Do You Want My Vote or Not?

As I am sure all of you have noticed, many of my posts lately have been politically focused. I'm in a transition, if you will. For years my political views have been evolving, most of them inching toward the more conservative view. Having children and having to spend my own hard-earned money instead of parent's has certainly pushed me in that direction. But I'm not a full-blown, traditional republican. There are still a few issues that I have a more liberal stance on, and my opinion isn't likely to change. One example is gay rights. It is the one issue that I whole-heartedly disagree with the republican party's official stance on. And that's ok. I don't think that people have to agree on every issue. I think what makes American so great is that different opinions and different lifestyles are valued.

For me, the most important issues facing our country have more to do with the financial state and the attempt at dissolving the constitution than current social dilemmas. This country needs to get back on track. We need to stop spending. We need get rid of politicians from both sides who refuse to work together and who are hurting America. I believe the Republican approach to budget and taxes are what is going to get our economy out of the shitter. So I vote republican. I've recently become more active on twitter, and I follow people from all political backgrounds. Some of them are extremely liberal, some are extremely conservative, but there are a lot of people who, like me, fall somewhere in between. The gay rights issue really comes into play here too. So many of the people I see are totally republican, except they support gay rights. I think if there were to ever be a republican politician who supported gay marriage he (or she) would bridge the gap between the two parties and the Republicans might actually win an election then. And that politician is out there somewhere.

I know I'm not alone. I talk to so many people who say that if the Republican Party didn't focus so much on "traditional" marriage and didn't constantly revert to God and The Bible as their reasoning for everything that they would probably be a Republican. The GOP is missing out on a huge population of voters. Yes, it is unfortunate that people place social issues above the financial state of our country, but nevertheless they do it. And they vote. I am constantly seeing self proclaimed "true conservatives" on twitter bashing everyone who claims to be a republican but does not completely agree with everything they say. Anyone who is a RINO (Republican in name only) and not a #TCOT (top conservatives on twitter) should get the hell out of the party. This approach doesn't work. I don't think any of those people should change their own beliefs, but they have to start accepting that there are those of us out there that are standing on a ledge, trying to decide which way to fall. The Democrats will always catch us, because they know they need our votes. It's time for the Republican Party to stop pushing us over to them and fight for us to vote GOP. It is impossible to win an election if you insist that only people who completely agree with you represent your party. Do you really want to oust me over 1 damn issue? Do you really think that gay marriage is more important than jobs and the economy and the constitution? Do you want my vote or not? Because if you do, you are going have to accept that I don't fit into your perfect, Republican-shaped mold.