I have made what is for me a momentous political decision. I will be voting for neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney in November.
My reasons for rejecting Barack Obama are multitudinous: Obamacare, forcing Catholics to pay for birth control, cap-and-trade, the U.S. budget deficit, our huge and growing national debt, my higher personal taxes, the ridiculous unemployment rate, increased government regulation of almost everything, hubristic ideas of what government is responsible to do, etc. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
However, and the powers that be in the Republican party need to hear this from a profusion of voices, as much as I want to have a new president in 2013, I refuse to vote for Bob Dole, John McCain, George H.W. Bush, etc. again. Hey, I like G.W. Bush, as a person and as a president, but even he was a compromise candidate who turned out better than I thought he would. I’ve done it over and over: voted for the Republican candidate because he was “better than the alternative.”
This time I refuse. If Mitt Romney wins the Republican nomination, I will not vote for him. I will stay home or vote for a third-party candidate, and I will encourage my friends and family to do the same. I know all the arguments against such a course of action; I’ve used all the arguments to drum up support and convince myself and others to vote for, most recently, John McCain. “If you vote third-party or don’t vote, you’re just giving the election to Obama.” “This country can’t afford four more years of Obama.” “Anyone is better than President Obama.”
All I know is that as long as we sheep are willing to keep voting for McCain in a different suit, the media and the moneymen and the coastal Rhinos will keep giving us candidates who differ from the Democrat liberals only in degree, and not much of that. Romney only wants the state governments to take over our health care system, piece by piece, state by state. Romny only wants keep to the status quo as far as abortion is concerned, instead of imposing payment for abortion costs on taxpayers who don’t believe it’s morally just as Obama will do if he can. Romney only wants “regional” cap-and-trade programs. Romeny wants to “streamline processes” and “consolidate programs”, but I don’t see anywhere that he wants to eliminate anything that government is already doing. Romney wants to reduce taxes and cut some regulations here and there. At least, he says he does. But when he gets to Washington, I think he’ll compromise with Democrats and big government Republicans who pressure him to “do something” just as he says he compromised when he was governor of Massachusetts.
I live in Texas. By the time we have a primary, if we ever get a firm date for that event, I believe the nominee will already be chosen. Listen to me now: I will not vote for Mitt Romney. I have been here too long and seen this same scenario play out too many times. If you want a moderate Democrat-in-disguise to become president, you’ll have to find someone else to elect him. It won’t be me this time.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
I know how you feel, Sherry.
I’m not quite where you are yet, though – my guess is I’ll pull the lever for Romney if he’s the candidate. But more and more I’m becoming convinced that Obama is going to get re-elected. I didn’t think so even a couple of weeks ago.
It does appear things are improving in the economy, slowly. That’s good news – ironically, it helps Obama, even though I think that installing an obstructionist house of representatives has probably done more to help the economy than anything else. When activist government has less power to wield, things generally improve.
I would encourage you to not stay home. You don’t have to select anyone in the president’s race. You can still vote in good people to represent you to Congress. That may be the more important battle. My concern is that if a lot of conservatives stay home, we’ll just end up with more statists in the legistlature.
Just what I’ve been thinking. The thing is, my kids are watching me. What does my not voting say to them about political involvement and civic responsibility? I’m not sure. Mostly because I’m not sure what I *want* to say about it anymore. I never, ever thought that I would sit out an election. But at this point the candidates look so much alike that I’m not sure it matters.
I said the exact same thing this weekend…although I threatened to vote for Mickey Mouse. He just seems to be the more pleasant choice.
Amendment: You are right. I won’t stay home. I will vote in the Republican primary even if the nominee is already decided by that time. I will go to the caucus meeting in my precinct, and I will support Santorum, even if he’s actually or effectively withdrawn from the race. Also, I’m not saying Rick Santorum is the perfect candidate, but he’s someone I can support and feel good about supporting.
And I will vote in November, just not for Romney or Obama.
I really hear you on Romney. Assuming Romney is the nominee, things will get even worse once the general election starts. Romney will pander very hard to the left wing, even more than now. In many important areas, Romney’s positions will be barely distinguishable — if at all — from Obama. When McCain debated Obama, I thought if this were reduced to a transcript and I redacted the names of the speakers, could you figure out which candidate was which just based on content?
But not to vote, is to vote for Obama.
I hear you — this whole situation is even more frustrating to me because this is the first year I am able to vote. I’m still planning on voting Santorum for primaries, but I have a feeling Mitt Romney will get in, which scares me.
But do you know what scares me even more? Obama being re-elected for another term. That actually frightens me beyond anything else right now, even though I know God’s Plan is unfolding through everything.
If Mitt Romney is our Republican candidate (which I’m sure he will be), I’m going to have a hard decision to make. I dislike everything he is for and don’t see him as much different than Obama himself, but envisioning another four years with Obama? I shudder. I’m at a crossroads here — maybe a third-party candidate would be my best choice, because I refuse to not vote and by doing so, give up even the slightest chance at getting Mr. O out of presidency.
Romney is a good person, and very capable–I think he’d make a great president. Santorum seems like a good person, too, and I’d much rather vote for him than Gingrich or Paul. But I don’t think he’s ready to be president. He’d lose to Obama, anyway, in my opinion.
You speak for a lot of us, Sherry. Romney looks unstoppable but I’m still voting for another candidate in the Missouri beauty pageant tomorrow.
I understand why you feel the way you do, and I won’t try to talk you out of “voting present.” But what you say terrifies me because enough people in key states might feel the same way to make sure that we continue down our present path. That does not just terrify me’; it horrifies me. I will continue to hold my nose, if I have to, in order to vote effectively against this man, rather than for another man.
Now that Santorum has won four states, including three in one day, there is at least a chance you’ll get to cast your vote for someone other than Romney or Obama.