[Melas]

4) Vote Third Party - Provides an unmistakable message to the Party that Conservatives can't be ignored in the nominating process.

Only if it causes McCain to lose. If voters stay home and McCain wins, it will set in stone that those voters who sat it out, no matter what they call themselves are irrelevant and not needed.

[JoJo Gunn]

irrelevant and not needed.

Some of us have been feeling that for years. Tell me something new. 

[21stCenturyFreeThinker]

Only if it causes McCain to lose. If voters stay home and McCain wins, it will set in stone that those voters who sat it out, no matter what they call themselves are irrelevant and not needed.

True, but if he can win without conservative support then there will be years in the wilderness no matter what happens.

[ellery]

Only if it causes McCain to lose. If voters stay home and McCain wins, it will set in stone that those voters who sat it out, no matter what they call themselves are irrelevant and not needed.

Under any scenario, if McCain wins, the lesson will be that conservatives are irrelevant. As you say if conservatives stay home/vote third party and he wins, we will be considered irrelevant. But if conservatives end up voting for McCain, it will be the ultimate validation of the GOP's belief that conservatives can be taken for granted because we will stay on the plantation no matter what.

At least if we vote third party we have a chance to demonstrate that we have leverage...and that to win the party must groom and promote conservative candidates.

[Robbin]

McCain can’t beat Obama if every conservative voted for him. He’s going to get beaten so badly that I’m afraid the RNC won’t learn it’s lesson. They will say “No republican could have won the election”

Voting for McCain is the worst thing conservatives can do right now.