It's Time To Feel What's Real

For the longest time I would identify myself as a disgruntled Republican, even after I changed to independent status four years ago. I think I did this to gain credibility with those on the right when discussing politics. I assumed they would care how they lost my vote in 2008 and would be curious as to how to get it back. I was wrong.

I don't know why it took this long for me to completely break ties with the GOP, loyalty I suppose, but that time has finally arrived. I watched both conventions and all of the major speeches. I can quite comfortably say I found myself disappointed with the Republicans and their convention and was truly surprised how much I enjoyed the message the Obama team was delivering once again. Hope and a better future is a message that resonates with me more than doom and gloom.

I will never be a Democrat. For that matter, I will never be a member of any two party system in the future. It's impossible to have two parties represent the views of 300 plus million people, especially a community that boasts of being a melting pot. We have been jammed into seeing every single issue as black or white and the two parties have defined themselves on every wedge issue available. It's an impossible formula and one that I won't participate in any more.

However, I will still continue to vote even if I don't like the system. Since I have to vote I take my role as an independent seriously. I believe I have libertarian beliefs. I think I should be left alone if I leave others alone. I believe less government is probably better. However, I think I break ranks from most libertarians because I'm cool with deeming things like health care and science and education as part of our infrastructure. I don't view my taxes going to pay for these endeavors as an infringement upon my personal property (money) like most libertarians. For as long as I've been around the people that had libertarian views pretty much sided with the Republican Party because the GOP did seem to represent less government.

Libertarian views being associated with the "right" is a relatively American thing. In most parts of the world the libertarians side on the far left. Since the Republicans aren't really protectors of the Constitution any longer I don't see why people with libertarian views seem so locked into voting for the GOP candidate. The current President hasn't trampled the Constitution as much (notice the as much) as the last Republican President. And at best they could only be considered equals in regard to how they uphold the Constitution, in no way is Obama any more left than Bush was during his eight years. Obama is a very moderate President and he's relied heavily on using old Republican policies to try to get things enacted. The Republicans just won't work with him in any way, even when Republicans drafted the legislation.

Obama is far from perfect when it comes to obeying the Constitution. He's allowed the Patriot Act to continue to be law, that's not a good thing in my libertarian mind. He killed an American without a trial, a first (that we know of) in our nation's history; that doesn't go well with the libertarian in me. He totally botched the health care act every step of the way and was fortunate Chief Justice Roberts manned up. This treatment of the health care system, even though I do support universal health care, where private industry is still allowed to profit and has government intervention kind of irks my libertarian conscience.

Having stated all of that, he's still the best thing going. He promises hope and a positive future. He makes sense and seems like a very intelligent person. He's respected around the world. He is the epitome of the American dream. I trust him. He's made solid decisions, even when I didn't agree with them at the time. He's calm and calculated. He's everything we need at the current time. He has ideas that are fresh and not failed policies of the past. He wins every demographic in the country expect older white dudes.

If the Republican Party wants to label me a RINO and ban me from their coup, so be it. If they aren't smart enough to know they need people like me to return to voting for their party to have a chance of winning the general election, oh well. Until that day I will educate myself on the issues, I will stay informed and knowledgeable on important topics, and I will vote for the best direction for the country based on this formula. There is no doubt in my mind Barack Obama is a far better selection than Mitt Romney and his doom and gloom message that is based on paranoia and lies.