Conservative Whack-A-Mole

Now that Mitt the Socialized Medicine Man has dropped out of the race for the GOP Presidential nomination, I've polled some of my conservative friends. Who will they support now?

First, they supported Giuliani.

Next, it was Thompson.

Then Mitt.

Now...one person has indicated he's going with Tax Hike Mike... but the others are silent. Silence, in this case, means resolving themselves to accept McCain.

My brief scan of the conservative side of the blogosphere results in nothing but silence. People who hated McCain, figuring him a Democrat in disguise, have either already given up their hope for Conservatism to survive and jumped on board, or, I predict, will soon. Up to now, they railed against the prospect that a "RINO" would be their standard bearer. They would quote Reagan and Goldwater at length, say that if you don't go into the booth and vote for the most conservative candidate, you have failed the cause. They justified their support for one lukewarm candidate after another in the hopes that "conservatism" would win the day.

Meanwhile, the most conservative candidate in the race - Ron Paul - is barely given a thought, or even opposed with vitriolic intensity. One guy after another drops out of the race, and these self-described conservatives keep moving themselves leftward, compromising their views hoping that "this candidate can win". Well, maybe the candidate can win... but the ideas lose.

Then there's Ron Paul - principled, unwavering, and consistent - standing firmly in place, repeating his message of limited government, the Constitution, sound money, fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility, and yes...individual liberty. All alleged conservative values. He has the most consistent record of any one in the field. No flip-flops. The man believes what he stands for, and stands for what he believes.

And conservatives keep moving to the left. Walking away from the most conservative candidate available.

I've always charged Conservatives with being bloodthirsty, deathdealing warmongers who utterly lack principle. The behavior I am seeing from them in this election cycle proves that point. Take away the willingness to bomb any and every country into submission if they even smell a "terrorist", and Ron Paul gives them everything they could possibly want - ending the income tax, Constitutionally limited government, protected borders, opposition to abortion, etc.

But the war thing is a deal breaker.

Conversely similar to my liberal anti-war friend who is willing to let the war machine rage, so that he can get closer to his goal of socialized medicine, these conservatives are willing to sacrifice their opposition to big government, so that the war machine may continue to rage.

From where I sit, Conservatives have become one-trick ponies. War, at all costs! If you aren't espousing war and empire, you aren't welcome in the Conservative tent, no matter how true you are to all the rest of the Conservative agenda.