Why I remain:Someone left a shout out saying that moderate Republicans should just become Democrats. I don't think that is a good idea. People seem to think that if we are not welcome in the party, we should just leave the GOP to the rabid right. But no one seems to think that leaving them in power means they have an entire party to control and use to suit their ends. They also forget that people don't always vote Democratic. If the public is upset and the Democratic candidate is an incomptent boob, then a far-right Republican could get into power and where would we all be then?
It's far too easy to run away when the going gets tough than it is to stand and fight. Moderates have far too often walked away when they should have put of their dukes and start kicking some right-wing butt. The Neo-Cons and Moral Majority types who are running the GOP these days got to where they are at by hard work. They toiled in the wilderness and waited. They started magazines and foundations and grassroots movements. Now the run the show. Moderates in many cases just walk away. We don't get organized. We don't go to caucuses or local GOP meetings. And then we wonder why the party has drifted so far to the right.
It seems we have lost the fighting spirit of Teddy Roosevelt, who was always a fighter for progressive values within the party. He even learned the hard way that leaving the party weakened his message. Roosevelt was not afraid to speak up to the reactionaries of his day. We, on the other hand seem to high tail it when things get rough.
As the old saw goes, politics is about who shows up. If we Moderates choose to stay silent and stay home, whose fault is that?
With all due apologies to my Democratic friends, but there is nothing brave about being a Democrat these days. What is gutsy and hard is being a gay Republican or a "green" Republican who is fighting for change in the face of bigotry.
I remain in the party because of I believe in certain Republican values like fiscal responsibility. But I also remain becasue I'm a stubborn ass and I will not let some right wing kook run me off. This is run moderate that they will not intimidate. I hope I'm not alone in that sentiment.
