Beware of RINOs?

Well, here it comes. We’re two weeks away from the primaries, so the name-calling has to come out in full force.

I had a lot to do today, so I wasn’t able to follow the blogs as closely as I would have liked, but every single one that I visited had to have at least one comment about Pat McCrory being a RINO.

Seriously? We’re still using that stupid little jab? That is SO 4 years ago.

Let’s take a minute to define that word. I’m particularly interested in what it means to be a RINO because, well, let’s face it, I’ve been called one on SEVERAL occasions, and I don’t think it’s because I have gray, scaly skin and a huge horn on my nose.

To the Rush Limbaughs of the world, the worst thing you can call someone is a RINO. A “Republican in Name Only”. So vague, and yet so demeaning. Such a great comeback when you have absolutely nothing else to say to prove your point. But really, what does it MEAN to be a RINO?

Judging from my experience, a RINO is someone within the Republican Party who actually has their own mind. Rather than have the party elites tell them what to think, they tend to do it themselves, much to the chagrin of the elites.

You see, the party elites would much prefer to have a bunch of brain-washed zombies wandering around blindly spewing their beliefs. These are the people that tell us we should want smaller government, but that the federal government should be able to listen to our phone conversations and play God with the national economy. They’re much better off with a bunch of people who don’t ask questions.

Like I said only a week or two ago: I don’t always agree politically with McCain, but I like him because he doesn’t let the Republican Party push him around (or at least, he didn’t use to let them push him around…).

So basically, a RINO may be defined by any number of things. You think we should lower spending before lowering taxes? You might be a RINO. You recognize and respect that there is more than one religion in America? Probably a RINO. Anytime you’re a Republican that dares to think outside of the GOP box, you’re definitely a RINO.

I can’t tell you why people think Pat McCrory is a RINO. It kind of works like a witch hunt, or the “Red Scare”. All it takes is a couple people to call him a RINO, and everyone else follows suit, for fear of being called one themselves.

I've been called a RINO for several years now, and I've never once shed a tear over it. To me, it means I don't let the party completely shape my beliefs. I agree with a great deal of the Republican Party platform, which is why I associate myself with them, but I don't agree 100% with anyone, let alone the entire party. If having the ability to think for myself makes me a RINO, then guilty as charged. The same goes for my voting -- I vote for the person, not the party. I have never once voted straight ticket anything.

So basically, I have two questions for you:

1) Do you consider Pat McCrory a RINO and why?

and if so

2) Why do you think referring to someone as a "RINO" is such a horrible thing? Do we really want a candidate that doesn't have the ability to think for himself/herself?