Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist Manilan Houle, of Minneapolis, is the first person waiting in line outside a polling station in downtown Minneapolis on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, on the first day of early voting in Minnesota in the 2018 midterm elections. Minnesota law allowed in-person voting to begin Friday — a full 46 days early — making it the first battleground state to begin casting actual votes in the broader fight for control of Congress. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
There has been much written about how the only way to supposedly save the Republican Party is to vote for Democrats on midterm election day.
To be sure, I understand the frustrations many have with the GOP and its leader, President Donald J. Trump. I do not back down from criticizing our nation’s leader. In addition, I also praise him and his actions when deserving. There is simply no other way to address this or any other presidency.
Unfortunately, some on the Right who call themselves the truly “principled” ones (Tom Nichols, George Will, etc) are convinced that restoring conservatism means a full and uncritical embrace of the opposition. There is nothing so selfish as this reasoning. Even former Never-Trumpers such as myself realize how ludicrous this tactic sounds and on midterm election morning, I voted for the Republican candidates on my ballot without question.
As I wrote at Washington Examiner, choosing to support Democrats, a party that continues to lean toward socialism, is not a position worth considering.
Democrats desire to expand the role of government and entitlements, take a lax approach to national security and defense, and protect a woman’s supposed right to violently destroy her unborn child. They should receive no proactive help from politically homeless, dissatisfied Republicans. There must be no support of these policy leanings no matter who resides in the White House. I can think of no excuse for actively propping up their platform, regardless of the national and international frustration and embarrassment our president brings. Such a direction is untenable.
The desire for a return to principled conservatism is understandable — I share it, too. But it is dormant, not dead.
Perhaps most important of all is that the midterm elections have nothing to do with the president of the United States. He is not on the ballot. As with primaries or any general election, voters should look at individual candidates and decide who they will support. If one desires to reject Trump himself, then that is an option available on the next presidential election day. It is proper to question the majority, their promises, actions, and the direction they are heading as we look into the future that goes beyond this halfway point, but overcorrecting and handing the reins to Democrats will only degrade things further.
If Republican voters are concerned with a lack of interest in tackling Planned Parenthood funding, how will Democrats, who seek to expand upon that, be an improvement?
If runaway spending frustrates you, then what will be your response to Democrats and a ballooning purse of entitlements?
If President Trump’s penchant for insults causes you embarrassment, then what are your thoughts on Representative Maxine Waters’ call to publicly harass and intimidate administration officials? How do you feel about the false sexual assault allegations and egregious behavior toward Justice Kavanaugh during his confirmation proceedings?
No, things are sometimes less than ideal with this batch of Republicans, but with Democrats, they will be worse.
So finally, here is my list of reasons to vote Democrat:
- You shouldn’t.
- See #1.
On November 3, 2020, when you step into the polling booth to choose between the president and whichever challenger the Democrats can eventually rally around, you’ll be able to address Trumpism if you so desire.
But selecting a Democrat on midterm election day to somehow get back at a man who isn’t even an option is entirely foolish.
Kimberly Ross is a senior contributor at RedState and a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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