On Voting with Your Gut
Back in late January/early February, right after my Rudy exited the race for the Republican nomination, I found myself in the unusual position of being undecided in a political contest.
Given my commitment to conservative ideas, it seemed I would end up supporting former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as I was closer to him on the issues than I am to his then-rival from Arizona. Not just that I didn’t think John McCain acquitted himself particularly well in the only debate held after Rudy’s withdrawal and before the California primary. As I put it in one post, his “persistence in claiming Romney favored a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq makes him look like a rank amateur as do his broadsides against Wall Street.”
And yet, when I voted, “my heart was telling me to vote McCain while my head said Romney. I guess our hearts are closer to our guts and I went with my gut.”
There was just something about John McCain which made me confident in his ability to lead this nation.
I’m more confident now that I made the right choice then. While I still have some quibbles with the Senator’s campaign, on the whole, he has done a pretty solid job, especially in challenging Senator Obama to go to Iraq and see firsthand the situation there and inviting his rival to face off with home him in a series of town-hall style debates. His record has impressed a number of centrist voters who might otherwise vote Democratic. Above all, he has a keen understanding of the most fundamental issue facing our nation at the present time.
As I reflect on my own decision this year, voting for a candidate more for his character than his ideology, going with my gut in choosing between the two leading Republican candidates, I wonder how many Americans will end up going with their gut when they vote this fall. They may find themselves disposed to voting Democrat because they favor the party out of power as I found myself disposed to voting for Romney because I appreciated his position on the issues, but choose the Republican candidate because they have greater confidence in John McCain’s ability to lead than they do in Senator Obama’s.
With most polls showing at least ten percent undecided, such gut-voting could swing a close race to John McCain. Recall that even as the media heralded Obama as the Democratic nominee in the last months of the campaign, he only managed to win about 40% of late-deciding Democrats. It seems to follow that he’d win an even smaller percentage of late-deciding voters in a general election.
Of course, much of what I’m saying now is little more than speculation, but my experience this year has caused me to wonder to what degree Americans vote on the issues and to what degree they vote on other factors. Given that most Americans do not follow politics as closely as do most partisans and those who read blogs such as this one, they may well have different criteria for evaluating candidates than we do.
My sense right now is that the dynamics of this year favor the Democrats. From all the trends we see it does seems they’re going to do quite well. Yet, when we watch Obama’s performance, the signs point to his defeat.
The presumptive Democratic nominee changes his position of issues from one day to the next. And he keeps changing his story about his relationship to his former pastor and other controversial figures. Advisers have been resigning from his campaign on a regular basis because of their questionable statements and/or associations.
The more we learn about Senator Obama, the more it seems people voting with their gut will choose the more substantial, experienced alternative. No wonder the Republican has a chance to win in a year such as this.
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From your mouth to Gods’ ears and to the people voting in November.
Comment by Leah — June 12, 2008 @ 9:35 pm - June 12, 2008
I just cannot and will not vote for McCain. I won’t vote for Obama either.
Comment by KevinQC — June 12, 2008 @ 9:49 pm - June 12, 2008
KevinQ:
Did you like today’s Court ruling that will basically release Jihadists onto the streets of our cities?
Comment by Vince P — June 12, 2008 @ 10:07 pm - June 12, 2008
[Comment deleted as this individual has been banned due to repeated violation of community terms of conduct.]
Comment by markie — June 12, 2008 @ 10:21 pm - June 12, 2008
The gut? That’s where nausea and vomit come from. Naturally, that leads to a vote for McCain.
It’s also only a few inches above the spot where he’s going to kick you once he’s elected (if he is).
Comment by V the K — June 12, 2008 @ 10:43 pm - June 12, 2008
I did Vince… guess what!? McCain is in favor of that.
Comment by KevinQC — June 12, 2008 @ 11:48 pm - June 12, 2008
Why?
I fail to see where the article from 2007 says he wants detainee to have access to US Civil courts.
