True Confessions of an Obama Republican

The world is a strange place. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined voting for someone as left leaning as Barak Obama. My earliest political memories are of helping Reagan in the early Eighties. Then the first Bush I took on a much more in depth role within the GOP political machine in California. Going to National Conventions, actually “pressing the flesh” with contenders and pretenders to various political offices.

I was scarred but unbowed by endless infighting between between the moderate members of the GOP and the ultra conservative factions. Labeled a RINO, or Republican In Name Only, by the embryonic ultra conservative faction, which we know refer to as the ‘Neo-Conservatives” I pressed on. Social Liberal, Fiscal Conservative, Pro Death Penalty, Pro Choice: These are the Hallmarks of a Northern California Republican. I have never towed the party line when I felt there was a better candidate that better reflected my ideals and principals. I voted for Perot, I voted for Gore, or anybody else who I felt would serve me, my family, my state, and my country better. Even knowing that my vote may impact me in a negative way (Like more taxes etc.), they still got my vote. And yes, as part of my confession here I voted for Bush the second time around. The Democrats left many of us with little other choice. Much like the run of Hillary Clinton, Kerry represented the old way, the insider way, the way of politics (on both sides) that is corrupting our founding fathers intents, creating division, and yes killing the very foundation that our country was built on.

Enter Campaign 2008. As a nation we sit on a crossroads of sorts. Its not the first time nor will it be the last. Much has been made both here at ATS and elsewhere about the ‘Fall” of the American Empire. Such talk is short sighted and premature. I can imagine such talk going on in dark days of the 70’s when the Soviet menace seemed poise to take over, how as a nation we had not only the scars of Vietnam to deal with, but the Watergate scandal as well. Inflation was rampant and the economy was at a crawl. Such was the US that Ronald Reagan took over. Bearing a message of hope and optimism we moved foreword into the 80’s. While the subject of the Reagan years can, are, and have been the subject of numerous debates here at ATS, there is no denying that as a nation we grew and sprung foreword into the fray.

Much has changed in the following decades since the Reagan Revolution. Some good, a lot of it bad it seems. We need a leader who is not a Washington insider, who has not yet been fully corrupted by the system. Someone with new ideas, and the ability to think perhaps not out of the box, at least close to the margins. Someone with charisma and someone who has the personal drive and presence to restore America. Barak Obama is that man. In any other run, 2004, 2000, 1998, I would have voted for John McCain, he ha my respect not only as a war hero, but also as a Senator. Hillary? I would never, ever vote for her. She represents everything that is wrong about Washington politics. She is nasty, she is oh so corrupt, and what is all the more shocking is that they do not even try to hide it seems. The Clinton presidency was set up in large amounts by the moves Bush senior made and they were able to ride the wave for 8 years.

The time has come for the United States to chart a new course under new leadership. The politics of the past are not working. The entrenched Washington insider crowd has basically hijacked the whole process and have given us what we have today: Paralyzed, ineffective leadership, pandering to whichever group sends the most money.

If Obama the answer? Only time will tell under the 20/20 vision that is hindsight. However, at this time in our history, the need for change has never been more apparent, more urgent. Obama is the only candidate for President that has the drive and the will to make the changes needed to guide our country in

[edit on 22/5/08 by Operation AJAX]

Wow. Thank you for your very well written post. It sums up many of my same feelings. Voted twice for Bush. Now it makes me ill to think I played a part in ruining this country. I'm doing everything I can to work for change and a new direction for this country. I'm happy to know there are other like minded individuals in ATS.

Congratulations on a wise choice. This country does need a radical change of direction. While I'm an Obama supporter, I don't totally agree with your judgment of Hillary. Although she's something of an "insider" in Washington, she has the will, the savvy and the organization to effect real change. I judge her to be a little right of Obama. If for some reason he does not get the Democratic nomination (which at this point would be nearly impossible to lose) I would vote for Hillary. The Democrats are certainly not perfect, but this country is much in need of a move to the left.

[edit on 22-5-2008 by Sestias]

Dems and Republicans are the same thing.

Obama steer the country in the right direction?

He can't even show up to vote most of the time (while he was in the Senate for 3 years).

Not too mention, he is PRO-CHINA. China is hanging us with our own rope.

Even in spite of the huge trade deficit and lost jobs to China, Obama SUPPORTS China!

He is Marxist, why shouldn't he? Why not just become a colony of China and let their Communist leaders rule us then?? It would the same difference, except i'm sure China is better at it than Obama.

Everywhere there is Anti-Americanism, there is Obama and his supporters.

[edit on 22-5-2008 by jetxnet]

Originally posted by jetxnet
Obama steer the country in the right direction?

