At different times in my life, I’ve been an embarrassment to my family, my sports teams, my wife, everyone near me on the dance floor, and definitely my children. I’m pretty used to it. But it’s just starting to dawn on me that I’m a source of constant embarrassment to the Republican party.
The Republican Party doesn’t like me. Maybe they never did.
The elites of the party, which is to say, those pulling the levers of power, don’t like Christian conservatives who talk about abortion, who are adamantly pro-traditional marriage, and “fear” Barack Obama as President.
John McCain said this week there’s nothing to fear from an Obama Presidency. Well, no matter what John McCain says, I fear an Obama Presidency. I fear it very much. Obama has promised to sign the “Freedom of Choice” Act which wipes away all restrictions on abortion. He’s promised to cut government funding to crisis pregnancy centers. Those two things alone will practically guarantee a spike in the number of babies aborted.
I, like many others, are Republican for one main reason: Life. That’s it. After abortions stop being sanctioned and funded by the government I’ll start debating tax policy and immigration but until then, life is the issue.
But you see, the Republican Party doesn’t want abortion to be the central tenet of the party so they put forth a candidate who they thought was a transformational political figure who would remake the Republican Party as a party of “moderation.” In their view, McCain could win without those crazy conservatives -you know, the ones that talk about God in public and worry about babies. And without those nutjobs they were free to entice independents and the Hispanic vote. Well, that doesn’t seem to be working out, does it?
In fact, polling was looking so bad leading into the conventions that John McCain rejected his backers and picked Sarah Palin as his Vice President. And the elites didn’t like that very much. You can see it now in the way that the elite Republicans are taking out the long knives and savaging Sarah Palin because she didn’t graduate from an Ivy League school, she’s pro-life, and she was backward enough to give birth to a Down Syndrome child. Christopher Buckley, David Brooks, and Kathleen Parker are just a few recent examples.
You see, they expect us pro-life pro-traditional marriage nutjobs to understand our place. And it’s on the sideline, not up on the podium.
But here’s the thing. The base wins elections. Conservatives Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush both won two terms. Bob Dole and Gerald Ford didn’t get one. When the elites of our party win, we all lose. This tug of war will continue in this election and coming elections.
I still think McCain has a chance to turn this election around but he needs to speak to the issues that people like me care about.
Like I said, I’m used to being an embarrassment. If we don’t win this time there’s Palin-Jindal 2012.
October 13, 2008 at 3:59 am
Well and truly said! Thank you!
May God be with us all.
— Mack
October 13, 2008 at 4:17 am
When the elites of our party win, we all lose.
That’s about the size of it!
October 13, 2008 at 4:37 am
“If we don’t win this time there’s Palin-Jindal 2012.”
I’m not so certain that would be the case. If the GOP elite decide they’ll wrest back the White House by appearing more “moderate” on the issue of abortion, we prolifers may find ourelves out in the cold. With no major party looking for our votes and culture-of-death oriented legislation continuing onward at all times, we may find ourselves enjoying as much political clout as the Amish.
One more reason to say my prayers before I go to bed, night-night everybody.
October 13, 2008 at 11:47 am
Subvet has left the building. Thank you. Thank you very much.
October 13, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Well said!
October 13, 2008 at 3:47 pm
With all due respect to Gov. Palin, Gov. Jindal is way too smart to waste his time running on the bottom half of a ticket with her.
Though I like and respect Sarah Palin for many reasons, I can’t make myself see her as A-team material. It isn’t about her unglamorous origin or lack of elitist credentials. God knows, it isn’t about her motherhood. It isn’t about her opinions themselves, most of which are good, but the way she has acquired those opinions: IMHO, sentimentally and with limited information. She navigates from one fact to the next like an arctic traveler navigating from one remote landmark to the next, with everything in between a blank and sterile wildnerness. Politicall speaking, I do not believe she has knowledge and mastery of the landscape she inhabits. I wish her well, but Bobby Jindal as her number 2 is really too much to ask.
Romulus
October 13, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Romulus, You seem to be buying into a stereotype fed to you be the MSM. What do YOU know of her intellect? Little. Don’t believe them. They’ve told us Reagan was dumb. They said Bush was dumb. Everyone they don’t like is dumb.
October 13, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Matthew, I feel exactly like you do, I have had my "vehement" comments deleted by Deacon Kendra and American Catholic, too.
Apparently, they fail to remember that John Paul the Great, when confronted by evil, esp. the Soviet Union and their influence in Poland, denounced them for what they are…and even threatened Brezhnev to not invade Poland!!!
As well, as Cardinal Ratzinger going after the Liberation Theologists, Father Pfleger types!!!
There are two stark choices we have this fall:
The Culture of Life exhibited by McCain and especially Palin (I disagree about her not being A type material) as opposed to the culture of Death represented by a candidate to the left of Margaret Sanger on the issue of abortion!!!!
Either you are with Kmiec, Kennedy, Kerry, Sebelius, Pelosi, etc. or you are with the Bishop of Rome, the vast majority of our Archbishops & Father Corapi!!!
October 13, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Carlos,
Profanity will not be tolerated on American Catholic.
It wasn’t your content, it was your profanity.
Tito of American Catholic
October 13, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Great post.
Even if McCain wins, he does not strike me as the type of guy that will actually “DO” something about abortion. He can say at Saddleback that life begins @ conception, but will he DO something about that fact?
