02.07.08
How Low Can We Go? - Updated
I may be in the Ron Paul camp for ideological reasons, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel the pain of Romney’s withdrawal from the presidential race today. I have just two words to describe the situations:
Not good!
While Romney wasn’t a perfect conservative, he was far and away the best option between the three top GOP candidates and a choice that I would have been OK with. McCain and Huck are not viable options for this Conservative. Not to traumatize the supporters out there, but there are some certain fundamental elements that a Conservative must believe in, and McCain and Huckabee are severely lacking.
We have talked time and again about the importance ideology over victory for the party line, and my position is not changing on that. I am a Conservative first! If the GOP represents my ideals, I will vote for the (R). If they don’t, screw ‘em.
However, I think that my position is a minority position - and it bothers me that so many people have succumbed to the idea that there is no choice but a two-party system in America. Study your history. Nothing says that we’re a two-party system, and the only reason that we are is because the two major parties believe that they rule with an iron fist… Oh, and they have the money and power required to believe that.
I am disgusted by the party cheerleaders who are now claiming that McCain is our only option. Is he? Why are we forced to believe that it’s either McCain or the dem? If the Conservative voters turned to a third party en masse and left McCain with the moderate liberal vote, I think that would send a hell of a message.
Here’s a peek into why I’m so pissed:
“John McCain was not my first choice, but today, on February 7th - he is my best choice. In the past few years, I’ve hard harsh words for Senator McCain. But today, he is my nominee for President of the United States.”
“I just donated $201 to the McCain for President campaign - not just to support him, but to go on record as such. It’s my first donation to a presidential candidate this cycle, and certainly my first ever to Senator McCain. Will you? In the coming months, it’s my responsibility to do my part to stop HilObama. The stakes are too high.”
“In all seriousness, despite the light hearted humor that will no doubt rub the humorless the wrong way, it is now time to rally behind McCain.”
“It is time really get serious about Huckabee. If you’ve held back because you didn’t think he could win, now is the time to step up and do everything you can to get him elected.”
“I will vote in the general elections, and if McCain is the front runner, my vote will be for him.”
What the hell is going on out there? This shouldn’t be an issue of going for the lesser of two evils. If they all suck, then subtly remind yourself that the canard of a two-party system is completely fabricated and perpetuated by people who benefit from convincing you that voting for a “third party” candidate is throwing your vote away.
Think about it, and think about it hard. Voting for the lesser of two evil still nets you a bad result either way. It’s called compromising our values… And I’m not one to do it.
Want some good advice? Look here. No Compromises hits it out of the park.
Here’s Glenn Beck’s take on things:
alaskancamel said,
February 7, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I am new to the political arena so I must admit I am a little confused. Here in Alaska, Romney took the majority of the delegates. Where do his votes go now? Do they automatically go to McCain who got dead last here? No one around here seems to have the answer.
BTW….I agree with you 100%. Stick to your guns. There is absolutely nothing in the world that will get me to vote for McCain.
totaltransformation said,
February 7, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Voting for a 3rd party candidate will remain a wasted vote as long as (1) we maintain the current voting system, and (2) the voting public remains dramatically ill-informed and financially dependent upon the federal government.
Debbie said,
February 7, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I’m with you. Just because McCain give one ‘nice’ speech, I do not believe one word of it. He’s pandering, trying to pull those of us who know him into his camp. It won’t work. He is what he is — Liberal and not Conservative. I won’t vote for him, but neither will I sit at home.
I will write in a candidate, or pick none of the above, for President. Then I will vote for true Conservative Senators, Representatives, Governors, etc. We have to start at the bottom now and work up.
There is no way that a third party could make it today. You are correct in this.
Gary said,
February 7, 2008 at 3:36 pm
My 2 cents on this is if you vote for a 3rd party whatever it may be it is not truly a wasted vote. No, the candidate does not have a chance to be President of the USA but the purpose of making such a vote does hold a few very viable purposes.
1st - It allows you to be true to yourself.
2nd - It may begin to establish a 3rd party as a credible option somewhere down the line.