Comment by Vince P — June 12, 2008 @ 11:56 pm - June 12, 2008
how could a gay person possibly support mitt Romney? He sold out gay people to try and appease evangelicals (who, in a bit of poetic justice, refused to accept him). And 2 the person saying they won’t vote mccain…. What will you tell ur children when they ask how a radical terrorist-appeaser became us president?
Comment by maverick — June 13, 2008 @ 12:17 am - June 13, 2008
Vince… the outcome of moving the terrorists to U.S. territory would be that they would then be able to avail themselves of the civilian courts. That’s what McCain means by “truly expedite the judicial proceedings in their cases…” Today’s SCOTUS ruling merely puts into case law McCain’s intentions.
Comment by KevinQC — June 13, 2008 @ 1:58 am - June 13, 2008
What will you tell ur children when they ask how a radical terrorist-appeaser became us president?
Should I ever have children and they ask me, I’ll tell them I didn’t vote for the man who closed Gitmo.
Comment by KevinQC — June 13, 2008 @ 1:59 am - June 13, 2008
KevinQC,
I’m curious why you can’t and won’t vote for McCain. Care to share?
Comment by American Elephant — June 13, 2008 @ 2:29 am - June 13, 2008
I can’t speak for Kevin, but I can list my own reasons:
1. I can’t support someone for president who refers to free speech as a “so-called first amendment right,” that he arbitrarily tosses aside for the sake of politics.
2. I can’t forgive the fact that he tossed good conservative judges under the bus for the sake of preserving an elitist senate privilege (Gang of 14.)
3. Amnesty, and the way he lied about the McCain-Kennedy bill, tried to sneak it past the American people in the dead of night, and nastily attacked those who demanded real border security.
4. The fact that he would rather Americans die than pour water up a terrorist’s nose for thirty seconds.
5. His sneering attitude toward capitalism, as evidenced by his talk about “obscene profits,” and his snotty “I led for patriotism no profits” attack on Mitt Romney in the primaries.
6. His determination to keep America dependent on foreign oil by blocking exploration of the mosquito-infested hellhole that is ANWR. Because even though he claims Americans are smart enough to develop magical alternative fuels, he doesn’t believe we’re smart enough to tap ANWR without harming the environment, and he’s too stubborn and too stupid to admit he’s wrong.
7. His willingness to destroy the American economy for the sake of fighting the phantom menace of ManBearPig.
8. His opposition to the Bush tax cuts, siding with Democrats against the Bush tax cuts. What was that? Was that petty political revenge for losing in 2000? If it was principled opposition, why the Election Year conversion? And why does he now say it was about spending, which is totally different than the rationale he gave at the time.
9. The New York Times endorsed him.
10. A general perception that McCain is a consummate Beltway insider and self-righteous prick without a single freakin’ clue about the concerns of the average American.
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 5:26 am - June 13, 2008
V the K, I admit to softening a wee bit on McCain. I think his imperial airs have begun to crack in the face of direct public confrontation. He has long been a Senator with attitude and his McCain Mutiny tendencies certainly mark him as not so much of a maverick, but as a rogue elephant.
The Supreme Court decision was a splash of cold water for me. I don’t know what McQueeg can reach across the aisle and get onto the court, but I know I can’t abide anyone Obama will nominate. (How is that for closed-minded projection?)
McCain’s New York City “townhall meeting” was quite interesting. He can speak decisively and without his annoying sing-song cadence of a public library story teller for pre-schoolers that he morphs into in most speeches.
His ANWAR/Grand Canyon analogy is just nuts. He clearly doesn’t understand the role of speculators in the market. His attacks on CEO compensation is bordering on penis envy. The whole “obscene profit” of oil companies goes back to his confusion concerning market forces. And, I think his willingness to help muddy the waters on the man made global warming hoax is depressing.
However, (deep breath and long sigh) McQueeg is certainly not Obama. Obama is a driven ideologue. McCain’s rogue tendencies will do far less damage to the country and our future. How is that for faint praise?
Comment by heliotrope — June 13, 2008 @ 9:18 am - June 13, 2008
That’s my other issue, H-trope. I’ve just had it with party bosses saying “Here’s your turd sandwich. Eat it and smile, because the alternative is a giant douche.” I’m sick of party bosses using horror stories about the other side to scare us into accepting the sh*t sandwich they put in front of us. I can’t do that any more. I’m out.
