Wyoming Vote Tracker

I am usually proud to call myself Republican. I admit that at times I have voted for people in local, state, and national elections that have let me down. Probably a lot of us have. Hence the Presidential nomination process this year. 

A lot of Republicans got a little frosted at the way Republicans ran conservative campaigns and governed and legislated liberally.  In 2006, many Republicans lost to Democrats because of it. Subtle message: We’re not gonna take it!

A lot of Republicans (myself included) voted for President Bush–twice–because we were assured that he was conservative. Compared to Al Bore and John “Lurch” Kerry, he was.

Compassionate conservatism sounded great until we learned that it meant expand government entitlements. Over the past couple years, more and more Republicans on the grass roots level are becoming more and more comfortable with calling President Bush a moderate.

To his credit, he has vetoed excessive spending in this congressional session and ever since 2001, he has committed himself to being the Commander in Chief in a time of war. He has stood for the issues important to family-values voters and he has refused to cave on tax cuts.

Here in 2008, Republicans refuse to be blind-sided again. We refuse to vote for another Republican just because they say they’re conservative. We refuse to vote for someone just because they say “I’m not that Democrat.”

If they governed or legislated not-so-conservatively in the past, fine, just so long as their conversion to rock-ribbed conservatism isn’t a convenient “I’m running for President. Yes I messed up on this, that, and the other issue all the way up until now, but having thrown my hat in the ring, I’ve seen the light and now am ready to talk more conservative than my record supports, because I need your vote (and I’m not that Democrat over there).”

Thursday morning I had a interesting sway of emotions. Rush kept talking about reports of “Romney to suspend.” As the first hour drug on, I had to turn on FOX News to see what was going on. After all, the talk was centered on a speech that he was to deliver at CPAC. The news was big enough that surely FOX would be carrying it. After all, they all (with the exception of Hannity) like McKerry ’cause he’s a war hero from Vietnam.

At first I was saddened. Huckabee ought to be the one dropping out. He’s the one that hasn’t won a diversity of states outside of the South. At least Romney has won some in the East, some in the North, and lots in the West.

Then when Gov. Romney was greeted warmly by the crowd, I was excited. I ignored the flash headline provided by FOX and waited to hear what the Republican’s last hope for 2008 had to say. He talked about how many voters pledged their support and how many states he’d won. I laughed in the face of the headline. Some campaign stopper! I thought.

He continued on talking about conservatism: family values, lower taxes smaller government. I kept thinking there was no way that he was dropping out. He’s too fired up and hte crowd loves him. Then he mentioned his final point: winning against the Jihadists. I slowly felt my balloon of excitement deflate. He elaborated a little and then mentioned the Front Runner’s name. He went on to express a disagreement with many of the Front Runner’s view, but clarified that this was one area they agreed on.

I gulped. I could see it on his face. Bad news was coming. I felt a tear well up in my eye. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he mentioned Reagan and 1976. And then it came. The official suspension.

You know how when you have a balloon blown up, but not tied off yet? You’re holding onto it, and then you just let go and watch it go zipping all over the room? I was the balloon, making raspberry sounds as I deflated and made my way to the floor (now is that a word picture or what?).

I felt a void. My heart was broken, and everyone knows a broken heart right before Valentines Day is BAD.

Throughout the day I thought and contemplated. I cannot, repeat, cannot bring myself to vote for John “I was a POW in Vietnam” McCain. He has abandoned the party too many times. He takes great pride in being called maverick as a result. He’s so confident that he can win because he can appeal to independents and moderates. Well, I wish the best for him and hope (for his sake) it works out. I will not be voting for him.

Sens. Barrasso and Enzi (should he run again) have my vote. The Republican that will be running to fill Rep. Cubin’s seat will likely get my vote. Probably some Republicans on the County level that I’ll fill in the oval for. But, and it pains me greatly to say this, I will not be voting for John McCain.

Don’t get me wrong. I won’t be voting for Hillary or Obama either. I’m not really sure what I’ll be doing at this point. The Libertarian candidate will likely end up on Wyoming’s ballot. However, sometimes the Libertarian party swings too far to the side of non-governmentalist for my comfort. I think smaller is better, but you have to have some kind of government.

The Constitution Party puts out some good points. While a “small third party,” their platforms are hard to disagree with. They pick their nominee in April, so I’ll probably have an endorsement then.

I know, committed-to the-party Republicans are gonna be beating down my door clambering for me to realize my lack of support for McKerry only helps the Democrat candidate. Partly true, yes, I know. I am essentially clearing the way for a Democrat to occupy the White House for at least  four years.

I love being a Republican. But, I love being a conservative before that. A lot of times when my guy (or gal) doesn’t win, the one that does is usually tolerable enough to vote vote for. But not this time. If John McKerry wanted my support, he should have thought of it when he was running amok in the Senate being “Mr. Maverick.”

If we are to have a bad President, and I don’t think McKerry could accomplish being a good one, I would much rather see the Democrats take the hit for the poor administration. Can you say 1976 Jimmy Carter? It could be, in 2012, that with a socialist-liberal chipping away at American values, the establishment wing of the GOP caves into the pressure of the grass roots and we get a  solid conservative that excites the party and then the country.

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