I find it interesting in election after election conservatives continue to make the same mistake of rallying behind moderate/liberal candidates and expecting conservative results. In this primary election period, conservatives have an opportunity to select a candidate who clearly contrasts Barak Obama, yet I hear a constant drumbeat from many of the talking heads of a need for a continuous effort to jump on the Romney or Perry bandwagon at the exclusion of real conservatives. I realize that opinion polls matter, but this is the primary election cycle, and we (constitutional conservatives) need to carefully consider the ideas and records of each of these candidates and make up our own minds about who we believe will GOVERN as a conservative. We have found ourselves in this position before where we were so desperate to get rid of the democrat that we join in the "nominate the one who can win" crowd and regretted it for years.
I hear this ongoing discussion about appealing to the independents. I am an independent. I am a conservative / independent registered republican, and republicans need to be concerned about appealing to me. Full disclosure: I am a Bachmann supporter.
I regularly listen to Jeff Bolton, a talk show host on 570am KLIF-Dallas, and several months ago I recall him making a case for why he thought a Palin or Perry candidacy would be a terrible idea. While I don’t remember all of the details of his explanation, I do remember him making a good case for his position. Now amazingly, he seems to have recently jumped on the Perry/Romney bandwagon and joined the bash Bachmann crowd because of a statement Michelle Bachmann made in a press interview about the gardicil vaccine. Bachmann said that a lady came to her after the Tea Party/CNN debate and talked about the negative reactions her daughter had to the gardicil vaccine. According to Bachmann, the lady said that as a result of the vaccine, her daughter has suffered a mild case of mental retardation. (This has been a concern about vaccines by many parents in recent years) Bachmann then went on to talk about the violation of individual and parental rights by decisions such as Perry’s vaccine mandate. The news media and the establishment republicans quickly jumped on this opportunity to make Bachmann seem like she is against all vaccines, as they continue in their attempt to make her appear unelectable.
It is no question that establishment republicans are as afraid of Bachmann as they are of Sarah Palin, and the real question that should be asked is why. I believe it is because they realize her conservative convictions are real, and she intends to do what she says in bringing back constitutional governance and gettimg rid of crony capitalism, something I haven’t heard Perry or Romney say. You would think most Americans would love a candidate who demonstrates a conviction about such issues.
I, like many others, have issues of concern with all of the candidates, but I realize that in order to truly turn this country around we must elect someone who has a moral core, and has demonstrated a consistency in their decision making ability throughout the years that exemplifies a belief and understanding of the constitution from that core.
As a conservative, I am carefully considering what the candidates voting records are on all the issues, and I also consider the things that I have to live with about the candidate that I don’t like. Of those things, I find that Romney’s inconsistency on the life issue, the 2nd Amendment, his sellout position on homosexual marriage (it became law in Mass. while he was governor), and his questionable commitment to effectively dealing with the illegal immigration problem, deal breakers, but we’re told he’ll be great for the economy.
Rick Perry, on the other hand is a mixed bagged, and, in my opinion, more tolerable than Mitt Romney, but not much. Just think, had Debra Medina not made the PR mistake of a novice in the last republican primary, Rick Perry may not be the TX Governor right now. Consider that thought for a moment. Texans are sick of Rick Perry, but the closest thing he’s had to a real primary challenge was Debra Medina. While we consider Perry for US President, let’s imagine, if Perry could do to/for the country what he has done or tried to do to/for TX (i.e. Trans Texas Corridor, vaccine mandate, flip-flop border positions, support of in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants), do you believe he would improve the country? Compared to Obama or Romney, possibly so, but look at what you have to stomach for that POSSIBILITY.
I am not a blind Bachmann supporter, I have a few issues with her as well, but I consider that she is a stark contrast to Obama. She has consistently made a case for constitutional governance, and I believe her when she says she “will not rest until Obama care is repealed”, and that she is committed to getting rid of the many of the economy stifling regulations implemented by the Obama administration. By the way, how clearly does Perry or Romney speak in regards to these issues?
Back to the independents. I am sick and tired of being the one to compromise my greatest concerns in order to appeal to people who lack any real conviction. If we nominate a strong conservative, the independents will have a clear choice. Vote for our conservative, or live with 4 more years of Barak Obama.
The debate rages on about how important this next election is to “save America”. While I believe that is true, I don’t believe it will be accomplished by electing someone who is lacking in their commitment to conservatism. I realize that in politics compromises have to be made, but if WE continue to compromise on laws that violate our constitutional liberties, pretty soon we won’t have anything left to compromise, and the establishment republicans will still be telling us that the most important concerns are lower taxes and the economy.
While the economy and lower taxes are important, it’s equally important to consider a few other issues. The republicans passed G.W Bush off as a conservative, yet he expanded the dept. of education. Did that help the economy? G.W. Bush also developed the dept. of Homeland Security, expanded the TSA to include passenger screeners, passed the constitution violating PATRIOT ACT, and expanded the national heritage areas legislation (re: americanpolicy.org) which violates private property rights, with the help of many of those so called conservative republicans. (Former “conservative” republican Sen. George Allen (VA) comes to mind) I don’t know how much more of these tax lowering, constitution violating conservatives America can take.
The question that I ask is how far to the left must America move as we compromise away our freedom, liberty, moral decency, and constitutional fidelity before the so-called conservative talking heads, as well as rank and file conservative Americans draw a line in the sand that applies to ALL politicians, not just democrats. If the line is NOT drawn, there is truly no reason to believe there will be any REAL change in the direction that America is going.
I realize that many Americans feel desperate to get rid of Barak Obama, and I understand that feeling. I have consistently said that, I believe that the Obama Presidency has been a blessing in disguise because it woke so many people up. But if your decision is simply to get rid of Obama, it is even more critical that you elect constitutionalists to the Congress and the Senate, because the Romney/Perry type of republican, regardless of their rhetoric, is in many ways more dangerous to America than Obama, and truthfully, those types of republicans are no friend to constitutional conservatives.
