Posted under Conservatism & Constitution Party & Election 2012 & Media & Obama & Political Philosophy & Third Party
How do you make one of those smilies that rolls its eyes, because that’s what I’m doing as I write this, rolling my eyes?
Wick Allison, the publisher of The American Conservative and a noted Obama”con” in 2008, says he plans to vote for Obama again.
This is so absurd that I can’t help but think it has to be a type of pose. A way of showing that you’re so disgusted by the shallow conservatism of mainstream conservatives that you’ll vote for the Dem just to spite them. At the same time, not insignificantly I expect, you win the praise of Obama supporters and other “serious” people. There is simply no excuse for anyone who considers himself a conservative to vote for Obama over voting third party. Allison mentions Gary Johnson but doesn’t mention Virgil Goode.
And some people wonder why no one takes TAC seriously.
Note: The Masthead describes Allison as the President/CEO, not the publisher, but the article describes him as the publisher.
Savrola on 04 Sep 2012 at 10:50 pm #
I definitely think Obama is the lesser of two evils, and would vote for him over a Third-Party candidate, were I inclined to vote for presidential candidates.
DanPhillips on 04 Sep 2012 at 11:46 pm #
“I definitely think Obama is the lesser of two evils, and would vote for him over a Third-Party candidate…”
Savrola, you’re going to have to explain yourself.
C Bowen (Hawthorne) on 05 Sep 2012 at 12:08 am #
Dan, have you absorbed Romney’s intentions? Obama helps localism if by the reactionary impulse alone, Romney does not.
Obama is at 58% to win re-election on intrade–and that is prior to the Democratic Convention, post Republican Convention.
I don’t know if Sav still loves his Intrade shares on Romney winning–selling now won’t earn much– but there is logic in not being attached to a loser if you are running a counter-culture ‘conservative’ publication.
Kirt Higdon on 05 Sep 2012 at 12:09 am #
Since I’m not a lesser evil voter, I don’t plan on voting for either Obama or Romney, but in one crucial respect, Obama is the lesser evil. His re-election would (probably will) mean continuation of divided government and partial gridlock from partisan bickering. Not only will the rulers be able to do less harm but they will continue to lose esteem in the eyes of their subjects.
Matt Weber on 05 Sep 2012 at 12:50 am #
It’s definitely a signaling thing, mainly to say that you are a ‘sane’ conservative unlike those nutty wingnutters who deny established facts like global warming. TAC is the haven for such people, though Obamaconism itself is definitely past its sell-by date.
Savrola on 05 Sep 2012 at 1:13 am #
Obama is a pretty conservative guy, for our time.
I think Romney will win, but either way works.
I have a bunch of Vote Republican Stop Obama signs to put to use in 2014, if Romney loses.
RonL on 05 Sep 2012 at 7:36 am #
The American Dhimmi endorses the Muslim. Go figure.
Kirt Higdon on 05 Sep 2012 at 2:08 pm #
Posting test – I seem to be blocked from posting further commentary on the Fjordman essay. This is to see if the blocking extends to the entire site or just that theme.
Kirt Higdon on 05 Sep 2012 at 2:11 pm #
OK – apparently just that theme. Why???? BTW, do you guys have an email address where you can be contacted to resolve problems like this without the need for thread hijacking?
Savrola on 05 Sep 2012 at 2:15 pm #
While I am a Constitutionalist, I find Sharia Law eminently preferably to our current un-Constitutionalist system; not ideal, but viable.
Matt Weber on 05 Sep 2012 at 2:51 pm #
Kirt, one of my commments on the Fjordman post got eaten by the internet as well.
RedPhillips on 05 Sep 2012 at 4:41 pm #
The comments were stuck in the spam filter. I don’t know why (except for roho dropping an f bomb). They have been cleared.
Sean Scallon on 06 Sep 2012 at 5:49 pm #
“The most important feature of this election is that Obama is running as a “conservative”. Not, of course, a conservative in the ideological sense. But rather as a defender of the long-term and generally bipartisan status quo. If Republicans hope to defeat him, they have to make the case that change is necessary–including change to the elements of the welfare state that Americans most treasure. So far, they’ve manifestly failed to do so.”
I think this passage I got from an article on TAC pretty much sums up why Allison supports Obama. At least with Obama you know what you’re getting and with at least the House under GOP control (and probably for the next decade) and with presumed GOP control of most states for the next decade as well too, you won’t get much of it. Romney and presumably a GOP Congress would give us such non-conservative things as a war with Iran and exploding deficit even worse than it is now (and that’s saying something) with no indication of any kind of entitlement reform. So it would be Bush II all over again (with many of the same people in positions of power).
If Romney really tried to create a campaign and a plan for new party and new leadership within that party, he would be in a lot better shape or more people would be willing to vote for him. Instead he’s starting to resemble Alf Landon, who started as a progressive Republican and wound up looking like Herbert Hoover to voters who had rejected Hoover. Or to use a Democrat example, why would voters having rejected Jimmy Carter in 1980, be willing to vote for his vice-president Walter Mondale four years later?
For me, I don’t vote the lesser of two evils either. But for those already in the establishment, non-major parties are just not options for them. That’s their problem. Goode and Johnson are more than acceptable for I believe in and since it’s MY vote, that’s what I’m going to do.
Weaver on 07 Sep 2012 at 8:13 pm #
I’ll vote Merlin Miller. That the SPLC opposes him is reason enough. Right now he outranks even Old Rebel in their rankings.
Savrola on 08 Sep 2012 at 2:02 am #
Voting is strictly for senior citizens. Like bingo.
RedPhillips on 08 Sep 2012 at 3:46 am #
Weaver, the SPLC has labeled the Constitution Party a hate group as well.
Weaver on 08 Sep 2012 at 4:44 am #
Oh, I’m not surprised. I look forward to the day no one believes their reports. Y’know I’ve been hearing for years, probably a full decade maybe longer, from people who see the HBO documentar(ies?) on “Racism in the South”.
Since HBO is so big, it must be true – unlike things seen on that Internet which “anyone can write-up”…
Anyway, I like the CP. I haven’t followed either party closely of late though actually.