Republicans aren't all bad... No, Seriously!

Just got off the phone with a Republican survey. Basically, it was your basic "if the election were held today..." phone call. Now, I wouldn't have answered as the CallerID said "Friends of Doc" as in Doc Hastings my too long in office Congressman.

As you can see, he looks downright creepy with a goatee...

But as my parents are not morning people, I picked up the phone so they wouldn't wake up. I didn't even let the poor lady get a word in edgewise as I began to tell her that Doc wouldn't get my vote even if I were on my deathbed. Well, it turned out she wasn't there to talk about him. So, I thought I'd give her a shot. It turned out is was more about our governor and the presidential race.

So, I decided I'd try to be as open and pleasant as possible without being personal with the candidates. It turned out to be a very pleasant experience so I thought I'd write a little about it. (I was going to do it on Google+, but I thought I'd use my blog instead.)

First, the gubernatorial race between Attorney General Rob McKenna and former Representative Jay Inslee. I explained to her that while I normally vote strictly Democrat, I'm a little hesitant when it comes to this race. I am leaning Democratic, but I have great respect for Rob as an AG. I think he is a man of great integrity. I also think he has come out better in the two debates I have heard between him and Mr. Inslee. (I actually wish he would stay as AG, the two guys running for that position can't seem to agree which one of them missed the most King County council meetings.)

However, Mr. McKenna has come out against gay marriage and joined a bunch of other AGs in filing suit against Obamacare. Doesn't really endear him to me.

Then, she asked me about Mr. Romney. What could I say but it didn't matter if I voted today or on Election Day, he would not have my vote.  And then she asked me why. I explained it was the National Republican Party. I explained that the economics and the foreign policy didn't matter to me as much as the justice issue. That I didn't believe the Republicans were any longer a party that believed in the values put forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Items in particular:

• the party is anti-women
• the party seems to be about hate and taking rights away from people
• the party is too tied to one religion and is consistently trying to foist one set of values on a diverse population
• the Christian right has too much influence on the party
• the denigrating of science and people that are educated, and the glorifying of ignorance
• the idea that science and faith are mutually exclusive ( I even told her I was Mormon and not the only one that won't be voting for Romney.)

I explained to her that until the Republicans took a long hard look at themselves they would never have my vote. I also told her that if the Republicans were just fiscal conservatives they'd have my respect. I even toyed with voting for Gov. Huntsman since he was so rational.

She then asked how long I had been voting strictly Democratic. I told her since George W Bush's re-election. I explained one of my problems was when I first noticed that Republicans (in the federal sense, at least) were no longer representing their individual constituencies as much as the party line and more particularly GW's line. (One of my pet peeve's with Doc, actually.)

All in all, it was very pleasant. I asked her to pass my concerns on up the line.  And I apologized for leaping down her throat when I thought she was for Doc. Maybe I should pick up the phone more often, instead of screening my calls??