Unfortunately, there are people like my mom who will vote for a RINO because they think that's better than voting Dem. She's under the illusion that because they have an R after their name "we" can work with them.
Yeah, I think that's how most conservatives are. I think that's probably how must of us here were, too. The problem I have with it is that after decades of playing the "he's better than the Democrat at least" game we have effectively just guaranteed a sort of regression to the mean, to borrow a concept from statistics. If the Republicans know they can trot out their own brand of big government statists and we'll reliably vote for them, then that's all we are ever going to get time after time.
I just can't do it anymore. It's gone from a "hold my nose and pull the lever" situation to a "if I do this I am actively preventing any impetus for reform in this party" situation. Factor in the almost certain futility of elections at this point, and it has become a lot easier to disengage.
I know I have been a "hold my nose and pull the lever" over the years too. I'm 40 so I voted for the first time in 1992. I was not a huge fan of the first President Bush, but Clinton was too sleazy to suit me and Perot had no chance.
I think some have bad experiences voting for third party candidates so that comes into it too. My dad voted for Perot in 1992 and almost immediately regretted it. He still apologies to people for helping elect Clinton.
Then in 1996 we had Dole. Wasn't much a fan of him either........
I didn't mind voting for W in 2000 though. Though some of it was due to, I am voting for this guy because the press hates him, so I am doing it to screw with them. So far, the second Bush is the only person I voted for, that has made it to the White House. I did get to meet W when he was in office and he was genuinely very nice. He had met my brother before he was president (probably 5-6 years earlier) and remembered his name when he saw him, so that impressed me a bit too.
But even W disappointed. Government still grew like a weed, even when Congress and the White House were Republican. It was a huge wasted moment that may never be again.
What I don't like about the primary is this. I live in Indiana, so most of the time, we don't get a say. McCain and Romney were done deals by the time we voted. I didn't like either of them. I did warm up to Romney a little, after he buried Barry in the first debate. But I still had to hold my nose to vote for them.
But its clear plenty can no longer do it. So they are losing, and if they continue in this course, there won't be another Republican in the White House anytime soon. Its sad that at this point, we are looking at another Clinton. Even with all her baggage and skeletons in the closet.
With this nightmare president, Republicans could win big. They won't though.