I think he’s too interested in getting invited back on Letterman to do so.
I can’t help feeling like I’m being “baited” by the GOP with Palin. She’s pro-life, and “walks the talk” but she’s only the VP. She can only advise the President. And I’m not too convinced that she will be his consigliere.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m voting for McCain (before Palin, I was going to sit this one out), but I am not getting my hopes up that the Republicans, once in office (again), will DO anything about it.
Please tell me I’m wrong…please…
October 13, 2008 at 5:59 pm
An ice cold dowsing of reality here.
The ONLY thing a President can do re: abortion is put the right kind of judges on the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Federal Appeals Courts. And the only way to guarantee that they actually get on the Courts it to have enough U.S. Senators to vote for the nominee to be appointed to those Courts.
The only other thing that can be done on abortion is a Constitutional Amendment (just like the 13th Amendment which ended slavery after the Civil War). This would require either the approval of 38 states (three-fourths), or a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Congress. Both of these options do not require a President. They require the election of like-minded U.S. Congressmen & Senators, or like-minded State Assemblymen & Senators.
Period.
With McCain, we have a MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better chance of him appointing someone in the mold of Scalia, Alito, Roberts, Thomas, Rehnquist when someone like Stevens (age 87) and others currently on the Court are to be replaced.
So, ask yourself… "What are the chances that Obama would appoint those types of judges to those federal courts???"
Second question to ask yourself… "Why do I keep voting for pro-abortion candidates for state and federal legislative offices???"
October 13, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Anthony, please understand that I do not see Gov. Palin as a person of limited intellect — there isn’t sufficient information to judge — but of limited knowledge. I’m willing to be persuaded that she has the ability to absorb and use a great deal more knowledge, but whether she has the temperament to desire and make good use of it is another question. Persons of limited experience and narrow horizons (whether by temperament or circumstance) can easily be deceived or manipulated. People whose view of the world is sentimental are unmoored from fixed principles that lead them to safe decisions (a good example being the way she choked on the debate question about gay marriege). That doesn’t mean she’s incapable of safe decisions, but does mean that her instincts (and those with influence over them) would have a disproportionate importance. Statesmen need to be judicious, with habits of critical thought. Conservative statesmen need a preemptive preference for restraint and organic change, grounded in a view of man as fallen, imperfect, and frequently liable to grave error or willful sin. Such humility is not part of the prevailing neocon skill-set or the cheerful, no-limits American exceptionalist mythology.
I love Gov. Palin for her spunk, her forthrightness, her plain-spoken honesty. But I fear her inability to resist manipulation and miscalculation, she she ever come into great power.
Romulus
October 13, 2008 at 7:06 pm
“I, like many others, are Republican for one main reason.”
Sorry, but this should be “I, like many others, AM Republican…”
Sorry! Just trying to help.
(Great post though, and it seems to be the case)
October 13, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Trubador,
Good point. Not to nit pick, but beyond Supreme Court nominations, a President can sponsor legistlation (that could enhance or limit Roe v. Wade), and he/she can veto legislation.
For example: Obama, according to the blogs, will make it a point to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).
October 13, 2008 at 9:10 pm
As I recall we have had a very dumb governor for President. He knew NOTHING about foreign policy and made horrible errors. In fact he still visits tyrants in foreign countries and condemns America. I seriously doubt Palin would ever be that way, she is far too smart and pro America. She is who I am voting for–because I do not trust McCain, and Obama is someone to really fear (or at least whoever is backing him).
October 13, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Sometimes I think McCain is backing Obama. He sure is giving him a lot of help to win the election. When McCain put Palin on board I was gung ho for our side. However she is the ONLY ONE that speaks aganst abortion, not McCain, She is the only one bringing up Obama’s shady background–in othere words she is fighting the battle while McCain says we shouldn’t fear Obama as President… is he just a tired old man that has now lost interest in this election. He has taken off every weekend during it while the opponet doesn’t rest but continues to prowl around for votes, even if they come from dead citizens. We are in trouble with him at the helm, what a bad choice he is.
October 14, 2008 at 1:30 am
palin-jindal….now, that would be worth 4 yrs of obama. well, not really worth it, but it would ease my fear somewhat.
October 14, 2008 at 1:38 am
I agree with the author, and unfortunately came to the same conclusions/disillusionment years ago. I live in California, where ALL viable candidates of either party MUST be pro-abortion. That’s it. That’s the only way they can get in. So, the Republican party here disgustingly cowers and takes the cloying tone of “we’re socially progressive and fiscally conservative.” This is why I only vote my conscience and have no allegiance whatsoever to any party. Am I registered Republican? Yes, to ensure I can vote for a pro-life candidate in the primaries. If “the party elites” as the author justifiably quips decide they have other plans in store, then I kindly spit on the ground they walk on and choose to abstain from voting for their candidate. Simple as that.
November 5, 2008 at 9:41 pm
It is republicans like the blogger and the rest of the people leaving comments that lost this election for McCain. Sarah Palin is a joke. One-issue voters, like the people on this site, are hopelessly out of touch with trends in the United States. Stop trying to legislate your own moral viewpoints. If the republican party wants to win an election anytime soon, it shoud become more libertarian. Look at what happened on election day- the western United States went for Obama- I attribute much of this to the pandering that McCain did to social conservatives by picking Palin. I voted libertarian because of it. Speaking as a republican, if Palin OR Jindal is nominated, I will not vote republican again.