Sunday, June 28, 2009

I Am Through With the Republican Party

I have always classified myself as a Libertarian Republican, and have stayed a registered Republican. True Conservatism rests in the ideals of Libertarianism, but the Conservative label has been tarnished by neo-cons in the recent years. There are good people in the Republican Party that are worthy of support from this blogger, and many that don't deserve support at all.

Ever since the election of Barack Obama, the Republican Party has been talking a big game. I voted Libertarian for President, and don't regret it one bit. John McCain would have been the same disaster that Obama has been, it just would have taken him a little longer to get there. The Republicans are trying to show themselves as the party they should be, but they are still having issues reigning in their own. They talk this game, but still hold ideals that don't conform to true Conservatism. It has become a showboat for the Party itself, and that is what has caused this turmoil.

The Party could care less about the issues, and more about making sure their opponents are eaten alive. This was easy to see during the past campaigns that I worked on during college, and it is no different today. The party could care less about who they put up as a candidate, and more about winning. They shun out people that actually stand for something and refuse to conform to their talking points. This is what happened to Ron Paul, and people like him.

This recent vote on the Cap and Trade bill is the tipping point for me. This bill has so much to do with how we live our lives as free people, and still 8 Republicans voted for the bill. Our Liberties are God given and both parties have trampled on this God given right and pushed us further into tyrannical rule.

I have been on the verge of switching my party registration and now is the time. But don't worry...I am not becoming a Democrat. I am through with the two party system, and believe it is time to actually stand for something. I am re-registering as a Libertarian.

Ronald Reagan once said that the heart and soul of Conservatism is Libertarianism. True Conservatives stand for civil liberties, free markets, non-interventionist foreign policy, and small government. We stand for the rights of the people, and protect their Liberties. The current leadership of the Republican Party bypasses all of these principles for the sake of winning elections, and this is why we get 8 Republicans that vote for big government control over our lives.

This is the point of this website. It is called Conservative for Change because it is time we get away from the neo-cons and actually preach true Conservatism. Conservatism is labeled the way it is because we don't follow the true path. Conservatism believes that government doesn't have a right to tell people how to live their lives. That is freedom and liberty and it is something every American should stand for.

I will continue to support Republicans if they actually have the ability to act on what they say on the campaign trail. Right now the only Republican I support in Congress is Ron Paul, and hopefully there can be more one day. However, it is time to stand up and find truth in the path for freedom.
Posted by at 6/28/2009 11:50:00 AM

37 Comments:

  1. Forget, please, "conservatism." It has been, operationally, de facto, Godless and therefore irrelevant. Secular conservatism will not defeat secular liberalism because to God both are two atheistic peas-in-a-pod and thus predestined to failure. As Stonewall Jackson's Chief of Staff R.L. Dabney said of such a humanistic belief more than 100 years ago:

    "[Secular conservatism] is a party which never conserves anything. Its history has been that it demurs to each aggression of the progressive party, and aims to save its credit by a respectable amount of growling, but always acquiesces at last in the innovation. What was the resisted novelty of yesterday is today .one of the accepted principles of conservatism; it is now conservative only in affecting to resist the next innovation, which will tomorrow be forced upon its timidity and will be succeeded by some third revolution; to be denounced and then adopted in its turn. American conservatism is merely the shadow that follows Radicalism as it moves forward towards perdition. It remains behind it, but never retards it, and always advances near its leader. This pretended salt bath utterly lost its savor: wherewith shall it be salted? Its impotency is not hard, indeed, to explain. It is worthless because it is the conservatism of expediency only, and not of sturdy principle. It intends to risk nothing serious for the sake of the truth."

    Our country is collapsing because we have turned our back on God (Psalm 9:17) and refused to kiss His Son (Psalm 2).

    John Lofton, Editor, TheAmericanView.com
    Recovering Republican
    JLof@aol.com

    PS – And “Mr. Worldly Wiseman” Rush Limbaugh never made a bigger ass of himself than at CPAC where he told that blasphemous “joke” about himself and God.
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  2. I hate to see you go, we "Liberty Minded" Republicans need all the help we can get to help get this party back on track.

    Can't say that I blame you though, the party of principle has forgotten it's own principles.

