2008 Presidential Elections

[American Patriot]

Staying Home is Not an Option
The Corner, NRO ^ | Feb. 6, 2008 | Stanley Kurtz

If John McCain becomes the nominee of the Republican Party, it would be flat-out madness for conservatives to stay home on election day. No, I am not demanding that McCain’s conservative opponents vote for him in the general election. Personally, I would vote for McCain over either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama — with pride and enthusiasm. Whether or not others do so is up to them. No doubt, we’ll be debating that issue for some time. My point is different. The notion of staying home — as opposed to going out and voting for a Republican congress–is sheer madness. Given the ongoing wrangle over McCain, the race for congress has got to start coming to the fore as an issue.

There is no margin for error in 2008. Precisely because the left controls key levers of the culture, politics is the only real route to balance. America is not that far from sliding into the culture and politics of Europe, and so conservatives simply can’t afford a sweeping political loss right now. I never bought into the idea that it made sense to punish the GOP in 2006, presumably to build momentum for a great Republican victory in 2008. That strategy doesn’t seem to have gotten us very far. In any case, there is simply no place for it now. If a Democrat wins the presidency and carries a substantial majority of congress to boot, there will be sweeping changes that conservatives may never be able to turn back. For one thing, several Supreme Court justices will quickly retire, to receive the most liberal replacements conceivable.

If, on the other hand, McCain wins the presidency, conservatives have every reason to want as large a GOP presence as possible in Congress — to help McCain confirm conservative justices (and encourage him to nominate them), and to constrain McCain on issues like immigration. (There’s a slogan for you: "Constrain McCain: GOP Congress in 2008") It seems to me that it’s in the interests of McCain’s die-hard opponents to call just an enthusiastically for conservatives to vote for a GOP congress as they are calling for opposition to McCain. If conservatives react to the anti-McCain message by staying home, rather than voting for a GOP congress, then we truly will have shot ourselves in the foot.

Ordinarily the presidential race sucks up nearly all the air in political campaigns. That’s because the nominee usually serves as standard-bearer for the party as a whole. This year should be different. Maybe we need to start thinking of the last immigration battle as a positive model for the future, rather than an intolerable strain on the party. Maybe we need to get used to the idea that the GOP congress is there to give a President McCain help when he’s right and keep him in check when he’s wrong. If we could actually turn the anger at McCain into positive enthusiasm for a GOP congressional campaign, conservatism might just be able to save itself from the deluge we face. Again, personally, I would happily vote for McCain over Hillary or Barack. I think we need a GOP president and congress working together (and in tension, when necessary).

But if some folks absolutely refuse to consider voting for McCain, they have all the more reason to put major efforts into calling for a GOP congress. So find out who the GOP candidate is in your district. Find out their positions on immigration, campaign finance, Guantanamo, court appointments, etc. If you think they’d help a President McCain when he’s right and check him when he’s wrong, put some effort and enthusiasm into that campaign.

I understand that the GOP congressional races look bad. Many Republican incumbents are retiring, and the country wants change. Yet this situation is clearly salvageable. The Democratic congress has pathetically low public ratings. Renewed attention to the GOP congress by the disgruntled conservative base could kick-start our stalled campaign. If the big conservative voices criticizing McCain made a point of turning this dissatisfaction into agitation for a GOP congress, it could save conservatism from what might otherwise be disaster. Even if Republicans can’t get an outright majority in the next congress, just staying about even with where they are now would make a huge difference. But a Democratic blowout in congress along with a Democratic president would mean the end of conservatism for the foreseeable future (maybe longer). We can prevent that, just by not staying home.

In short, if the anti-McCain base won’t go to the polls even to vote for a Republican congress, all is lost. But if we direct our disappointment over McCain into positive enthusiasm for a GOP congress, to help him when he’s right and block him when he’s wrong, we can turn this crisis around. Staying home is not an option.

