An Oath

I am not sure what is going to happen with this debt limit thing. Republicans say that Democrats are just scaremongering and Democrats warn that if America defaults that it could mean serious economic consequences. In the end we will find out because something tells me there will not be a deal. In truth I am not sure I want their to be a deal because I want to put the final nail in the coffin. If indeed there is no deal and it blows over it vindicates Republicans and I will gladly vote for Republicans from there on. On the other hand if there is no deal and markets take a hit it will show that the Republicans are a party of immense irresponsibility that care for nothing except tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and were willing to hold the nation hostage for it. The reason I harp on Republicans is that the ball is in their court. Obama has promised to give on the issue of spending and has called for four trillion in cuts. Not only that but he has agreed not to raise anybody's tax rate, simply to close tax loopholes. Here is the moment when we will see where Republicans stand, and here is the moment when we will see if I can ever stand with Republicans. We have decided to swear an oath tomorrow and sign it in blood. The text of the oath is as followed.

I Austin Post, do solemnly swear that if, on the Second Day of July, 2011, the Congress of the United States shall have failed to raise the debt ceiling and in addition to this the Federal government shall enter default AND the Dow Jones Industrial Average shall decline by one hundred points or more on that day or the following prior to the closing bell, if all these conditions are met then I shall never vote for a candidate for any office no matter how high or low who is affiliated with the Republican Party ever again for the rest of my life under any circumstance, regardless of how much I agree or disagree with said candidate. Shall I fail in this oath I shall bring dishonor to myself and all possible future descendants and may my name be cursed for all generations.

There it is folks, the oath. Tomorrow I will really be signing this oath in blood. To sign this oath is not to entail I must vote for Democrats or even vote at all, it simply entails that I must never vote for a Republican under any circumstances. Some may say that this is a harsh pledge. I do not think so. As I said, the ball is in the Republicans' court. If they drop the ball and harm the economy it will send a message that the Republicans are too irresponsibility ideological and beholden to special interests to deserve to govern this country. In other words it will be a signal that the Republicans do not deserve to remain a party, they ought to be disbanded and another new political party take their place, left on the ash heap of history along with the Whigs, Know Nothings, Anti-Masonics, and Bull Moosers. Well what about responsible Republicans? To me, to remain a Republican after such an event would be fundamentally irresponsible. In other words, if indeed we go into default and the ramifications are as they are said to be there can be no such thing as a responsible Republican politician, in my humble opinion. The way I see it any responsible, rational Republican ought to leave the Republican Party at that point. There are a lot of Republicans I like, but if the following events happen I will not ever be able to vote for them regardless of how much I agree simply because they are a Republican. It is that simple. I am a man of my word, I will not go back.

I encourage others to sign the same pledge, inserting my name for theirs. Please note that this is a serious pledge, I am not some hippie who would vote Democrat no matter what. As I have said before I do not consider myself to be a liberal or conservative and yes I have supported and voted for Republicans. I supported Ron Paul in 2008, voted for my local Republican Congressman and numerous local Republicans in 2008 general election (but not for president), and voted in the Republican primary in 2010 for Rick Snyder, who eventually became governor of Michigan (though I regret it), and if I had not been forty miles from my polling station on election day I would have voted for him in the general (though I would have regretted it later). In addition, I really like some of the Republican candidates like Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, and Jon Huntsman (though I am not so kindly toward Bachmann and Romney). I would hate to have to ban myself from voting Republican for life, but if this is what it takes it is what it takes.

If after the day I can get more people to sign this pledge I will. If we can get a new center-right party started to replace the Republicans I would imagine that to be a good thing. The bottom line is if all the events I predicted come true I will never vote for anybody with the Republican label no matter what. So there you have it Republicans, the ball is in your court.