    Really sad.
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  3. I have been holding out for awhile now, but just couldn't take any more of the nonsense coming out of them.
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  4. It is a shame to see you throw out the baby with the bathwater. You are right, 8 people who have run on the republican ticket voted to destroy what was left of the free enterprise system. Eight people of One hundred seventy six. Less than 5%. You want to throw away your loyalty to a conservative Republican cause for the sake of 8 misguided fools? Look at where these "republicans" are from New Jersey, New York, California.... I can say from experience that there have been no real Republicans in New Jersey for decades.
    Perhaps you can rethink your position. Perhaps you can stand with us conservatives in the Republican party and hold those RINO's accountable.
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  5. A tad reactionary my friend, fight not flight!
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  6. This is a time to lock arms not to walk away. We are all frustrated. Lets stand together!
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  7. Goodbye;

    Libertarianism is not conservatism, the writer seems to not know the difference. The objective of true conservatism is to preserve things that work instead of experimenting with radical change, which is the goal of the liberal Democrats or minimal or close to abolition of government, which is the goal of libertarianism. What the Socialist are to the Democratic party the Libertarians are to the Republican party. They are radical extremist who do not understand government or the Constitution. Reagan was never Libertarian in the contemporary meaning of the word. All true conservatives have a libertarian streak, in that we want the maximum individual liberty possible, but we also want to preserve those traditional values that made this country great, which libertarians want to struck down in the name of individual liberty. Conservatives also want to preserve and protect our Constitution and country, Libertarians would readily tear up the Constitution of the United States of America and destroy this country with their unproven, radical idea that modern society can exist with hardly any government or no government. I do not want to go back to the society of the caveman.
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  8. Bentley,

    I applaud your declaration. Until the moralist right is ejected like diseased phlegm from our political throats, our voice will not be unified.

    So long as the Bible beaters and warmongers and group-thinkers of the right are not ACTIVELY DRIVEN OUT, this Republican Party is going NOWHERE.

    We are in a defacto war between church and state even among ourselves, but we refuse to see it.

    DRIVE OUT THE CHRISTIAN TALIBAN IN OUR MIDST.

    BARRY GOLDWATER WAS CORRECT.
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  9. thank you Frank, you proved my point, Conservatism and Libertarianism are not compatable. The Republican Party is the home of American Conservatives. Libertarians can go build theri own home, like in a cave.
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  10. I am through with the Republican party because:

    When you call a coordinator of a Tea Party anywhere in the country, what do you get?:

    "REPUBLICAN PARTY HEADQUARTERS"

    All the politicians who were not welcome, wheedled their way into having operatives "invite" them to speak at the Tea Parties and the are REPUBLICANS using donations for their campaigns and using the people who are sick of them to get photos back drops of people for their campaign websites.
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  11. It's funny how the people who post bullshit are always "Anonymous".

    Our country was founded with a minimal libertarian government. So if you try to conserve that government you are by definition a conservative, as well as a libertarian.

    It's really pretty simple to understand.
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  12. Congratulations to you for being a man of principle. I'm sure that was a difficult decision for you to make.

    Don’t let the passage of a law or the betrayal of politicians get you down.

    In the big picture, the battle for hearts and minds matters far more than the battle of the ballot box.

    If we win people to the philosophy of liberty, things like elections will take care of themselves. :)

    I would encourage you to not under-estimate your own influence in bringing about positive change.

    Each individual who we win to the cause of liberty changes the world ways more profound than we may realize.

    It changes the course of the rest of their lives.

    They may become champions of liberty winning dozens more to the cause.

    Those, in turn, may do the same.

    Each one who we win may ultimately lead to the winning of hundreds or thousands.

    There is a “ripple effect” that we do not see.

    If people truly realized the difference they could make in the world, the world would be a different place.

    Your efforts to win hearts and minds are more important than any election or any passing of a law.

    The later are merely opportunities to be seized to win more to the cause. 

    You are doing a great job.

    Keep doing what you do.
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  13. Donnarose RussianJun 29, 2009 06:41 AM
    The heart of a political party is not it's politicians, but it's principals.

    If everyone jumps ship every time an elected official (or even a number of them) commits acts contrary to Party philosophy and platform, there would just be no Party system at all (maybe not a bad idea, but not likely to happen). I cannot agree with your thinking, therefore, that the Libertarian Party is the answer for you.

    You might liken it to driving on a highway, en route to your destination, and every time the cars seem to move faster in another lane, you change to that lane. All it does is slow all the traffic down for everyone, and it will take you longer to get where you're going. Better to stay in one lane.

