Posted by
davecatbone on Thursday, October 11, 2007 5:16:58 AM
Pragmatism. Vote your conscience concerning your principles, or your judgement of the best outcome. This is the struggle occurring within the Right. On one hand, some say Hillary is no option. On the other, only by asserting the ideology of the Christian coalition can the party of the Right be viable.
Pasadena Phil at the Way We Are poses the question of a new party, with the dissolution of the GOP.
Tony Blankley chimes in about this predicament:
Politics is the zone where one's religious and ethical habits are
not always the only and best guides. We can make a 100-percent
commitment to, for example, obey our marital vows or adhere to the
teachings of our churches -- and consciously strive never to fall short.
But in the practicality of democratic elections, we cannot make
such a similar commitment to every one of our governing ideals.
Elections are very specific and limited choices between different
outcomes. The decision not to vote or vote for a third-party candidate
with no hope of winning is itself a moral choice for the outcome such a
vote will effectuate. People of conscience will have to decide whether
feeling pure by voting "none of the above" is the highest ethical act
or not.
This issue more than any other will decide whether or not a Conservative is elected to the White House in 2008. Do you accept the GOP as is, no questions asked and vote to win, or do you demand a party reflects your beliefs and principles?