Notes From D.R. | Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene

I’ve been a little disturbed by some of the remarks I’ve seen on various conservative blogs railing against the alleged anti-conservatism of GOP Presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. Some of the folks on these sites have even gone so far as to threaten not to vote for the Republican ticket in the next election if a member of the "Rudy McRomney" trio becomes the GOP nominee.

I cannot for the life of me comprehend the mentality behind refusing to vote for a GOP nominee just because he’s allegedly not conservative enough. In particular, I cannot understand the argument that there’s no real difference between "Rudy McRomney" and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Giuliani has received the most criticism for supposedly being a Democrat in Republican clothing. I admit that Giuliani is not my ideal GOP candidate, largely because he seems to be contemptuous of social conservatives, particularly pro-lifers. However, if he’s on the ballot in November 2008, he has my vote, because I have no confidence whatsoever in the Democrat Party’s ability to lead the War on Terror.

Anti-"Rudy McRomney" conservatives have argued that, if a "non-conservative" becomes the GOP nominee, it will destroy the social right, denying conservative Christians a voice in American politics. However, if conservative Christians decide to stay home, allowing Clinton to win, how the hell will that advance the cause of the social right?

Four, possibly eight, years of Clinton will make American society more secular, not less. Did the 1990s result in more traditionalism in this country?

There is a fatal illogic in this anti-"Rudy McRomney" mentality, a bizarre stubbornness that could result in a further erosion of the social right’s power. There is no perfect GOP candidate; even Ronald Reagan gave us two "moderate" Supreme Court Justices and official amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Since when is pragmatism a bad thing from a social-conservative standpoint? Since when has the social right been able to advance its political objectives when it’s out of power?

Are McCain, Giuliani and Romney flawless? No! No one is. However, social conservatives who plan to sit home if one of these men becomes the GOP nominee are, in essence, planning to put the country in jeopardy.

The overzealous attacks on these candidates by certain members of the party "base" are too much to take. Reading the anti-"Rudy McRomney" remarks in the conservative blogosphere, one is forced to conclude that certain members of the social right won’t be happy unless Jesus himself returns and announces the formation of an exploratory committee. These guys need to ask themselves: if Hillary ends up in the Oval Office as a result of their stubbornness, will there be any salvation for the country?