As for the Supreme Court foreign terrorists > Americans decision, the deciding vote and the guy who wrote the opinion was Anthony “Foreign Law Is Awesome” Kennedy… a REAGAN appointee. If we can’t trust Reagan to appoint good justices, what the hell hope do we have with McVain?
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 11:17 am - June 13, 2008
V the K,
I am upset by every one of those things as well. But I also agree with Helio. McCain may do some stuff thats really going to piss me off, stuff I think is horrible for the country. But I believe with every fiber of my being that Obama will do just as much and far worse.
Can you say Justice Hillary Clinton? If not her, at least some Bader-Ginsburg clones. Justice Kennedy is the swing vote that makes this supposedly a right-leaning court. What if he retires? I believe McCain will try very hard to nominate conservative justices. And I think he has capital with the American people he can use to that end. But the very worst I think he could do is replace him with another swing vote. Obama, and a Democrat senate, would replace him with a Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
And he’s not the only one. I believe both Scalia and Thomas are in their 70′s. What happens if, God forbid something should happen to one of them? Who do you want nominating their replacements?
How would u like a court that rules the 2nd amendment doesn’t apply to individuals?
And thats not the only issue McCain would be better on. Obama has proposed over a trillion in new spending by conservative estimates. Nationalized health care, who knows, maybe they’ll nationalize the oil industry while they’re at it. Surely they will pass a windfall tax if nothing else. Fairness doctrine. The end of the Bush tax cuts, with additional tax increases on top no doubt. McCain wants to cut the corporate tax rate. That’s the sort of thing he can accomplish if he is elected on it.
I know its a choice between bad and worse, but that’s the only choice available, so I know I have to hold my nose and pick bad, because its my duty to my country to do the best i can for my country with the choices I’m given. Isn’t that everyone’s duty?
Comment by American Elephant — June 13, 2008 @ 11:43 am - June 13, 2008
And I should add, then I roll up my sleeves and go do everything I can to get conservatives elected in primaries and to get rid of as many liberal republicans as I can — so that I’m not faced with this choice next time.
Comment by American Elephant — June 13, 2008 @ 11:48 am - June 13, 2008
AE, that post illustrates exactly what I said about party bigwigs telling horror stories to try and get me to eat the sh-t sandwich they stuck in front of me. It’s not too different than what the left does when they tell blacks that Republicans want to lynch then, or sluts that they won’t be able to get abortions any more if Republicans win.
If Hussein tries half the stuff you claim he will, there will be a backlash. Socialism doesn’t work, not even when a Magic Negro Lightworker is in charge of it.
And frankly, if the Republican party wins with McCain and takes the lesson that they have to go hard left in order to win, then we’re totally boned.
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 11:57 am - June 13, 2008
V the K, I can’t get my mind to work on the topic, but the primary system has totally failed us again. The phony pre-primary debates wore me out. The whole run-up to the primaries and the run to win the primaries tapped a lot of people out. I reached the point early where “none of the above” was my favorite candidate.
I suppose that party “bosses” play a role, but I think the nomination is more akin to a floating craps game. We seem to be locked into a pre-convention coronation imperative. Meanwhile, Republicans can’t seem to stand for much of anything. We are stuck in the doldrums.
Comment by heliotrope — June 13, 2008 @ 12:02 pm - June 13, 2008
Amen to that. Politics is never about the ideal, it’s always about the less of two evils.
The best people don’t go into politics – they are in business, or medicine or science. So we’re left with power hungry attention grabbers.
I don’t see sitting out an election a solution. The price we pay for our freedom is not always getting our way. It’s all about compromise – try to get the best one can – as diminished as that may be.
As to judges – they are human, the position, the power, their surrounding will change them with time. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. No president can guarantee their nominee will never change.
Right now I’d say it’s pretty clear that as flawed as McCain may be, he is better for this country than Obama. Of course, not everyone sees it that way, which is what makes living in the country so interesting.
