I have spent my entire life as a Republican. I worked to elect Republican candidates for offices from the local level to President of the United States. I was Chairman of the College Republicans as an undergraduate. I served as an executive committeeman, and as counsel to Republican parties.
I choose now to part ways. It is not an easy thing walking away from a party you spent your entire adult life trying to help. But, in the end, my conscious can not allow me to continue to be a part of the Republican Party in South Carolina.
I am still for limited and well focused government. I am still pro-life in that I believe abortion should only be used in exceptional cases, such as rape, incest and the mother’s life in danger. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and I think that guns are tools only, and that people commit crimes, not tools. I am no big fan of gay marriage, but perhaps civil unions are okay. I am for the Fair Tax. I grew up admiring men like Carroll Campbell, Ronald Reagan, and Barry Goldwater. I am proud that I actually worked for Congressman Joe Wilson at his law firm. Nothing about that changes.
But, I cannot go along with what is happening in the Columbia today. The South Carolina Republican Party is a bought and paid for special interest group. Governor Haley, Lt. Governor Ard, both are corrupt and indefensible, but Republicans walk lockstep behind them. I will not. VUI laid the facts out. People do not care. Fair enough.
There are things that government should and should not do. It never should do the bidding of a billionaire from New York and his friends with crazy ideas. Indeed, if you look at what they demand, Carroll Campbell, Ronald Reagan, and Barry Goldwater would all be labeled RINOs.
Because I dared to believe that, I was labeled a RINO. I was told by race haters and the young paid punks I was not welcomed in their Republican Party. It would be a pure breed. Never mind I was working to elect Republicans when most of the people who are paid by the crazies to take over this state were in middle school. But, that, however, is just part of the problem I have with the South Carolina GOP.
The other part of is good old fashioned hate. Maybe it’s the rise of the Tea Party, or just a revival of old feelings, but there is a movement based on hate out there. People hate having a Black President of the United States, so they buy into bull manure about things related to his birth, his objectives, etc. I have never seen a President of the United States so disrespected in my lifetime, and frankly, I am disgusted by it. I might not support President Obama for re-election, but he is the duly elected, by God, President of the United States. This race thing, that is covered up with arguments about freedom is bull crap. I see through it. I cannot be a part of it.
Closer to home, we have a Governor who campaigned on openness who is not open. We have a Governor that will dole out the big bucks, at taxpayer expense, to those she favors. The Governor will even sell out South Carolina, via the Jasper port deal, when her campaign coffers are filled. In the words of former Senator Hollings, we have a “cash and carry” state government.
That is not the GOP I worked for. That is not the ideal that I gave so freely of my time. So, from this point on I and my blog are Independent. Sure, Democrats, there will be Republicans we back. Get over it. And, Republicans, you get one less RINO, I guess. I and this blog are going to call them like we see them, and our limited fortune and efforts will never go again to people who pay so much to say we are not wanted and seem filled with the stupidity that just comes with ignorant hate of others.
