Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
In the wake of Mitt Romney’s resounding victory in Florida’s primary, the odds of anyone other than Romney capturing the Republican nomination seem to be as low as the odds Barack Obama will be offered a guest professorship at Hillsdale College. As one of the many conservatives who are less than enthused about the nomination of a self-described “Progressive whose views are moderate,” the time has come to decide whether or not to bite the bullet and vote for Romney in the general election. Traditional party orthodoxy suggests that I should support the lesser of two evils. However, Romney’s ideology is so antithetical to the principles of conservatism that I believe the best thing I can do for the conservative movement and the country in the upcoming election is refuse to give my support or vote to Mitt Romney.
The biggest blow to Romney’s conservative credentials is his support for the state-level version of Obamacare during his time in Massachusetts. Romney’s supporters have painted Romneycare as the best of many bad choices for Romney in Massachusetts (although why they would offer up “Three Cheers” for the best of bad alternatives is beyond me.) I would be OK with supporting Romney if he openly stated that Romneycare was a mistake that the legislature forced on him. Unfortunately, Romney has decided to defend his mini-Obamacare project. Romney himself said “I’m proud of what we’ve done” in reference to Romneycare and lauded it as a “Model for the nation.” When asked about what he thought of Obamacare in 2010, Romney said he wanted to “Keep the good parts,” and applauded the “Incentives to purchase private insurance” (in other words, the individual mandate.) These are hardly the words of someone who views Romneycare as the lesser of many evils. Instead, they point to a man who is proud of signing the precursor to Obamacare into law and is fine with an individual mandate on the federal level.
Furthermore, Romney’s defense of the individual mandate bears a surprising resemblance to the arguments used by Progressives such as Barack Obama and Franklin Delano Roosevelt to justify their expansions of government. Romney has argued that government-mandated health insurance is based on “Personal responsibility” and Romneycare protects individual rights by preventing “free riders” from gaming the system. It almost seems as if Romney believes we must abandon free market healthcare principles to save free market healthcare. Furthermore, Romney’s argument for Romneycare echoes Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s sentiments in the Commonwealth Club Address that “The exercise of the property rights might so interfere with the rights of the individual that the government, without whose assistance the property rights could not exist, must intervene, not to destroy individualism but to protect it.” FDR and Romney make identical arguments. Romney argues that the exercise of individual rights on healthcare infringes on the rights of other individuals, and thus the government must intervene to protect “individualism.”
Jonah Goldberg recently wrote a column arguing that dissatisfied conservatives should vote for Romney because he will owe the conservatives who elected him and govern like a conservative. Unfortunately, Romney and his supporters have shown no sign that they care what conservatives in the Republican Party think. Romney’s scorched-earth campaign tactics against Newt Gingrich and the dismissive, snide treatment Romney’s apologists have given anyone who dares question The Mitt Romney’s conservatism (I’m looking at you, Ann Coulter and David Frum) doesn’t bode well for conservatives who hope Romney will listen to them. Furthermore, voting for Romney will hardly make him want to listen to conservatives. If anything, it will show that Romney can take conservatives for granted and still earn their votes.
Mitt Romney’s approach towards government places him drastically outside the conservative camp. Instead of arguing that big government must be eliminated, Romney seems to believe that he can run big government well. Voting for Romney sends the message that conservative voices can be ignored with impunity. Conservatives are ignored by candidates like Romney because they believe conservatives will simply vote for whoever has an R next to their name, the only way to ensure the GOP understands that conservative voices cannot be ignored is to show that our votes are not guaranteed. Mitt “I’m a Progressive” Romney is the ideal candidate to use as proof that even the most loyal Republicans have their limits and will not vote for Liberalism Light.
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Comments:
Feb '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Re: #13, #15, #18, #19, #20
Bravo.
Edited on February 4, 2012 at 6:49amNov '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Wait - Obama won in 2008 because conservatives didn't vote for McCain?
Mar '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
How generous of you to be so straightforward in your beliefs. Indeed, send them to Berkeley and Columbia, feast on the Welfare State while the opportunity presents itself. Convictions are so old fashioned, why is anyone still stubborn enough to hold to such beliefs.
Edited on February 4, 2012 at 7:02amMar '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Freeven
Roberto
Yes let us welcome the new David Souter appointees, that worked out so well in the past. The only fools are those still clinging to the absurd belief that Mr. Romney would actually put forward a conservative for the bench. Have not a single one of you examined his actual record in Massachusetts? Continue to cling to your delusion if you wish, some of us have actually studied who this man put on the bench and can not be so easily fooled. · 35 minutes ago
I know nothing of Mitt's record regarding nominations. Would you be willing to put a post together on this? · 40 minutes ago
Edited 38 minutes ago
Yes. I have been spending some time on Mr. Romney's failures in his nominations to the Judicial branch among other concerns. My current efforts have not produced an argument that is properly polished, yet that is not an insurmountable obstacle. Within the next few days I should have something acceptable if such matters concern you.