Comment by Leah — June 13, 2008 @ 12:31 pm - June 13, 2008
Leah, I respect your point of view and I won’t disparage it. I just embrace the point of view that you can only sell out principles so far before even the lesser of two evils is still too evil to be acceptable.
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 12:58 pm - June 13, 2008
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the – Web Reconnaissance for 06/13/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
Comment by David M — June 13, 2008 @ 1:21 pm - June 13, 2008
Related: Obamessiah wusses out on townhalls with Juan McVain.
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 1:27 pm - June 13, 2008
AH thats right! I forgot about the backlash that prevented the New Deal and Great Society from passing. Thanks for reminding me!
Comment by American Elephant — June 13, 2008 @ 1:44 pm - June 13, 2008
I view this year’s election as way, way, way out of my hands. It’s in the hands of 299,999,999 other Americans, and/or God’s. If Americans want eco-wacko-socialism under a white-haired crypto-authoritarian, that they shall have. If Americans want medical socialism under a nutty new Jimmy Carter, that they shall have. If that’s what it takes for Americans to re-learn the lessons of the mid-30s (Roosevelt extending the Depression) and/or the 70s, that’s what it takes. Or if Americans never learn, then they never learn, and the time for America’s decline would be at hand. Whatever. All I can do is keep telling the truth – calling ‘em as I see ‘em. And try to protect myself and my loved ones – although there is not a lot I can do there either. The rest is altogether out of my hands. If my life ends in 2009 or 2010 in a terrorist attack, well, it was probably going to end sometime; the key is if I told the truth and lived each day on my own terms, while I had the chance.
As for how I’ll vote: my mind is not yet made up between VERY reluctantly voting for McCain, and consciously not voting at all. My gut, at this point, could go either way.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 13, 2008 @ 2:04 pm - June 13, 2008
McCain’s entire career as a senator is based on teaming up with liberal Democrats to screw over conservative Republicans. Is there any realistic expectation that President McCain would be any different?
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 2:44 pm - June 13, 2008
Sign me up for that!
Comment by heliotrope — June 13, 2008 @ 2:49 pm - June 13, 2008
ILC,
This election isnt out of your hands any more than any other election is out of your hands. Yet somehow I doubt youve skipped out on every other election. So, that’s a cop out from the get go.
What youre saying, and V the K is saying, is that if you cant have your way you might just take your marbles and go home.
I’m sorry, this “place” is called Gay Patriot. And patriotism requires doing the best you can for your country given the hand you are dealt.
I dont like the choices either, but even if McCain is only slightly better than Obama (and I believe he is more than slightly better), then my way is clear.
I live in Washington State where a mostly liberal electorate has voted in a “top-two” primary. It is entirely possible that in a future general election I may have a ballot with races in which there are NO republican candidates, but I am forced to choose between two Democrats. But I know what patriotism will require me to do. It will require me to vote for the Democrat that I believe will be the lesser of two evils, in the hopes, just like any other election, that my vote will be the one vote that makes the difference for the better, even if its only slightly better.
There is no crying in baseball, and there is no pouting in patriotism.
Comment by American Elephant — June 13, 2008 @ 3:28 pm - June 13, 2008
And while the topic is still fresh, Antonin Scalia has a book out, Scalia Dissents, in which he tackles this very subject. He was in the minority on the court for i forget, I think somewhere around 20 years, and it didnt matter what he did or how he argued, he was still going to be in the minority. And he confesses that it all felt very futile, at times making him very low indeed, and he thought about quitting. You might pick it up and take a look at what he says about it and why he didnt.
Comment by American Elephant — June 13, 2008 @ 3:39 pm - June 13, 2008
AE, not what I’m saying at all. But, evidently whatever I am saying is something you can’t or don’t want to hear. Indeed, what I said makes clear that I am doing the best I know for America given the hand I am dealt. So sorry you can’t or won’t hear that.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 13, 2008 @ 3:56 pm - June 13, 2008
Amen! Preach it brother! I couldn’t have said it better myself V the K. Add to your list the fact that McCain is already talking about shoving immigration reform down our throats again, wants to close gitmo and give the terrorists Geneva Convention rights (or worse constitutional protections), as well as his decidedly anti-business and pro-Global Warming turn and he just keeps getting worse. If Juan keeps up like this he might as well run on the same ticket as B. Hussein Obama.
