As social conservatives, what do we do?
If you have read my recent articles, you will have realized by now, I am not crazy about John McCain. Since Mike Huckabee has dropped out of the race, we really do not have a candidate who represents us and our positions on the issues, as social conservatives. For years, we have been told to come to the table and show our support for the candidates that are provided by the Republican party. In exchange, we are given lip service, but nothing really changes. We still seem to be the odd man out and that, my friends is getting to be a little tiresome.
In reality, I am not sure what I will be doing in the November election. Some have suggested voting for a third party candidate, such as Bob Barr, who is likely to be the Libertarian candidate. Others have suggested we should go ahead and vote for John McCain, no matter how great the stink is. I, for one, am a little tired of being told by some supporters of Mike Huckabee that we make him look bad because we do not support who he says he is supporting. As Kerry, from One Mom, points out in her latest comment on my blog, Huckabee really has no choice except to support John McCain. This is to keep from damaging himself politically, in case he has a chance to run for President in 2012. I understand all of that, but as social conservatives, we do have a choice.
I have received many comments on my blog, stating that I need to get a reality check, among other things. These are in response to the questions I am raising about John McCain and the way he has conducted himself. Most of them are in response to the article about McCain and Ms. Iseman. There is no proof, they say. The links I provided are just opinions and not cold, hard facts, they say. Is this any better than the way Mike Huckabee was treated, I have been asked. Feel free to read the article in question, but let me say this in response.
In the article about Ms. Iseman, I was not trying to allude to the fact that she and McCain had anything going on between the two of them. What I was trying to point out is the way that he has been supposedly fighting special interests and lobbyists for years, while it appears that he has been in bed with them, figuratively speaking, at the same time. Are we supposed to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to his conduct while in the Senate? Are we supposed to trust that he will nominate strict constitutional judges, if he is elected President? Are we supposed to trust that he will not allow his actions as President to be shaped and formed by his relationship to the lobbyists who are on his campaign payroll right now? Are we supposed to hold our noses and vote for John McCain, just because the Republican establishment tells us he is our candidate? I think not.
As social conservatives, we have been pushed to the side long enough. A lot has been written about the supporters of Mike Huckabee being bitter. Well, I am not bitter, but I am ashamed of my party and of our Christian leaders. It is a crying shame to have a candidate such as Mike Huckabee running for President and to have him cast aside because he wasn’t in the click. I may very well vote for John McCain in November, just to try to keep the Democrats from winning the White House, but one thing is for sure, I will not do it quietly. I have every right and every intention to let the Republican party and the rest of the country know exactly how I and other social conservatives feel about this election.
That’s my take!
Larry
Good article.
I don’t have any enthusiasm for McCain. I’ve considered whether I want to get behind him, and I just don’t think that I do.
A number of the pro-life blogs assert that we should get behind him because he’s at least sort-of a pro-lifer. But he lacks enthusiasm for the movement, and I don’t think he’ll actually do anything. Which does make him less bad than anti-BAIPA Obama, but hardly exciting.
I’m pretty much resigned to the idea that I’m going third-party this year. I’m looking at Bob Barr. I’m also looking at Joe Schriner and Gene Amondson. I realize that this means I’ll be voting for someone who won’t be winning, but I haven’t voted for a Presidential winner yet, and I don’t regret a vote yet.
Hear-hear!
The other comment I have received is that I should give McCain a pass for his support of embryonic stem cell research because now it appears that adult stem cells can be used and embryonic cells won’t be needed. I’m thrilled if they find a new method for this research, but it doesn’t negate the fact that the smallest of human lives were viewed as disposable by McCain … I cannot sweep that under the rug.
Is McCain more pro-life than the dems, yes. I for one don’t believe you can really be pro-life unless that protects the very beginning of a life.
Excellent post Larry. Thanks.
Thank you, Larry, for another letter describing how I feel.
Gov. Huckabee said he would support the GOP nominee regardless of who the nominee was. Many conservative leaders told us “Huckabee is not electable.” Then how did he get elected and re-elected so many times? They told us “Huckabee is not conservative.” Do they even know the meaning of the word? Conservative means “disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.” He frugally did that in Arkansas. How many other Governors would save the taxpayers money by living in a trailer house while the Gov. mansion was undergoing restoration?
Unlike many others in the GOP; Huckabee supporters researched the candidates and made their own personal choice of who to support. If we were “blind sheep” following our leaders, we would not have backed Gov. Huckabee.
We didn’t agree to support the GOP regardless of who the nominee is. We are independent thinkers who make our own decisions. We have plenty of time before Nov. to decide. If McCain does not choose a CONSISTENT moral value conservative; I WILL NOT vote GOP. There is NO WAY I can hold my nose and vote for McCain if I can’t support either him or the VP. I will vote FOR someone; not against someone. If there is not a decent candidate; I will cast a write vote.
