An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
Asking The Question
Are Conservatives Cracking Up?
One of my readers suggested that, no matter who the Republican nominee is, the 2008 GOP primary will be marked by a tear between social conservatives and fiscal conservatives. Social conservatives have looked at Rudy Giuliani leading the national polls for much of the year, and asked in disbelief to their coalition partners, ‘how can you support that guy?’ Now fiscal conservatives, and perhaps hawks, are looking at Huckabee and asking the same question to social conservatives.
This reader contended that even if some consensus nominee wins, both factions will look at the other with greater suspicion. “Yeah, we’ve been through a lot of fights together since the 1970s, but how can I trust them as allies when they were eager to give the nomination to that guy?”
This leaves me confused as to what kind of conservative I am, because I’m sitting in the middle and asking both of these questions. If you really think about it they are the same question. How can you support a liberal for the nomination? This question is even more frustrating when we have solid conservatives to choose from. Fred Thompson or Duncan Hunter would do just fine. They are candidates that both factions of the party could rally behind, but for some reason my fellow evangelicals have been enamored by the Baptist preacher image. My criticisms of Huckabee have nothing to do with him being an evangelical, but about him being a liberal. Don’t get me started on Rudy.
I’ve been wondering what’s with all the division myself. When did the Republican party become so extremely divided? Aren’t Pubbies suppose to be the party of conservatism? Not just fiscal, not just social, but totally conservative?
I’m not a one issue voter. I’d prefer if the candidate was ‘right’ on all the issues I consider important, but odds are, that’s not really possible. For example, if I have six issues I’m very passionate about, and there is one candidate who satisfies 5 of those issues, 2 who are with me on 4, 2 who stands on only 1 or two issues, who do you think I’m going to support? The one who is against the majority of my beliefs? I don’t think so! I’ll be supporting the guy…or lady….who is strong on those five.
I don’t understand someone who claims to be conservative, yet supports someone who is anti everything what I believe conservatism stands for, and pro what the other side sees as important. (This is why I find it so amazing that the ‘polls’ claim Rudy Guiliani is out front.)
The real question should be: Who will be the strongest Commander in Chief?
To answer that question, you should look at each and every candidate, on both sides. Does this candidate support our military? Does that candidate want to protect the citizens here at home? Does that guy believe in growth, or does she want to take away profits and distribute them to others who didn’t earn them? Is there anything positive about stripping citizens of their rights to placate a few ‘squeaky wheels’? Does this one believe oppressive taxation? Does that one believe people can make better decision how to spend, or save, their own money? Is preserving life important? Should people be accountable for their actions?
The list of questions is long, as it should be. The answers could mean the survival of the United States.
