Question for the 'moderate republicans' who post on DU.

[UpsideDownFlag]

which issues do you believe in that make you a republican? Do you think these values are still held by the current republican party of W. and Ed Gillespie?

If not, why are you still a republican?

edit, to appease the mods: I am NOT trying to 'call out' a group of people on DU, or chastise them. I am just curious, this is a subject that has been bugging me for a while.

[UpsideDownFlag]

1. kick. i know there's at least a few of you out there. nt

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

2. Okay, I'll bite...

I am the fiscal conservative (PAYGo government)and socially liberal (live and let live) type. The current Republican party is a polar opposite to my beliefs. There are only 2 reasons I am staying Republican in PA at this point:

1. I can only vote AGAINST Santorum in a PA primary within my registration. I want to vote against him as many times as I can.

2. I'm hoping to "convert" more moderate Republicans to vote for Democrats in the future within my stealth-mode Republican cover. I did this heavily for Kerry this time and actually had my 2 PHYSICIAN brothers vote for Kerry (remember, Edwards was a MALPRACTICE attorney...not an easy sell at first)

[UpsideDownFlag]

3. ok, fair enough.

are you planning on becoming a democrat if/when santorum loses?

[DireStrike]

4. Depends who runs, I suspect.

Kudos for working to reclaim your party!

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

6. Yes, unless I can work better for the Dems in stealth mode 08...

I want to be as effective as I can in getting the moderate Republicans to WAKE UP. I'm torn because I know the Dems are more in line with my core beliefs but staying a RINO gives me some "credibility" in converting other Republicans in voting Democrat. The only Dem candidates who will have a tough time getting any moderate Rep support are the ones who want to radically increase taxes. Kerry was a PAYGo in the Senate and put a proposed limit on who he would tax (> $200000/year)...many of my moderate Republicans, including myself, who would have actually been hurt money wise by Kerry winning, but felt we could NOT vote our pocketbooks this election. Unfortunately, taxes are generally a tough sale.

[PleadTheFirst]

5. Thank you, Mod.

Your post gives me hope for the future of the Republican party, and the potential for a mended America in the years to come.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

8. No problem. The Dems should not feel so hopeless, really.

I think all the self-criticism and reactionary responses by the Dems is really not justified. Kerry was a very good candidate, in my opinion, and he came very close to taking out a President in a war. What concerns me is the "neverending" part of this war on terror...perpetual war, in theory, benefits the Republicans for at least a few more elections...until the public finally tires of their strategy and gives the Dems a chance.

[ThorsHammer]

7. Sure (long)

Where I agree:
Smaller government - though pissed off at Bush (as I've mentioned many times, I didn't vote for him). Along with this goes lower taxes. I don't mind paying taxes if they're used for things like healthcare or education, but there is way too much govt. bureaucracy.

Strong national defense - again, this does not mean we should be running around invading other countries

Abortion - I do agree with them that it's wrong (NOT a slam on the prochoice folks here, but I do believe it is a life, although I can see how others see it as a fetus. I've also posted often that there are many prolife folks who do want to address the broader social issues - we're much more like Democrats on this part of the issue), though I'm not in favor of. A small favor to ask everyone else - please don't turn this thread into an abortion argument.

Inertia - It's hard to make the switch after being a Republican my whole life. I still have some hope the radical element will flame out, and a more moderate, cooperative element will emerge. This is by far the biggest reason, as (like you said) the Bush side has hijacked us to the far right. Just as many Democrats want their party to move from the center, many moderate Republicans want their party to move toward the center.

Where I disagree:
Foreign policy - pardon my language, but it's been a clusterfuck. Lives lost, alliances broken, the world pissed off, economic drain stop/loss, drafts, etc. This is by far my biggest greivance.

Gay Amendment - as a straight male with minimal exposure to homosexuals, I can't say I understand homosexuality that well. However, I find it ludicrous that people are so vehemently opposed to the idea of them getting married. It doesn't harm anyone, and will stabilize their relationships more than anything. It's ridiculous to change the constitution to deny people rights, as that is the document that is supposed to uphold rights. I did not like how the issue was overpoliticized greatly this election. I do think people will come around eventually, just like race relations.

That's all I can think of now, I'll check back on the thread later when more people join in.

[ThorsHammer]

9. Addition to the post above

I'm still a registered Rpeublican, but vote for the better candidate (ie Kerry over Bush). I think both sides have good and bad candidates, and wouldn't let party 'loyalty' trump qualifications.