How I Strayed from the Bush Camp

In 2000, I voted for George W. Bush.

There, I said it. A weight has been lifted. I know, I know--I should be embarrassed. Believe me, I am; but I'm also honest. Even four years ago, I didn't think Bush was the best man for the job. I really admired Alan Keyes. He was such an eloquent, passionate speaker. And most of his words resonated with me. I saw him as a man of principle; a man who represented the values I held--and still hold--dear.

So what happened, you ask?

I've never been great at mathematics, but I recognized that he had no earthly chance of winning. It simply wasn't doable. So I took a gander at Bush.

In him, I saw a man who seemed like an ok guy, one who professed belief in conservative ideas. Though I liked him less than Keyes--and less than Gary Bauer and Dan Quayle, as well--I realized that he had a genuine opportunity to stop the insane human vegetable, Algore. I loathed the Democrat Party's candidate, to the core of my being. I saw him as a Clinton clone (and still do), who was even worse than Clinton, because he actually believed the noxious mutterings fuming out of his mouth.

So what I'm saying is this: I saw Bush as the lesser of two evils. I felt like he wasn't such a bad feller; whereas Gore was made for a strait-jacket.

Thus, I voted for Bush. And I've regretted it almost continuously, ever since.

My first misgivings with Bush came in his decision on the embryonic stem cell issue. Clearly, his was not a principled pro-life stand, but rather a turn down centrist avenue--a stance designed to compromise and appeal to the majority. But darn it, that's not what I want in a president! I want someone who will do the right thing, and his reelection, his party, and his ego be damned. I saw that Bush was not that type of man.

Then he began a consistent policy of spending proposals, of signing every increase in spending that came down the pike. As of this writing, the trend continues.

Other issues bothered me, too. But the straw that broke the camel's back was his de facto amnesty of illegal aliens. When I heard this, my disenchantment with Bush became contempt.
My eyes opened to the fact that Bush has no interest in protecting our nation and our way of life. I don't know what motivates him; but a desire to follow our Constitution and carry out the Constitutionally well-defined obligations of the federal government is nowhere to be found in his actions.

In addition, I've reached the conclusion that the Republican Party is corrupt, just like the Democrat Party. Oh, I'm aware of the differences in degrees of corruption, but both are rotten to their cores. I see that neither party has the best interests of America's citizens in mind.

I never had faith in the Democrats. But, once upon a time, I thought the Republicans cared about what's right. My journey took over four years.

From now on, I vote on principle; and if that means never seeing my candidate step foot in the Oval Office, then so be it. At least I'll go to bed at night with a clear conscience.

I didn't leave the Republican Party. It left me. Long ago.