Friday, October 31, 2008

Reforming a new party under real Republican principles

The principles of the Republican party are a joke. They are not just empty, it is offensive to anyone that believes them to say that Republican politicians have lived by those ideals.

What is outlined in the article lists the reasons why I am a libertarian. However, I do recognize that there really isn't a Libertarian party. I think this may have something to do with Libertarian belief in individualism, an individualism that they take pride in that means they would never be caught dead at a political convention.

However, if there was going to be an activist Libertarian party, I think this guy totally nailed it. We need a new party that believes in the Republican platform that has been completely corrupted. The Republican party has gone so far from their ideals that there really isn't anything worth saving.

There are times when we need a strong call to "clean house"... and then there are times when you simply need to recognize it is time to move. I used to be a Republican because I strongly believed in the party's principles. I also more closely resonated with other Republicans, minus a bit of the paranoia that was sometimes associated. But looking at the Republican party and what they actually accomplish, all I can say is WTF?!?

I will admit that one issue soo close to my heart that this country desperately needs is the Fair Tax Act. It is built on the principles of liberty and freedom, not to mention developed by a think tank, not a lobbyist.

If McCain could have rallied people together on at least that one issue... I probably would have voted for him, just because it is more important than the seat of one man. I love and hate Obama, but look forward to his leadership of this nation, and the pride people take in supporting him.

I have said this before: Every stand that repulsed me taken by Obama that made me reconsider for McCain, McCain has taken the same position. I think they are both war mongers. They are both entertainment industry sell outs, and they both want the government to take a stronger, more parental role in every persons life as if it wasn't even their own.

On those points, I want to support Ron Paul. He stands up for what he believes in,, and I agree with his positions, and his perspective on American history is one that just makes a lot more sense to me.

But He recently endorsed Tom McClintock. I had not herd of him before, but I was excited to learn more about who Paul was supporting, particularly someone with ambitions to be a representative of California. I read his website, and the many comments, on his position on the various California propositions.

It made me really think about some of Ron Paul's less vocal opinions of things that I disagree with him on. Things where I disagreed with his position, but agreed in principle with many of his justifications. He has argued against things I had believed, in the name of sound policy. He has convinced me many times that sound policy comes before emotions with regard to the kind of power we are willing to hand over to the government, particularly in the area of health care / insurance.

But how does he support McClintock? Maybe McClintock just speaks to what I feel is the wrong crowd. Secondly, I don't care what anyone else thinks necessarily about me picking between Paul and Obama. However, in this signal for change, and my open mindedness to the idea that people really want to change the way the government works in our lives, a new sound approach on socialism; not Marxist socialism, but a democratic socialism lead by Obama; do I want to commit to supporting that, taking the reasonable middle ground, or stick with Ron Paul.

Know what, I may not know till I get to that booth, where I want to say that I am, and where I want to say that I was.

Guess we'll see.

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