Beware, more ramblings frome me are coming.
So I've been thinking more and more, trying to figure out exactly why I need to vote for Mitt Romney. I mean, the argument that he's the lesser of two evils still admits the fact that he's bad. Just not as bad. Shouldn't my standards be higher than that? This week I've watched Obama take a beating, starting with Scott Walker and ending with "The private sector is fine." Clearly I could front-run now and jump on Romney like everyone else with their crafty Facebook widgets and RNC-made videos. But its not enough for me right now. I'm looking for more, for substance.
Now I realize asking for substance from anyone who makes it this high in politics is a lot to ask for, but with Romney it is especially weak. First off, I believe he is a good man, even an honorable man. He's worked hard his whole life, earned his money, and should be celebrated for it. But this standard Republican cant I see week in and week out on the news, blogs, and radio driven by RNC and RPV press releases emailed ot everyone is so vapid.
What is our philosophy as a party? I get we want to cut government and cut taxes. We are pretty good at cutting taxes, but when has a Republican last cut government? The Republican Party since 1980 has ultimately failed as a limited government party up to this date. We place conditions on our limited governmnet philosophy. We want less government, but don't mind using it to start wars and nation build overseas that costs trillions and we sure don't mind using it to keep gay people from being happy. But beside that, right now in 2012, what is our philosophy?
I know what Barack Obama's philosophy is. Heck, I even know what Gary Johnson's philosophy is. But is Romney? What does he want to do?
The problem begins with the political parties themselves. Professional Republicans and Democrats have metastasized into pseudo-government agencies themselves. The parties battle each other just so they control the levers of power. Neither wants to restrain any of it. Anti-war Democrats start more wars, anti-government Republicans grow government. And they both spend and spend. To fix it, Democrats want to raise taxes and Republicans want to cut taxes. Neither party wants to deal with the real problems.
American elections are no longer about philosophies, despite what professional hacks might say, but rather fights just to beat the other side. I've been thinking about this, and I think the rubicon was crossed when the Republicans impeached Bill Clinton in 1998. We haven't looked back since in terms of hyper-partisanship that leads to nothing. But winning for the sake of winning isn't really winning at all. If we defeat Barack Obama in 2012, what exactly will change in the bigger picture? Don't get me wrong, he needs to go. But in partisan politics these days, its personal. I hate George W. Bush, the left says; I hate Barack Obama, the right says. We have allowed our politics to degenerate into high school popularity contests for president.
My main problem is Mitt Romney. Everything a true constitutional conservative despises about what the Obama Administration has done, chiefly among them Obamacare, how can we believe that Romney will truly erase it? I mean, he did the exact same thing in Massachusetts. So far, all I know about what Mitt Romney will do is end EPA regulations, do something about Obamacare he hasn't really spelled out, and - oh yeah - he believes in America. Great.
We have a political system now where professional Democrats and Republicans agree to vote for each others corruption and spending and agree to keep principled conservatives and progressives marginalized, people who really do agree in taking power away from the powerful and back to the people (in different ways). This system need more progressives and liberty conservatives running for office because we have a bi-partisan machine that is now apart of the government itself taking this country off the cliff. The Republican and Democrats Parties are wards of the government, the motivation to win is as much to replace the other in power than do anything really different. Democrats have power now, and Republicans want that power.
Amen.
Posted by: Let's Be Free | June 09, 2012 at 01:40 PM
The GOP congress now is considerably better than it was in the 2000s. The sense is that half or more of the GOP base is lukewarm (or worse) about Romney. On domestic matters, congress will lead, Romney will follow; he won't be vetoing anything. Plus there will be pressure on him not to veer left, lest he face a primary in 2016.
This of course assumes we take the Senate, which seems probable if Romney wins.
Posted by: David D | June 09, 2012 at 05:59 PM
Great post...nothing really to add except:
I hate Bush.
I hate Obama, or Soetoro, or whatever the hell is name is.
I hate Republicans.
I hate Democrats
...but I love Mason Conservative...in a totally nonsexual way, of course.
Posted by: Petrus Romanus | June 09, 2012 at 07:29 PM
I thought you said romney was growing on you?
Posted by: James Lightweis | June 10, 2012 at 01:45 PM
Like the flu, it comes and goes.
Posted by: Chris | June 10, 2012 at 09:30 PM
I hope you get better! Because we must beat Obama.. This is the most important election of our life!
Posted by: James lightweis | June 11, 2012 at 01:30 AM
"This is the most important election of our life!"
Bullshit!
I don't mean to say that this, or any other, election isn't important. It is. But I have been hearing people say this about every election for about fifty years now. It is meaningless hot air.
Win or lose, there will be another election. And it will be important too. Do your duty. Show up and vote. Drop the hyperbole.
Posted by: Dan | June 12, 2012 at 01:12 PM