A man without a party

Over the last month, it’s become painfully clear that this headline rings true for me. I’m sure many  thousands of other former liberal/moderate republicans now feel the same. This week, in frustration, I decided to write the following email to Senator John McCain to explain how the party’s decision to recast its image and become something that is entirely unrecognizable and uncomfortable has caused me to rethink my views and affiliation with his republican party. My thoughts are below:

Dear Senator McCain,

My wife likes to tell me that I’m now a man without a party. And, for the first time, I’m whole heartedly agreeing with her. And, that is a true shame.

You see, for the last 15 years I’ve called myself a Republican. Like many in the Northeast, a decade ago I felt comfortable having liberal social views, while believing in many of the republican ideals of lower taxes/less spending/less government intervention. My problem is that, today, this party doesn’t stand for most any of these ideals anymore. And, in fact, those with liberal social views (in New Jersey we call these people “Tom Kean Republicans”), have been cast aside and essentially been told by this party that we aren’t wanted any more.

Don’t feel entirely bad. This evolution (pun intended) isn’t even remotely just your fault. Over the last eight years, Bush, Cheney, Rove and the rest of their evangelical crew have done such a tremendous job solidifying their iron-clad, “take it or leave it” beliefs, that you really had little choice but to continue leading this charge to build even greater acceptance of close mindedness and Puritan-like virtues.

Surprisingly, the fact that I can’t identify with this sort of thinking still didn’t push me over the edge to leave your party though. My discomfort with these views was growing stronger. But, I also understand that the U.S. might as well be considered seven or eight mini- countries because the social views are so different and distinct depending upon the geo-economic and cultural conditions that people live in. In my mind, I rationalized (incorrectly) that somehow more socially moderate Republicans would rise again to offer some accepted guidance within this party.

Even though I now doubt that this will happen any time soon, it was your abominable choice for a running mate just a few months back that solidified my Independent standing and caused me to jump head first out of this Republican Party. Quite simply, Sarah Palin represents two things that I simply cannot accept. And, I blame you (entirely) for that:

1.) Joe Six Pack – What happened to those smart, intellectual republicans who used to lead this party and with whom this party identified with? More to the point, when did the Republican Party become one that solely caters to the working class, blue collar man who “supposedly” only cares about being able sit on his couch and drink his “six pack” of beer? Why are small town, working class people the only “real Americans” with real values? By selecting Sarah Palin and having her ride this theme, I believe you have forgotten about and completely alienated hundreds of thousands of republicans who are White Collar professionals. These folks (like me) want to know that their party is intelligent, is thinking about our problems and will represent our interests well once in the White House. Instead, Palin’s rhetoric is transparently insulting to those educated constituents who can’t relate nor believe the messages that we will be better off with her in office. The way she whips crowds into a mob like frenzy by pushing the “us versus them” chant is downright scary because I’m really not sure who “them” is in this case (in fact, I’m starting to think that anyone with a white collar job that is somehow connected to Wall Street is lumped into that general category.)

The bottom line is that the new McCain/Palin Republican Party exponentially increases the separation and animosity between the “haves” versus the “have not’s” that the Bush Administration started eight years ago. This is a flawed strategy that Sarah Palin is very good at executing.

2.) The wrong priority – I really didn’t want to see you pick a religious right wing fanatic as your running mate. But, I might have accepted it if this wasn’t the most important characteristic in your selection and if that person had important experience that our country needs. Sarah Palin’s lack of experience, knowledge (uh…how hard is it to tell the press what you like to read?) and any type of attributes that make her prepared for the President’s job is just plain scary. And, your decisions to choose social/religious beliefs over these vital criteria made me run for the hills. To think that Ms. Palin is a breath away from becoming president should you win our highest office, is truly frightening and (as the media continue to hound you on) demonstrates your poor decision making on an absolutely critical issue.

Senator, I watched the vice presidential debate with complete objectivity. I was hoping that Ms. Palin would should signs of knowledge and that she truly understood the serious issues before her. Instead, I saw a woman who quite literally read from her notes and who wouldn’t answer any questions that were thrown at her. I wish that the moderator would have asked each candidate to rip up their notes at the beginning because I have no doubt that it would have showed the entire country that this woman knows nothing about the real national/global issues that are important.

Senator McCain, this is not my Republican Party any more. For the first time, your decisions have forced hundreds of thousands of Americans (former Republicans) in similar positions to vote for the other guy or simply stay home entirely.  Oh, how you have miscalculated this strategy. To think that some of us will actually prefer to vote for someone as liberal as the democratic nominee versus someone from our own party, says it all.

Sincerely,
Edward Moed

Comments

[Peter E.]

Ed,

Great post. Boy, you're right about how polarized this country has become.

Yet maybe it's not.In the last 3 weeks, I've spoken to at least 20 moderate Republicans or "independents," all of whom distrusted Kerry in '04 and found some way to justify 4 more years of Bush. Some are white collar, some are distinctly not. All of them are voting for Obama.

OK, that's hardly a Harris Poll sample, and I don't discount that there may be some Bradley Effect.

Even so, that was pretty stunning to me. Like you, Ed, they're completely disenchanted with McCain, his choice of Palin, and what he's allowed his campaign to turn into.

I have another thought that I've seen little discussion of. It's this:

Why the hell does McCain still want to be President? Think about it. He's angry and miserable. He's given up every principle he's ever had. He's now manipulated by people he'd have once thrown out a window. He's alienated his mainstream media pals. He reads about himself being out of touch, in bad health, or senile. His "across the aisle" buddies on Capitol Hill won't be willing to work with him, either as President or a returning Senator. He allowed his own VP choice to be shut down in order to pander to zealous right wingers. He would be forced to deal with a Stepford Manchurian Candidate as his VP, possessed more of ambition than knowledge. Don't you think she'd gladly poison his food or alter his meds if given a chance?

Here's the final kicker: If by some miracle McCain wins, he has to preside over the worst economy in 75 years and a world financial crisis that still has many unknown layers. He'll be doing this with no roadmap or clue of what to do about it except to rehash the same failed policies of the many pinheads that contributed to this mess.

McCain is 72 and wealthy. He could have sat out the remaining years as an influential senior Senator and shuffled off gracefully.

Too late now. Win or lose, McCain's life will truly suck. If he loses, his reputation is ruined by campaign tactics he allowed and the bad choices he made. If he wins, John McCain is "stuck" with the most powerful job in the world; he would probably end up hating every minute of it.

[ed]

Peter,

Your question is a good one. I'm not sure why any politician would want to run for president now. But, a 72 year old man? Some combination of needing the power, wanting to help and just a determination that won't quit are obviously driving this man.

But, he's made a lot of bad choices/decisions along the way...

[BTM]

Ed,

I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments. In my opinion the GOP has abandoned its core principles and our embarrassing presidential ticket – including its mudslinging, knee-jerk reactive campaign – is a microcosm to a larger issue for the party. It's pandering now, not leading. Certainly the last eight years have much to do with the party's undoing but as far I can see there is no blueprint for restoring credibility, reputation, and esteem to the once dominant political party.

The acronym is becoming uncomfortably true - it's an "old party" that was once "grand" but now lost. Let's hope it finds the right course again someday.

[Brian Brodrick]

Great post and right on. I was hopeful about Palin initially but she has turned into a flop. And this idea that the republican party is only for average joes is a joke.