[American Patriot]

How the Republican Party committed national suicide By J.B. Williams
Enter Stage Right ^ | February 4, 2008 | J.B. Williams

web posted February 4, 2008

Republicans no longer control the Republican Party and as a result, they can not advance a truly Republican candidate though the current liberal leaning primary process. By the time 99 percent of Republicans get a chance to vote in the primaries, all real Republicans have already been eliminated from the race.

How it Happened

It happened by two important factors.

First, Republicans refused to unite behind any of the conservatives originally in the race. They were divided, and all of their candidates failed as a result.

Evangelicals think Pastor Huckabee is the real conservative in the race based solely upon his evangelical preaching from the stump. Fiscal conservatives think that business man Mitt Romney is the real conservative in the race. Anti-war isolationists think that Ron Paul is the real conservative in the race. Border security – national sovereignty conservatives thought that Duncan Hunter or Tom Tancredo were the real conservatives in the race. War on Terror hawks thought that Rudy Giuliani was the real conservative in the race and the base of the Republican Party, those who are fully conservative on all the above, thought Fred Thompson was the real conservative in the race.

As a direct result of these divisions, the one candidate that is by no means a real conservative in the race, John McCain, is currently leading the race for the Republican nomination. Failing to unite early behind one of the conservatives, left the door wide open for the worst possible result, John McCain.

The second factor is a broken primary process. McCain is not being nominated by conservatives or for the most part, even by Republicans. He is being nominated by liberal voters from liberal leaning states who hold the earliest primaries and vote to eliminate all conservatives from the race before “fly-over” Republicans get a chance to cast a single vote.

A Broken Party

Like it or not, the big tent is collapsing. You can’t invite liberals to your table without inviting their ideologies along. Try this at home with your liberal neighbors if you think I’m wrong on this. They will be happy to eat your food and drink your wine, while they tell you all about the progressive benefits of socialism. They won’t shut up until you stop inviting them for dinner.

Yet this is what the Republican Party leadership decided to do years ago. Invite liberals across the aisle into the fold under the big tent open society philosophy whereby all ideas are welcome if not equal, even when they aren’t.

Today, the base of the party is trying to figure out if or how it can wrestle back control of their party from the dinner guest they invited to the table years ago. The problem is this. RINOs now think it’s their party. They have exercised squatter’s rights. They are using the “possession is nine tenths of the law” defense to claim ownership of the Republican Party now and demanding that “right-wing extremists” (the foundation of the party) leave. The guests are tossing out the hosts.

How do you expect to advance a Republican candidate via a process designed to net a liberal candidate, voted upon by liberals in Democrat strongholds? The answer is - you can’t. Yet this is what we do.

It is not possible to advance a conservative candidate using liberal RINO, Independent and Democrat voters in liberal strongholds. The Republican primary process must change.

The Long-Term Fix

Only registered Republicans should be voting in Republican primaries and Republican primaries must begin in Republican strongholds, not Democrat strongholds up east. There should be no such thing as “open primaries.” Even in many “closed primaries” in Democrat stronghold states, where Republicans seldom have even a chance of carrying the state, many Democrats and Independents register as Republicans for the sole purpose of skewing the Republican nomination. This can not be allowed to continue.

Further, if the Republican nomination process expects to ever advance a conservative Republican candidate, it must start its nomination process in Republican strongholds across the country, not the Democrat strongholds they start in today.

The ten most Republican states in 2004 (a Republican year) were Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Alabama, Kansas, Alaska and Texas, in that order. Yet only one of these states has held a primary thus far, Wyoming. Before the rest will get a chance to vote, all Republicans are out of the race.

Other traditionally Republican strongholds are Indiana, South Dakota, Mississippi, Kentucky, Montana, Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Pick the five most populated states from these two groups and start the nomination process there, if you want to see what real Republicans want for party leadership.

Three of the worst states in which to hold an early Republican primary are Michigan, New Hampshire and Iowa. Yet this is where we begin our nomination process?

Both of these things must change looking forward and they will have to be changed at the state level by simply getting Republican stronghold states to move their primaries up to the front of the line. Don’t count on any help from the Republican National Committee which has long since determined that Republicans must join liberals in order to compete with them.

