Isilion

The day Ron Paul announced his candidacy I submitted my request to change my affiliation from independent to Republican. I also proclaimed to all who would listen that I intended to vote for him in my primary and in the general election even if I had to write him in. With the possible exception of Pat Buchanan, who communicated to me personally that his “riding days are over,” there is no one else remotely worthy of my vote for President of the United States, no one else who I feel can be trusted to resist and repudiate the unlawful power currently invested in that office.

I like Chuck Baldwin, but the Constitution Party scares the bejesus out of me. I like the basic principles of the Libertarian Party, but until Bob Bar makes an unequivocal renunciation of the thinking that led to his support and justification for the Patriot Act, vows to do everything in his power to pardon and make amends to the non-violent men and women whose lives he destroyed in his support for the war on drug users, renounces the notion that the United States has any moral or legal authority to interfere in the internal affairs of other sovereign nations or maintain any military presence outside the territorial limits of the United States other than embassy guards or the naval forces required to protect shipping in international waters my conscience will not permit me to support him.

I understand the arguments people are making that we should unite to show our strength, particularly to the Republican Party, but if we are going to unite behind theocrats or a Libertarian Party that has sold it’s principles for a mess of pottage what do we gain? Do we just become another faction in a coalition to be manipulated with promises that are never fulfilled? Ask the Republican Pro-Lifers and sincere anti-war Democrats how that’s working out for them.

For the first time in my life–I’m 53 years old–I have someone I want to vote for, I doubt I will ever have the chance again. I have done lots of things in my life that I am ashamed of. I believe I am accountable for them, even if only to my own conscience. I will go to my grave knowing that regardless of every mistake I have ever made that in my duty as a citizen I did at least one thing for no other reason than it was the right thing to do.

Politics be damned, vote for Ron Paul!