Who Will You Vote For?

My two main go to bloggers for all things political are Borepatch and Ed Rasimus. Both are smarter than me and both have a good grasp of the larger implications of political choices. There are a lot of others, including the big political blogs, but for my money these two men have their fingers firmly on the national political pulse.

Recently Borepatch has posted two missives on Romney and not voting for same should he be the GOP nominee (which still looks like a better than 50/50 shot). You can read them here: First, Second. If you haven't read them yet you should. The comments are just as intelligent and illuminating as the posts.

It brings up a very important question. What do I (we) do if the establishment GOP manages to get their nominee (I'm next!) on the ticket and that candidate is yet another version of lefty lite?

I hate the very idea of continuing the big government policies (of both parties) resulting from presidential election choices since at least 1988. We're here, not because of any one particular candidate/president, but because we've had to choose between a host of increasingly unpalatable nominees. Take a look at just the last two Republicans to run and lose. McCain to Obama and Dole to Clinton. Who ran and lost to Bush twice for the Democrats? Gore. I think South Park said it best. Sometimes it really is a choice between a douche and a turd sandwich. Lately it seems that it always ends up that way.

Still, there is absolutely no argument in my mind that the current crop of liberal Democrats are worse. Just saying the names Clinton(s), Obama, Reid and Pelosi sends chills up and down my spine. I've ground my teeth down to stubs watching the America destroying policies and legislation of this gang of thugs and regressionists.

I'm admit that I'm motivated by the fact that I want Obama out of office so bad I can taste it. Never in the history of our nation has one person had so detrimental an effect on my country. I want to stick it the faces of the MSM, race baiters, government handout seekers and corrupt lackeys and excusers. I want them to cry on election eve and throw hissy fits when the anointed one makes his concession speech. Petty? Maybe but I'm hardly alone in my zeal for a resounding electoral defeat for that man and all he stands for.

But Romney? Yes, there is a difference between the two but it's incremental, not marked. Romney really is Obama in GOP guise. Romney is "Phew! We're good for a few more years now. We'll worry about getting the car off the tracks later." It's postponing a reckoning, nothing more.

Blue makes the point that time is running out for us to force the GOP to accept an outside the establishment nominee and that's it's ultimately up to us, the self described informed Conservative/Libertarian voters, to make that a reality.

He's absolutely right but what if? What if it is Romney? What then?

I have said publicly that I won't support Romney. He's cut from the same bolt of cloth as McCain, his suit stitched by Massachusetts politics. We won't get an obamaesque 'fundamental remaking of America' immediately but I'm thinking about my grandchildren and not myself.  We will get northeast liberal republicanism and in the end what's the difference? Watching as my grandchildren get harnessed to the yoke of socialism later as opposed to now is still unacceptable. I'd rather die. I'd much rather restore the Republic.

But what if Romney wins the nomination? The choice will be between Douche Romney and Turd Sandwich Obama. When I'm in the booth, faced with that proposition, what will I do? It's a question I have to answer, not in a year but now. Right now. Because my decision will trip a whole series of other questions I will then have to answer. Choices I will have to make. Choices I, my wife, my daughter and grandchildren will have to live with. It's not just the presidency, it's federal court nominations. It's cabinet appointments. It's Executive orders. It's the power of the Bully Pulpit. A lame duck Obama, given four more years, can do a lot of damage even given a Republican controlled Congress and assuming anyone has the courage and fortitude to weather the media storm.

The flip side is another four years of Obama and his stuttering incompetency, if opposed intelligently and unreservedly, could spell doom for socialist politics in this country for generations. That thought strongly appeals to me but I'd rather it not come at the cost of re-electing this particular President and the misery he could yet inflict.

Ed talks about the self destruction of a presidency and the need to keep the viable GOP candidates from following suit. To me that seems to be the issue for us in the coming primaries with one word addition. Keeping viable Conservative candidates in the race.

Herman Cain seems to be a strong contender. Many like Ron Paul. I thought maybe Perry was a comer but he seems to be in free fall. Who else is left that has a snowball's chance? The rest are pretenders or jostling for a place on the ticket of the eventual winner.

I'll answer Borepatch, and state my position plainly, by joining my voice to his. If the choice ends up being between a douche and a turd sandwich I'm going to go with a third option. I'll either vote third party of I'll leave that space blank. What I will do right now is to work with my local Republican committee to try and get a Conservative nominated. At this moment that candidate looks like Cain so that's the way I'm going. I'm open to another name but, as Blue so eloquently reminded me, time is short. If there's another viable Conservative candidate I'll take a look but I'm not waiting for that fair/flaxen haired savior to arrive. I think we've got what we've got and may the best horse win.

Thanks for the kick BP. It made me think and decide. All we can do, any of us, is to make the best choices we can, work to maintain and advance liberty and let the chips fall where they may.

May God bless and preserve our Republic.

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