Update: Read iMonk’s Whine and Sheesh Party.  Excellent stuff, from someone unenthusiastically voting McCain.

Bob Barr is not a candidate to get excited about.  At least, I’m not excited.  I’m kinda lethargic about the whole thing.  I haven’t listened to his speeches, read his press releases, watched him on YouTube, or read the blog.  If something unexpected happens, preventing me from getting to the voting booth, I won’t cry about it.  But I’m certain I’ll get there, and I’m fairly certain I’ll be voting Bob Barr.

What I’m absolutely certain about is that I won’t be voting for John McCain.  Ready for something shocking?  Gun to my head, forced to vote for one of the two major parties, I’d vote Obama.  No, I don’t like his policies. I don’t think Obama with a hugely Democratic Congress is a good thing.  But there’s no way in hell I’m rewarding the party that’s supposed to be representing conservatism with my vote.  

And least of all for John McCain.

I can’t understand the reasons conservatives are contriving for supporting McCain.  I can’t.  I don’t get it. He is manifestly not a conservative, and the fact that some people have figured out ways to convince themselves that he is just shows how far the definition of “conservatism” has shifted.  

I mean, come on.  He complains about Obama’s economic policies.  Are you kidding me?  The man whines about socialism, redistribution, and earmarks, but he supports bailouts and the government buying up bad mortgages.  One blogger complained recently about Obama’s Kenyesianism, citing it as one of the reasons he’s voting for, you guessed it, John McCain.  I can respond with just three letters:   W.T.F.

Complaints from McCain supporters about Obama’s tax policies are equally shocking.  I mean, after all:

The Republican argument of the moment seems to be that the difference between capitalism and socialism corresponds to the difference between a top marginal income-tax rate of 35 per cent and a top marginal income-tax rate of 39.6 per cent.

Beyond his obvious silliness in trying to make some actual distinction between himself and Obama on domestic policy, his foreign policy is beyond frightening.  Should he win, I think we’ll see a Lieberman Secretary of State.  And then that dynamic duo, along with Palin who seems to think we’re already at war with Iran, we’ll be changing our national anthem to “Bomb Iran” and taking over the whole Middle East.

And speaking of Palin.  Come on, folks.  She’s … nevermind.  I’m not even going to start.  If you don’t get why this woman can’t ever be our president (including, but not limited to, her complete misunderstanding of the simplest part of the First Amendment), and why her selection by McCain was reckless and demonstrated terrible judgment, I’m not going to convince you with anything I write here.  Yes, the media has been biased and vicious toward her.  But still.  

John McCain is a man who served his country honorably, but who dove head-first into Rove-style politics as soon as he got the nomination.  He is bad for conservatism, even if I do believe his desire is to honorably serve his country.

So I’m voting for Bob Barr.  He isn’t a great candidate, but he’s the only one who’s close to what small-government conservatism actually looks like.  

And because the Republicans deserve an embarrassing defeat on Tuesday.  And I hope they get it.

Bob Barr managed to piss off Ron Paul.  And you do not piss off Ron Paul.  

The Libertarian Party Candidate admonished me for “remaining neutral” in the presidential race and not stating whom I will vote for in November.   It’s true; I have done exactly that due to my respect and friendship and support from both the Constitution and Libertarian Party members.  I remain a lifetime member of the Libertarian Party and I’m a ten-term Republican Congressman.  It is not against the law to participate in more then one political party.  Chuck Baldwin has been a friend and was an active supporter in the presidential campaign.

I’ve thought about the unsolicited advice from the Libertarian Party candidate, and he has convinced me to reject my neutral stance in the November election.  I’m supporting Chuck Baldwin, the Constitution Party candidate.

Remember that “comeback” I was talking about for this blog?  Here it comes, and politics will drive it.  Coming down the final stretch, I figure it’s time to start blogging politics again.  Lots of stories lately, and here are the brief summaries:

Obama’s Acceptance Speech:  I’m not voting for Obama, and I didn’t think this was his best speech.  But his shots at McCain were bang on.  I’m not sure about the complaints that Obama didn’t mention enough policy.  He did what every candidate does at this stage of the game: he gave a broad overview of the policies.  But there’s no time in an acceptance speech to deal with particulars, counterarguments, and rebuttals.  Of course the speech raised questions.  It was one speech.  Nevertheless, despite the fact that I think he’s less big-government and more personal-responsibility oriented than 90% of the Democrats I’ve heard, he’s still too big-government for me.

McCain’s VP Pick – Sarah Palin:  It’s a brilliant pick, and I’m mad about it.  I like Sarah Palin, and having read more about her today, I wish she was representing the next generation of Republicans, and not attaching herself to the Bush-McCain neocons.  I think, though, that I’ll be slightly less disappointed about a McCain win with the Palin pick.  Slightly.  There’s always the possibility that Palin is nothing more than a two-month political move, and that McCain will brush her quickly to the sidelines if elected.

Rally for the Republic:  I wish I could be there.  Despite the fact that I’m 99% sure I’ll be voting for Bob Barr, I can’t seem to get enthused about him like I was about Ron Paul.  Paul had an energy about him that Barr doesn’t have.  If you’re libertarian-minded and haven’t joined the Campaign for Liberty yet, do so now, so they can reach their 100,000 goal by September 2!