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I understand your position there too. I don't generally do any of that unless I see it being employed by others first, and then I take a distant view of the scene and describe the worst offenders pretty much in their own terms. (Even did so a short time ago).

My tagline kinda explains why I do that. I've seen it all before, and it's as boring to me as it's apt to be annoying to you. But diminishing thought needs to be so described, if for no better reason than to help other avoid being drawn into it. And those who've been drawn into it (not initiating) pretty much describe many pro-Tom posters. I'm sorry you got swiped with the broad brush.

Overall, honor and virtue get less and less respect in this world. (The AS supporter seem to delight in deriding principles. That is a fact.) Any who display virtue (they are scarce, rare to find, especially in public life) are quickly charged with cynical reasons for doing so. Not surprisingly, this is done first by lesser creatures, and then others who are misled either by choice, by herd mentality, or by not noticing the source. It rarely is equal on both sides. It's worth noticing if for no other reason than to protect your own honor.

At any rate, have you ever heard the phrase "virtue is its own reward," usually attributed to Cicero? It generally is, like rank cynicism, at best disingenuous. If not for virtue, nothing worthwhile would get done, nobody would ever sacrifice for others or for posterity. It is precisely what the cynical and power seekers wish to see people believe, to help reduce their resistance to doing the wrong things.

Just as you find no compulsion to respond favorably to those who indulge in namecalling, I have seen past to who started it and why and see how they persist, and am strongly driven away from THEM. On what grounds?

Those who deride principle may very well not intend to do so, but are so ham-handed at pointing out why practicality should be foremost, that their message is nearly unreadable. However, further eroding their credibility, they deal in so many half-truths (like, in only one of many instances, with the Indian bought independent ads but calling it Tom's ads on radio broadcasts), it doesn't matter that the point of the ads is to split the GOP vote. The Dem Left is stupid -- Duh -- and that goes for the GOP Left too. Not liberal, mind you, Left. Autocratic, demanding, undemocratic, lying, cheating, dishonorable. They all pretty much are happier with each other than they are with the "dumb" voters. I may lose, I may be foolish in that the chances of winning appear so slim. But I gotta keep the flame alive. The long term demands it. And the short term can down right be amazing.

Do you know golf? Never up, never in. I gotta shoot for it and hope I can convince others also not to settle short of the hole. As CO pointed out in his response, so very short of the hole that it may even be further from it.

Or not to short sell conservative principles when the average voter is quite clearly ready to accept a real conservative for 3 short years just to try it out.

The siren calls to settle short of the goal, by the Establishment (which never wanted this recall in case you forgot) wishes us to wind up with us all crashing onto the rocks, just don't threaten their interests which, me must presume from the evidence, are served just as well by Doofus as by AS.

Well, you may not like my silly analogies, and I am far from convincing, but I at least you gave me some metaphorical exercise. Hope you got a laugh or two. < G >