This is a difficult thing to say for me. But here it is. I feel like Richard Gere. But not in the way you might be thinking. Remember that scene in Officer and a Gentleman where Gere screams/cries/explains why he doesn’t leave the Army: “I’ve got nowhere else to go.”
I’m with you Richard.
I can’t stand the Republican Party. If the GOP were a great big bureaucratic disappoint Matt machine I’d say they were doing a great job. But sadly, that’s not their job. Their job is to win elections. And they’ve gotten it in their heads that acting like Democrats is the way to win.
And I’m tired of it. But I’ve got nowhere else to go. I can’t go to the Democrats because one of the biggest reasons I can’t stand the GOP is because they’re slowly transmogrifying into the Democrat Party. And I’m not a Libertarian or a Greenie.
And what happened this weekend is just the latest indication that the GOP has a better view of its own bowels than it does the country. According to the Politico:
Sarah Palin’s on-again, off-again appearance at Monday night’s gala GOP fundraising dinner is off — again.
After being invited — for a second time — to speak to the annual joint fundraiser for the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Palin was told abruptly Saturday night that she would not be allowed to address the thousands of Republicans there after all.
Why? Because the stupid Republicans didn’t want Palin to upstage Newt Gingrich.
So, the woman who just had 20,000 mob her in a small town in upstate New York can’t speak at a GOP fundraiser? Let me ask you this: What other Republican could get 20,000 people to come see them right now? I can’t think of any, can you? I wouldn’t cross the street to see any of them.
But here’s the truth of it all. The GOP is embarrassed by Sarah Palin. And by extension they’re embarrassed by me. You know why? Because she’s small town, yeah. She’s unpolished. But you know what’s worse? Sarah Palin actually believes all that social conservative stuff. And they’re just uncomfortable around her. She doesn’t approve of abortion, not because of polling but because she believes it’s the taking of a human life. She also sometimes mentions “God” in conversation. She actually believes in traditional marriage. Ick.
Conservatives 4 Palin sums up their feelings by saying to the National Republican Senatorial Committee:
The results of your leadership speak for themselves. Stop sending me fundraising letters. Have fun with Al Franken.
I honestly feel that there’s been an agenda set by the National Republicans to ignore or destroy Sarah Palin. Ignoring hasn’t worked. So Plan B is in effect. The GOP that nominated McCain still thinks the road to victory is in “moderating” the party. Why don’t they run Arlen Specter next?
For those of you who don’t understand what “moderating” means, it means more spending and ignoring the realities of abortion. Oh they’ll talk about it but won’t actually do anything about it.
I have nowhere else to go but I’m not going to do anything to fund the GOP, help the GOP, or support the GOP in any way. When we start hearing more about “right and wrong” and less about “consensus” maybe I’ll feel more at home with the GOP. Until then…I’m Richard Gere.
June 8, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Matthew,
I've felt that way for a while, too. I'm a Republican, but I don't love the party. I'm a social and fiscal conservative, but I don't feel like the unfortunate and unwanted in society should be left to fend for themselves via private charity alone.
The Democrats are off-limits due to the whole California-liberal wing (everything is acceptable except objective Truth and morality) that dominates the party.
I start to identify with Libertarians, but I hate how they duck pivotal issues by simply declaring that the issue should be beyond the scope of government. Well, should be, could be, would be, but isn't. Government's involved in marriage and abortion, bub, so whatcha going to do about it?
Greens are like Libertarians for the Democrats.
What do you say we start a Proud Catholic party? The HQ would have no cafeteria, just a set menu that you can take or leave. Better yet, the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State would have a fit at the daily Masses being celebrated, not to mention Holy Hours. I bet we could even get a few Supreme Court justices to join!
June 8, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Here's what you can do, Matt.
Take all those hundreds that you would have given to these campagin committees, go to my new campaign website and donate it to a pro-life, pro-marriage Republican who hopes to bring some small amount of old-fashioned common sense the to state capitol in Springfield, Illinois. And after that, who knows? Gotta start somewhere.
June 8, 2009 at 4:49 pm
The other option is to get involved in your local party. Not funding the GOP or not helping it out is a the road to disaster. In the end we saw the GOTV the democrats had during the voting period. If the GOP does not do it you have just about 30 other groups running into each other doing the same task.
SO I urge people to get involved with their party and change in if they wish.
Second I do think we all have to get along. For the most part we agree on 80 percent of issues. I we want a civil war over the 20 percent we shall lose.
Last a small quibble. THE NATIONAL GOP diod not nominate John McCain. The GOP voters did and many of them from some very soncervative states. McCain did not have a lot of friends in the National GOP. THe powers that be were mostly behind ROmney including Rush and Sean that were slandering McCain and Huckabee left and right
June 8, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I can relate … I've been 95% GOP for decades … but I'm a social and fiscal conservative that believes in encouraging work and innovation not stifling it. We need somewhere to go … not a populist …not a party that wants to play "me too" to failed policies.
We need good people to become active in the GOP at the local level and make it responsive. Then we need to get the word out and support candidates like Paul (see comment above.)
June 8, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I used to be a Republican, now I'm not associated with any party. I highly considered voting for the Constitution party last November, but chickened out at the last minute.
but I don't feel like the unfortunate and unwanted in society should be left to fend for themselves via private charity alone.
As someone who grew up one of the "unwanted in society" I can say that government "charity" SUCKS!