The only Short-Term Fix

These two changes in the nomination process will allow Republican stronghold states and real Republican voters to advance a real Republican candidate in the future. But it’s too late for 2008.

So a short-term answer for the immediate problem is also in order and only one option is available now…

That option is the subject of my recent column, "Time for Some REAL Straight Talk"

Take a moment to read it quickly. Super Tuesday will set the next four years in stone. What we do between now and then makes a difference….

Republicans simply passed on all opportunities to do something smart and unite behind one of the conservatives in the race over the last several months. Now, doing something half-smart is the only immediate option available. Find a way to be part of the solution, not just an angry part of the problem acting out in childish temper tantrums and protest votes.

Half-smart is better than blindly foolish and all wrong any day…

Long term, things must change. But short term, our options are now limited to living to fight another day. Think about it! ESR

© 2008 J.B. Williams

[Ryan Ruck]

Fox News reporting Romney is going to be dropping out...

[American Patriot]

Yup... McCain - oh, boy.....

That leaves McCain, Paul and Huck

McCain has the nod already I'm thinking.

I didn't like Romboid, but I'd have finally voted for him in the end.

[Ryan Ruck]

Expect Huckabee to be dropping out soon now that he's done his hitman job for McCain in anticipation of a VP slot in a McCain administration. And I will laugh when McCain passes him over for Giuliani or some other Dem since he is so good at "reaching across the aisle", which has apparently become the benchmark for being a "Good Republican". And as Michael Savage has said, when both parties agree on something, Conservatives are getting the screw job.

By the way, I've determined that in the event if neither Hunter nor Thompson are on the Ohio primary I may as well cast my vote for... Paul...

As I've said, I will ABSOLUTELY NOT vote for McCain so, I figure what have I got to lose by voting for Paul (again, ONLY assuming neither Hunter nor Thompson are on the Ohio ballot) in the primary.

With everything playing out the way it is, it does appear fairly likely McCain will get the nomination and I will not be voting for a Presidential candidate.

With that said, regardless of whether it is McCain or Obama/Hillary in office next, watch for Russia and China to exponentially grow unchecked militarily. Also watch for them to become increasingly belligerent and openly hostile to the US.

Rough times are ahead. Better start getting your SHTF ducks in a row real quick folks. I predicted this election would be a "point of no return" and it looks like we've crossed it. Again, God help our Republic.

[American Patriot]

BREAKING: Romney to endorse McCain tonight?
politicker md ^ | 2-7-08 | Editor



The Dewey Loman American Legion Post 109 is the place to be tonight for Maryland Republicans.

That’s where presidential candidate Sen. John McCain and ex-presidential candidate Mitt Romney are both scheduled to speak this evening in Halethorpe Maryland.
Romney was previously scheduled to attend the event, while McCain announced his surprise appearance this morning.

And just minutes ago, McCain’s campaign put out word that the Arizona senator would be picking up “a major endorsement” at this evening’s Baltimore County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner.
Minutes later, former Massachusetts Gov. Romney announced he would be ending his bid for the White House.

One source with knowledge of tonight’s event tells PolitickerMD.com that former Gov. Bob Ehrlich will not be the one introducing McCain before the presidential candidate delivers brief remarks; however, Ehrlich aides say he will be announcing his endorsement this evening.

But does an Ehrlich endorsement qualify for a national teaser endorsement at this stage of McCain's campaign? We think not.

There are implications that Romney, who has been locked in a bitter fight with McCain, would make the quick endorsement with the hope of unifying their party.
According to an advance text of his speech to the 2008 CPAC conference obtained by Time’s Mark Halperin, Romney said, “I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know.”

“But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating Al Qaeda and terror. If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win.”

[American Patriot]

I will be writing in Thompson on the ballot. Baring that, I'll simply not vote for President.

My SHTF plans are gearing back up.

I will be ready for the red Chinese when they cross the borders to our south from Mexico. So will the rest of the crew.

[American Patriot]

Oh, and under NO circumstances would I vote for Ron paul, I fully expect him to run on a third party ticket. Watch and see. Everyone has been saying "He said he won't!".