3rd and likely most important - The larger the percentage is of voters not choosing the Hil/Bama/McCain choice sends a message the populace is fed up with the antics and it will likely be a short, stress filled 4 year term.
i.e. Inform the individual chosen that their approval rating sucks before they start.
As for myself, I’ll be voting for a 3rd party or writing in the ticket of The Brain for Pres & Pinky as VP. Then The Brain could finally start to rule the world. Narf!
Just had to on that last part.
Lassie said,
February 7, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I listened to McClinton’s speech in the car this afternoon. If I had a dime for every time he invoked Reagan, conservatives, Burke, etc…
You aren’t alone in your feelings, and I voted Independent during Clinton’s elections (was a Democrat then). It’ll be interesting to see who might surface in the Indie party. But, I may join with Gary’s write-in pick. Narf!
totaltransformation said,
February 7, 2008 at 4:43 pm
McClinton, come on now. Last time I checked…(And you can to by visiting the American Conservative Union’s website)…
McCain’s voting record - 82% conservative (lifetime)
Hillary’s voting record - 9% conservative (lifetime)
So they are virtually identical eh? Feel free to cut off your nose to spite your face, but don’t come crying when you end up with Hillary care in 2010 and there is nothing you can do- since as we all know, ending a federal program is a lot harder than simply keeping it from coming into existence.
Ryan said,
February 7, 2008 at 7:16 pm
I think Glenn Beck sums it all up, since he’s now exploring third-party candidates…
When looking at the Prohibition Party he says:
TT, one flaw in your argument about McCain is that you have to look beyond his voting record to his mindset… And that is the great unknown. If we didn’t have his voting record to look at and just had to go by his words and the legislation he creates or co-creates, he looks and sounds frighteningly like a far-left big government lunatic.
He says one thing now, which conflicts to every other thing he’s said over the past decades… He votes one way and creates legislation that is completely contrary to Conservatism… Who is this guy? What does he stand for, really?
We can’t answer those very simple questions, so how can we think of him as anything but a complete tool?
As I said, I respect the dems because they’re honest about the fact they’re bleeding heart liberal assholes and are at peace with that… The same cannot be said for McCain (or McClinton as Lassie so humorously puts it)…
Ryan said,
February 7, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Oh, and as for third-party candidates… The only thing holding them back is voter apathy. We are allowing the two-party mentality to perpetuate because the general public likes the fact that it’s easy and they don’t have to put any effort into it.
Ryan said,
February 7, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Oh, and Camel, I don’t know 100%, but I think the candidate gets to choose where their delegates go… Although I could be wrong. The system is so eff’d up it’s really hard to say. The way things are, they may have to be divided by playing rock paper scissors on alternating thursdays until a clear winner emerges.
mpinkeyes said,
February 7, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I just did a post on how Republican leaders are now getting behind McCain and telling us we should follow. I will not. I agree with Debbie, I will write in a candidate, or vote third party, but I will not sit out because I have a governor and a congresswoman to vote against. as well as a senator to vote for.
I don’t know where we go from here yet, but I know I will not follow lock-step because I am told to.
Philip said,
February 8, 2008 at 12:01 am
I’m wondering if anyone on here knows any good conservative podcast? E-mail me at cingphil AT hotmail DOT com or just leave a comment here.
Ryan said,
February 8, 2008 at 4:51 am
Philip, check out Jason Lewis… It doesn’t get any better if you’re hard-core Conservative and pissed off about the state of things:
http://www.ktlkfm.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=jasonlewis.xml
let me know what you think.
Ryan said,
February 8, 2008 at 7:28 am
Not nauseated enough?
I just heard that President Bush and Karl Rove are now stumping for McCain.
Of course, it makes sense. Isn’t McCain the logical “compassionate conservative” successor to Bush?
gag me!
No Compromises said,
February 9, 2008 at 10:17 pm
compassionate coercion, doncha mean? and let me add that the ACU that gets quoted so often is nothing more than a bunch of open border neo cons! gag me too Ryan!