Posted on 10/31/2008 1:46:40 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
I am an ex-democrat conservative, which puts me in great company with the likes of Ronald Reagan, and others. To have once been a die-hard Democrat is to understand the left and be able to emphasize (not necessarily agree) with their views. To be a conservative independent is to understand the left is not always right, and the liberal left is rarely right. To not be a Republican means I refuse to be trapped in party mob think, and there are folks on the far right who can turn me off as fast as a rabid socialist liberal. If you believe the ultimate is to be American and tolerant of diverse opinions, connecting across the aisle is natural.
My more centrist position (which is right of McCain and probably closest to Palin and Bush) makes me a RINO (which is hilarious since I am an independent). It made me evil to many parts of the GOP when I sided with Bush and McCain on matters like comprehensive immigration reform. My salvation seems to come from not being willing to lose the war in Iraq at any cost, scientifically and morally against embryonic stem cell research, and one of those skeptics on Global Warming which have been proven right over time (as we see in this first season of what is supposed to be a decade of Global Cooling).
After the election I intend to take up the topic of evolution vs intelligent design to make the point that to be for intelligent design, and not see that DNA is the language of creation and therefore of our creator, is a bit oxymoronic. If you want to see what God has written in his own hand, then DNA and all its implications is the new Bible of Creation. Your DNA defined much of who you are, while your family, friends, community and others helped finish defining that creation of God that exist today and which is embodied in you. The same way his instructions and life experiences defined God’s creations who are your spouse and children and parents and friends and pets, etc. To deny evolution is to deny the hand of the creator. This subject is a schism in this country that should not exist.
As you can see I am not a Hannity conservative. I am a Bush, Reagan, Palin conservative - and McCain is growing on me by the day. And the reason I bring this all up (outside losing a lot of new readers) is I was touched by this post from one of the lead PUMAs.
"Republicans, this is directed at you. Hillary’s Army remains strong, and committed to putting McCain/Palin in the White House. …
This is the greatest nation on Earth and we Democrats never fail to wake each morning deeply thankful and grateful for the opportunities we have here. We know what socialism is, and know we want no part of this here. Obama’s mission is to weaken this country and put us under the thumb of the UN, like a European socialist state. That’s not what we want.
… We do not intend for this alliance to be of only this moment — we’ve worked alongside all of you for months now and see we all have more in common than we ever had apart. We will never agree on everything, but let’s all start with our love of country. Our pride in America. Our willingness to work hard together to give everyone opportunities — not hand outs."
Read the whole thing. I said early this year this would be an election decided by the middle of the electorate. I said Obama could not win because he must either bow to his hard liberal base and lose the middle or bow to the middle and lose the far left. He has tried to walk the tight rope, but he fell off that rope when his ‘redistribute the wealth’ socialism leaked out. McCain always had a chance to win if he could build a coalition that spanned centrist left to far right. It seems to finally be happening - Obama is that scary.
I would rather arrange a meeting with this PUMA than meet with Conservative Icons like Peggy Noonan, David Frum, David Brookes, Chris Buckley and probably a few others I have no desire to pick a fight with right now. Who do I want to drink a beer with? Someone across the aisle who will help get this country back on the right track. Not the ‘change’ track. Obama wants to ‘change’ America, I want to fix DC.
I have been pilloried many times for not being a ‘true’ conservative - which I see as badge of honor. The GOP lost Congress by being intolerant and pushing for purity by castigating the moderates and chasing them to the Dems. In VA the same trick has now turned this state purple and well on the way to blue.
I hope people have learned something this year about politics and the price of losing. Every time conservatives start fracturing, the far left takes advantage of the situation, with its monopoly in the news media, and sends in someone who risks this nation. Bill Clinton wasn’t too bad, but he came from the centrist wing of the Democrat Party. If you did not like Clinton, you should be scared to death of the liberal Obama.
I too see a long term opportunity under McCain-Palin to pull back from the extremes and avoid disaster. When our leaders fail due to rigid adherence to ideology, and there seems to be no path out, too many Americans feel it is OK to throw the Hail Mary to any Tom, Dick and Barry who shows up. This is what happened with Obama. The right failed, the left failed, and too many said ‘oh what the hell’ and jumped on the Messiah bandwagon, lured by B-Movie platitudes about ‘changing the world’ and ‘we are what we have been waiting for’. (Excuse me, but I need to go puke - will be right back).
Anyway, I find it interesting - given McCain’s true Maverick nature - to realize Hillary Clinton probably has a better opportunity in a McCain administration than in an Obama one. Not that it matters to PUMAs or McCain-Palin supporters - or even will happen - but it does sort of underline how this new alliance could win and avoid disaster. And when if we do win, I would like to remind all the purists out there how close we are now to disaster and how it is important not to fracture alliances. Purity is a myth, Barack Obama’s and the liberal Congressional Leader’s socialism and defeatism in Iraq is not a myth. We can tolerate some compromise if the alternative is Liberalism run amok.
This conservative independent looks forward to allying with the PUMAs, and greeting the first woman Vice President of these United States of America.
Problem is the GOP under Bush was all about appealing to the squishy moderates. Yeah, that worked well.
60% of the electorate consistently, cycle after cycle, label themselves as conservatives. That should give us pause. People instinctively favor lower taxes, smaller government, less regulation, more freedom, etc.
I think we run in to problems not by being conservative, but by failing to try to communicate to independent voters what we’re really about.
Three things the Obamedia will do to depress Republican turnout and help Obama
Posted by hillbuzz
Above from a PUMA site that should be read.
Many PUMA’s have been doing some of the great heavy lifting for McCain and is appreciated.
“Obama wants to ‘change’ America, I want to fix DC.”
________________________________________
Although I believe that we haven’t actually tried conservatism, this is the best quote I have heard in forever about this election (or any election).
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
I think he means “empathize.”
This guy is half-an-@ss.
Agreed.
Well, fine. But I don’t agree that Democrats today are loyal to the country. Any “moderate” Democrat is quickly drummed out. Without exception.
Also, I don’t agree that The One has to placate his hard left following in the least. When he mush-mouths centrist platitudes, the lefties know he is just foolin’. They know he is their boy and he is just playing the rest for patsies.
Yep.
DEFEAT THE O.
Workout the other details afterward.
Hey, I’m willing to compromise a few things in order to defeat O.
As long as we have our Freedoms and Liberties intact, we are innovative Americans.
Say no to a New Constitutional Convention
Say no to a New Bill of Rights
Say no to a New New Deal.
I’m really torn about some of this.
On one hand, I cannot believe the Obama camp would knowingly allow Hillary workers to work in O’s camp.
I DO, however, believe that PUMAs are real because they DO want McCain (or Palin) to face HIllary in 2012.
This has been quite an election.
I cannot sleep at night.
In WW2 we had to team up with Stalin to win. I think a temporary alliance with the PUMAs is certainly acceptable. At this point, to quote Malcolm X, I think it’s vital to win by any means necessary,
We need the PUMAs to defeat Obama, and this then sets up an immensely entertaining Palin/Hillary battle in 2012. I for one can’t wait.
I have several Democrat friends who were Hillary supporters and they are voting for McCain/Palin. They do, however hope that Hillary runs again in 2012. I am thankful that they can at least see that Obama hates America and that Hillary does not hate America!
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