A Wake Up Call for the Right

As a conservative, I'm finding out more and more that I do not really believe in the Republican Party. Not as it once was, anyway.
I've started realizing that I am more Libertarian in my views, but if I want to continue to vote in Primaries, and be involved, I must stay under the big tent of the GOP, much as the Green Party must do with the Democrats.

I've never been an over the top republican. Even when I worked for the party. I believe in one fundamental right that the Constitution gives us: The government should stay out of my business and out of my wallet. These days though, it seems neither the democrats or republicans are holding true to this thinking.

I think I am a fairly intelligent person, with a good head on my shoulders. I'm not going to try to change your views on politics or religion, if you've already made up your mind. But I will say that there are a few things that are driving me mad at the moment. And keep in mind, this could be because of the recent CPAC weekend in DC, or just because its always bothered me & I'm finally speaking up.

Don't assume that I fall in line with Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, just because there's an R behind my name on my voter registration. Last week Janeane Garofalo said that conservatives are "self-loathing" and compared female-fans of Limbaugh to Eva Braun, Adolph Hitler's girlfriend. But then Rush Limbaugh turned around and called liberals "deranged". Where do we draw the line? I'm definitely for the first amendment and our right to speak our minds, but when does it just become petty name calling? I feel like we've all retreated back to the first grade and on this playground of life we are picking on others to make ourselves feel better.

Which brings me to this point: How do we expect to energize the future generations of voters, when all we are doing is calling each other names and comparing everyone to Hitler all the time?
Barack Obama won because he gave the young people of this nation something to hope in. While I found it to be completely asinine, some -actually- MOST young people were drawn to this.
I don't think we should go around saying we are the party of rainbows and unicorns and gumdrops and kumbaya; but at the same time, where is our current rhetoric getting us? Can't we find a happy medium?

I'm not suggesting that we silence Coulter (although sometimes Ann could use a lesson in graciousness) or Limbaugh (who recently said if you don't agree with him, you agree with Barack Obama), but I am asking, when will others who are tired of the game rise up and be willing to come up with valid arguments, sans name calling and finger pointing, and do something worthwhile for our party and our country?

We can either think of how we become relevant as a campaign winning and policy making organization or we can just be the voice of opposition. If we continue featuring the Limbaugh's and the Coulters, without other points of view, we will never appeal to Independents, soft D's or even Republicans for that matter. Who will be the spokesman for our generation?

Two Americas

So I think if we all try really hard, we can remember back to 2004 - Remember John Edwards "Two Americas" speech? One America was the hard working miners & workers in the saw mills & union dues paying folks. And the other, those evil, greedy, wealthy Americans. You know the types...so often the media portrays them as Republicans. (But if you really look closely, the ambulance chaser, Edwards, was one of those too)

Well, now we've had THREE appointees to the Obama administration come under fire for their tax issues. Mostly the fact that they never paid their taxes and penalties, not until it was absolutely necessary. After all, who was going to know? No one. Not until the vetting process began for their Senate confirmation.

Not to mention the fact that Charlie Rangel (D-NY) also is under the microscope for his lack of "rendering to Caesar what is Caesars" - Bill Richards is under investigation for corruption charges. Daschle had a personal car & driver that he didn't claim on taxes. Gaithner didn't pay his self-employment taxes. Nancy Killefer didn't pay into unemployment for her housekeeper.

It seems to me that these Democrats who are "for the people" have lost touch with the people.
The last time I checked, I have to pay my taxes. I don't have a chauffeur. I don't have a housekeeper. Or a nanny.

I know that on April 15th my taxes better be in order.
I know how to correctly use Turbo Tax, and I'm not being considered for a position within the Administration, not even as a Schedule C appointee.

So why is it that these so called "leaders" are allowed to live by a different set of rules? Fact of the matter is, President Obama is saying that he can't allow it to look as if there is a different set of rules for the American people, but as far as I'm concerned, with the confirmation of Timothy Gaithner, it already does.