Will the real Republicans please stand up!

[Matt J]

DFSBoy, when has Sheriff Ralph Johnson displayed his "core republican values"?

When he got the county involved in a discrimination lawsuit? When he tried to illegally spend funds that were supposed to be returned to the county?

Say what you want, but my impression of a Republican was one that followed the fiscally conservative, small government, and personal freedoms party line. Not the very recent addition of conservative christian values and spending like a drunken sailor.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I AM independent, and as soon as possible after I cast my vote in this local election, I will promptly switch back. It is absurd that I have to change freakin' political parties to vote on the local level, but I do it because I want my vote against Ralph Johnson to count.

 

[DFSboy]

DFSBoy, when has Sheriff Ralph Johnson displayed his "core republican values"?

When he got the county involved in a discrimination lawsuit? When he tried to illegally spend funds that were supposed to be returned to the county?

Say what you want, but my impression of a Republican was one that followed the fiscally conservative, small government, and personal freedoms party line. Not the very recent addition of conservative christian values and spending like a drunken sailor.

sowalgayboi,

What does this Thread have to do specifically with Sheriff Ralph Johnson, besides him being one of many Republican Candidates that are being asked to share their beliefs/thoughts or basically where they stands on certain issues---not necessarily pertaining to being elected Sheriff? However, I'd like to hear him reply just as any other local Republican Candidate. They (Republican Candidates) have decided, by choice, to associate themselves with a party. Why?

But to you, sowalgayboi, try now staying on track; remember the question I asked you in the first sentence as written in the above paragraph, should you decide to respond to this reply.

And by the way, if you would read my earlier comment(s) more carefully, you would notice that the sheriff's race was mentioned solely as an example.

 

[Matt J]

sowalgayboi,

What does this Thread have to do specifically with Sheriff Ralph Johnson, besides him being one of many Republican Candidates that are being asked to share their beliefs/thoughts or basically where they stands on certain issues---not necessarily pertaining to being elected Sheriff? However, I'd like to hear him reply just as any other local Republican Candidate. They (Republican Candidates) have decided, by choice, to associate themselves with a party. Why?

But to you, sowalgayboi, try now staying on track; remember the question I asked you in the first sentence as written in the above paragraph, should you decide to respond to this reply.

And by the way, if you would read my earlier comment(s) more carefully, you would notice that the sheriff's race was mentioned solely as an example.

In your earlier responses you stated that you felt officials should give their views on "conservative values" because it is a stepping stone to further things. As far as the Sheriff goes that is the highest elected office any law enforcement office can hold in Florida if not the country. So a Sheriff's candidate isn't going to go off and run for a higher law enforcement office.

So I ask you, would you vote for one cadidate over the other if all of their beliefs were in line except say for instance abortion? Even though at a county level this issue would never come up you would still vote for the other candidate that agreed with you? I don't understand where this comes into play in county level elections. How do you or the Republican party prioritize which issue is a higher priority?

I realize that you mention how county level elections are a stepping stone for politicians, but can you name one state or federal elected official that served as an elected official in Walton county?

It seems to me to add these issues is only to muddy the waters and shift focus away from important issues at hand, such as education, development, and budget issues.

 

[CPort]

I hope moral values cross party lines at all levels of government.

 

[ameliaj]

and sometimes those "Christian ideas" don't seem so Christian like. ;-)

Amen, sister!

 

[hnooe]

Ok, as a Republican I can answer this one. Yes, yes indeed these are important issues to my party. Remember, voting is a personal choice, and the position of a sheriff candidate (for example) on these important issues should have an effect on a Republican Voters' decision when casting a vote.

Rhonda Skipper shared (via printed material) her positions on some of these and other important conservative issues during her initial bid for tax collecter four years ago, and I really appreaciated it---wheather I agreed or not, which I did.

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Yes. And I for one definitely want my Tax Collector to stand firmly against abortion and gay marriage--I mean, it does make total logical sense, doesn't it? She will only be the more honest and fair when it come to collecting our taxes, right?

Rhonda said it, I believe it, and that settles it! humpf!

 

[hnooe]

and sometimes those "Christian ideas" don't seem so Christian like. ;-)

very true. It is like anything that gets closed off from debate and analysis, it festers and ends up hurting people. I really now understand the quote, "Jesus , save me from your followers."

 

[Everytime]

5th Gen Local & DFSBoy:

I don't live in your county/state, but my county's voting record (Shelby County, Alabama) is very similar to that of Walton County. 100% of our elected officials are Republicans, and our county's voters tend to vote 75% - 80% Republican at the state and national level.

Why is it so necessary to pigeonhole candidates, and for that matter, voters, on individual issues? I may agree with you on some of the issues and disagree with you on others, and there may be other "conservative" values which I hold that you may disagree with. I've voted mostly Republican my entire voting life, and pulled for the Republican candidates since I was a kid and knew what voting was. Am I not a "true" or "real" Republican based on your selection criteria? Who is on the committee that determines which of these criteria we must meet to be considered Republicans?

 

[Gypsea]

5th Gen Local & DFSBoy:

I don't live in your county/state, but my county's voting record (Shelby County, Alabama) is very similar to that of Walton County. 100% of our elected officials are Republicans, and our county's voters tend to vote 75% - 80% Republican at the state and national level.

Why is it so necessary to pigeonhole candidates, and for that matter, voters, on individual issues? I may agree with you on some of the issues and disagree with you on others, and there may be other "conservative" values which I hold that you may disagree with. I've voted mostly Republican my entire voting life, and pulled for the Republican candidates since I was a kid and knew what voting was. Am I not a "true" or "real" Republican based on your selection criteria? Who is on the committee that determines which of these criteria we must meet to be considered Republicans?[/quote]

Excellent point. I have always wondered why to be considered either a "true" R or a D you have to go down a list and check all the boxes. Who made up the non negotiable list anyway? Why don't politicians set all of that aside, take the best ideas from both camps and end up doing whats best for the American people? That is what Teddy Roosevelt would do. ;-)