How Can You Call Yourself A Republican!?!
Posted on February 9, 2008
Filed Under Politics |
That is what was blaring at me on the phone this morning from someone who really should know better. They were upset after reading this blog and my lack of enthusiasm for McCain as the Republican Presidential nominee.
“I don’t call myself a Republican. I call myself a father, an American, an investor, a mentor, a businessman but political party affiliation is rarely something I claim. Sometimes the Republican candidate aligns with my positions, sometimes they don’t,” I said, trying to not laugh in their ear.
They then went through a long list of buts and ands to show me that I really am a Republican.
Growing tired of the useless discussion, I asked them these questions. “What do you stand for and what do you expect from a candidate you support?”
After stammering a bit and me having to repeat the questions, they gave a laundry list.
When they finished, I asked, “Now, where does McCain stand on those points?”
“I don’t know where he stands on all of those,” was the answer.
“I do,” I said, “and that is why I am not willing to support him. I am not a politician, I do not have to accept compromise for the good of the party. I am a voter, just one little voter, and I will cast, or more to the point, NOT CAST my vote as I choose.”
Their response? “How are you going to feel knowing you are responsible for putting either Clinton or Obama in the Whitehouse this November? McCain is the nominee because conservatives sat on their hands during the primaries. It is the fault of people like you that we have him as the nominee. Don’t you think he would be a better choice than Hillary?”
“How do you feel knowing your party selected a Democrat as their nominee?” I asked.
“He’s a Republican!”
“In name only,” I said, “he is way too willing to compromise his stated principles. That leads me to believe he has a fundamental disconnect between his statements and his actions. Hillary has the same problem except she doesn’t do it in the interest of compromise. They are far more alike than different as far as I can tell.”
“But what about the war on terror? What about Iraq?”
“Okay,” I said. “I will grant you the statements from the candidates appear different.”
“Hillary says she will pull us out of Iraq within six months!”
“So? She says lots of things,” I said. “But, you have touched on the one and only one area where I have been thinking about my position. And the reality is all three of the viable Presidential candidates will do exactly what the populous wants. All three of them will pull us out of Iraq unless ’something’ happens. And judging by history, that is exactly why I am not worried about their promises to surrender because I do not believe it will happen.”
He continued, “You listen to Boortz, right?”
“Sometimes,” I replied.
“He says Hillary could be fatal to this country and…”
“Look,” I interrupted. “I do not agree with Boortz on everything and this is one where I know he is fear baiting. I’ve got things to do, have a great day.”
With that, I hung up the phone.
Damn, I miss President Reagan.
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7 Responses to “How Can You Call Yourself A Republican!?!”
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Tim said: “Damn, I miss President Reagan.”
I say: “Damn, I miss President Carter!”
*big grins*
Tim - you are an idiot to sit idly by and let HillBill or Obama become the next President.
Debbie - then no doubt you miss the double digit inflation, prime rates in the double digits, mortgage interest rates in the high teens, Americans being held hostage in Iran and Amy Carter being one of his advisors. Yep, I sure miss that. NOT!
Jason,
Although I was barely a teenager when Carter was Commander In Chief. Let me give you a bit of my childhood history during inflation and high interest rates:
I CLEARLY remember being forced to move from Califoria to Illinois when I was barely 10 years old. That was in late 1971. It made a very BIG impact on me. My father who was highly respected, upper management Engineer at NASA was laid off. I CLEARLY remember that my parents constantly worried about inflation, rising interest rates and the loss of my father’s job. We had to move to Illinois for my father to take on management position at Illinois Guv’ment. Two years after we moved to Illinois, my parents’ realtor finally found a buyer for our custom made home in California, at a loss. Of course, inflation and high interest rates had been ongoing for two years in 1973.
Sooooo….when did Jimmy Carter become President? Oh Yeah! 1977 til 1981.
Don’t try to blame anyone who had nothing to do with it.
BTW—here’s the link that would confirm my childhood memory: http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/Comments/inflation_letter.pdf
Debbie I am a little older than you. I was in highschool when my parents bought a new home in 1973. I still remember the celebration party in late 1992 when they paid it off and we “burned” the mortgage. The interest rate on their note was just a little over 5%.
When Carter was inaugarated in January 1977, interest rates were in the 6% range, when he left in January 1981 they were in excess of 15% and going higher. VERY FEW NEW LOANS WERE BEING WRITTEN! It was boom time for subject to deals for the masses. The rates peaked very early in the Reagan administration because Paul Volker did what was needed, he stopped inflation in its tracks with very high interest rates. Then they immediately fell. By the time I bought a house in 1983, they were back down in the 7% range my rate was 7.125% in April of 1983.
Uh…no…not according to the historical mortgage rate index in various places via google. In January 1977, it was 8.72%.
In April 1971, interest rate was 7.31%. Interest rates continued to go up until April 1980. In April 1980, the interest rate was highest at 16.33% during Jimmy Carter’s Presidency.
But, guess what????
During Carter’s presidency, the interest rates went down almost consistently after April 1980.
But….that’s not all!
It was during Reagan’s presidency that the interest rates went back up, beyond 16.33%!!! The highest interest rate during Reagan’s 1981-1989 Presidency was 18.45%! *SHOCKED* GOLLY!!!!!BAD PRESIDENT! BAD, BAD PRESIDENT REAGAN!
Seriously, I never understood why people blame the Presidents for high/low interest rates. Interest rates weren’t controlled by the Presidents.
Can you guess who controls it interest rates?
The lenders set the rates, but ultimately the consumers control them because if no one is willing to initiate a note at the rate the lenders are asking, the rate will come down to meet market demand.
But, in the late 1970’s we had a very unique situation carried over from the Nixon/Ford economic policies AND the inflation introduced by the Great Society programs of the mid-60’s.
Carter inherited an economic mess that was historically unique and at the time few understood it. Looking back through the historical lens of time it is easy to say, “if only this or that had been done at that time, things would’ve been different.”
But, I don’t miss Reagan because I think he could control the economy. I miss him because he provided leadership. He didn’t wet his finger and hold it up in the air to figure out what was politically expedient. He understood that it is much more important for our enemies to fear us than it is for us to be liked around the world.
But, the biggest reason I miss him, is because it would be really great if we had an actual Republican as the Republican nominee. McCain is a Republican in name only.
Actually, the more I think about it I am more and more convinced this Republic we call The United States of America is on an unavoidable collision course with history. I give us 30 years tops as a free republic.
Jason, I feel for you buddy but facts are always better than opinion. There is plenty about Carter to not like without having to distort the historical record.
Tim said: “The lenders set the rates, but ultimately the consumers control them because if no one is willing to initiate a note at the rate the lenders are asking, the rate will come down to meet market demand.”
I hope you don’t mind my way of repeating what you said, in my own words?
This is what I’ve understood since grade school:
Interest rates are ultimately controlled by the consumers. Every one of us.
For example: let’s say that the bank is offering you a loan at 15%. You accepted it. The rate will be at 15%, perhaps raise it to 16%.
Now, if they offer money or loan at 15% and nobody accepts their offer, they will bring the price down. I believe that is called the “Market”. Of course, the price of money/loan is dependent on the demand.
“Dependent on the demand”. In other words, the more the demand, the higher the price.
I believe this is what majority of the society has failed to understand what drives the interest rates.
I sincerely hope I recalled my early education correctly. BTW–I learned that in 5th grade in private school. I certainly didn’t see that subject in my public high school!