Another Liberal jumps ship

[ljb]

Why I'm Joining the GOP
Leaving the left for fun and profit
by Jeff Gillenkirk

After a lifetime voting for and working for Democratic candidates and independents, I'm finally going to make the switch and become a Republican.

The reasons are many, not the least of which is age. I turned 55 recently and, having lived more than half my life, I can't afford to worry anymore about the other guy. It's time for me.

As a Republican, I can now proudly -- indeed, defiantly -- pledge to never again vote for anyone who raises taxes for any reason. To hell with roads, bridges, schools, police and fire protection, Medicare, Social Security and regulation of the airwaves.

President Bush has promised to give me more tax cuts even though our federal government owes trillions of dollars to its creditors. But that's someone else's problem, not mine. Republicans are about the here and now, and I'm here now.

As a Republican, I can favor exploiting the environment for everything she's got. No need to worry about quaint notions like posterity and natural legacy. There are plenty of resources left for everyone, and if we don't use them, someone else will.

I want a party that doesn't worry about things before we have to. Republicans refuse to get hog-tied by theories such as global warming, ozone depletion, fished-out oceans and disappearing wetlands. The real problems -- if there are any -- aren't forecast to take hold for at least 50 years. So what do I care? I'll be dead.

As a Republican, I can swagger and clamor for war -- in Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, wherever -- even though I've never fought in one or even been in the military. I can claim that we're fighting for Democracy, ignoring reports of torture at Abu Ghraib, Bagram Air Base and Guantanamo Bay, and a spreading gulag of secret detention centers around the world.

Freedom, as every American should know after spending $300 billion for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, isn't free.

As a Republican, I can insist on strict moral values when it comes to sex and ignore the growing moral chasms in business, politics, sports, journalism and the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

A society that loses control of its sexual urges faces unwanted pregnancies, socially transmitted disease, broken families. Those overzealous about wealth, however, produce only a higher GDP, lifelong security for their family and more minimum wage jobs for the lower classes. What's wrong with that?

As a Republican, I can favor strict punishment of criminals, except for those who happen to be my friends or neighbors. Isn't that the very definition of community -- looking out for friends and family?

I will be pro-death penalty and anti-abortion, pro-child but anti-child care, for education but against funding of public schools. As a Republican, I'll have a better chance of getting to spout my opinions in the media, which for some reason seems convinced that since Bush was re-elected with the smallest electoral margin of any sitting president in history, liberals are passe.

As a Republican, I'll say goodbye to "old Jesus" and hello to "new Jesus. " Sure Christ started out as a liberal Jew, and look where that got him. Compassion, love and diatribes against the rich only encourage the weak and punish the most successful among us. The Jesus that Republicans worship is a muscular, decisive, pro-war crusader hard at work cleansing the world of evildoers, not, God forbid, turning the other cheek.

My decision to become a Republican didn't come easily. For years I clung to the idea that the foundation of a democratic society was our implied social contract, each of us committing some level of personal sacrifice to the common good of all.

I regarded taxes as dues we pay for better roads and schools, safe inspection of meat and dairy products, maintenance of parks and protection of wilderness areas. I see now that looking out for the common good resulted in shortchanging the most important element in this formula -- me.

Let Democrats continue promising the "greatest good for the greatest number." Republicans clearly have my number -- No. 1.

I'm sure a lot of my friends reading this will ask me, "How can you sleep?" My answer will be, "Who's got time? I'm busy earning money." While they're bellyaching about rising deficits, the outsourcing of jobs and casualties in Iraq, I'll be marveling at the march of freedom in the Middle East, upticks in the GDP and the president's plan to link Social Security to the magic of the marketplace.

As a Republican, I simply won't listen to bad news anymore. Bad news doesn't get me or my family anywhere. If you don't have anything good to say about somebody, don't say anything at all -- unless it happens to be about a Democrat, of course.

Jeff Gillenkirk was a speechwriter for former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo. He lives in San Francisco.

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[JustRalph]

Thank God! He finally Gets it!

[Kreed]

LJB ... Here's a brief addition to your post. 7 Budget Items Consume 75% of
the Federal Kitty: SS, Medicaid, Medicare, Defense, Military Pensions, Civil
Service Pensions, and ... Interest Payments on Federal Debt. NOW, that
leaves 25% ONLY for EVERYTHING ELSE... NASA, EDUCATION, H'WAY & ROAD
REPAIR, etc etc etc ..... What Bush has done is SHRINK the Fed Kitty with
Tax Cuts so that OUR DEBT MUST INCREASE & THE INTEREST AS WELL ...
I mean, do you think Defense Spending will Decrease? WE are fast going broke.
If we take a military defeat in Iraq -- and then challenged in Iran / N. Korea,
we will be too broke to respond. IOW's I'd put economic collapse as a threat
before terrorism.

[PaceAdvantage]

LJB, where did you get this from? Don't you know it's a no-no to repost full text articles on this message board?

[NoDayJob]

Originally Posted by Kreed

ANHEISER BUSCH IOW's I'd put economic collapse as a threat
before terrorism.

Me tinks you're right---especially, if foreign money that finances the housing mania drys up. Bubble, bubble, boilin' trouble. Hey bub, what am I bid for this tulip bulb?

NDJ

[Suff]

Originally Posted by NoDayJob

Me tinks you're right---especially, if foreign money that finances the housing mania drys up. Bubble, bubble, boilin' trouble. Hey bub, what am I bid for this tulip bulb?

NDJ

Ask any shylock. . Borrowing to pay the VIG is the kiss of death.

[Secretariat]

LJB,

I thought JR's response was a joke a first. Then I realized he was serious.

[andicap]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

LJB, where did you get this from? Don't you know it's a no-no to repost full text articles on this message board?

Appears to be taken off a blog -- are they copyright protected? www.smirkingchimp.com tho I can't find the original URL for the posting itself.

[andicap]

OK, I tracked down the original link for the piece

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0529-30.htm

I highly doubt they would mind reproducing the piece in its entirety here....

[Tom]

Originally Posted by andicap

Appears to be taken off a blog -- are they copyright protected? www.smirkingchimp.com tho I can't find the original URL for the posting itself.

I don't know if the article is copywrite protected, but I might sue over the site's name!!!!

[ljb]

PA,
I recieved this in an email this afternoon. Thought it would be nice to share with the members of this board.

[kenwoodallpromos]

I'll finish the article for him- LOL!

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by Tom

I don't know if the article is copywrite protected, but I might sue over the site's name!!!!