My mom tried to get government "charity", they told her that unless she lost the house and was living on the streets they couldn't help her…and then sent CPS to check to make sure us kiddies weren't "being neglected" (as she was working three jobs and going to school). She did loose the house, however someone from the church (private charity) bought it and allowed her to stay and pay rent. It was through private charities, and despite the government, that she was able to get back on her feet.
I've seen this scenario played out again and again in my family, friends and random strangers. To accept money from the government is to put yourself at the mercy of a heartless bludgeon intent on keeping you from getting out from under it.
The government can't be a charity, but can only be a police force – and a nasty one at that. It needs to stick to making laws and stop trying to "take care of" their citizens.
June 8, 2009 at 5:41 pm
One: It was the Navy.
Two: Why don't more pro-life republicans and other Catholics pull up stakes and start up the CDU in this country? As for me, I identify myself as a Christian Democrat, voting largely for Republicans.
June 8, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Matthew,
I would recommend watching Glenn Beck on Fox News at 5pm Eastern Time, if you can manage it with your schedule. I think he'll be able to put more meat on your frustration and develop into a coherent and consistent argument against–and this is the key word–progressivism.
That's progress with an "ism" at the end of it. In other words, it's change for the better without even a remote idea as to what "better" means.
The motto of my presidential campaign? "Let's just not screw it up."
June 8, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Christina,
I hear you loud and clear. The government often messes up its self-run programs, and the incentives that exist, if any, are to remain poor/sick/unemployed.
However, the government also funds many Catholic Charities programs that would either not exist or be much smaller without the check from Caesar. Not all government-funded charity is the same, and what is worth keeping should be preserved, if at all possible.
Food stamps are a good example of my point. There are abuses in the program, to be sure. The perversity of hard cap savings/earnings limits can be hard to understand (have $1999 in assets, can get ~$500/month in food stamps; have $2001 in liquid assets, and get nothing. Ergo, make sure you don't save money). Yet private charity can't provide adequate food security either. I used to volunteer extensively for a food bank. The variety of products received couldn't provide more than a day or two of balanced meals per week, much less per month, when bags were made for the hungry. And soup kitchens aren't always accessible to all who are hungry, and many of them rely on government surplus items for at least part of their supply anyway. So, what should I support? Eliminate all government food aid and you will have some real hunger/malnutrition. Yet the program as is has significant built-in flaws and abuse.
If all Catholics/Christians tithed, domestic churches could fund food programs for all the hungry in this country (not to mention a host of other issues). But the fact is that we have let the government control so much of social services. Proper relationships between state, Church, and individual cannot be rectified overnight. Therefore (and to remain tangentially on-topic), until the Proud Catholic Party gains power and can convert the hearts and minds of all in the land, we will have to allow for some government involvement in the charitable sector.
June 8, 2009 at 7:19 pm
We can either wring our hands or get involved. And I know it's damn annoying that we have to go in there and start making people who have deeper pockets and more connections, listen, but that's the only way we'll get the GOP to stop trying to be the diet soda version of the Democrats.
We can either join the Democrat party and run for office to change the perspective there, or run in the Republican party and get them talking about what we care about. These are the only ways we can be sure that our voices will be heard…and, when we're running for office, invite Sarah Palin to speak.
June 8, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Right there with ya 🙁
June 8, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Right there with ya 🙁
June 8, 2009 at 10:10 pm
As a liberal fed up with a too-conservative Democratic Party, I prefer to remain independent. I get involved minimally in local politics. I wouldn't dream of investing money in any major party. I enjoy volunteering for elections. I encourage others to get involved in government. Where in the constitution does it say we have to have political parties?
June 9, 2009 at 1:27 am
"However, the government also funds many Catholic Charities programs that would either not exist or be much smaller without the check from Caesar."
How about the government allowed people to write off more of their contributions to the Catholic Charities? I'd rather the government stay away from charities, since it's forced alms-giving by taxpayers and the bureaucratic benefits go to "charities" I'd rather not fund.
June 9, 2009 at 5:04 am
Constitutional Law Party…its quite simple. Yeah, maybe the utter investment into a human construction is problematic. But, at least its a good human construction.
June 9, 2009 at 2:11 pm
It was impolitic for the party to snub Palin that way. However, she is not really going to help us – she is too easy to make fun of. And I know that down home goodness is what attracted you, but the media was able to sufficiently slander her that she would not be a viable candidate. From the point of view of winning elections, dis-inviting her makes sense.
There are conservatives other than herself, so let's get behind someone who can win.
June 9, 2009 at 5:34 pm
I disagree, Horatius… not that she wasn't successfully branded by the media as "hick chic" but that the party should accept that lying down.
On one level, it's about controlling the narrative. Palin is NOT a hick and the GOP should never acquiese to that depiction. It's a bald lie. They should fight it however possible. They should not let it become "common knowledge."
On another level it's about embracing everyday people instead of giving them lip service. Most people look plain or talk with an odd accent. Good governance has little to do with that. Who cares how pretty Obama sounds and looks as he steers the economy into the side of a mountain? People with skill and ideas are the key.
Futurama used the joke once – "We assembled a team of our sexiest scientists" – and though it was a commentary on television, it bears on this as well. I don't want the prettiest-looking government, I want the one that governs best. As it turns out, Palin may be the best of both worlds…. but ideas first.
June 10, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Your unhealthy obsession with Palin notwithstanding, I do agree that there needs to be a 3rd party now for Catholics and other sects who hold our ideals on morality.