In terms of voting, I am registered as an independent which simply means that I have not declared which party I would like to be affiliated with. My reasons for doing this are simple enough: I do not want ANY party to think that they automatically have my vote, period. I want politicians to earn my vote and tell me why I should cast my vote for them.

One of my reasons for doing this is because of the very real fear that either of the two main parties could be overrun by ideologues and be made into something completely different. Patrick J. Buchanan’s book, Where the Right Went Wrong, chronicles how a core group of neoconservatives have taken over much of the agenda of the Republican Party.

I’ve never been comfortable saying that I am a neoconservative thinker or voter and this book has finally given me the answers as to why. Yes, I believe that looking at how I live my life and go about my business that I am much more conservative than liberal in just about all aspects of everyday existence. However, today’s “conservative” label – while obviously the majority in America – has always seemed a bit off to me.

For example – how can conservatives endorse dramatic increases in social welfare spending, amnesty in immigration, expansive foreign policies, worldwide free trade (gross), and the constant removal of American jobs to cheaper international locales? I want to declare myself proudly as a conservative, but these are by NO means traditional conservative values.

Mr. Buchanan, a three-time former Presidential candidate, easily rips through how what has becomes today’s “conservatism” is really just a neoconservative mindset. Further, he discusses how neoconservatives have given up the heart and soul of the conservatism practiced by President Ronald Reagan in the 1980’s and Senator Barry Goldwater in the 1960s. The true conservatism that Mr. Buchanan speaks about this book is the conservatism that I agree with – the America first conservatism.

An example for you regarding the current military policy. Right now, we have troops in South Korea, Japan, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. I understand all of the needs to have these troops here, etc. But, must our troops remain in these areas? Take Germany for instance. Why can we not move our troops out of Germany now that they are a fully functioning Democratic Republic? Sure, keep a small base there and continue to operate that little hospital, but by-and-large shut down the United States operations in Germany! And what of us being in Japan? Why can we not pull our troops out of Japan and allow them to rebuild their navy and a new, smaller amphibious army?

South Korea is a little more tricky, but would it not be prudent given current events to tell China and Russia – this is your problem and you need to deal with it because we’re moving our troops out. Listen folks, the reason that North Korea is contained where they are is because AMERICAN troops keep them plugged up. When did it become America’s problem to make sure Asia is secured in the 21st Century? Russia and China are enjoying burgeoning capitalist systems at the expense of America putting our troops and spending our money on the North/South Korean border. Bullshit on that! Tell Russia and China to take some ownership over their continent and pull Americans out – we don’t need to be there any more.

I can have an entirely different conversation about the current missile situation. I tend to agree that if Japan wants to blow the Korean missiles off of the launchpad, then they should do it. Different subject, different post.

I recommend Where the Right Went Wrong to anyone who is a Republican voter but looks at the national party and its direction and goes, “Huh?” Buchanan does a great job of giving credit to Bush and Company where it is due such as the booming economy, the strong stance against the Taliban in Afghanistan, etc. However, this is not a “I like/dislike Bush” problem. This is a problem of a small handful of ideologues taking over a Grand Old Party and trying to remake it in their perfect world vision.

It’s a good read – look for it at the local library or the Barnes & Noble.