Posted by
From the Bright Side of the Road on Saturday, February 16, 2008 12:50:23 PM
We can put it off for as many years as we want to fight it, but ultimately our nation must endure a season in hell. This seems quite ironic that the first post for this blog is one of darkness, but in weighing the ultimate outcomes, it is becoming very inviting to allow the pressure of the mounting tide to overcome the dam.
Much like a parent finally gives in to their child, whose desire for a toy in the checkout line at the local Walmart, I find the adult population [i.e. Conservatives] at the breaking point during this 2008 election and the choices they bring. G.K. Chesterton, who made many a poignant quote, stated; "when faced with the choice of two evils, choose neither". His wisdom will play at maximum volume in this year's election for me.
Republicans have and will continue to call me a spoiler and party destroyer, but when I became a Republican it was for the reason of the conservative stance they took. That conservative stance has all but faded away. The children [i.e. Liberals] are whining louder and louder at the checkout line and the best the country can do is suggest that maybe it is time for a "change". For any man who has been married and who, by God's good grace, heard the constant moanings of a wife, whom you love dearly, wanting you to do something that you logically knew was not going to lead to any good; BUT in the spirit of getting along went forward and did it and saw the devastation it lead to, not ever being able to utter the fabled lines "I told you so", for fear of a tirade of tears or worse; This political season should feel all too familiar to you.
How did we get here? Go back to the 2000 election. The nation spoke that although they were not all that concerned about President Clinton's lying under oath, which is a problem all its own, they had grown tired of the manner in which the Presidency had been displayed. Al Gore might have won the vote hands down if he were more likable and not so stiff in his appearance. This, afterall, is what the country wants now, it's what the country has always wanted for the last 40 years. George Bush won the election, no matter how you count the votes, and was placed in office as the "Neo-Con" [New Conservative].
Pause here for what that term has done to the conservative idea. The Neo-Con idea was one that has been promoted as "conservatism with a heart". This is an affront to me being a conservative. The mere suggestion that conservatives do not have hearts is ludicrous. Some studies recently have shown conservatives give more than liberals do. In addition all the conservative people I know are very generous indeed. But the mantra "conservatives with a heart" found solace in the hearts of the nation, at least enough hearts to win an election.
Enter George W Bush into the White House. Masquerading as a conservative he holds true to tax cuts [across the board] and when our nation faced a new foe on September 11th, 2001, he stood up to the threat.Fortunately for our nation, we had a leader who would fight and not appease. I cannot bear to think what Al Gore might have done, maybe he would have blamed the ruins of the World Trade Centers, the destruction of the Pentagon and the charred field in Pennsylvania on global warming. Unfortunately for the world, that is where his conservatism stops.
Today we are faced with a true dilema. Liberal idealogues all around, both in the Democrat party [which we expect] and the Republican party. I perpetually play out a scenario, given the three likely possible candidates for President, in my head from time to time. Here they are:
Hillary Clinton - While a politician through and through, she will most likely be smart enough to enlist the help of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in dealing with the battles [not wars] in Iraq and Afghanistan, and then on the war against terrorism as well. She will not do anything regarding the borders and illegal aliens will continue to pour in and cinch a knot around our economic system. She will raise taxes on Corporations, except for those whom she has a vested interest in, and show America that making $30,000 a year is rich and tax them to oblivion as well. But don't worry, you'll be able to stand in line for hours for medical attention. That is, unless you die in line first. What will all the Canadians and Mexicans do for medical attention then?
Barack Obama - Since we can only gain an idea of what he will do as a President from what he has done as a Senator, I can see he will do nothing. NOTHING! He will not understand the importance of the position, and therefore will not utilize the authority he has in the position to do anything worth writing in the history books. Much like those before Lincoln have been labled "do-nothing" Presidents, Obama may be the best choice for hope in the future, after his time of course.
John McCain - We'd better lock the sheep pen and stand watch if he gets in, for he is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing. McCain is the latest version of the Neo-Con. Neo-Con version 4.1.
Reagan was the last true conservative this country has seen. If there were a scale with degrees that ranged from dead center at zero to far right 5 and far left 5, he would be considered a far right 4.5. George HW Bush was the first Neo-Con President and he was left of Reagan, he would fall at about a far right 2. Bob Dole, whom I did not vote for either, would be a zero at dead center. George W Bush gave some hope at about a far right 1. But McCain tips the scale to a far left 1.
McCain's constant barrage of voting against the conservative ideals and even contemplating switching parties should be sending sirens wailing in every American town. He will not close the borders. He will not pledge not to raise taxes. The only thing he will most likely do well is run the war against terrorism. However, being the politician that he is, he will most likely run that to ensure his electability in the future. Since he has made his stance against torturing assailants for information we can almost guarantee that the intelligence information we have been gathering will no longer be available to us anymore.
This is truly a dilema that Machiavelli would be proud of. The Republican party has steadily fallen to the left and not stood on their conservative right values. While there are still differences between Republicans and Democrats the differences are becomming less noticable and discernable.
To this I say I will not vote for McCain, much like I did not vote for Dole. If that means that our nation goes through a season in hell with Obama or Clinton, then so be it. Sometimes you have to hit bottom before you turn around. Sometimes you have to let the kids run away from home for them to realize what they had. Sometimes, as Dante experienced, you need to go through hell to get to heaven, hopefully with the help of an angel.
To the Republican party I say come back to conservatism. Find that individual that emphasizes and lives out the rugged individualism that made America great. With that you will win Conservatives, Moderates and even some Democrats who truly love this nation.
I'm sure the party regulars will barrage me with further notes of contempt, but until the party turns back to conservative I have to do as Chesterton suggested and when faced with two evils, choose neither.