Conservatives (Republicans really) Lost More Than An Election (votes, thought, Democrats)
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That Barack Obama trounced John McCain last Tuesday should have surprised no one. In fact, in this column, weeks ago, I stated emphatically that John McCain could no more beat Barack Obama than Bob Dole could beat Bill Clinton. He didn't. (Hence a vote for John McCain was a "wasted" vote, was it not?) I also predicted that Obama would win with an electoral landslide. He did. The real story, however, is not how Barack Obama defeated John McCain. The real story is how John McCain defeated America's conservatives.
For all intents and purposes, conservatism--as a national movement--is completely and thoroughly dead. Barack Obama did not destroy it, however. It was George W. Bush and John McCain who destroyed conservatism in America.
Soon after G.W. Bush was elected, it quickly became obvious he was no conservative. On the contrary, George Bush has forever established himself as a Big-Government, warmongering, internationalist neocon. Making matters worse was the way Bush presented himself as a conservative Christian. In fact, Bush's portrayal of himself as a conservative Christian paved the way for the betrayal and ultimate destruction of conservatism (something I also predicted years ago). And the greatest tragedy of this deception is the way that Christian conservatives so thoroughly (and stupidly) swallowed the whole Bush/McCain neocon agenda.
For example, Bush and his fellow neocons like to categorize and promote themselves as being "pro-life," but they have no hesitation or reservation about killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people in reckless and unconstitutional foreign wars. By the same token, how many unborn babies were saved by six years of all three branches of the federal government being under the control of these "pro-life" neocons? Not one! Ask the more than eight million unborn babies who were killed in their mothers' wombs during the last eight years how "pro-life" George W. Bush and John McCain are.
As a result of this insanely inconsistent and pixilated punditry, millions of Americans now laugh at the very notion of "pro-life" conservatism. Bush and McCain have made a mockery of the very term.
Consider, too, the way Bush and McCain have allowed the international bankers on Wall Street to bilk America's taxpayers out of trillions of dollars. Yes, I know Obama also supported the Wall Street bailout, but it was the Republican Party that controlled the White House for the last eight years and the entire federal government for six out of the last eight years. In fact, the GOP has won seven out of the previous ten Presidential elections. They have controlled Supreme Court appointments for the past thirty-plus years. They have appointed the majority of Treasury secretaries and Federal Reserve chairmen. They have presided over the greatest trade imbalances, the biggest deficits, the biggest spending increases, and now the worst financial disaster since the Great Depression.
The gop no longer represents fiscal conservatives or people who are interested in liberty. They may be democrats for all they have adhered to conservative principles!
And let it be known that wanting to legislate morality is not and was not a conservative virtue. The gop sold us all out for easy votes among the moral majority. Truly, I am one disgusted former republican.
Well, as I said before the cannibalism has started. The GOP is turning on itself seeking to lay the blame. On the one hand folks are turning on McCain and Bush - and on the other hand folks are turning on Palin.
Well, as I said before the cannibalism has started. The GOP is turning on itself seeking to lay the blame. On the one hand folks are turning on McCain and Bush - and on the other hand folks are turning on Palin.
No surprise to me. Just basic human nature.
Ken
This 'cannabilism' is a long time coming and really has not much to do with either mccain or palin. It has a lot more to do with the gop pandering to the religious right and the signing of the bailout bill among other things.
You know, I think while this defeat must certainly be tough to swallow for many Republicans it's also a chance for them to have a really good look at their own conservative values and how they can assure that these are conveyed better to the electorate.
But it's of course up to the members of the party to realize that and understand that they cannot continue in the same old tracks which clearly don't work very well anymore.
This election was a vote against the Bush administration and the policies of the last 8 years. It was not some new leftist revolution. This is still a center/center-right country.
(Hence a vote for John McCain was a "wasted" vote, was it not?) Originally posted by Anonymous Politcal Junkie
While I see your point I myself feel there is no such thing as a wasted vote as long as your reasoning behind your vote is sound. If you truly believe in your candidate and their ability to run this country then you should vote for that person. Even if they lose you still cast your vote for who you thought was the better man for you.
Far too many people voted for one or the other candidate for all the wrong reasons. I heard countless people say things like "I'm voting for McCain because I am a Republican" or "I'm voting for Obama because I want a black president" or "I'm not voting for McCain because I don't want a black president" etc. etc. etc. The point is people who vote for any candidate for any other reason than their sincere belief in that candidates abilities are foolish. They are voting for all the wrong reasons.
