The Big Tent

Merrymac only you know where you belong. But I would leave based on my decision, not someone else’s.
I have no intentions of leaving the Republican Party. I have supported the Republican Party and Republican candidates consistently, vocally, earnestly with time, effort, words, and money. What I resent is the way Willieh and Bubba has insisted that I am not a true Republican. I hope to goodness that Willieh is not who some on this blog believe that person to be. That would indeed be a double betrayal. I will continue to support, encourage, work for, and vote for all Republican candidates in the general election in November. Choosing to support one Republican candidate (especially when that candidate is a very close relative by marriage) over another Republican candidate does not make me any less of a Republican. I have always been disturbed by the term RINO. Again I must ask the question who is it that decides who is and who is not a Republican. No one--not Willieh, Bubba, non sequitar, etc. has put forth who the arbiter of Republicanism really is.
I would say that during the history of the Republican Party, conservatives have only recently become the majority members. Look at Abraham Lincoln--the ultimate purveyor of big government, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover may have had some small measures of conservative philosophy. I don't really see Dwight Eisenhower or Gerald Ford as conservatives. The conservative label arose with the rise of the Christian Coalition and Ronald Reagan.
So I will reiterate that we have the Republican Party whose members are mostly Conservatives. We do not have a Conservative Party.
Those Republicans who refuse to support John McCain because they do not see him as a Conservative will help all the liberals(some of whom are Democrats) elect Barack Obama as the next President. Let's see how conservative this country is then.

I want to remind everyone to vote in the Republican primary June 10th. By voting in the Republican primary you actually declare yourself to be a Republican.

- merrymacsc

That is until now… Having as my party’s nominee a man who courted the Democratic Caucus in the Senate, was considered as a Vice-Presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket, was so wrong on immigration and federal judge confirmations will never get my vote! It seems my party has left me.

- non sequitur

So, you're voting for Mr. Obama? That'll show 'em!

- StringCheese

My mind is not made up yet. But right now I am leaning toward Bob Barr and the Libertarian party. I'll leave Obama to you String!

- non sequitur

In my opinion, a vote for Bob Barr IS a vote for Obama. Is that what you really want? Conservatives who want progress CANNOT waste a vote. Let the disgruntled democrats vote for Ralph (Hug a Tree and Waste a Vote) Nader.

The bottom line is - there are going to be two realistic choices in November. Obama or McCain. Falling on your sword for principle is great in theory.

But the reality is you MUST decide which is worse.....
Bob Barr and Ralph Nader are not going to make it. It is McCain or Obama....

For that reason, I feel very strongly that conservatives, even those who have misgivings about McCain, should choose to vote Republican. A vote is too critical in this election.

- The Queen

In my opinion, a vote for Bob Barr IS a vote for Obama. Is that what you really want? Conservatives who want progress CANNOT waste a vote. Let the disgruntled democrats vote for Ralph (Hug a Tree and Waste a Vote) Nader.

The bottom line is - there are going to be two realistic choices in November. Obama or McCain. Falling on your sword for principle is great in theory.

But the reality is you MUST decide which is worse.....
Bob Barr and Ralph Nader are not going to make it. It is McCain or Obama....

For that reason, I feel very strongly that conservatives, even those who have misgivings about McCain, should choose to vote Republican. A vote is too critical in this election.

- The Queen

In my humble opinion, asking a true conservative to choose between Obama and McCain is like asking a condemned man to choose between death by firing squad or death by hanging.

Some of us do, indeed, prefer another option, and we might just decide to lay low and hope for a commutation of that death sentence.

McCain and his local snuggle buddy, Lindsey Graham, have dissed so many of us over the years - from implying in 2000 that evangelical Christians have no right to participate in the political process (I'm not one of those, but I have friends and family who are), to leveling charges of xenophobia and racism at those who don't support amnesty for illegal immigrants, to undermining the War on Terror by demanding Geneva Convention treatment to prisoners who aren't even referenced in that agreement and by demanding the same rights of foreign terrorists that are guaranteed to U.S. citizens, to contending the the issue of the Confederate battle flag is a FEDERAL issue - that is will be difficult for a lot of us to hold our noses tightly enough to be able to vote for him.

I will vote in November. I will vote for the CONSERVATIVE. That may well be a DEMOCRAT on the local and state leve, believe it or not. On the Presidential ticket, though, I don't think there is a CONSERVATIVE choice their among the two within the major parties. And I can't even vote for Bob Barr, because he was right in their with McCain and Graham in undermining the Commander in Chief on matters of national security.

There's more value to falling on one's sword on principle than just theory, Queen. In this case, it may be less painful than voting for man who has stabbed his own party in the back repeatedly.

Maybe four years from now - if we survive - the choice will be clearer.

- JDTippett

In my humble opinion, asking a true conservative to choose between Obama and McCain is like asking a condemned man to choose between death by firing squad or death by hanging.

...

There's more value to falling on one's sword on principle than just theory, Queen. In this case, it may be less painful than voting for man who has stabbed his own party in the back repeatedly.

Maybe four years from now - if we survive - the choice will be clearer.

- JDTippett

In all my years of being involved with politics, when I hear or read someone talking about the Republican Party being a "big tent" party, it is usually a liberal republican or someone who has miraculously converted from a democrat to a republican.

- YankeeFan

I wish we had another choice but we do not. And Barak Obama is charming and attractive but there is something about him (and don't anyone accuse me of the damn racism thing = that has NOTHING to do with it!) that I just do not trust.

- The Queen

Not all Big Tent advocates are liberal republicans. Quite a number of us would be called master strategists

I wish we had another choice but we do not. And Barak Obama is charming and attractive but there is something about him (and don't anyone accuse me of the damn racism thing = that has NOTHING to do with it!) that I just do not trust.

- The Queen

I think the word you're looking for is glib.

- StringCheese

You're a master (of something) alright. Your posts clearly indicate that you want everyone else out there who support big government/take my money and spend it/please have government take over my life candidates to vote in the Republican primary.

Perhaps they will. Perhaps you will succeed. It is revealing however that you need Democrats to secure your victory for you.

Thanks for finally admitting it to the rest of us.

- major taylor

Go read V.O. Key and get back with me.

"One of the things that's a good thing about the Republican Party is that it's a big tent and there's room for disagreement on policy."
- Steve Schmidt, Campaign Strategist and Advisor to the 2008 Presidential campaign of Senator John McCain.

The Big Tent

June 10th in Anderson County politics promises to be a day of change. As such, I would like to take a moment to extend an invitation to all Democrats, Libertarians, Constitutionalists, and non card carrying Republicans to vote in next Tuesday’s Republican Primary.

OUR PRIMARY IS OPEN TO EVERYONE!!

For many in Anderson, there is not a Democrat, a Libertarian, or a Constitutionalist running in your district. In fact, in a number of races, June 10th will be the equivalent of the general election.

Make your voice heard! Do you civic duty and vote! Take the time in the next few days to double-check your voter registration cards. Be aware of where your particular polling place is.

A twelve-hour window that will ultimately set the course of Anderson County for the next two to four years