Just a thought...

[dakotawitch]

...if I were a McCain supporter, after viewing his performance last night and over the last week, I would be running to vote for Ron Paul or a third-party candidate.

I don't know that, if I were someone who basically agreed with Republicans on social or financial issues, that I would be frustrated enough with McCain to completely switch sides and

Comments

[heather]

Heh, conservatives are pissed at McCain after his wild card proposal for the government to buy up mortgages. Someone linked me to this: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2100131/posts?q=1&;page=51

I mean, they only ever tolerated McCain in the first place. No one is dumb enough to believe they stopped hating him just because he won the nomination. But yeah, fiscal republicans are beyond done with him. They may still vote for him because of social concerns or because they think Obama is infinitely worse, but I wouldn't be surprised if many jumped ship and went libertarian or didn't vote.

Many of them on that blog seem to be pinning their sights on 2012 already, or more specifically, Palin. Apparently they think he's dragging her down...

I'll just be over there. Laughing.

[tinylegacies]

... reading through those comments was mind-boggling.

How can anyone seriously believe that Palin is qualified to lead this country?

OY.

[dakotawitch]

*looks around for Ashton Kutcher*

I know, right?

[bliss_street]

I think that is precisely why so much of the rhetoric at the McCain/Palin rallies are directed to the more far-right Republican issues, even at the expense of alienating undecided and independent voters.

[zanyassmask]

that was originally the move my brother made -- to Bob Barr. Then he was so impressed with Biden during the debate he moved again.

[dakotawitch]

Glad to hear it. I have a special antipathy for Barr since he tried to get Wiccans banned from the military a few years ago.

[betterthansushi]

two of the guys in my bands are republicans who always rolled their eyes at me for supporting obama (obviously im just young and stupid...) but today in our daily group emails one of them said "did you all watch that debate last night? Obama is gonna run away with this." So although they may not be thrilled about that, they are atleast starting to see the McCain is making an ass of himself more than he's helping his own case...

[spiffystuff]

My fam decided to vote libertarian after McCain voted for the bailout

[dakotawitch]

I wish there was a way I could get hard numbers on how many people are taking this step, especially in places like my home state of South Dakota. There's a strong libertarian streak that runs through even the Democrats there, and I'm curious how many will make the choice to vote libertarian rather than Dem. As I said, I've got a special antipathy for Barr, though I'm intrigued at the idea that a guy who introduced federal legislation to ban an entire religious group from the military is now running on the ticket of a party that espouses personal liberty. Either way...if you can't get 'em over to Obama, at least get 'em away from McCain :)

[spiffystuff]

Yeahhh, I think the "party" that best describes my views are "libertarian democrats" (or Democratic Freedom Caucus)
I would be libertarian but I think the government needs to regulate the market to keep other parties from imposing distortions (monopolies, trusts, etc), and I like a certain amount of progressive recycling. Plus I'm very pro-environment and think it needs special protections, but *reasonable* ones that work with people and not against them (ie, the current Endangered Species Act makes it in people's best interest to preemptively destroy habitat before endangered species can re-colonize :P

Health care I'm ambivalent on... I think socialized and (regulated) capitalist systems both have pros and cons; but I think the current system is the worst of both words and needs to change. Obama's plan seems more solid than McCain's.

[dakotawitch]

Indeed. I come from a family that is much like what you describe, and many in my part of the country are the same way. We basically don't like government intervention unless it's either military (and then for only good reasons as a last resort) or if it's benevolent -- as in regulating the markets, regulating healthcare, etc. At the same time, most of us are pro-2nd amendment (NRA family here), prohunting, and pro-small government. I think alot of it's cultural -- rural state with less than a million people. My partner and I were talking about it last night, actually -- I'm very pro-2nd Amendement, but I don't see the necessity for me to have a handgun in my apartment in Dallas. When we move out to the country and have a 40acre spread, then, sure, there'll be a shotgun behind the door :) I've found the sportsmen and women in my home part of the country (and here in Texas) to be some of the most pro-environment people I've ever met. It's an odd mix to folks who live in culturally different areas of the country, but it works.