Democratic Rationale
By: Nick Hess
I am now a registered Democrat. There is a sentence I thought I would never say. However, this year, with the GOP nomination already decided and the Democratic race in hot contention, I decided to switch. As a Pennsylvania voter, I have a unique opportunity to make my primary vote count, even if it is not in my party of choice. Most of you know that, by the time a Presidential primary reaches Pennsylvania, the nomination is always well in hand, if not clinched already. This year, Pennsylvania is pivotal in the closest and most exciting primary battle in decades. (Incidentally, it is ironic to me that the one state that did not move up their primary this year to “have their votes count” is now the state with the most influence. Pennsylvania now has 6 weeks with the candidates all to itself; no other state in the picture, but that is another topic.) Some would say it is unethical to switch parties simply to influence the other party’s primary. I dismiss this as both untrue and irrelevant. This assertion is irrelevant because legally I can do it. It is untrue because I have a right to vote. I have a right to express my vote in whichever way I choose to elect the person I want. In this Presidential election, I want to get John McCain elected. Therefore, I will be casting my primary vote against Barack Obama. Yes, that does mean that on April 22 I will actually enter a voting booth, close the curtain, and pull the lever for Hillary Clinton. Then my goal will be to make it to the restroom before vomiting. Voting for Hillary is something I see as a necessary evil in order to get Senator McCain elected President. There are three main reasons why I will be voting for Hillary.
She will be easier to beat in the general election than Barack Obama. This is true for many reasons. The first is that the Democratic Party will be more deeply divided. Barack Obama is in the lead at the moment, and this nomination will almost certainly be decided at convention. The only foreseeable way for Hillary to win the nomination at that point is if the super-delegates vote for her by a wide margin. Blacks are currently voting for Barack Obama at a rate of 10 to 1. Being that Barack is the first black man with a legitimate shot at winning the Presidency, if he lost the nomination at convention, right or wrong it would be seen as racism. They would see it as the establishment once again screwing the black community. Many blacks would be incredibly angry at the Democratic Party and the Clintons. Even if they did not vote for John McCain, it would give McCain an easy win in November.
The Democrats have exactly zero chance to win without the black vote, which they have had in their hip pockets for a generation. Young people are voting for Barack by a 2 to 1 margin. This is the first candidate most young voters have ever been excited about, and his losing could quite possibly turn them off to politics forever. How amazing would that be? Hopefully they would at least stay away long enough to grow a brain and become conservatives. Also, half the country absolutely loathes Hillary Clinton. That half of the country would be energized to stop her from getting elected. That would provide John McCain with a much-needed base and voting bloc. Again, it would be easier to beat Hillary. For some reason, people seem to be in love with Barack Obama even though they know nothing about him. That’s scary. All these theories are confirmed by the latest polls, which show McCain running about 10 points better against Hillary. I would say he would be favored against Hillary and an underdog against Obama. It is essential that she win the nomination.
Even if Hillary does not win the nomination in the end, the closer it is the better. The more infighting that occurs within the Democratic Party, the better it is for the Republicans. The Democrats will trash each other while Senator McCain gets a free pass. Also, Senator McCain gets to raise money while the Democrats spend it. Hillary and Barack are set to spend about $100 million in Pennsylvania. During that time Senator McCain will raise about $50 million. That $150 million swing is an incredible advantage when it comes to the general election. Also, after the nominations become official at convention, the candidates are subject to federal spending limits. This will create an even bigger money advantage for the Republicans. In a down year for the party, this advantage is crucial to victory.
The last reason Hillary should be nominated is that she would be a better President. The bottom line is that if I had to choose between Barack and Hillary, I would be forced to choose Hillary. She is less liberal, less scary, and more qualified. Barack Obama is the most liberal Senator in the United States. Hillary is ranked somewhere in the teens. Could you imagine if we actually elected the most liberal U.S. Senator President? That would be a horrific error. We always talk about the lunatic liberal fringe and how they are so far off the deep end. Now imagine if we put those loonies in the White House. Barack Obama is part of the liberal fringe, my friends. No one realizes this because he screams “change” and Chris Matthews “got shivers on his leg.” No one ever actually researched his positions or his record. He is a media darling. It is impossible to even predict what this man would do if he got into office. That is a risk we cannot take. The damage to this country could be irreparable. The best conservatives have been able to attain in recent decades is slowing the progress of liberalism. We have never been able to roll it back.
For all these reasons and many more, Hillary must win or at least closely contest the nomination. I encourage all Republicans to make their vote count and switch parties. It is also imperative that you vote for Hillary, not Barack. Do not be blinded to the liberalism of Obama by your hatred for the Clintons. You can switch parties up until March 24. The Pennsylvania primary is on April 22. Let’s deliver the state and nomination to Hillary and, in the process, put a conservative that much closer to the White House for another four years. We are only one vote away from a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, after all.