Well, he's a liar, and he will.

Ron Paul hasn't got a chance of beat Hillary, the left has fucked this election up badly, because they were allowed to change sides before primaries. That's why we are where we are now.

Paul has been pushed, and so has McCain by MSM and the Left, and I've already posted evidence to show this on the other thread.

I expect that McCain will announce Romney as a running mate, however, that won't sway any one.

[American Patriot]

For conservatives... left in states with Primaries not yet run...

I strongly recommend you SWITCH PARTIES to the DEMOCRATS. Vote for Obama.

In the General, write IN a vote for Thompson or Hunter.

[Ryan Ruck]

In the General, write IN a vote for Thompson or Hunter.

You know, that sounds like a plan rather than just not voting for a candidate.

[American Patriot]

I'm pushing it on Free Republic too. I'm going to try to push it a lot of places. I don't get another chance here. I'm done, so when General comes, I'm writing in Thompson as President and Hunter as VP

[Brian Baldwin]

Only reason for Romney to drop out is if McCain has brokered a deal with him for the VP spot.

I'll not be writing in a name. That's the same as voting for Hillary or Obama.

[Ryan Ruck]

I'll not be writing in a name. That's the same as voting for Hillary or Obama.

Brian,
I've heard that and to tell you the truth, I think that voting for McCain is nearly the same thing! Remember, this is the guy that flirted with John Kerry for a VP spot in the '04 election.

John McCain is also the guy that has said Americans wouldn't pick lettuce for $50/hour. John McCain is the guy that has said he wouldn't pick Supreme Court justices as Conservative as Sam Alito because he "wears his Conservatism on his sleeve." This is the same John McCain that brought about one of the biggest infringements on the 1st Amendment. This is also the same John McCain that has worked tirelessly to bring about the amnesty-that-isn't-really-amnesty-but-lets-illegal-aliens-stay-here-anyway.

I mean, seriously, the shitlist on this guy is as long as a lot of hard core liberal Democrats!

We basically can chose a far left Liberal (McCain), a Socialist (Obama), or a Marxist/Stalinist (Clinton).

Sorry but that dog don't hunt for me. I will not take any part in the continued active corruption of our Republic. I fear that this election could be what will cause the national "reset" button to be pressed, especially if the bread and circuses of the masses dry up (economy goes into the tank significantly).

(By the way, you've got mail! )

[Ryan Ruck]

Also, another thing to add to the list that I just found:

John McCain Gets Soros Cash

Senator John McCain's Reform Institute has suffered some bad press recently due to its involvement in an influence-peddling scandal with Cablevision. As usual, however, mainstream media have failed to go to the root of the matter.

Founded on June 26, 2001, McCain's Reform Institute for Campaign and Election Issues has long served as a nerve center for the so-called "campaign finance reform" movement – a movement which has done nothing to clean up campaign finance, but has done a great deal to empower federal judges and government bureaucrats to regulate political speech, in defiance of the Bill of Rights.

Now here's the kicker. The list of donors published on the Reform Institute's Web site reads like a veritable Who's Who of radical, leftwing foundations, including the Tides Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Proteus Fund and George Soros' Open Society Institute (hat tip, Winfield Myers).

Not surprisingly, in view of the above associations, Arianna Huffington serves on the Reform Institute's Advisory Board. Huffington has long acted as a front for George Soros' "campaign finance reform" efforts. In 2000, she organized the so-called Shadow Conventions which provided John McCain with a bully pulpit to stump for his now-infamous McCain-Feingold Act. George Soros shouldered about one third of the cost of the Shadow Conventions.

[Brian Baldwin]

Well I've always been an Independant when it comes to politics. I don't think "Conservativism" is anything most Republican's today think it is. Don't vote, write in a name, do whatever you guys want since it's your right. I will actively oppose Clinton and Obama to the end though. I'd rather have McCain in office 1,000 times over before one of the Dems. It's scary to even think of Hillary or Obama as President.