    Conservatism, like liberalism, is a descriptive word (in the USA), and nothing else. This is why people all seem to disagree with it's "true" meaning when discussing American politics. There is NO "true" conservatism, but rather, as many versions and definitions as there are people.

    Choose a Party based on the Party Platform which most closely aligns with your own ideals, and then work (or at least vote) to maintain the Platform as best you can. If this means voting for a Libertarian over a "bad" Republican, then that's fine, but don't change Party just because you don't agree with those Party members already elected. Work to unseat them with better candidates. Run for office, yourself.

    Anyone who expects all their elected Party officials to behave as they would wish all the time, is living in a dream world. If the Libertarian Party was as large as the Democratic or Republican Parties, it would have same problems with politicians running roughshod.
    It can't be helped in a thing so large.

    Of course, if you really and truly agree with the Libertarian Platform, and don't mind belonging to a "fringe" Party without much power or clout, then join them, but don't do it just because you don't agree with what Republican officials are doing.
    And if you really do agree with the Libertarian Party principles over those of the Republican Party, then why are/were you a Republican, anyway?

    Your entire premise of "true" conservatism is incorrect. There is no such thing.
    There is your definition, which is OK, and then, there are millions of other definitions, which are also OK. Don't be such an elitist with your labels and definitions and opinions about who's right and who's wrong, what's "true" and what isn't.

    Perhaps, in your mind, Ron Paul was a better candidate than John McCain, so you voted for him. Fine - but what did you really achieve by your vote? In effect, you voted for Obama. Thanks.
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  14. There is true Conservatism Donnarose Russian, and the Republicans, who go around and preach Conservatism don't even come close to its glory.

    Also, I hate this argument that if you don't vote for the Republicans than you voted for Obama. I never abandon principle, and I would never have done that to vote for the crap that we call John McCain. He would be doing the same thing Obama is currently doing, just slower. I would rather have a clean conscience, than vote for people like McCain.
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  15. Donnarose Russian is correct Robert. I would suggest you read her words with an open mind & you will see the truth of them... We are all frustrated with what is going on, but, throwing in the Republican towel for a Libertarian one is short sighted & childish, UNLESS you truly believe you are more aligned with their platform. I have contemplated the same thing you are & I am quite sure we are not alone in our frustrations, but, I chose to stay & fight rather than take flight & be a part of a party less aligned with my core beliefs & that has very limited chances of making a difference in our country...

    You did, in essence, help put bHo in office. I learned that lesson when I voted for Perot & by doing so, helped to put Clinton in office. If I & so many others hadn't been seduced by Perot's words & seen that we were taking votes away from the Republicans, we may not be in the financial woes that we are in. Fannie & Freddie wouldn't have been forced to lower thier standards & maybe, just maybe, the economy could be in much better shape. I live with that. You, my friend, have to live with the fact that you enabled bHo to take over this country. I hope you learned your lesson, but, from your blog, it appears not.

    My conclusion is that if you haven't learned these lessons, I will not be sad to see you leave the ranks of us that are willing to stand up & fight for the Republican party...
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  16. Charles T. NeighborsJun 29, 2009 08:39 AM
    I agree with you Robert...on the other hand - even though I am a Constitutionalist...I have found that the Libertarian Party is next to being corrupt too...with their top candidate: Bob Barr...which I believe he is a Neocon...however when a local GOPEE - er...claims we must support all candidates like they did last year with old Johnny boy McCain...that is when I can stop them in their Zombie tracks and point out the true facts about what a conservative really is...Ron Paul is a prime example.
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  17. The Republican party is dead. It has proven itself to be unreliable and, when in power, corrupt. The Libertarian party has yet to be a significant player, but has the fundamental values to bring a wide variety of liberty-minded people together. Why spend the time trying (and failing) to reform the Republican party when there is a ready alternative that can become a vehicle for change?
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  18. There are those of us who are rising up and finally getting into politics after years of waiting and hoping for the professionals to get it right. obviously they can't. so we are coming. we need help. I can honestly say we are coming. true conservatives. i will speak to any group about what it means to be a real conservative republican and what it's really honestly going to take to get the republican party BACK to Reagan!!!!
    www.richardpait.info
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  19. I'm anti-partisan, myself. Not only do I believe that joining a party erodes from your own personal ideology to whatever degree, but it also automatically places you in an adversarial position to people who are not members of your party. And, as Joe Lieberman can attest, any time you stray out of your party's mainstream, you get a visit from the powers that be.

