Mitt Romney
I’m a conservative, dammit! And not just any conservative; but a well-rounded one. What does well-rounded mean? It means I’m both fiscally and socially conservative; and let me tell you, that’s a tough thing to be right now.
It’s tough because almost all my fellow conservatives are one or the other but generally not both. Yes, both factions have formed a alliance (more a confederacy) based on a mutual goal; which is the hope of beating back the abyss that is the liberal/Democratic agenda. But with any alliance comes disagreements; thus the current riff over who the Republican nominee for President will be.
The fiscal conservatives want Romney; these are pretty well the establishment guys, the pundits, columnists, and Washington insiders. The social conservatives want… we want… ummm… we want… ANYBODY but Romney. Why? When it comes to conservatism; they don’t believe that Romney is “bonafied” as we say down here in the South. For you Yankees, bonafied means genuine, proven. Right now we social conservatives have a couple of guys to choose from in Santorum and Gingrich; both of which have their plusses and minuses.
Santorum really has the social issues on his side. He is undoubtedly one of us. He even has the cojones to speak out against the homosexual agenda. There aren’t too many left that will brave the slings and arrows to do that. But Santorum is from the North, and has been a little too chummy with the unions. Plus the man took a shellacking in his last bid for Senate.
Gingrich hasn’t always sided with us on all social issues. Who can forget him sitting next to Nancy Pelosi and pushing the global warming crap? Plus there was his marital infidelity. But the man is a genius; and just listen to him debate. He’d tear Obama a new one, especially when the POTUS is without the TOTUS. You can’t deny he was instrumental in recapturing congress after 40 years in the desert, and he was greatly responsible for the only balanced budget in half a century. And finally, Gingrich is a game changer!
And Me
So I’ve kind of laid out where both sides in this alliance stand… So where do I stand.
When I have to choose, I don’t even hesitate… I’m a social conservative. Why? Because things of the next world (social) take precedence over things of this world (fiscal). And speaking as a social conservative, I’m with the anybody but Romney crowd… right now. I say right now, because… Yes! I will eventually support Romney (or at least vote for him) if he becomes the nominee. But the same could be said for a grilled cheese sandwich or a dead possum. In the meantime, I’ll be doing everything in my power to ensure he is not the nominee. On the flip side of this coin, I expect the financial guys to do the same whoever the nominee is.
The Fiscal Arguments to Date
Over the last several months the fiscal guys have tried to use fear to get us (social conservatives) to settle for Romney. This tactic has worked so many times they pretty well thought things were in the bag. But we social conservatives went to the brink of capitulation before inching back and saying “No, not this time.”
Now the fiscal guys are back with a new argument. They have decided on shame as their next weapon. They don’t think we’ll (social conservatives) be taking a chance on Santorum; so they’re telling us that if we vote for Gingrich then we are hypocrites. Gingrich is a sinner (and a big one)… so you can’t vote for him or you’ll expose yourself as a hypocrite. Ahhhh… they’ve got us there.
A Little Social Advice
Let me give a little advise to my fiscal conservative brethren (who I am one of)… learn from the Democrats and don’t try to use tools/weapons you don’t understand. It would be like walking up to a .50 caliber fully automatic machine gun and taking it for a spin without knowing anything about it. You’re likely to lose a toe… at best.
If there is ANYTHING we social conservatives understand its sin, forgiveness and redemption. Which is exactly the excuse Gingrich is giving for his past. He admits to his sins, admits that he knows he was in the wrong, and says that his conversion of Christianity/Catholicism a few years ago have shown him the error of his ways. Is he telling the truth? Who can say… but we’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt considering his recent history.
A final piece of advice to my fiscal brethren… you want to win this battle, stop trying to tear down and instead build up. Help Romney find his “bonafides”! The problem is that with all the flips and flops, we don’t believe Romney when he says he supports socially conservative issues. There’s not enough evidence behind his claims. Produce it! Help us connect the dots! Help us see that he isn’t just paying us lip service…
Unless he IS just paying us lip service… then you’d better just keep doing what you’re doing…
>I’m both fiscally and socially conservative; and let me tell you, that’s a tough thing to be right now.
Poor baby. You’re so oppressed, in progressive East Texas.
>It’s tough because almost all my fellow conservatives are one or the other but generally not both.
Oh, so now Libertarians are also conservatives? Thank you. I feel warm all over.
>When it comes to conservatism; they don’t believe that Romney is “bonafied” as we say down here in the South. For you Yankees, bonafied means genuine, proven.
Most Yankees know that it’s bona fide (good faith), and that most Southerner’s can’t spell or use Latin.
OK, enough beating up on Johnson. Basically, what I see here is a long rationalization for voting for Romney, with a little hope that Gingrich will win (which I too hope for). And I perfectly agree with forgiveness for past infidelities, if there’s truly been a recognition of sin, and a change of heart.