We're seeing the end of right wing politics. We're dinosaurs and more and more young people don't even believe they owe their country anything in return for their freedoms. Conservativism has come to mean Capitalism these days, and Liberals have infiltrated every level of society. So I may be going extinct but I will fight to the end. Even if that means voting for a MODERATE conservative whom I disagree with on about half his policies. Because the alternative is one of two Dems that I disagree with on over 80% of their policies.

We didn't like Gerald Ford so we allowed Carter to become president, look where that went. We saw a country vote for Ross Perot to such a degree that Clinton walked right into the White House. That was a beautiful time of corruption and idiocy too. So stay home or write a name in and learn to say President Hillary Clinton or President Barack Hussein Obama. Though likely you'll get both as one will be the VP. Now it may already be a foregone conclusion that the commies will win this election but calling McCain, (Whom by the way has an 82.3% ACU score) a far leftist is outright untrue.

BTW... Hillary's ACU rating is 9% and Obama's is 8%. While Duncan Hunter's was 92%, Fred Thompson was 89%, and Tom Tancredo's was 99%. So why wasn't everyone here actively stumping for Tom Tancredo? It should also be noted that McCain actively supported Sam Alito and denies that he every said anything against him. He has many times held Alito and Roberts up as picture perfect Justices, I know since I've personally seen him do it. So I'll take his word on that. Here's what he has said in reply to that claim...

"Let me just look you in the eye. I've said a thousand times on this campaign trail, I've said as often as I can, that I want to find clones of Alito and Roberts. I worked as hard as anybody to get them confirmed. I look you in the eye and tell you I've said a thousand times that I wanted Alito and Roberts. I have told anybody who will listen. I flat-out tell you I will have people as close to Roberts and Alito [as possible], and I am proud of my record of working to get them confirmed, and people who worked to get them confirmed will tell you how hard I worked."

I also saw where he said that he had learned a valuable lesson on the immigration thing and wouldn't make that same mistake again. Not sure I trust him on that at all, but then Bush jr and his daddy also support open borders. And probably true about the Soros money thing though it's so complex in connection it would be hard for him to see it honestly... But like Paul with the Jews, he is responsible for what's done in his name. I'm completely against it and I don't like the idea one bit, but it's not going to work out for us against open borders in the end. He is, and has always been, against earmarks, which is one of my biggest gripes in Washington these days. And he believes in a strong Military.

I see no indication here that McCain is "Far Left". I see many areas that make me wish Hunter or Tancredo had been number one but that's not the scenario we face. We face Hillary who is a commie through and through and a monster on top of it. We also may face Obama whom may or may not still be Islamic, is certainly inexperienced, (odes of Carter?), and very Secular Progressive. McCain on the other hand is VERY conservative with a few glaring Liberal stances. The math is easy. I will vote for McCain while others sit it out. We often are forced to shovel shit when we'd rather shovel roses, but that's no reason to not roll up your sleeves and grab a shovel, otherwise I guarantee you'll have shit up to your eyes if the Dems win this one.

Keep this in mind... AWB under Clinton, They'll close the loopholes this time and make it permanent. Tax cuts repealed so we'll be forced into a nasty recession (think it won't?). More terrorist attacks because we'll only consider "dialog" as a viable option. UN powers over US constitution, Clinton has outlined this before. You think only California has SPs? Colorado's SWAT raid of a homeschooler, Mass's enforced gay indoctrination, Vermont's toleration of Child predation as a "disease". These are all examples of what WILL certainly sweep the nation if you allow one of these Dems into the Oval Office. The SPs can just taste it.

This is the last bit of convincing I'll try with you guys though. This election year isn't going to be just another POTUS. It's going to set our path for several generations. Like him or not, McCain is our candidate unless some weird unforeseen event takes place. Think about it a bit.

[Toad]

Since we're discussing choices between lesser evils...

[Phil Fiord]

I have one past observation from a vote I made that backfired. In California, I voted for Grey Davis on first term. I did not like the competitors of any party, but he seemed a tad better than the rest for that state at that time. I was wrong. Davis talked the talk to get in and almost immediately showed his true left colors and inability to run the state.

