Oh, I’m (uhem) Fairly Conservative, but I haven’t called myself a Republican for a while now.
From the Miami Herald:
RNC spent almost $2,000 at bondage-themed strip club
I’m afraid there’s really not going to be a way to get around that one folks. A bit more:
Oh, wait. I really can’t find a paragraph that won’t freak out a few of you regular readers.
Be warned: that story link is not for the faint of heart.
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All of this is to say both sides are smarmy. I really don’t care for it at all.
I read that story yesterday and ‘smarmy’ is the perfect word to describe both sides. I’ve been Independent for a long, long time and this is why. Ugh.
While I am ashamed of this story, I’m proud to be a Republican.
The Republican Party is far from a perfect organization. Such is life. My wife is also imperfect, yet I am proud to be married to her. The Church has, in its long history, committed atrocities far worse than $2k at a bondage club, yet I am proud to be part of it.
We have a 2 party system. Neither is perfect, but one of the parties is very, very dangerous, while the Republicans, particularly in recent times, have fought valiantly in standing up for the smaller government.
Everyone has to work these things out for themselves, but I do not require 100% approval to consider myself a part of something. The good the Republican party does in promoting conservative values far outweighs the bad they do. Until the day comes where that changes, I will continue to be a Republican.
What I don’t understand was who was the goon who allowed the reimbursement to go through? Yeah there are scuzzballs out there doing this kind of stuff, but why would the RNC not be smart enough to not cover that? Interesting way to use up that Per Diem money I guess.
While we technically have a two party system, we have a long history of a third branch – the independents. They’ve held a lot of the power over the last few elections.
For years I’ve argued I stay with the church for 1) community and 2) someone has to change it! I suppose the same could be said for the Republican party. Frankly, I tried with Waukesha County Republicans. I think changing the church will be easier.
The way I see it, everyone who would be willing to leave their party should they radically change (i.e. virtually everyone) is an independent. The question is whether we want to be independents who step out and say that, at the present time, one of the two parties is preferable to the other or independents who maintain a clear distance from both sides. Generally, when I agree with one of the sides 90% of the time, that is good enough for me to take a plunge.
Also, I thought I’d drop in this somewhat related quote…. it was by Rabbi Yitz Greenberg in the context of Judaism but applies equally well to politics and the Christian church: “I don’t care what denomination you are as long as you’re ashamed of it”.
Stories like the one above do make me ashamed of the Republican Party. But listening to the Paul Ryans of the world eloquently stand up against Obamacare and for some semblance of fiscal sanity makes me ever-so proud, and for me, it is the latter that carries the day.
Let me clarify any discussion by articulating this is all while living in Wisconsin. We have an open primary. Should I live in a state with a closed primary, I’d easily sign on as a registered Republican.
At first glance I thought you were not a Republican anymore because you lacked a candidate in the last election or worse, you fear that Sarah Palin might actually get a nomination in the next election – again no candidate.
On a more serious note. It’s amazing how many of these things pop up from time to time.
Wilson828, indeed. I’m beginning to feel a majority of breathing humans lack any common sense at all. Thank goodness for you guys.
There are way too many RINOs for me to call myself a Republican. I may vote for some of them, such as Sensenbrenner, but I am a libertarian and vote for people I think will uphold the Constitution. I’d say there are at least thrice as many progressives in the Democratic party, but the fact that there are any in the Republican party just shows that voters are ignorant and have no idea of what we are supposed to be as a nation. I just watched a nine VHS series on the Civil War and read Uncle Tom’s Cabin for the first time. To me it’s amazing that it was the Democrats that were for slavery, were the KKK, and segregationists…and yet the blacks and minorities think they are for them. I wonder if schools taught honest American History and Civics if people would wake up to reality?
What makes Sensenbrenner a RINO? I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone make that charge before.
Can’t help you out with that one. I can’t stand the term RINO.