danielredbeard’s weblog

What a difference a week makes. Actually, the most change happened within 24 hours of Obama’s Barakopolis speech, which was a monumental dissapointment for me – then an undecided voter. McCain has really surprised me in this race so far. He has fight in him, and I find myself identifying with his fight more and more.

To be clear, though, McCain is not my first, second or third choice to be atop the GOP ticket. My guy was Ron Paul, and even as I type tonight I wish it were he that will speak tomorrow night. But he’s not, McCain is, and up until McCain tapped Palin I was planning or leaning on voting Obama just to teach the GOP a lesson, just as I did when I voted for Sherrod Brown in ‘06. DeWine is no Conservative, and I helped vote his ass out of the Senate, gladly.

When McCain became the apparent winner of the nomination process, and as we approached the conventions, he began a strategic fight that I’m not sure the Obama folks thought he had in him. It has resonated with me and others I know. Then he tapped Palin, one of two wish-list possibilities I dreamed of, and for the last 5 days Big Media has put her through way more scrutiny than Obama has received in 19 months.

What Big Media is doing to her 17 year old daughter, and 4 month old special needs son is inexcusable. Yet my gut tells me their antics are working to help the McCain/Palin ticket, which is not an appropriate dish of justice, but somewhat satisfying nonetheless.

Tonight, though, as my wife and I watched Gov. Palin give her speech, I saw the future of “mainstream” Conservatism emerge. There are some very bright lights on the horizon – folks with substance whom are going back to basics in terms of Conservatism. I really thing Bush II was the far-swing of the pendulum that was needed to bring the party back to its senses.

I realized that what this last week has given me is a sense of enjoyment for the political process. That enjoyment hasn’t been around in a long, long time. Bush gave a taste of it in his first run, but that was about it. Hearing Palin speak, watching McCain run a very well-thought out campaign, and hearing the conversations around it really have me engaged.

Taking a note from the aforementioned rising stars of Conservatism, I’ve remembered why I believe what I believe. Now that wife and I are business owners, these beliefs are underscored several times over.

To boil down this election, Obama’s policies will negatively impact my business by way of his proposed new taxes and mandatory health care coverage, and McCain is proposing to cut my taxes. Add to that a pro-life platform, and that’s about all I need. I’m now just enjoying the ride. I look forward to seeing this all unfold.