Just a month or so ago I was telling someone how I have my favorites for the Presidency but I could be very happy with almost any of the Republican candidates. The Democrats are way out there for me and I don't necessarily agree with all of the Republicans but I could throw my support behind any number of the Republican candidates. In fact, more so at this point than I could ever remember, we were sitting pretty good with our choices. Romney, Thompson, Huckabee, even Guiliani would be pretty good! No
w all of the sudden this John McCain guy is THE front-runner! Thompson and Guiliani aren't even running anymore and now it looks like the least conservative guy in the pack is liable to be our guy! What happened? Or, a better question is: What can we do to keep it from happening in 2012 when I move back from Switzerland?
w all of the sudden this John McCain guy is THE front-runner! Thompson and Guiliani aren't even running anymore and now it looks like the least conservative guy in the pack is liable to be our guy! What happened? Or, a better question is: What can we do to keep it from happening in 2012 when I move back from Switzerland?
3 comments:
Yeah Todd, you'll move to Switzerland like Alec Baldwin moved to France! Ha!
Honestly, though, Giuliani more conservative than McCain? While neither is particularly my choice for the GOP nomination, I for one am not disheartened in the least that Rudy is the one dropping out.
Two months ago, if they said that this election might come down to Obama vs. McCain, I would have said they were nuts.
McCain's surge is driven by Giuliani's strategy backfiring and by the media-created myth that McCain is the only one who could beat Hillary.
Rudy planned to sit out the early primaries and let Romney, Huckabee, and Thompson duke it out. They would split the conservative vote, and let Rudy, with the help of the moderates and independents, win Florida, which would boost Rudy into contention on Super Tuesday. It worked perfectly. Almost. Romney, Huckabee, and Thompson did split the vote, but it was McCain who capitalized on it instead of Rudy.
The fawning media helped out, too. They love McCain, and along with every Democrat, desperately want him to get the nomination. But come November, do you really think that these people who are propping up McCain's primary surge are really going to vote for him? Not a chance!
I don't disagree with D²'s assessment, and am old and wise enough to recognize that people often wield their precious voting rights cynically, as well as irresponsibly. And I wrote advisedly, as voting is a right, and, whether used cynically or irresponsibly is the prerogative of THE PEOPLE (the same, individual people referenced in many of the amendments, including the second). Whether I approve matters not a whit.
I can, however, express my first amendment rights to propagate my opinions and reflections, which, though seemingly brilliant to me, may not so appear to all others. The Lord has blessed me (indulge me for a moment) with a modicum of intelligence, a college education, and a small party-pack of 50-cent words, many of which are my favorite playthings.
And so I would posit that I think it's fundamentally wrong to cast a cynical primary vote for the perceived weakest link in the opposing party. As a business manager, I would not advise subordinates to "give me two choices, and make one of them a stinker". As an American citizen, I deserve the opportunity to cast a vote for the best candidate each party can put forward, and also believe I have a duty to help put the BEST, not the weakest, candidates on the ballots for my fellow citizens.
I have voted in a Texas 'D' Presidential primary, when the 'R' candidate was not in question, and did so in the hope of having a palatable 'D' elected should my 'R' candidate fall short. Well, as it happened, my 'D' primary guy fell short, and one Wm. Jefferson ("I did not have...")Clinton subsequently took the oath of office. But I had done my part, with integrity, to try to prevent that train wreck. Whether that's realpolitik or honest politics, I don't know.
Wrapping it up, I have made no bones, (pun intended?), that both Sen. McCain amd Mayor Rudy give me a case of electile dysfunction. I have also written, most likely in comments on this blog space, that Mike Huckabee is the best remaining candidate, if only to give redemption to Arkansas for its past sins.
Post a Comment