Mar '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Duane Oyen:
[Ed. Deleted for CoC violation] · 38 minutes ago
Edited 14 minutes ago
What is this? Correct this at once. I find often find that Mr. Oyen's arguments are foolish and at times offensive but here you are censoring him for crudely expressed opinions?!
To imagine this as even approaching a breach of CoC decorum is absurd. Restore his words at once. Either we stand for a robust debate or not.
Edited on February 4, 2012 at 7:30amFeb '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Roberto
Yes let us welcome the new David Souter appointees, that worked out so well in the past.
So, because we're in a snit over Souter we're going to let Obama add a couple more Sotomayors and Kagans to the Court????? By the time Obama is finished Souter will look like a paragon of conservatism..
Apr '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
The Romneybots can't seem to play nice, apparently.
@Ian: Just so. Hear! Hear!
FYI - Ian hasn't advocated (necessarily) not voting at all, just not voting for Mitt. If Mitt wants conservatives to vote for him, he should be a conservative. He's isn't one.
All the scaremongering and teeth-gnashing about the Supreme Court appointees is more of the same drivel we hear year in, year out. Like Ian points out, some of the current winners on the Court are Republican appointees. It's not purist opposition. We're not waiting for Superman. We're just not willing to vote for Jimmy Olsen. The fact that the party's A-list candidates are either not ready for primetime (Ryan & Rubio) or unwilling is a very unfortunate matter of fact.
Only blaming refusnik Republicans for the damage done to the Party of Stupid by RINOs' dogged unwillingness to be more than what that moniker implies and the old guard's strongarm rhetoric of fearmongering & finger-wagging at those who won't do as they're told is wearing very very thin. Aesop's Fable of the frog and the snake comes to mind here.
Edited on February 4, 2012 at 7:40amJul '10
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Duane Oyen: If this is the sort of logic that runs our side, we deserve everything we get. All those dupes who figured that McCain was unacceptably RINO get ObamaCare and Holder as their reward- now more absolutists want to accelerate the disaster.
...
And reducing the race to a choice between the socialist and the dishonest technocrat enamored of his own pet disaster is a classic non-choice choice courtesy of the Parties of Washington. Somehow, in an election cycle driven (again) by a grassroots rejection of ObomneyCare, the GOP thinks they are going to paint the same wretched disaster Romney Red and load up the Medicaid rolls (as RomneyCare has done, as ObamaCare plans to do) and the electorate will suddenly be grateful. They will put away the pitchforks and torches, the tar and feathers, and sing hosannas.
The not Obama vote will be so strong this year, a populist Independent/Third Party anti-ObomneyCare candidacy could sashay straight into the Oval Office.
An American political party would make a nice change from the pandering Parties of Washington. That certainly wouldn't be worth getting upset over.
Edited on February 4, 2012 at 7:43amMar '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
If the only choices are between one evil and a lesser evil do you still hold to this? In the Soviet Union everyone had the obligation to vote would you praise that?
We have fallen far. No one is diminishing the effort of those who brought us the freedom we have, but still that does not mean we have to endorse others who wish to bring us a new tyranny
Mar '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Snow Bird
Roberto
Yes let us welcome the new David Souter appointees, that worked out so well in the past.
So, because we're in a snit over Souter we're going to let Obama add a couple more Sotomayors and Kagans to the Court????? By the time Obama is finished Souter will look like a paragon of conservatism.. · 4 minutes ago
Well, you can label this a "snit" if you wish. For myself it is more along the lines of learning from experience. Hope for the best and expect the worst seems fine in an abstract manner, but in reality our elected leaders always reward us with the worst. It is what it is.
Feb '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
911 is a Joke:
The Romneybots can't seem to play nice, apparently.
Romneybots?
The discourse of the other side doesn't appear all that much more elevated.
Feb '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Roberto
For myself it is more along the lines of learning from experience. Hope for the best and expect the worst seems fine in an abstract manner, but in reality our elected leaders always reward us with the worst. It is what it is.
Learning from experience apparently doesn't include the lessons of Sotomayor and Kagan. Instead of running a risk of getting the worst we're going to guarantee the worst. Sounds like a good plan to me.
Apr '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
So much, I guess, for the freedom not to vote, or at least not to vote for the syphillytic camel.
Amish? Don't vote. To Hell with 'em! Jehovah's Witnesses? They don't vote, either. To Hell with them, too!
I guess Patriots [sic] didn't fight and die for that much freedom.
