why the republican party deserves to lose this election.

Last night I was up late writing several different drafts for what was supposed to be my commentary on the election taking place today. In the end, I couldn’t come up with anything that I felt did justice to the staggering failure that both candidates represent in the way of political selection.

(credit: squawkboxnoise.wordpress.com)

Instead, I’ve decided to post this quick and dirty write up on why I think the Republican party deserves to lose this election. And, coming from a conservative-leaning independent voter like myself, I feel that I’m not alone in my criticisms.

After being forced to spend the last four years (!) of our lives watching a bunch of politicians vying for the title of ‘Not George Bush’ on the national stage, it’s important that some of us get the opportunity to vent our frustrations. Whether that venting involve flag burning, rioting in the streets, or writing blog posts that nobody is likely to read is up to you.
Personally, I’m considering all three options – starting with the last one first.

The first and foremost reason that Republicans deserve to see this election slip through their fingers is the evangelical vote that, lets face it, really just boils down to the single issue pro-life voter block. When evangelicals are the only ones bolstering a candidate as underwhelming as Mike Huckabee in the primaries, it speaks volumes to the level of commitment that this group has for the anti-abortion lobby.
It also illustrates exactly why a loser like John McCain was able to piece together the nomination for himself – despite other, much stronger, candidates.

Speaking of which, John McCain himself is another perfect example of how the Republican party is attempting to sabotage itself. This is a man who was vilified, and deservedly so, by the Republican base as being someone who pandered to the media and the left-wing. Yet, somehow, he still managed to pull in the full support of a Republican base that seems to have forgotten about ‘comprehensive immigration reform’ (read: amnesty), the McCain-Feingold Act, and his stance against supposed tax cuts ‘for the rich.’
How any conservatives anywhere could be excited about his nomination is a complete mystery to me.

And no listing of Republican failures in the 2008 election would be complete without mentioning McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as a VP candidate.
Yes, she’s gorgeous. Yes, she is even better looking in those photos of her toting a machine gun, and what woman wouldn’t be? She’s proven, however, to be nothing short of disastrously inexperienced and unprepared – two main arguments against an Obama administration. Why McCain would prop up Palin as a running mate only to cripple his own criticism of the largest weaknesses in Obama’s campaign, I will never know.

Lastly, and one of the most disconcerting reasons that Republicans deserve to lose this race, is the mainstream media. Anyone who is unaware that most of the mainstream media is a left-leaning, well-oiled machine has been ignoring reality over the last twenty years. Despite that fact, Republicans have won election after election – an obvious counterpoint to the belief that the ‘liberal media elite’ are controlling the minds of the public. If, like me, you got tired of hearing all the conspiracy theories of voter intimidation, fraud, and poll hacking from people who were unhappy with Bush’s victory in 2004, just wait until we’re inundated with theories about how the media is to blame for McCain’s failures.

These four points are by no means the only reasons that Republicans, all things being equal, should see some massive karmic payback in this election. However, they are the big ones. Personally I’m of the opinion that, should Obama win, he’ll pull a Jimmy Carter and end up being voted out of the White House by 2012.
That is, unless the Republican party doesn’t learn its lesson and tries to run Palin. God help us all.

So, please, kick back and enjoy the coming economic downturn, terrorist threats, and low expectations on Capitol Hill. Regardless of who wins, we’re all in this together and will be happily blaming whatever party is voted into office for all of our future ills. I, for one, will be here with years worth of non-constructive criticism and enjoying every minute of it.