Pro-Life Uber Alles?
I haven't written much about the Primary Campaigning mainly because I rejected the early campaigning by the pols. Of course, I haven't written much of anything here, mostly being content to hash out ideas on other blogs.
One of the main issues that rankles me in this primary is the single issue Right to Life types that like to pretend that as long as the candidate is Pro-Life! that he or she is a Conservative. To me, this position is akin to the Kos Crowd proclaiming Joe Leiberman to be a wingnut because he supports the GWOT, despite a 99% liberal voting record in all other areas.
I prefer W to any of his contemporary Democrat party rivals but, in some critical areas, he is most decidedly *not* a conservative, despite his pro-life convictions. He is not a conservative on immigration, his compassionate conservatism is growing entitlement programs and creating new ones. But we knew this when we voted for him; he told us as much. That's tolerable given what the Dems would enact. Personally, I was counting on the Republican controlled Congress to reign him in on the spending. They didn't and it cost them control of both Houses.
Despite Rudy's popularity, there are some rumblings of single issue pro-lifers either running a third party candidate or simply staying at home and watching Hillary! or whatever socialist creature the Dems nominate get the White House.
As someone who held his nose while voting for GHW Bush only to see the Perot koolaid drinkers split the party vote over the "Read my Lips" Betrayal, giving BJ Clinton the top spot, this galls me no end. Some of the preferred pro-life candidates are as liberal as Rudy Giuliani, just in other directions, usually towards entitlement programs or immigration policy, but, I'd show up at the voting booth and happily push the button for them if they were the choice vs the Hildebeast.
To paraphrase USSC Justice Robert Jackson, the Republican party platform is not a suicide pact. If a Republican is going to be better for the Nation than a Democrat, then vote for him. Then, work on moving the Party to develop the type of leaders in the Reagan mold that are more the whole package. Don't sabotage the party that best represents your point of view by enabling the party that doesn't.
One of the main issues that rankles me in this primary is the single issue Right to Life types that like to pretend that as long as the candidate is Pro-Life! that he or she is a Conservative. To me, this position is akin to the Kos Crowd proclaiming Joe Leiberman to be a wingnut because he supports the GWOT, despite a 99% liberal voting record in all other areas.
I prefer W to any of his contemporary Democrat party rivals but, in some critical areas, he is most decidedly *not* a conservative, despite his pro-life convictions. He is not a conservative on immigration, his compassionate conservatism is growing entitlement programs and creating new ones. But we knew this when we voted for him; he told us as much. That's tolerable given what the Dems would enact. Personally, I was counting on the Republican controlled Congress to reign him in on the spending. They didn't and it cost them control of both Houses.
Despite Rudy's popularity, there are some rumblings of single issue pro-lifers either running a third party candidate or simply staying at home and watching Hillary! or whatever socialist creature the Dems nominate get the White House.
As someone who held his nose while voting for GHW Bush only to see the Perot koolaid drinkers split the party vote over the "Read my Lips" Betrayal, giving BJ Clinton the top spot, this galls me no end. Some of the preferred pro-life candidates are as liberal as Rudy Giuliani, just in other directions, usually towards entitlement programs or immigration policy, but, I'd show up at the voting booth and happily push the button for them if they were the choice vs the Hildebeast.
To paraphrase USSC Justice Robert Jackson, the Republican party platform is not a suicide pact. If a Republican is going to be better for the Nation than a Democrat, then vote for him. Then, work on moving the Party to develop the type of leaders in the Reagan mold that are more the whole package. Don't sabotage the party that best represents your point of view by enabling the party that doesn't.
posted by SGT Ted at 9:32 AM
1 Comments:
My sentiments exactly! Thank you for saying it so well!
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