(originally posted on www.redstate.com at http://www.redstate.com/blogs/gamecock/2006/oct/06/i_proudly_registered_to_vote_as_a_republican_today)

As the Redstate family knows, I experienced a conservative "epiphany" in June of 2001 after 20 years of activism in the Democrat Party. During those years, I was a party man. I disagreed with the notion of voting "for the man" in nearly all races, especially those for service in Washington, because my involvement in politics was to see policies I deemed best for the country to be enacted into law, and it's parties that run on platforms they deign to advance.

And now that I am a Republican (and even more officially so given my registration in a State that requires registration by party for the first time), I am a party man, and proudly so, despite the imperfections of the party.

I am not involved in politics and debate for the sport of it, although it can be invigoratingly sporting, or for vanity, though I be a vain recovering elitist chatterer (read geek) seeking affirmation and converts (Gamecock is honest about his need for prayer on the deadly sin of Pride).

But all this would be but sound and fury signifying nothing, if our efforts were not directed to the ultimate goal of correct policy and laws for the good of America and, by extension, mankind. (I'm also a Christian called to love all men and Go ye with the message, and history proves to me that God's providence was involved in the founding of this land and the miracle aberration of freedom for so many since our founding. I truly believe that our creative nation best approximates a sliver of what God intended in Eden and what he intends for his elect in eternity, but I digress. Boy did I digress!! sorry)

Let me tell you just how complete was my epiphany and how deep is my love and respect for the Republican Party. Yes, I was always a hawk on defense and being an econ major, Milton Friedman free marketer and Laffer Curve supply-sider. I go with what works. I was always furious that Democrats weren't for tax cuts. But I was a judicial elitist and a moralist that favored the democrat party to make myself feel morally superior by being for government giveaways to the "disadvantaged."

But I was also a rabid anti-racist and in the 70s, most racists I knew were republicans and most people I knew that reached out to Blacks were Democrats.

During the 90s I saw fellow democrats start to exhibit racist attitudes and saw republicans treat Blacks like I always wanted them to be treated, ie as equals that can compete and that can adhere to the same moral standards. I saw liberals grow callous about the lack of freedom in communist countries. I saw them cling to obviously failing policies. I looked in the mirror and saw a man that was living a lie and participating in a fraud. Being a cover for kooks. I began to notice that every time a democrat opened his mouth, and especially Bill Clinton, that they were saying things to justify policies that we all knew to be lies. Politically correct lies.

I arrived in Atlanta after 35 years in SC, to a politically correct nightmare world run amok. Surrounded by liberals with eyes glazed over. With their souls blackened. With people that either were hostile to people of faith or apologetic about their own. With black race hustlers and racist whites that used blacks for dependency victims to be the objects of their work and livelihood.

I read Robert Bork's Slouching Towards Gomorrah and The Tempting of America and saw the light on my legal profession. I saw all that Rush Limbaugh had been saying through my radio for 15 years all co0me tiogether. i saw the media as a TV show that was not to be trusted.

Maybe even more importantly, I saw the beauty of conservative thought and its consistency with faith and the judeo-christian vales I believed in.

I gained a newfound respect for people that had been conservatives since the 50s and since the 60s and since the 70s and since Reagan. I really saw how I had been fooled by the media and in denial about who really was in my party.

I found that as a Republican, I could say what I really knew to be true and be proud and not have to think before I spoke. I was liberated by truth, sound doctrine and ideals.

I converted ideologically and as one that knows oh so well, the decadence that is my former party. I loathe the Democrat Party like a reformed drug addict loathes his pusher.

And so, maybe more than even Kowalski and haystack, I hate to see Republicans that have the truth and proven successful principles on their side back off from aggressively, unapologetically advancing them. It is the principles of conservatism that animate me. Knowing they work. I must admit, that I have had moments of despair like haystack and "Ski" where I declared myself a Conservative with no party.... for about 5 seconds, during which time I heard noise from a Democrat contrasted with President Bush.

I am about this country getting the conservative spanking it needs!! On all fronts. That can only happen via the Republican Party. And we have in Reagan's example and in most election DAYS (remember that word, "DAYS") the key to victory. Aggressive, unapologetic conservatism works every time its tried.

It gets tried every election DAY, and the few weeks leading up when citizens transmogrify from inattentive life-livers to attentive voters. They pick conservatives, or those that articulate it, even if its Carter or Clinton fraud.

If our elected congressmen would just remember those DAYS and that another such DAY will come when they can count on adherence to conservative principles to be affirmed and rewarded with re-election, we can fix this country.

There is no other way this side of eternity but thru the GOP. The Grand Old Party that was formed to rid the world of slavery and which now wishes to rid the world of the latest fascist threat and restore America to the values that made us the Shining City ion the Hill.

God bless the GOP. Its great. Its just not perfect. For that, see Jesus Christ My Lord and put all this in perspective.


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