    http://youngconservative27.blogspot.com/2009/05/party-of-me.html

    http://youngconservative27.blogspot.com/2009/03/did-i-forget-anyone.html
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  20. Charles T. NeighborsJun 29, 2009 09:26 AM
    Stephen Monteith: I agree.
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  21. It is certainly an individual's right to vote as he pleases and register as he pleases. I voted Libertarian in the last election because the Republican Party ran an individual who was simply NOT Conservative. How can you die-hard Republicans continue to support a party that will nominate and run a candidate whose positions mimic the opposition candidate, all for the simple belief that he is more electable for these positions. Real conservatives hold fast to their PRINCIPLES. They don't change the principles in order to gather more votes!

    Oh, and that tired ass epithet (a vote for Barr-who was a very poor candidate, as well-is a vote for Obama) is simply idiotic. A principled vote is for the candidate whose positions most coincide with yours. Period.
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  22. I agree with John Lofton. Our country is heading down this path because we as a people no longer thank the creator (God) for our providence.

    Look at the fiasco's of the Republican party and it goes beyond eight of them voting for the cap and trade, it was EIGHT years of railroading Bushes bigger government bills, not standing up for Conservative values. THAT's what got us here today.
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  23. While Reagan did say that he believed that the heart of conservatism was libertarianism, he also qualified that statement by saying that "libertarianism and conservatism are traveling the same path," and "...I can’t say that I will agree with all the things that the present group who call themselves Libertarians in the sense of a party say..." and "...I believe there are legitimate government functions. There is a legitimate need in an orderly society for some government to maintain freedom or we will have tyranny by individuals..."

    Congratulations on leaving the Republican party. I do not believe that libertarianism is the answer, because anarchy isn't a way to run a country. Thankfully, as you've made this post, I can now remove you from my watched blogs as I only want what is BEST for the United States of America. And your post shows that you do not believe in that.

    Good luck in your future endeavours.
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  24. What took you so long? I defected after Bush said he was bailing out the auto companies! Like u I voted 3rd party because of all those years of McCain sideing with the Liberals and then all of the sudden saying he was a conservative? I ddin't buy it! But I am glad that you finally saw the light! Hope full the rest of this country will by 2012 and will elect Ron Paul.

    "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have!"- Gerald R. Ford
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  25. For the Anonymous commenter, here is the entire Reagan Quote you refer to...you distorted it just a little.

    "If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals–if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.

    Now, I can’t say that I will agree with all the things that the present group who call themselves Libertarians in the sense of a party say, because I think that like in any political movement there are shades, and there are libertarians who are almost over at the point of wanting no government at all or anarchy. I believe there are legitimate government functions. There is a legitimate need in an orderly society for some government to maintain freedom or we will have tyranny by individuals. The strongest man on the block will run the neighborhood. We have government to insure that we don’t each one of us have to carry a club to defend ourselves. But again, I stand on my statement that I think that libertarianism and conservatism are travelling the same path."
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  26. I don't understand all the people who are beating you up for your decision. It's funny actually. Me personally, I've jumped from the republican party late last year with the elections after the national conventions. I get tired of a "two party" system that we have. Yes I do have conservative views but have realized that the republican party isn't conservative at all. They are just like the jackasses that run the democratic party just a lot slower at implementing things. A lot of people condemm the Libertarian Party for being close to anarachy but I sure don't believe that. People have got to remember that in the early years of our country we had something close to anarchy but the government after several years set guidelines that kept us in check with a government but very "limited government". Me, well I'm now more of an independent now. People have got to quit being duped into believing that all we have is the two party system and start making a change for the better and vote for the better person instead of for the party ticket only. Fringe groups like libertarians can make a difference if "we" start making the change of making those parties mainstream. Ron Paul is the exception like you said and if people really want to take back their republican party, more people like him need to be voted in and not the crooks who talk a big game now that they don't control washington but did nothing great when they had the keys to the country.
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  27. Libertarianism is the politics of business becasue with weak goverment business interest rule. Business interest should rule becasue they control the wealth, they are the major stakeholders of America. Why should the influence of a the ignorant truck driver or waitress have be equal to that of the owners of the means of production. Demoracy doesn't work. Look at who is in the White House. Vote Libertarian and free yourself from the burden of governemnt. Remember, government is the problem.
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  28. “The 2010 election cycle is just around the corner. We must redouble our efforts to educate our fellow citizens, recruit and support liberty candidates, and marshal our resources for the battle ahead.” – Ron Paul

