Thursday, July 31, 2008

Regrets

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I have been struggling lately with my disappointment in the Republican Party. It's more meaningful to me, perhaps, than for others because of the way I became a Republican in the first place.

It was a direct result of 9/11. I've told the story before, so I won't bore you with it again, but let's just say I was so proud of "seeing the light" about the Democrats, and the ritual of re-registering as a Republican for the first time was so full of promise, so meaningful...a major life event...a rite of passage, even.

As a result, I'm reluctant to abandon the GOP. Doing so would make that wonderful, proud, meaningful moment a mistake. It's very deflating.

And yet, how can I go on identifying with a Republican Party that has abandoned any shred of Conservatism, any commitment to Liberty...and its most profound guarantee...the smallest, weakest, cheapest, laziest government possible?

I want the legislature and the courts to leave us the hell alone. I want leaders and citizens and parties and factions that believe in liberty.

Liberty...the First and Highest Virtue. Because without it, nothing else is possible.

I would register as a Libertarian if they weren't insane.

I guess the best I can do is become one of the homeless. An "independent"....which really just outcast, outsider, orphan...one of the great mass of the unrepresented.

Sad really.

The Gunslinger
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7 comments:

  1. As a fellow independent for many of the same reasons let me be the first to welcome you to the great uncounted. . .

    If we get enough of us the major parties will have to start to listen at some point since they won't be able to count on us automatically.

    I sit and wait for a viable conservative (non religion centered) Constitution oriented party to join. . . well, that is my dream anyway. . .

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  2. That's EXACTLY what we need.
    Can I hang out and wait with you??

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  3. OK, two is a good start, now do we start our own party? What do we call it?

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  4. Count me as uncommitted, as well. I cast my very first vote for Reagan, but have been voting against rather than for ever since.

    I do not believe that writing-in or going third-party makes any difference whatsoever. Win or lose, that's all they care about, and the reasons behind it be damned. I simply refuse to vote for the lesser of two evils any more.

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  5. how about we call ourselves the Ron Pauluddites??

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  6. I switched from Democrat to Decline to State a few years ago, and it was like being set free. Before that I was hesitant to criticize Democrats because I felt like I was criticizing myself. Once I re-registered, bitching about Democrats wasn't a problem.

    Of course, criticizing Republicans has never been a problem for me.

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  7. Ron would have been a good choice but he didn't make it. I hate doing it but I will vote for McCain since the alternative is Communism. .. . And I don't want Obama picking the next judge for SCOTUS

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