Leah: it’s always about the less of two evils.
Choosing who to vote for is always a little bit of that – but every bit? No candidate is going to be a perfect individual and I don’t expect to completely agree with any candidate – but for God’s sake! John McCain is the best we can do? Something is “f–ked up” to put it in McCain’s vernacular.
Leah: Right now I’d say it’s pretty clear that as flawed as McCain may be, he is better for this country than Obama.
If you stick to your premise, what you mean is that McCain is “less bad” than Obama. In no way will he be better – just a different kind of “just as wrong.”
Also, why does everyone assume that just because I’m not voting for McCain (not even if the Sweet Lord Jesus came down and told me it was the right thing to do) that I’m sitting out the election or voting for Obama? You couldn’t be more wrong. I’m doing what you all seem to consider to be the only acceptable way to choose a candidate: voting for the man I think is the least worst. That excludes both Obama AND McCain.
From my be-bopping around the blogs and commentaries, I’m starting to notice there are at least as many people who feel as I do as there are that feel like y’all do.
Comment by KevinQC — June 13, 2008 @ 3:56 pm - June 13, 2008
P.S. As far as this “it’s always about the lesser of two evils”… Let’s do some thought experiments for a moment. Was Hitler the lesser evil, or Stalin? Is the lesser evil Jessica Simpson, or Ashlee?
I don’t mean to suggest that McCain’s evil is anything as great as Hitler’s – or anything as benignly unimportant as Jessica’s, either. No sirree. Not in either direction. My point is: When faced with a choice between 2 authoritarian crypto-socialists, the patriotic thing to do – the *****least evil***** thing to do, as it were – is to tell the truth about the awfulness of the choice.
Now, as to whether I will ultimately vote McCain in the end: Just like I said, it *is* a possibility. (And my voting Obama, is not a possibility.) But in any event, it is my vote to cast-or-not.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 13, 2008 @ 4:11 pm - June 13, 2008
AE: I believe McCain will try very hard to nominate conservative justices. No he won’t. All he’s ever said is that he’ll nominate “strict constructionist” or “originalist” judges – who won’t “legislate from the bench.” That translates to “Justices who won’t mess with my beautiful, lovely, precious McCain-Feingold… I loves my precious…yes I does…”
V the K: And frankly, if the Republican party wins with McCain and takes the lesson that they have to go hard left in order to win, then we’re totally boned. Excellent point. McCain’s win will embolden the RINOs to think we approve of how they’re shredding the country. As proof consider Lindsey Graham-McCain’s exultation after he won the primary here in my state: “With the victory I’ve got, I need to keep being me…!” He’s just going to get worse – which is why I’ll be voting against him in the general like I did in the primary. They need a kick in the balls – while they still have some left.
AE: I’m sorry, this “place†is called Gay Patriot. And patriotism requires doing the best you can for your country given the hand you are dealt. Sometimes when you get a bad hand… the proper move is to fold… But I’m not doing that and I’m not taking my marbles and going home. I’m going to vote, just not for Bad or Badder.
Comment by KevinQC — June 13, 2008 @ 4:16 pm - June 13, 2008
ILC: Is the lesser evil Jessica Simpson, or Ashlee? Jessica. Hands down!
Comment by KevinQC — June 13, 2008 @ 4:18 pm - June 13, 2008
What youre saying, and V the K is saying, is that if you cant have your way you might just take your marbles and go home.
This is typical tactic of party-folk trying to belittle and insult people who are dis-satisfied with the turd sandwich the party is serving and refuse to eat it. I am under no obligation to support a candidate that opposes me on 80-90% of my issues. McCain has voted against me over and over again during his senate career. Why should I not now return the favor?
If someone offers you a choice between a kick in the teeth and a kick in the nuts, you are well within your rights to refuse to choose.