I think myself and many other social conservatives are in the same boat. I appreciate you putting the thoughts I have in my mind as well in print. Just because someone has an “R” next to their name does not mean that they hold the same values as I do. Even George Bush did this to a certain extent. He was hailing a Federal Marriage Amendment back in 2004 when he thought it would buy him more votes come election time. I haven’t heard a word from him about it since. They continue to throw us a bone when they need our vote. John McCain is NOT conservative. Mitt Romney is NOT conservative. Mike Huckabee IS! I refuse to ride on the GOP bandwagon if all they are going to do is lead us into a ditch.
Well, if my article today says anything about where I stand on this subject, I won’t be voting for McCain either. My biggest problem with him is his open border stance. He is all for keeping the borders and has passed legislation to redraw the boundary lines around America to include Canada and Mexico. I was not happy when it passed. (BTW, this isn’t my only problem with McCain-my list is too long).
Additionally, rumor has it here in Phoenix that McCain may not be able to take Arizona in November because he won’t get enough delegates. He is not well like by those here who know him.
Add to that, George Soros is planning on spending $40,000,000 in negative ads against McCain for the 4 months prior to the November elections. Doesn’t look good for McCain.
I am looking really close at Bob Bar. He has a 98 conservative rating! That is incredible. Also, he is polling at 7% already and Ron Paul is going to put his weight behind him. I think I can meet him halfway on his stance on immigration because I beginning to realize that the illegals are the only ones at fault. Our government is and so is Mexico. So, I’m willing to be a little more open minded IF we CLOSE the border. I wonder if Mike would consider getting behind Bob Barr? He is a conservative and get this…he’s for the FairTax. That alone makes me happy!
I have to tell you what happen to me today. I received a letter from Dr. Dobson asking for money because this “election was absolutely crucial and if we don’t prevent the Democrats from getting the White House then this and this and this will happen.”
I sat there and thought, we wouldn’t even be in this position if our “Christian” leadership had back Huckabee early on. And now they want money from me because we are facing desperate times?
I love Dr. Dobson, but I was a little miffed to say the least. Every time McCain opens his mouth I find myself asking how did we get here and why is this not Mike Huckabee?
Well, I decided to join the “I’m saving for Mike Huckabee 2012″ campaign instead and start putting my 2000 aside early in anticipation of Mike’s 2012 run. And in the meantime I am leaning heavily towards Bob Barr…I am an Independent after all.
Sorry for my digression….I guess I had a lot to get off my chest today.
Remaining Steadfast,
Dominique
I hope and pray that your best friend is having a better day!
Dominique … Soros is going to spend $40 million against McCain? Wow, hasn’t McCain only raised ~ $60 million? Then of course he is in a little trouble with last fall agreeing to public money for his campaign, used it to get a loan and now saying he’s changed his mind. This isn’t going to be pretty.
Oh yeah. That was his other problem. The Democrats are going to file a formal complaint against him and if no decision is reached within 60 days then they will file legal proceedings against his campaign!
How much worse can this election possibly get? Geez!
BTW – Did he really raise $60 million because I can only find $15 million?
All I can say, if McCain is a praying man, he better start praying now because it sounds like it is going to get down right ugly!
LARRY,
Thank you for the little essay, “As Social Conservatives, what
do we do?” regarding voting for a presidential candidate in November 2008.
I think the only thing that might possibly still persuade me to consider voting for John McCain would be if he should choose
a very solid social conservative for his vice-president running mate and if McCain had and could convince me of a genuine
“conversion” toward concerns of a moral/social/cultural nature.
I see the Democrat party and their presidential candidates as abominable, but I want someone to vote for, not simply someone to vote against.
In past presidential races I have voted for candidates of the Prohibition party, the now defunct American party, and the Constitution party. I am watching what comes forth this year as conservative third party alternatives. I cannot, however, vote for Robert “Bob” Barr because I am not a Libertarian in my philosophy and because of moral/ethical questions in Bob
Barr’s personal life history.
I agree with many of your points… but I have a slightly different take.
I think you have to ask yourself who’s best qualified to lead in 2008. Given the calculus I’ve done…
http://rightcommentary.com/2008/04/20/the-gathering-storm/
I really can’t support anyone else but McCain. Third party candidates have a dismal record of being elected – so before you throw your support that way – really consider what could be the consequence…
President Barrack Obama… or President Hillary Clinton.
Of course – vote your conscience – I’m not about to say that you’re throwing your vote away or anything like that. I have just spent alot of time thinking about what are going to be the core problems we’ll face in the next four years and who’s the best person to deal with it….
… and McCain is the best we have to chose from as Republican partisans.
Cheers!