Jul '10
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Roberto
Duane Oyen:
[Ed. Deleted for CoC violation] · 38 minutes ago
Edited 14 minutes ago
What is this? Correct this at once. I find often find that Mr. Oyen's arguments are foolish and at times offensive but here you are censoring him for crudely expressed opinions?!
To imagine this as even approaching a breach of CoC decorum is absurd. Restore his words at once. Either we stand for a robust debate or not. · 28 minutes ago
Edited 18 minutes ago
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this. Calling the poster and his fellow Hillsdale students and alumni a crude pejorative was a clear and unwarranted ad hominem attack under the CoC and clearly beneath Duane's own usual high standards. I am not an editor, just a fellow member like yourself, but whoever the editor is deserves our support, as does the policy.
Argue the point, not the man. Take exception to the action, not the person.
Dec '10
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
I will reiterate: If you approach Romney the day after the GOP convention and ask him what your vote is worth, which of your priorities he'd give you verifiable guarantees that he'd follow through on as President, you might get some value out of voting for him. (By verifiable guarantees, I mean public commitments during the campaign, so that if he breaks his word, he doesn't leave any doubt as to his betrayal. And you still have to take it on faith that he won't see betraying Conservatives as a "smart" public relations move.)
If instead you vote for Romney and THEN tell him he owes you, he'll laugh at you. He MIGHT deign to give you a couple of crumbs off his table, but otherwise he'll do what he pleases as he pleases.
Mar '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
Snow Bird
Roberto
For myself it is more along the lines of learning from experience. Hope for the best and expect the worst seems fine in an abstract manner, but in reality our elected leaders always reward us with the worst. It is what it is.
Learning from experience apparently doesn't include the lessons of Sotomayor and Kagan. Instead of running a risk of getting the worst we're going to guarantee the worst. Sounds like a good plan to me. · 1 minute ago
A sailor must sometimes give his loyalty to the captain who steers his ship straight for the strand. When an unnavigable tempest rises behind, the strand is the only option.
We do not have a choice between good and bad, we have a choice between bad and worse. When every move is stacked against us and all fear the strand, the only choice left is to not to play the game.
While our leaders quail, I choose the strand.
Edited on February 4, 2012 at 8:16amMay '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
The way to bring your poltics closer is to persuade more people. The way to reduce your influence is to stop voting.
For Republicans to win, they have to unite the conservative, libertarian, and centrist wings of the party and then they have to win a sizeable chunck of the independents in the no man's land between the parties.
If the center of gravity of a winning coalition is too far to the left for you, you have the choice of persuading others and growing you influence or taking your ball home and reducing it.
Finally, hyperbole is not persuasuve.
Dec '11
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
While I share in the the general dreariness of this election, I think it needs to be pointed out that, quite frankly, South Park had it right about presidential candidates, i.e. that those with the ambition to seek it are not the greatest of people. As the old saying goes, no politician was ever made a saint. Now, certainly there are some good politicians, and even a couple good presidents, but sadly modern presidential cycles seem designed to thin out the wise, humble, and good people, from a set that is already not known for those policies. Mitch Daniels could have been a great president, but the meat-grinder would have ruined him, as it would so many other ideal candidates.
INMO, the best we as conservatives can hope for is a Romney with a TEA party congress. No president, i.e. no one who will get elected these days, will constrain congress, but a Romney will allow a congress to constrain itself. Fortunately, I believe this to be the first step towards a better country, because a conservative congress that has constrained itself will then move on to constraining the presidency. Hopefully.
Dec '10
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
This is the sole reason I'd vote for Mittens if it came to that (and it's probably gonna).
You watch, Romney the tool box will probably nominate someone that JugEars™ would approve of, and the damned fool republicans in the senate will confirm without a thought.
I'm gonna be pissed if I vote for Mittens and still end up with liberal tilted SCOTUS.
Like, insurrection pissed.
Aug '10
Re: Don’t Vote!-It Just Encourages the RINOs
This is why we have primaries. If you don't think Mitt is the best representative for Conservative views, then vote for another candidate in the primary. I just hope that the candidate you vote for is genuinely conservative...well, except most of the actual conservatives have left the race. Santorum seems like all that remain in that camp -- you really have to be just anti-Romney to actually believe Gingrich is a heart felt conservative and not an opportunist.
The fact is that the Supreme Court is a big deal. So is Obamacare. If we have a conservative Congress and a Romney, they will be able to pressure his selections and spur on the repeal of the law. Bush saw what happened when he tried to nominate a "moderate," Romney would get the same.
If Obama is re-elected, things will be much worse. He has already demonstrated that he will use Agency authority to override Congress. If one assumes Ds and Rs have equal registration, Rs actually lag, a vote for a 3rd party or a non-vote amounts to a 1/2 vote for Obama. The truth is worse.
To not vote is to vote Obama.