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I’m tired of the Republican Party. If you have been reading my work lately, or if you happen to follow me on Twitter, you might already know this. But I would bet everything I have that most of you are feeling the same way, especially after the latest midterm elections.

At this point, I believe any right-leaning individual would be fully justified in giving up on the party. In fact, this is precisely the predicament in which I find myself at this moment.

I tried to stick it out for as long as I could. Really, I did. But the GOP’s leadership, and its insistence on doubling down on stupid, have made staying with the party about as tricky as stealing a glass of Chardonnay from Nancy Pelosi.

The party has managed to turn out dismal performances in the past three elections and is poised to re-elect the leader who presided over these failures. As much as I would like to see attorney Harmeet Dhillon oust Ronna McDaniel, it seems Mitt Romney’s niece has her leadership position locked down tight. Additionally, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will likely become the next Speaker despite his lack of popularity with the base.

It seems that as time goes on, Republicans care less and less about what their base thinks. Case in point, a number of GOP lawmakers voted for a massive $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill. A huge chunk of said bill goes toward funding other countries, including about $50 billion to support the Ukrainian war effort. It will also allocate millions of dollars to woke causes that have nothing to do with protecting our rights. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) is one of the few lawmakers who pushed back on this proposal before its passage on Thursday.

This is only a small sample – the omnibus bill is 4,100+ pages full of more of the same!

That’s why Rep. Roy and 30 House Republicans have warned Senate Rs that they intend to block the policy priorities of ANY Senator who votes for this omnibus bill.

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— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) December 22, 2022

To put it simply, Republicans are just as horrific as Democrats – especially when it comes to protecting liberty. But from where I sit, they are even worse because Democrats don’t pretend to favor limited government or liberty. The GOP deceptively claims to champion both, while pursuing neither.

Despite the wishes of their constituents, they do not want to change. Instead, they seek to go back to business as usual, especially with former President Donald Trump out of office. These people are not going to protect liberty. At best, they might slow down those who desire to threaten it – if we’re lucky.

In short, I am not seeing a Republican Party that wishes to learn from its mistakes. Instead, I see a party that wants only to maintain the status quo.

But this is not what is happening. I know Hanlon’s razor teaches never to “attribute to malice that which can be attributed to stupidity.” However, it is too difficult for me to believe the GOP would continue – for decades – to employ strategies proven to be ineffective when it comes to winning over hearts and minds. At some point, it has to be deliberate to some extent.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t plenty of decent people in the GOP who genuinely want to bring about change; there are many in the grassroots movement. But as long as the party’s leadership remains at the helm, I can’t expect much in terms of advancing the cause of liberty and yanking the government’s boot off our necks.

So, what does this mean?

It means my focus will be primarily on making a difference at the local and state levels. I believe one’s mayor, city council, county sheriff, judges, and other local leaders have a bigger impact on one’s life than the person who occupies the White House. I will support liberty-minded candidates and initiatives at this level, regardless of party affiliation.

I am choosing liberty over party.

If I’m reading the tea leaves correctly – and I probably am – most people are fed up with their parties. They are tired of Democrats proposing silly solutions that only expand the power of the government. They are sick of Republicans complaining about Democrats’ solutions without offering real alternatives. If there was ever a time when the “uniparty” trope was applicable, it is now.

At this moment, I’m done with the party. So, instead of spinning my wheels with an organization that has proven to be just as statist as those they claim to oppose, I will be chasing liberty wherever I find it.

I’ll focus my efforts on supporting authentic men and women who truly wish to roll back the state and make a difference in their communities. These folks are far more deserving of our time, energy, and resources than McConnell, McDaniel, and McCarthy. For me and many others, it is time to say goodbye to “McLeadership” and hello to liberty.