Replies

What bothers me is the moral condemnation from both sides about what is really a disagreement on an issue of fact, not principle.

I don't think any of us here would consider voting for Romney over Obama if we believed that he wouldn't try to get rid of ObamaCare, would adopt Obama's policies on taxation, regulation, etc.. The real difference between all of us comes down to our different predictions about what Romney will do if elected, not a different in beliefs as to what we want him to do. We all would prefer that he govern more conservatively as President than he did as Governor.

Some of us say that based on his governorship of Massachusetts, he's shown himself to be a liberal who can't be trusted. Others say that he was constrained by political realities in Massachusetts, and would govern more conservatively as President. But those are factual disagreements, drawing different inferences, etc.. They are uncertain, and are not differences based on different principles. Those who say they "know" that Romney will be as bad or worse than Obama simply can't know that. It's a guess. They're certainly welcome to that guess, but that should be cause to make that topic verboten here, nor should it be cause to exclude anyone who thinks differently.

There is no way for any of us to know which of those opinions is correct, but the point is that neither of those opinions reveals a betrayal of conservatism or conservative principle. It's a different of opinion on a prediction as to how Romney will act if elected. Whether he will stick with the more conservative rhetoric he's shown in this campaign, supporting Ryan's budget, etc., or whether he'll simply revert to Obama-lite. It's a guess either way.

And it just kind of saddens me that all of us who are on the same general side of conservatism can't recognize the true nature of our disagreement so that it doesn't become so divisive.

I agree.

One thing we know for sure, IMHO, and that is how Obama will govern. If anything, his next four years for the country will be worse than his first four in terms of what he tries to accomplish.

This is a quote I have had up on my JEFFHEAD.COM site since Obama was sworn in as President:

"Barack Obama, hear us, loyal Americans whose bloodlines run deep in this land to the founding & beyond, who've watered this ground & foreign soils to maintain liberty & the constitution: Molon Labe-Sic Semper Tyranus-De Oppresso Liber! Your Marxism wont stand here, so help us God!" - Jeff Head

I pray we can be blessed by God's HAnd with the wisdom and virtue sufficent enough to turn things around and begin to restore our Constitutional Republic.

Others say that he was constrained by political realities in Massachusetts, and would govern more conservatively as President. But those are factual disagreements, drawing different inferences, etc.. They are uncertain, and are not differences based on different principles.

If Mitt were a conservative fighting against a tide of Mass liberalism for conservative principles wouldn't there be some evidence in word or deed of that struggle? Just a shred?

Whether he will stick with the more conservative rhetoric he's shown in this campaign, supporting Ryan's budget,...

I'm glad Mitt has firmed up his opinion on that.

Mitt Romney Hedges On Support For Paul Ryan Budget Plan
Romney was asked by a reporter during a stop in a Des Moines suburb whether he would sign the Republican plan if he were president. But the former Massachusetts governor declined to answer.
"That's the kind of speculation that is getting the cart ahead of the horse," he said.
"If we don't make any changes, then Medicare won't be there for the next generation and that's unacceptable to me. So I appreciate what Paul Ryan has done," Romney told reporters in Ankeny after visiting an agricultural software company. "I'm going to have my own plan."