As we gear up for the 2016 presidential race, conservatives both grassroots and activists and national figures, have begun campaigning in a sense, for who they think is the best candidate for the job. And some of the choices have made me stop and ponder whether some people are being a little hypocritical when it comes to their chosen candidate and how they have acted in the past.
The issue that I’m getting at is one of experience, namely experience in politics and with certain important policies and issues. I recall back in 2008 when it was Obama VS. McCain, conservatives went after Obama for his severe lack of experience, and that he was not at all prepared to become the leader of the free world. Even touting the experience of McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin.
Now fast forward six years, and people are choosing candidates. Some of the candidates, have been praised for their lack of experience. Individuals such as Dr. Ben Carson, who rose to national stardom after his public condemnation of Obamacare during his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, Carly Fiorina who was the CEO of Hewlett-Packard and ran unsuccessfully against Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2010, and Senators Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Kentucky).
I pose the question, don’t these people embody what they fought against in 2008, a severe lack of experience and knowledge in key issues and policy making? The only real difference between Sen. Obama and these individuals is that Obama is liberal his views, and these individuals are all conservative, even libertarian, in their views.
All of the potential candidates I listed above are good people I am sure. But they are not what we need. Remember, it was a president with a lack of experience that has gotten us into this mess. Do you truly think that putting someone like Cruz or Carson into the presidency would be a wise decision with what they would be facing? It seems that the last six years have made people upset with the workings of Washington, and have only seen the dark side of politicians. But what they have forgotten is that people with experience have gotten great things done, people who have lived a life a public service and still follow the will of the people. That seems to have been forgotten, and now we find ourselves pitted against one another in a battle over how politicians gotten us into this mess and how only a non-politician can get us out and no other. That is a very dangerous view, and one that I oppose.
In such serious times as we are in, it is not good for conservatives to divide and bounce about, going for candidates who present a limited skill set in a world on the brink of chaos, and would need guidance in the matters of policy making and what is needed to be done.
As for Sen. Ted Cruz. Cruz is a first term senator, who to his credit is a good conservative, a good speaker, but has done nothing in the way of legislation. I know people like to play the card that they were under a Democrat majority with a Democrat president, but that is no excuse. It has been proven before that you can pass good legislation if you work hard for it. Rick Santorum proved that to be true as a Congressman, serving in DC while Bill Clinton occupied the White House, pushing through welfare reform that eventually passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by Clinton. So pulling that trick won’t work for Cruz and others.
I would much rather keep Sen. Cruz, Sen. Lee and Sen. Rubio in the senate. Some of these freshman senators still need to prove themselves in matters of policy and passing good reforms and legislation. We need someone with a record of accomplishments and success’ in working to pass laws, and not just rhetoric.
In closing I would like to bring up the topic with which I began. I beg my fellow conservatives to not fall into hypocrisy. Stay the course, politicians are good people too, we knew this at one point. Let us clear our vision and move toward the shining city on the hill.
The American Tea Man 