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 4:18 pm - June 13, 2008
McCain’s win will embolden the RINOs to think we approve of how they’re shredding the country. As proof consider Lindsey Graham-McCain’s exultation after he won the primary here in my state: “With the victory I’ve got, I need to keep being me…!â€
Yeah, the party-folk don’t want to seem to address that point.
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 4:22 pm - June 13, 2008
28: Did you watch Scalia’s apperance on 60 Minutes? I was so impressed by him.
Comment by Vince P — June 13, 2008 @ 4:27 pm - June 13, 2008
LOL – but sadly – Yes, that’s probably what McCain’s judicial picks will come down to. And I have 3 things to say about McCain-Feingold. 1. Unconstitutional. 2. Un-American. 3. Evil.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 13, 2008 @ 4:27 pm - June 13, 2008
Rudy Giuliani invoked Reagan as saying “My 80 percent friend is not my 20 percent enemy.†It’s true. But, McCain is a 20% friend at best. And my 20% friend might – might – be my 80% enemy.
There is one issue where McCain and I agree: Iraq. It’s a big issue. If I finally vote for him, it will be why.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 13, 2008 @ 4:33 pm - June 13, 2008
Since most of us don’t have Soros-like fortunes or prominent media gigs, votes are the only leverage we have over politicians. If we show them our votes are cheap, that we’ll vote for anybody they stick us with… then we lose the only leverage we have.
It occurs to me that the rationale for McCain-Feingold was to “clean up Washington” and limit the influence of special interests. Well, here we are six years later, and Washington is more corrupt, and more in the thrall of special interests than ever before.
Will anyone ever confront McCain on the total failure of his signature piece of legislation? And what does this total failure teach us about McCain’s ability to reform Washington or govern our country?
Comment by V the K — June 13, 2008 @ 4:43 pm - June 13, 2008
I’m confused, as well as conflicted. As a Republican “party person,” I feel fairly distant from the party today and McCain in particular. No matter what I do, there will be a new President sworn in On January 20, 2009. That person is going to be either Obama or McCain. (Not considering crazy scenarios.)
I know I want to vote against Obama. Several times, if possible. If I vote for anybody but McCain, it is the same as not voting.
Justice Stevens is 88 and holding on for a liberal president. Justice Ginzburg is 75 and says she wants to leave. Anyone Obama would appoint will make Kennedy, Souter and Breyer look like red meat conservatives.
What court appointee could McCain get through the Senate? Would it be his pleasure to get bitten by a Gang of 14?
The option is to vote for McCain or sit it out.
However, any conservative Republican has to realize that if enough Democrats cross over to vote against Obama, the McCain people would doubtlessly read it as victory from the moderate left. But even so, I prefer a moderate Democrat to Obama. I would just work hard to undermine as much of his “moderate” program as possible. Gridlock is not a bad thing when it comes to rotten government.
Meanwhile, I continue to hang up on all national Republican calls and to shred all the mail. If enough others do the same, they will get the message. I hope.
Comment by heliotrope — June 13, 2008 @ 5:56 pm - June 13, 2008
Souter was appointed by a moderate Republican. Consider that McCain’s benchmark. What he’ll try to “beat”, in terms of getting even more praise from the liberal Democrat press.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 13, 2008 @ 7:06 pm - June 13, 2008
All this bitching about McCain softness is all just masturbation.
There are HUNDRES OF THOUSANDS of men and women in our military who joined to serve this country as a result of 9/11.
You would be hard pressed to find a more shameful act than to select Obama as their commander-in-chief.
These folks have sacrificed everything to protect this country.. the least you people back here at home could do is to stand behind them and vote for them to have honorable leadership.
Then , turn your attention onto who Obama’s inner circle is… Nation of Islam, TUCC, Ayers, etc… I find it beyond stupid to compare McCain’s ideologically sluttiness to the hatred that Obama and Friends have toward this country and the damage they do to our lives if they end up in the Executive Branch.
I just shake my head at the pettiness of some of you people.
