GW before he was elected, before he became president and after he became president.

Not true. He may have not been our number one guy, but we gave him a chance. The guy lied. When it comes to the truth he's no better than Clinton. You want to support liars? Fine, but relaize you're just towing the party line. It's ok because he's a Repub, right?

[Howlin]

Are you saying because the vast majority in the party wanted George W. Bush, it had to be rigged?

Now how many votes did Buchanan pull? Forbes? Are you going to say that they could have pulled more votes if only the GOP had gotten behind them?

[Hildy]

Just remember that if you change to independent, you cannot vote in the Republican Primary. I learned that lesson during one of my bouts of "principle."

[AmericanInTokyo]

I believe one Freeper finally took some effort to start to refute you on the points and evidence only and engage in debate; for many of the others, though, it was just crass name-calling ad hominems and irrelevant reply.

[ltlflwr]

Colonel, nobody cares.

Speak for yourself. I care and don't care that you don't care. God bless you, Colonel.

[Lazamataz]

FYI, the 'Sierra Times' is a loony ideologue rag run by a self-avowed Libertarian.

Oh NO! Not a Libertarian! I understand they want mandatory heroin use by police officers and child pornography on street corners!!!

[Grampa Dave]

First of all you need to read Ron Paul's reason for supporting GW on the illegal aliens. It is not amenesty.

Second here is another example of GW telling the blue helmeted UNers to stuff it. (US to back out of world court plan Envoy: Bush team may 'unsign' treaty )

[AmericanInTokyo]

No. If the party machinery on the local level, so intertwined with the official RINO party appartus (don't claim ignorance and you are not aware of this organizational aspect of the GOP) had been neutral, and a grassroots alternative to Bush had emerged, IF the GOP had supported him fully in the General Election, he could have been elected President. What I am saying is that outside of GWB, the GOP also had some other 'winners' on their hands. As it was, Bush one in a squeaker anyway and lost the popular vote.

[Lazamataz]

Just remember that if you change to independent, you cannot vote in the Republican Primary. I learned that lesson during one of my bouts of "principle".

Depends on the state. In my old state of residence, New York, this was true. In my new residence (Illinois) you may vote for any one party without being registered in that party.