Consequently I also voted against him on second term, but he won. I voted to recall him and that happened. We had the Governator. A better if not perfect choice.

I would advise voting McCain if that is the one with best odds of winning. He may be the worst Republican in principal, but he IS in the Republican party and must adhere to at least some principals of the party while Hillary and Obama do not.

A person within a group must at least cater to some degree to the desires within that group and a modern Dem will not do what a conservative wants.

[American Patriot]

Soros, and the left pushed a LOT of money on McCain, they've admitted it, because they wanted to run against him. They've as much as paid off media giants' bosses to get them to push that agenda. Why the fuck do you all think McCain is the defacto nominee???

[Phil Fiord]

No matter the person, if they are calling themselves a party affiliate, they cannot completely throw out everything attached to that party. I am not saying vote for McCain, just vote within the party as the winner cannot completely throw all principals to the wolves. yes, lesser of evils is what I am suggesting though I am sick suggesting it.

Perot won it for Clinton afterall.

[American Patriot]

I wrote the following in response to a call on FR for a "New Party"...


/sigh

I’d advocate the following.

A party of Conservatives who take the GOP BACK - Honestly, America is a “Two Party System” and to drag everyone away from the GOP to form a third, independent party is not going to be easy, nor cheap, and it will be looked at as it has in the past with “Independents”. As a rag-tag organization of “extremists”.

Logically, we should be fighting within the Republican party to bring it back on course, and forcing these idiots who “want to find an ‘electable’ candidate’ or who think one or two things is TOO conservative to leave rather than the rest of us bail out.

In truth, no, there are things I have always disagreed with, within the GOP - and some things, on occasion to me are simply MORE conservative than I truly am myself.

HOWEVER, I HAVE and will CONTINUE to stand by the principles, in action and deed, even if I don’t necessarily agree completely with them. (No, I won’t give examples).

My “loyalty” to this country is without question. And it has rarely been questioned with the GOP since I changed parties many years ago (After I voted for Carter, I realized what a dumb mistake it was - I tried to stand up for him and believe I’d made the right decision, but increasingly he showed me I was stupid for voting for him).

I’m one of the True “Reaganites” that exists. I believed in everything Mr. Reagan stood for - and one of those things was to always stand on Principles in the face of adversity and to continue to show right from wrong, and do those things which are right, and NOT do, nor tolerate those who do WRONG.

In my mind, and in common sense, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and numerous others in the political structure of this country are simply WRONG and trying to do this country WRONG. While they certainly can and do believe in themselves - they refuse to understand that Socialism and Gun Control, and Abortion is NOT RIGHT, they won’t accept those things as wrong.

Until they DO, they need US to show them and fight them politically.

Until the day comes that our society actually falls apart, and we take up arms again as happened in the Civil War for individual’s rights we have to use our system as it works now.

That means fighting WITHIN the system, not with OUT it - and if we create a new party, we are no longer in the “main stream of society” - you become a group that is largely ignored by the media, called names (like fanatic, or Right Wing Kooks) or other things. A group that is seen by the rest of society in the poor light painted by a Leftist media has little chance of succeeding in anything they attempt.

No, while I can see the extreme frustration we’re all feeling (check my Tagline please for whom I believed was the best suited) I can’t completely agree that walking away from the Republican party is the right thing to do.

Instead, while they have tried to “walk away from US”, we need to stand in front of them and redirect the traffic, force those who are NOT Conservative Republicans to come back to the party the way it SHOULD be, not the way the Leftists in America want it to be.

We need to STOP compromising.

STOP working with “the other side”.

Block them at every turn.

Stop playing “Political Correctness Games”.

Tell the truth, and expose the lies.

Fight Socialism at every turn.

We need to fight for America, as a FREE REPUBLIC and we need to continue to be an example for the world... a place where every foreigner seems to want to come. (If America is such a damned bad place as the Left makes it out to be, then why do we actually have so many illegal aliens here again??????)

No, Fellow Freepers... it’s time to take the GOP back from the Left.