Comment by Vince P — June 13, 2008 @ 11:52 pm - June 13, 2008
Vince, I don’t intend to vote for Obama either. I just do not see McCain as any better. His flaws are different than BHO’s to be sure, but just as unacceptable. In my opinion I’m doing the right thing. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Comment by KevinQC — June 14, 2008 @ 12:19 am - June 14, 2008
And Vince, you don’t care what I think about McCain or how much I bitch about him. I could call him the co-k sucking devil incarnate as long as I vote for him and you’d be happy.
Comment by KevinQC — June 14, 2008 @ 12:26 am - June 14, 2008
Kevin: My “objective” is to NOT have Obama be President.
Satan could be running against him and I would advocate for voting for Satan.
Obama, objectively, is a threat to the security of this country. McCain is not a threat to the country. Therefore , no matter what flaws McCain has (and there are many), for the sake of the country’s security , McCain must be voted for. (I say “must ” in a rhetorical sense… anyone could for vote for whoever they want, of course)
Comment by Vince P — June 14, 2008 @ 1:21 am - June 14, 2008
McCain is just as dangerous in his own way. More long term than Obama perhaps, but deadly dangerous none the less.
Comment by KevinQC — June 14, 2008 @ 1:58 am - June 14, 2008
Ronald Reagan was very much one of those “party folk” V the K derides, so I consider myself in good company. And Ronald Reagan would absolutely be voting for John McCain (Nancy has already endorsed him) and then he would get to work trying to build a conservative majority within the party — because thats precisely what he did.
He understood that the country is not served by masturbating, to use Vinces very appropriate word, over how much more ideologically pure you are than everybody else. He understood that while he was working to build a conservative majority, it would be better to lose only some of his liberty rather than all of it.
There is the school of thought that we can let Demcorats win, and let them usher in a new New Deal, and when it all falls apart we can ride in on white horses and save the day. The problem is, we’re still trying to recover from the first New Deal, and the Great Society. Ronald Reagan also understood that a government program “is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this Earth”
Which is why he would reject that strategy as well.
Comment by American Elephant — June 14, 2008 @ 2:39 am - June 14, 2008
What concerns me the most isn’t that it would be difficult to roll-back Marxist Deal.. what concerns me the most is that we’ll be dead or serverely damaged from nuclear attack.
Comment by Vince P — June 14, 2008 @ 3:30 am - June 14, 2008
It is difficult to have a mature, respectful discussion when people start throwing around terms like “masturbating” to belittle those who have a different point-of-view. But I understand the frustration of McCainiacs. They have a candidate who is impossible to defend, so they attack his detractors.
My point-of-view is that I am beyond the election. Regardless of which liberal wins, we are going to have a president who is very wrong on a very large number of very important issues. Instead of worrying about which liberal wins, I think now is the time to think about how to fight McCain or Obama when either tries to impose their disastrous policies on the USA.
Comment by V the K — June 14, 2008 @ 6:56 am - June 14, 2008
I am not a McCainiac. I am an Antibama.
Comment by Vince P — June 14, 2008 @ 7:26 am - June 14, 2008
I’m anti-Obama, too. But, I’m not wetting my pants in fear of him either. I think he’s not too bright, and in way over his head. I think an Obama administration would be corrupt and incompetent like those of other “community activists” turned politicians who found themselves in executive positions like Marion Berry, John Street, and Kwame Kilpatrick. We’ve seen Obama throw people under the bus when people push back (unlike John McCain, who just digs in harder when non-Democrats oppose him). He’s Jimmy Carter without the executive experience.
Obama’s policies may be a little worse than McCain’s, but his ability to implement them will be handicapped by his inexperience, poor judgment, and the distraction of inevitable corruption scandals. McCain, on the other hand, *will* join arm and arm with Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid, and the rest of his Democrat pals and passing Amnesty and ManBearPig legislation. And I think he’ll happily throw tax cuts and judicial appointments under the bus (like he’s done before) in a quid pro quo with Democrats to keep troops in Iraq.
And if you think the conservative base is dispirited now, what do you think will happen after a couple of years of that?
Tell me where I’m wrong here. Tell me why there is any reasonable reason to hope President McCain would be any different the Senator McCain when it comes to allying with liberal Democrats to screw conservative Republicans?