8 years isn't long enough to steer the country anywhere.

Originally posted by jetxnet
He can't even show up to vote most of the time (while he was in the Senate for 3 years).

Since when is voting on legislation part of the duties of a Senator? Oh, wait...

Originally posted by jetxnet
Not too mention, he is PRO-CHINA. China is hanging us with our own rope.

Even in spite of the huge trade deficit and lost jobs to China, Obama SUPPORTS China!

He is Marxist, why shouldn't he? Why not just become a colony of China and let their Communist leaders rule us then?? It would the same difference, except i'm sure China is better at it than Obama.

You should really talk to someone about this China paranoia you've got. I had it awhile back when i heard they were trying to buy up energy companies. Since then we've dealt with a few other nations who are doing just that, in addition to China.

We're hanging ourselves with the rope we bought during the industrial era. The world is changing and the information age is here, but America has been very slow to respond to it. We still believe we can rely on factory jobs when OTHER NATIONS are trying to come out of the third world with their own industrial era's. They're taking jobs from hard working Americans because our government didn't have the foresight to prepare.

Our Educational system is on the brink of starvation, our starving are on the brink of death, and our dead are being shipped home, slowly but surely, from Iraq and Afghanistan.

America has the ability to lead by example, but we haven't done a very good job lately of being the world role model. Securing our oil interests with our military, while necessary as the lifeblood of this nation, is offensive to the sovereign nations we occupy.

I am voting for Iraq because I respect his judgement. Perhaps he chose to see the good in his Pastor; that's what I do when I don't agree with the views of my neighbors. He doesn't have much experience but I believe he has enough to act like a leader should. I believe his presence on the global stage will help to restore some of the good reputation America has lost.

I went to Denmark over Christmas and every Dane I met wasn't afraid to talk to me about all the things America was doing wrong. They had nothing bad to say about the people (other than we eat too much crap), but the government has stained many countries with this need to secure interests that never really belonged to us in the first place.

I don't want higher taxes and I don't want a bigger government. But I do want to see my rights restored, and I do believe America should start helping again rather than hurting.

I know the war on terrorism isn't really our fault, but America has to take some modicum of responsibility for contributing to that powder-keg. Christians and Muslims have been fighting for thousands of years. For a christian nation to occupy the Muslim world for the sole purpose of attaining the only resource the Middle East honestly has to offer? I can imagine how that might seem unacceptable.

Originally posted by jetxnet
Everywhere there is Anti-Americanism, there is Obama and his supporters.

I remember a time when being critical of your country was the greatest proof that you loved it. I don't know how loving America results in me being Anti-American. I just want to see things get better again, and i know that doesn't happen as long as the war machine keeps destroying families in foreign nations for reasons they often-times don't understand.

Well written post to start! I totally agree with you that the country HAS TO head in a new direction because quite franklly Bush drove are counrty down hill fast. That being said I believe that we HAVE TO to get someone new in thier with a different set beliefs of how you should run our country. While I don't dislike Hillary (actually think she's alright) we don;t need another 4 years of a Clinton and we diffently don't need a 3rd Bush term!! So therefore I'm going with Obama.

You people actually believe that electing Obama will change one thing?

Damn you people!! The answer does not lie in putting anyone into office from these two parties that have been shoved down our throats, year after year. Please... don't let the repeated MSM and Obama messege of "change" brain-wash you.

If you vote for anyone that is a Democrat or Republican, in any race, you are simply allowing the corruption to continue and grow... and it's already an out of control monster.

How to remotely have a chance to stop it?

The "Kick Them All Out" Project

C'mon, people. Will you wake up in time...? Or will you all continue to WASTE your votes on these moron politicians who continue to ignore the will of the people...? Illegal immigration... the war(s)... impeachment... a proper 911 re-investigation... etc... etc... they haven't done a damn thing 'we the people' have asked and yelled for. If anything, they've done the opposite. These 2 parties do not give a crap about us. When will everyone realize this?

[edit on 5/23/2008 by RabbitChaser]

I'm not voting for either of them!! I'm just saying that one of them is going to win and Obama is the better choice then McCain!! We just can't have someone like McCian rounding thwe country.

My dad always got mad when I told him he voted for Roosevelt.... 4 times.

This is the first time that I have ever been a little excited about a candidate. Nixon was the first prez I voted for. Been Republican ever since. I have finally reached even the limit of my tolerance for same the ol' same ol'.

Obama doesn't owe anyone anything in Washington, he's too new. This is the only reason why he can make change. If it's Clinton running against McCain, I just won't vote for either one of them. I'll still vote for my state and local reps, but neither of these two clowns.

His VP pick will tell us much of his thinking.