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On Victors not of Our Choosing
Much is said about principles, and since I am not able elect anyone BY MYSELF I have entered into this pact with the group of people who I feel most comfortable with in terms of values. If they, as a body, choose a candidate who is not my first, second, third or fourth choice, then I can look to the Democrats. There I find views so antithetical to everything I believe that I realize there is indeed something to this idea of party loyalty.
I have misgivings about McCain, but only because other people who I respect have misgivings about him. When it comes down to it, I have had misgivings about all the Republican candidates. But they're nothing compared to the flat-out fears I have about what would happen if the last bulwark preventing the Democratic congress from running amok were removed.
So I will quite confidently cast my Republican vote this November, because even though whoever is running won't completely represent my values, and even though that party sometimes says or does things I disagree with, it agrees with and does things I do value and agree with far more often than the other side ever will. You can, most of you do, disagree with me. That's fine. That's what elections are for.
Please don't have a heart attack or faint, but I am going to vote for McCain also. Of course if he picks Huckabee for VP then all bets are off. I simply think that neither of the Democrats can win the election and maybe my vote will not negate yours. Of course if the merry band of the extreme right wing kicks and finds a way to destroy McCain's candidacy then I don't have anyone to vote for. At least I can vote for McCain without having nightmares
Posted by: Pat Johnson on February 6, 2008 12:57 PMMy conservatism has its liberal aspects, as you well know, so once Fred Thompson dropped out of the race, it was a no-brainer for me to go with McCain...who I voted for in the 2000 primary anyway.
Plus...while I am not without qualms about him--always the case with me and politicians anyway--the whole idea of a "maverick Republican" has a strong appeal for me. As does his environmental stands (in sharp contrast to, say, Romney, who I am convinced would bulldoze the National Parks if that will make us "more competitive globally").
Posted by: Mark on February 6, 2008 01:05 PMehhh
It's a no brainer McCain unless the right Wing does something STUPID like forcing him to take Gingritch or Bush Lite as a VP Canidate.
"But they're nothing compared to the flat-out fears I have about what would happen if the last bulwark preventing the Democratic congress from running amok were removed."
So I guess you voted for Kerry then since he would have prevented the Republican Congress from running amok (Like they did)??
I wouldn't say the Republican Congress ran all that amok. Seems that several things they wanted to get through died on the branch.
But remember, voting for Kerry meant voting for screwing up our chances to earn more money. Voting for Bush did not. Considering that fiscal policy is a huge part of one's selection in a candidate, probably no chance of voting for him. Or Hillary, Obama, or the like.
Posted by: ron on February 8, 2008 10:18 AM