Mitt vs. Obama: What are Libertarians and Conservatives to do?

As I write this, Mitt Romney is the presumptive Republican nominee for the Presidency. This creates problems for people like me who are either Libertarians or Conservative Republicans. Neither Obama nor Romney represents my beliefs, so what to do with my vote? How do I make sure that my voice is heard not only this fall, but for the next few years?

Let me backtrack a little bit and explain my beliefs. While I am a registered Republican, I have very Libertarian views. I believe the best way for everyone in the country to prosper is to have a hands-off government. Minimal business regulation with minimal taxes. And those tax rates should be applied at an even rate across the board…if a person making 40k a year pays fifteen percent income tax, then a person making 900k should pay the same. Or I’d be happy with a national sales tax and eliminate income tax altogether (but let’s save that debate for another day). Government should exist to protect my rights, not take them away. Laws that protect me from myself (seatbelt laws, anti-drug laws and the like) should not exist. While the idea of homosexuality disgusts me, what you do is your own business and I don’t care if you are married to an individual of the same sex. Charities should be run on donations without government monies…that’s why they are called charities.

From my point of view, Obama is pretty much the Anti-Christ. For the most part, he is the polar opposite of my entire belief structure. Regardless of what he says in his speeches (you can’t trust much of what comes out of his mouth…or any other politician for that matter), he see’s government as the solution for everything. Heavy business regulation combined with oppressive taxes on the hardest working Americans; government dolling out handouts to individuals like it were candy. So it is no surprise that there is no chance of him getting my vote.

Unfortunately for Mitt, I don’t see him as a lot better. I see him as another liberal…the media calls him a moderate, but let’s be honest, he’s a liberal. Like Obama, he is a big government guy, although not quite to Obama’s extent. He is pro-business, which is a plus, and I think his business experience would be a definite plus were he to win the Presidency (unlike Obama who has never run anything in his life). But he believes in a progressive tax rate, and has crafted legislation that would make any liberal democrat proud. So what to do?

I’ve decided I will vote for Mitt. (Now, don’t leave before I finish my story…there’s more to it!)

Like I said, I will vote for Mitt, but don’t take that as an endorsement. I am SO tired of voting for the lesser of two evils (and at age 39, I think that is all I have ever done in Presidential elections). Oh sure, there are third party/independent candidates out there who I would be far happier with, but let’s be honest…none of them have the slightest hope of a win without a D or R behind their name. And any vote for anyone other than Mitt is a vote for Team Obama…and we have all seen how well our country has done under hope and change (I’m sure we would do just as bad under the new Socialist slogan of “Forward”).

So have I sold out and drank the Kool-aid? Hardly. I am changing my focus to where REAL change can take place, and that is the House and the Senate. Remember your elementary school civics class…Congress is where legislation takes place; to have REAL change, you need to control Congress.

The 2010 midterms were a big shake-up in Congress, and 2012 could see the Republicans take back the Senate as well as maintain control of the house. And the interesting thing that is happening is not just republicans gaining seats, but what type of republican is taking the seats.

You see, we are cleaning house.

All across the country, it seems that Republican members of Congress who aren’t fiscally responsible and who are just as liberal as their Democrat counterparts are getting pink slips. In Indiana, Senator Richard Lugar lost the primary to Richard Murdock; Lugar served in Congress since 1976. Nebraska saw Deb Fischer win the Republican Senate primary. And in my home district (Southwest Ohio), Congresswoman Jean Schmidt lost the primary to Brad Wenstrup. Both Murdock and Wenstrup are fiscal conservatives…my kind of guys. It seems the old guard of “Liberal Republicans” are getting cast aside, in favor of those who are fiscal hawks and those who want to keep government size in check.

Assuming this new breed does take over Congress, what then? For starters, we can hold their feet to the fire for getting REAL spending cuts passed…not just the little token cuts that hardly impact the federal budget. We could see legislation that would streamline business regulations and make the nation more business and investor friendly. The size and scope of government could be reduced by 15, maybe even 25%. How about a tax code that makes sense…and is pro economic growth? And while Mitt may not agree with all of the legislation that this Congress would pass (he is, after all, another big government guy), it is unlikely that he would veto bills from his own party.

Does that mean I trust this new breed once they get to Congress? ABSOLUTELY NOT! We must forever remain vigilant, and hold these politicians’ feet to the fire. A constant reminder to the campaign pledges of balanced budgets and smaller government will be necessary. And if they don’t perform, kick them out! Don’t do what has been done for so long and keep on electing the class dunce just because he is “your guy”.

So come November, yes I will hold my nose and walk into the voting booth to vote for Mitt. But I will also be voting for Brad Wenstrup. I will also vote for Josh Mandel, who will challenge Sherrod Brown (probably one of the biggest socialists in the Senate) for the Ohio Senate seat. And once they are elected, I will keep a close eye on them….just to be sure they are doing the right thing. After all, I am a US citizen…and they work for ME.