    I love my country
    I am appalled by my government

    "The essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government". ~ Founding Fathers
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  29. **Thank you Robert and Frank. I agree srongly with your statemtents and I agree that religious nuts played a significant part in the destruction of individual liberty. Libertarianism, by defintition, is close to true conservatism, so I implore that moron who contended that the two ideologies are vastly differnt to leave this group. Additionally, why are we arguing about the exact definition of each philosophy? NO ONE, ABOSLUTELY NO ONE,can agree with every aspect of any group or philosophy or "ISM." Can we stop defining ourselves by these groups or beliefs about government, and start being INDIVIDUALS, people with different ideas who want ultimately to have as much personal freedom as possible. I am no psychologist, but there is an amazing aspect of human nature that makes people feel the need to be part of a group or belief. People shouldn't believe completely with any political philosophy or religious philosophy, people should believe in themselves.
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  30. http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZThjYjkxYTFhY2IyYWE0OTkzNDcxNzM0NWYyMjMwNTM%3D
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  31. You can bash me, you can tell me how great Ron Paul is, you can tell me that I'm not an individual, but the fact & truth or the matter is that a 3rd party will not win. It will always take votes away from the lesser of the two evils ~ the Republican Party. We need to get in there & boot out the left leaning Republicans & take back OUR party. Unless there is a way to consolidate the two parties (libertarian & republican) into one & stop splitting the Conservative vote, the Liberals will keep on winning. Look at history. Perot is how Clinton got in & Ron Paul is how Obama got in.

    Go ahead, start bashing me, but you all KNOW it's the truth & smarter people than me will tell you the same thing. United we stand, divided we fall.
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  32. Excellently written... and the heart and passion of it proves you're one of those impassioned few that can change the world.
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  33. Stacey, just as a note... I and 2 of my adult family members have switched to Ron Paul in less than a year. He has momentum. We're moving out of the Republican Party to the Libertarian Party in increasing numbers. With a little education, most of my family would switch from voting Republican (and Democrat) to Libertarian.
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  34. From the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin and the Libertarian Party in Milwaukee County--A big fat welcome aboard!!! I have been waiting to hear this!!! Welcome to the LP, the party of principle.
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  35. As for the lesser of two evils argument, it's still an evil- maybe even more evil than the left- look at the wars they started. I guess the Repugs are supposed to be pro life but they have done nothing to lessen or prevent abortion, which was the one issue that kept me in the Republican Party.

    Fuck the Republican Party. It doesn't matter if a Demo-rat or a Repugnant wins, they are both the same, nothing changes. If we'd stop the morally and logically bankrupt thought process that we're supposed to support the "lesser of two evils", we'd already have a viable 3rd party. the LP grows stronger every year. If you want change, the 2 party system must be destroyed, not strengthened by hoping for "true conservatism" to re enter the Republican Party. It won't happen.
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  36. I encourage you to look into America's Independent Party. Read the welcome page, and then the links at the top for the platform and affiliation. AIP is more than a party. They have the infrastructure in place for a truly grassroots, bottom up, revamping of our political system. It's set up as a clearinghouse for all like-minded conservative groups, networking and forum. Check it out. If you agree -- affiliate! If you're not sure, listen in on the Tues/Thurs conference calls.
    www.aipnews.com
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  37. I agree with Katrinka about America's Independent Party. Regular folks need to get off their couch, shut off their TV, quit listening to the pundits, quit listening to the pollsters, quit listening to all the experts, organize their own precinct, organize their own county, get together with millions of other Americans, and in an organized, coordinated fashion based on principle, take the country back. I left the GOP when McCain earned enough delegates to secure nomination. Everything that has happened since then has vindicated my decision. For example, not a single one of the elected Representatives or Senators stood up on the day that Electoral College votes were counted to object or even to raise a crummy point of information asking how Obama meets the constitutional requirement that only a natural born citizen can serve as President. AIP is about empowering folks at the most local level to change the political culture now and for the future.
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