It’s time for me to come clean. I’m a RINO.

That terrible label that’s been attached to the squishes that always give in and don’t hold true conservative beliefs? R-I-N-O? “Republican In Name Only?”

I think I’m actually the RINO.

I say that because I’m finding more and more that the Republicans aren’t the conservatives. Being a conservative and aligning yourself with a Republican doesn’t make Republicans conservative. It just means you’re aligning with the least liberal, least horrible of the viable options.

I don’t really want to take up the label “RINO” because of what it has represented. But, the reality is, the Republican Party isn’t a bunch of conservatives. But, a bunch of conservatives vote for the Republicans.

We got two options: take over the Republican Party, or form our own party.

The problem is, we’re so independent, it’s hard to get together and all work the same. For instance, some conservatives have varying issues on religion. Some are atheist. Some are agnostic. Some are Catholic. Some are Baptist. Some are Jewish. Some are one of any other number of variations on Christianity, Judaism, as well as other faiths (and lack of faiths).

That, in turn, leads to varying beliefs on issues like homosexuality. I believe it’s contrary to Scripture, and, therefore, a sin. But, I’m not one to yell in my homosexual friends’ and family members’ faces, saying they’re going to hell. I don’t think they are, but I think homosexuality is a sin. However, some disagree strongly with me about it, saying there’s nothing wrong with it. Others disagree the other way, saying I should be getting all up in their faces. And, others disagree in varying degrees one way or another.

I’ll stop there, but it shows how on those two issues, conservatives can’t agree on one common response. If we try to form our own party, effectively splitting from the GOP, we’ll splinter even further into varying forms of conservatism. Kinda like what happens when a Baptist church splits. A town starts with one and suddenly, there’s Baptist churches everywhere. Not always because they’re setting up missions that turn into full-fledged churches, but usually because somebody doesn’t like the new carpet (great Aunt Gladys bought the old carpet), or the preacher’s tie is too wide, or the organist shops at the wrong store, or something equally silly.

I think there’s a party in place that we can take back. Goldwater put the seeds in place in ’64. Reagan took control in ’80. In the intervening time, we lost it. Whether its because those we put in office start playing the game of staying in power rather than doing the will of the people, or its because they were slimy weasels to begin with, the Republican Party isn’t run by conservatives. We get lip service. And not the good kind.

I may actually be one of the ones who are Republican In Name Only. Because I’m actually a conservative.

We need good, young, strong, principled conservatives running for office and leading the party. Instead of a bunch of weasels who are just enjoying the Party at our expense.