Maverick should be grateful I’m not on any of those blogger teleconferences. I get the impression those are sycophant-only affairs.
Comment by V the K — June 14, 2008 @ 9:14 am - June 14, 2008
Well, “difficult” to defend, at the very least. I feel sorry for them.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 14, 2008 @ 9:39 am - June 14, 2008
I just don’t want to see this break down like the illegal immigration debate did, when otherwise conservative people broke into Kos-like name-calling of people they disagreed with. I respect people who’ve chose to vote for McCain even though he sucks, and I understand their reasons for doing so. All I ask is for a respectful hearing of the reasons I won’t be.
What’s more important, I think, is for those who disagree with both candidates on issues like amnesty, ManBearPig (a.k.a. Anthropogenic Global Warming, a.k.a. Carbonpohobia), letting liberal Democrats pick judges, keeping America dependent on hostile regimes for energy instead of developing our own resources, government regulation of free speech, and the preferability of free markets over excessive regulation… we have to start strategizing right now on how to fight whichever one of these elitist, authoritarian, anti-capitalists occupies the oval office nine months from now.
Comment by V the K — June 14, 2008 @ 10:41 am - June 14, 2008
I contend it will be much easier to fight and contain McCain then it will Obama. Obama is goign to staff the Executive Branch with the most corrupt people EVER.
An Obama Admin will make Clinton’s look like George Washington’s.
Comment by Vince P — June 14, 2008 @ 11:40 am - June 14, 2008
Maybe. But if it is, the Democrats will protect anything and anybody. That means, it is the racist Republicans who will attack the black man day and night for the crime of being black.
Obama is a master at “not playing the race card.” As the first “victim” of the United States, he could oversee four years of Hell and not only get away with it, but get oodles of pandering help.
No, I don’t want that man anywhere near the Oval Office. I don’t care what color or sex my President is, so long as color or sex is not the reason for being elected. Barry Hubert Ogden, white junior Senator from Illinois with no record, couldn’t get a job running Amtrak. But we are about to elect him President only because he is black and talks a good written speech.
Comment by heliotrope — June 14, 2008 @ 12:05 pm - June 14, 2008
It might be preferable to be united in opposition to Obama than divided in opposition to McCain. But no matter who wins, there must be a strategy of opposition to their most destructive policies.
Comment by V the K — June 14, 2008 @ 12:08 pm - June 14, 2008
Good luck trying to have an effective opposition to an Obama regime. Just try to get the Press to take you seriously. or for them to look into what thier Messiah and his Nation of Islam people are doing.
Cmon.. You’re smarter than this. You can’t possibly think that Obama is going to be easier to oppose than McCain.
Comment by Vince P — June 14, 2008 @ 12:11 pm - June 14, 2008
I don’t pretend to know the future, beyond the fact that both candidates for president believe in some seriously bad ideas and those ideas must be opposed.
Comment by V the K — June 14, 2008 @ 12:56 pm - June 14, 2008
Amen to that.
Comment by heliotrope — June 14, 2008 @ 1:52 pm - June 14, 2008
Just try to get the Press to take you seriously. Moot argument. When have the ever taken conservatives seriously or “looked into” what Democrat in the White House, or Congress, or county Dog Catcher’s office was doing?
Comment by KevinQC — June 14, 2008 @ 2:16 pm - June 14, 2008
I don’t know who, or IF I’ll be voting this November.
One thing I do know is that I’m pissed at having my selection in the primaries shut down by Libs and their fellow travelers before I had a chance to vote in Texas.
Wow a choice between a Lib and a lib and a nutcase.
I hope someone gets a conservative party going soon.
Comment by Kurt P — June 16, 2008 @ 12:21 am - June 16, 2008
[...] talking as a confident leader, strong and self-assured. Â I’m glad I followed my gut when I voted for him in the California [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Taking Over the Mantle of Change — September 4, 2008 @ 10:55 pm - September 4, 2008
[...] And then there will be those, like me in the California Republican primary earlier this year, who vote with their gut. I’ve always thought such “gut-voters” would favor John McCain. [...]
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