Santorum… geez, man, he’s just not viable. I’d vote for a dead possum inside a grilled cheese sandwitch before him, and I probably represent more of the folks who are going ot vote Republcan this time, than you diehards do. Seriously, I’d vote for RJ Harris. Yeah, I had to look him up. I had no clue who the Libertarian candidate was this time.
Gays are a non issue. Even if I thought they were an issue, I’d say that. Even if I really believed God would smite us as a nation for allowing gays to exist (unlike Iran, which has no gays…), I’d say that. Why? We have MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS.
Bringing up fear of a gay agenda right now is like bringing up fear of leprauchans. Even if they’re stealing our Lucky Charms, that’s not the pressing issue right now. Focus. Lower taxes. Reduce spending. Stop policing and financially supporting the entire planet.
Listen to Ron Paul. He’s not completely crazy.
>> Oh, so now Libertarians are also conservatives?
Yes and No… I’ve always said that Libertarians are “fiscally conservative hippies”. Don’t take my money, it’ll ruin my fun.
>> Most Yankees know that it’s bona fide (good faith), and that most Southerner’s can’t spell or use Latin.
Exactly… so you agree they would be wrong. Bonafide is a lot more than just good faith… it has to do with proven credentials.
>> what I see here is a long rationalization for voting for Romney
Not at all… it’s a rationalization that we will have to support the Republican nominee no matter who it is, and that goes both ways.
>> Santorum… geez, man, he’s just not viable.
That what I hear… But that’s what I hear EVERY TIME about all true conservatives in the attempt to get me to settle for the moderate. That’s what I heard about Reagan. Heaven forbid we repeat the prosperity he ushered in.
>> Gays are a non issue.
Yeah… I agree… My point wasn’t about gays, it was about Santorum’s bravery in standing up for what is right despite the consequences. The same point could be made concerning global warming. Though not quite the same extent.
>> Listen to Ron Paul. He’s not completely crazy.
He’s not. On fiscal issues, he’s not only right (correct), he more right than the Republicans.
BUT!!! On the social issues (drugs, prostitution, etc…) he is just plain wrong. And I have to admit, one might look past that because we are in such a dire fiscal mess…
BUT!!! Then you look at his foreign policy agenda and he IS completely crazy! Nuclear Iran, No Israel, No Taiwan, One Korea (communist), Las
Angeles a Crater Crazy! This is when you politely smile, nod, and slowly back away from Ron Paul…
>That’s what I heard about Reagan. Heaven forbid we repeat the prosperity he ushered in.
I don’t remember that. I remember following Carter being kinda like… well, following Obama.
>Nuclear Iran, No Israel, No Taiwan, One Korea (communist), Las
Angeles a Crater Crazy!
HAHAHAHA! Maybe so.
BUT… more importantly:
I have to admit a terrible error on my part. Something I really try to avoid, and yet I did it.
I had never, in fact, seen Tim Tebow play. I had never seen his prayer or ritual or whatever he was being called out for doing. So I finally went to YouTube and watched a selection… and I have to say… That’s it?! That’s what’s freaking people out?!
I’m truly sorry. Repentant, even. I assumed he was calling on Jesus in huddles and facing cameras and stuff like that. Just saying a prayer for protection, and to act honorably, and do well, etc. That’s what’s ruffled feathers? Give me a break. He’s just a nice guy keeping his faith alive. He’s not asking God for victory over another team, or claiming anything repugnant.
I made a mistake. There’s nothing wrong with what Tebow is doing. There is, however, something wrong with picking on him for that.
And I fell right into it.
>> I don’t remember that. (Consensus that nominating Reagan was a mistake.)
Everybody (Democrats, Media, Establishment Republicans) was saying that Carter was beatable, but that the Republicans had messed up by nominating the one man who couldn’t possibly beat him.
And actually the election was fairly closer than one might think.
It’s the 49 state landslide against Mondale four years later everyone remembers. The one state Mondale won was by a VERY small margin. There were rumors that he really didn’t win it. Of course Reagan said something to the affect of “Let the man have his home state, we’ve got bigger things to do than try and humiliate him for the hell of it.”
>> BUT… more importantly: Tebow error.
I takes a big man to admit when he is wrong. I hope I show that kind of character if that ever happens to me…
>> I had never, in fact, seen Tim Tebow play. I had never seen his prayer or ritual or whatever he was being called out for doing. So I finally went to YouTube and watched a selection… and I have to say… That’s it?! That’s what’s freaking people out?!
As I said in my original post, I’m a Texans fan and don’t see the Broncos in action too often. Before I wrote the post I searched the web (including YouTube) for anything that could be considered over the top. I knew that the most outrageous demonstrations would be posted. There were none…
>> I’m truly sorry. Repentant, even. I assumed he was calling on Jesus in huddles and facing cameras and stuff like that.
Had he done any of those things I would not have supported him or his actions. He would not have been serving God.