I myself voted for the candidate of my choice and I knew he had absolutely no chance. Of course, that would be Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party. I really like the Libertarian platform and I liked how Barr could tear both Obama and McCain a new one on any subject they chose to debate upon. Of course, most people never got to see him at all. Thus my prior knowledge of the fact that he had no chance. But I still voted for him because he was my #1 choice for this country.
So even though he lost, my vote counted for something. I stood for what I believed in and voted for the candidate of my choice. So no vote is a wasted vote, unless you voted for all the wrong reasons. And for all those Republicans out there who are disheartened by this years outcome, cheer up! You did way better than my party and 4 years goes by fast.
That Barack Obama trounced John McCain last Tuesday should have surprised no one. In fact, in this column, weeks ago, I stated emphatically that John McCain could no more beat Barack Obama than Bob Dole could beat Bill Clinton. He didn't. (Hence a vote for John McCain was a "wasted" vote, was it not?) I also predicted that Obama would win with an electoral landslide. He did. The real story, however, is not how Barack Obama defeated John McCain. The real story is how John McCain defeated America's conservatives.
For all intents and purposes, conservatism--as a national movement--is completely and thoroughly dead. Barack Obama did not destroy it, however. It was George W. Bush and John McCain who destroyed conservatism in America.
Soon after G.W. Bush was elected, it quickly became obvious he was no conservative. On the contrary, George Bush has forever established himself as a Big-Government, warmongering, internationalist neocon. Making matters worse was the way Bush presented himself as a conservative Christian. In fact, Bush's portrayal of himself as a conservative Christian paved the way for the betrayal and ultimate destruction of conservatism (something I also predicted years ago). And the greatest tragedy of this deception is the way that Christian conservatives so thoroughly (and stupidly) swallowed the whole Bush/McCain neocon agenda.
For example, Bush and his fellow neocons like to categorize and promote themselves as being "pro-life," but they have no hesitation or reservation about killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people in reckless and unconstitutional foreign wars. By the same token, how many unborn babies were saved by six years of all three branches of the federal government being under the control of these "pro-life" neocons? Not one! Ask the more than eight million unborn babies who were killed in their mothers' wombs during the last eight years how "pro-life" George W. Bush and John McCain are.
As a result of this insanely inconsistent and pixilated punditry, millions of Americans now laugh at the very notion of "pro-life" conservatism. Bush and McCain have made a mockery of the very term.
Consider, too, the way Bush and McCain have allowed the international bankers on Wall Street to bilk America's taxpayers out of trillions of dollars. Yes, I know Obama also supported the Wall Street bailout, but it was the Republican Party that controlled the White House for the last eight years and the entire federal government for six out of the last eight years. In fact, the GOP has won seven out of the previous ten Presidential elections. They have controlled Supreme Court appointments for the past thirty-plus years. They have appointed the majority of Treasury secretaries and Federal Reserve chairmen. They have presided over the greatest trade imbalances, the biggest deficits, the biggest spending increases, and now the worst financial disaster since the Great Depression.
(Hence a vote for John McCain was a "wasted" vote, was it not?) Originally posted by Anonymous Politcal Junkie
While I see your point I myself feel there is no such thing as a wasted vote as long as your reasoning behind your vote is sound. If you truly believe in your candidate and their ability to run this country then you should vote for that person. Even if they lose you still cast your vote for who you thought was the better man for you.
Far too many people voted for one or the other candidate for all the wrong reasons. I heard countless people say things like "I'm voting for McCain because I am a Republican" or "I'm voting for Obama because I want a black president" or "I'm not voting for McCain because I don't want a black president" etc. etc. etc. The point is people who vote for any candidate for any other reason than their sincere belief in that candidates abilities are foolish. They are voting for all the wrong reasons.
I myself voted for the candidate of my choice and I knew he had absolutely no chance. Of course, that would be Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party. I really like the Libertarian platform and I liked how Barr could tear both Obama and McCain a new one on any subject they chose to debate upon. Of course, most people never got to see him at all. Thus my prior knowledge of the fact that he had no chance. But I still voted for him because he was my #1 choice for this country.
So even though he lost, my vote counted for something. I stood for what I believed in and voted for the candidate of my choice. So no vote is a wasted vote, unless you voted for all the wrong reasons. And for all those Republicans out there who are disheartened by this years outcome, cheer up! You did way better than my party and 4 years goes by fast.
I don't know why you reposted one of my posts, but I ened up not voting for Bob Barr. I did vote for Chuck Baldwin though.
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