The Only Political Post I'm Making This Season

As some of you know, politics can be divisive in my family. I think I have a reputation as a flag-waving, liberal, Democrat-loving gay guy, but I'm actually a fiscally conservative libertarian. I've noted that several members of my family support the Republican party because it's not the Democratic party and some support the Democrats because it's not the Republican party. This is a silly way to vote and I'd like you all to stop and think about it a bit this year. There's too much at stake.

The History of Conservatism
The conservative party used to stand for the basic premise of smaller government (meaning smaller deficits), less entitlement programs, more of the "eat or be eaten" approach to financial survival. Socially, conservatives were more of what libertarians stand for today - government staying out of our lives.

1987 - The Year of the Christian Coalition
In 1987, Pat Robertson founded the Christian Coalition. This organization creates voter guides and distributes them to conservative Christian churches. The group slowly began to build itself into the "moral majority" that Jerry Falwell envisioned when he formed a group with that name in 1979. By 2000, the group, along with Karl Rove, decided that the only way to win back the presidency from the Democrats was to get more conservative voters to the polls. What better way to do this than by getting anti-gay marriage ballot initiatives placed on ballots of all the swing states - riling up white evangelical voters. The tactic worked and George Bush Jr squeaked into office. (I voted for him in 2000, btw).

The success did not go unnoticed. The Republican party's conversion from a fiscally conservative party to a socially conservative party was complete. I've said this before, but it's worth restating. When I'm (unfortunately) faced with a decision between higher taxes and keeping the government out of my sex life and off of my telephone, I choose higher taxes.

The Conservative Party Now
Today's conservative party is nothing like it's origins. The budget cuts promised by the Newt Gingrich conservatives in their "Contract with America" have actually increased 13%. The national debt has increased under Republican leadership since Ronald Reagan. Look, forget about what both sides' pundits say in the news. Look at the graph below (click on it to zoom in) and decide for yourself. The steepest gains in national debt began under Reagan and Bush Sr. increased the curve. Clinton had the curve flat-lined by the end of his term then Bush Jr came in and now it takes a mountain climber to hike that curve. Folks, this is not conservatism. Not in the classic way. If you and I ran our personal finances the way our country has been run for the past 8 years, we'd be filing for bankruptcy.

So Who to Vote For
I'm asking you to vote for the character of the person you're electing. Don't vote for the party that isn't the party you hate. If your concern is civil rights, look at the track record of the candidates. If your concern is fiscal responsibility, look at the graph above. If your concern is honesty, read this article

It's a lengthy article, but it's where you get to read about McCain from sources like men he served with, men who were POW's with him, men who work with him in Congress, men who know who the man is as a person. I welcome any such article from anyone out there about Barrack also. I promise to read anything sent to me, but I should warn you, if the article's entire reason I should be fearful of Obama is that his middle name is Hussein, I'm going to be leaving my brain in and will reject that. Instead, why don't you send me an article that quotes people who knew Obama growing up who doubt his character - if you can find one.

Just like some of you, I want our government spending to decrease, our national debt to decrease, and entitlement programs to decrease but McCain is not the man to do that for you. He's essentially promised to continue many of the same tactics that Bush Jr. has been doing for the past 8 years. Can that curve get any steeper?

Final Note: A Dangerous Game
I want to get one last point out in this post. The game that John McCain is playing in the final month of his campaign by inciting mob-like anger towards Obama is very very dangerous. A single crockpot with a gun who believes what Palin is saying in her speeches and believes that Obama is a terrorist could try to assassinate him if he's elected. I'm completely ok with McCain saying, "I vehemently disagree with my opponent's opinions and where he wants to take this country, but he's still an American who I respect." The kind of hatred McCain is pushing has got to stop right now. Look at how divisive of a nation we've become. This isn't a football game, it's our lives! It's our country! It's our future!

I want you to help me send a message to the Republican party this year that they need to change and go back to their roots. Do not reward them by voting for them. It only encourages them to continue these divisive, expensive tactics. When they bring us someone who truly wants smaller government and rejects the hateful message of the religious right, then we can vote for them. Until then, "That One '08!"