My official goodbye
By Hooah Mac Posted in War — Comments (13) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
I have been posting here at Redstate for just under a year. My first introduction to the site was reading a post by skanderberg about Iraq and Guadalcanal. It was the intelligent, well-thought out, accurate and conservative content like his that made me feel at home here from the start. He is by far not the only one who I could describe in such a manner. I have been relatively happy with the site in most cases since then.
So why am I saying goodbye? Because, like the GOP leadership, many on this site have decided that winning the election is more important than winning the debate. Republican victory at any cost...without the foresight to realize the cost is future Republican victories. If you don't think you are in that category, then don't bother getting offended, I probably wasn't talking about you. I will probably still read from time to time, and I will probably come back some day.
With Fred Thompson leaving the race today, my lifelong dream of being able to vote for a presidential candidate who believes in the Constitution and the prosperity and freedom that brings is set back even further (I was too young in 80 and 84)
I will fight on. The following are the steps that I will take beginning today:
1. I will not give to the RNC, RNCC, RNSC again. I will give my hard earned money only to candidates that specifically believe in freedom as laid out in our Consitution.
2. I will not vote for a bad candidate. I will oppose liberal Republicans in every way I can, through encouraging primary challengers, and writing in someone more fitting in the general elections.
3. I will fight the rhetorical battles with all of my mind, all the resources I can spare, and with every effort I have.
4. I will support a credible third party that stands for what I believe in if the Republican party will not.
5. I will lose all respect and do my best to ignore and/or contradict all of those who desire to surrender. If you choose political expediency over principle, consider me your adversary.
6. I will run for public office. As a Republican if possible, but if the party goes left of center to match our presidential candidates, then I will go elsewhere.
I'm tired of "compromise" as currently advocated here and elsewhere. Compromise in the historical and noble context is accepting less than you desired to get some of what you want. "Compromise" in the tradition of John McCain and others is giving your adversary most of what they want so they will like you more.
If I want to sell you a pen for a dollar, and you want it for free, and we agree on the sale for .50, that is compromise. With the current Republican leadership as me in that analogy, you will end up with the pen, a dollar from me, and I get to tell everyone how well we work together.
For love of this country I have gone to war; not for the geographical boundaries, not for the ethnic nor racial makeup, but for the freedom, the liberty, the rule of law that it possesses against the tide of history. I have been shot at with real bullets, I have taken cover in the vicinity of real incoming mortar attacks, I have witnessed the blood and death of both enemy and friendly alike. I have done all of that for the United States of America and for the Constitution which guarantees the liberty and prosperity of the nation. I will now eagerly take on the fight of pen and words, against those who do not intend to kill me, but rather to destroy that country and that document that I love more than life itself.
I will miss many of you here. mbecker908, haystack, Gamecock, Erick, Wubbies World, E Pluribus Unum, Neil Stevens, absentee(sometimes heh), and many others who I am not thinking of right now. Keep up the good fight, as will I - just not here, not now.
God Bless America
and thank you for your comments and blogs.
I've always enjoyed reading your work and believe me I understand where you're coming from. I have often thought about leaving and I can assure you I won't be spending nearly the amount of time here as I once did.
Sen. Thompson has inspired me to become even more involved in the day to day things that happen in the communities surrounding both my homes. I will never be the same, and neither will this country.
It is because of people like you that we have the freedom to express ourselves in such a manner. It is also do to those of you who have served this country that we can be involved in politics.
God Bless and God Speed.
Texas Proud and Texas Loud
I will run for public office. As a Republican if possible, but if the party goes left of center to match our presidential candidates, then I will go elsewhere.
Actually you're much better off staying Republican as long as the Democrats are worse, provided you personally don't have to compromise your principles. You can just be a maverick Republican, except to the right.
"The democrats are worse" is no way to build a party.
When there is so little difference between the parties - it doesn't matter.
This is just as tragic as Fred. In some ways more, for what it represents.
Maybe I've underestimated the divisiveness of our remaining candidates.
I hope you won't be gone too long, Hooah Mac. As we say in the Marine Corps, Semper Fi.
absentee
I'll see ya on the flip side bro...wink wink
Iustum et tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava iubentium, non vultus instantis tyranni mente quatit solida.
-Quintus Horatius Flaccus
It's an emotional time for me know, as I know it is for you. I hope you'll reconsider after the passions cool. We need people like you here.
What we need in a leader is to tell us not what we want to hear, but what we need to hear.
Fred Thompson 2008
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" Find out just what the people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them..." --Frederick Douglass
Although I don't know you personally, I have enjoyed your views as stated here on RS. I am going to make an assumption that you tend to the optimistic. I used to also but have long since become more realistic. In that vein I would simply ask "What took you so long to see the writing on the wall?"
Let me know if you find that traditionalist party as I have been longing for one for several years now. It would be my sincere pleasure and honor to join you in any undertaking as regards the very principles you stated in your message.
Again, thank you for your service and the sacrifices made by your family also. As absentee said "Semper Fi!" from this Old Jarhead.
We will miss you in the meantime.
I always had the beef that many on this site were more interested in pursuing The Big Idea and losing if need be than win at all costs.
I guess some see things differently.
But, Godspeed, sir. Take care, and hope to see you soon.
Franz is getting geared up for a big announcement. :>)
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Mac,
I'm truly honored that you thought so highly of my January 2007 missive while you were in-country in Iraq.
The line held. That's what really counts....
There are still races for Congress worth fighting for.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---