Wednesday, April 02, 2014
Why I'm not a Republican
As I have mentioned before, there are political positions I hold, even ideological orientations, that align more closely with Republicans than Democrats-- for example, my experience working for an expansive federal government convinced me that Ronald Reagan was generally right about the dangers of self-perpertuating bureaucracies.
However, my problem with the Republican party has two primary parts. First, when they are in power, they don't act on their beliefs-- the do not shrink the federal government. To the contrary, they tend to expand it, as we have seen even under Ronald Reagan. Second, they too often put their party ahead of their country-- they seek political gain at all costs, even at the expense of the public good and deeply-held American principles.
For example, Republicans have begun a new wave of actions to restrict voting. This goes beyond even their previous gambit of requiring ID to combat fictional fraud-- a solution without a problem. Now-- and this is just wrong-- they want to restrict the days and times for voting.
Really? How can you defend a project to discourage people from voting? Encouraging people to participate in the mechanisms of public life is a long-held American principle. To cut against that for raw political gain is repulsive. And I am repulsed.
However, my problem with the Republican party has two primary parts. First, when they are in power, they don't act on their beliefs-- the do not shrink the federal government. To the contrary, they tend to expand it, as we have seen even under Ronald Reagan. Second, they too often put their party ahead of their country-- they seek political gain at all costs, even at the expense of the public good and deeply-held American principles.
For example, Republicans have begun a new wave of actions to restrict voting. This goes beyond even their previous gambit of requiring ID to combat fictional fraud-- a solution without a problem. Now-- and this is just wrong-- they want to restrict the days and times for voting.
Really? How can you defend a project to discourage people from voting? Encouraging people to participate in the mechanisms of public life is a long-held American principle. To cut against that for raw political gain is repulsive. And I am repulsed.
Comments:
RRL - No argument there (re: gerrymandering). Plenty of mud on faces, all around, on that one. That, in part, was what I was referring to in the first part of my post. The “Dixie-Crats” that controlled the Commonwealth for generations had it down to a fine science. I would take issue with it regardless of party … of late it has been the VA Republicans creating safe, self-serving districts … and it has had a huge (negative) impact on the VA political process.
I have not seen the NC report you comment on; yet from what I have read, it appears that concerns about voter fraud has largely been a factitious straw man argument in the vast majority of states. That is not to suggest voter fraud never happens … rather, it is to suggest it is not the issue Republicans in recent years have asserted it is. Once again, historically, mud to go around for all. At the same time, making a concerted effort to ensure that all have every opportunity to be fully enfranchised in the political process is far from being disingenuous … rather it is at the heart of the democratic process. I would not say the same about efforts to constrict and restrict access to polls and the voting process.
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I’m not going to get into any of the of social justice issues that Republicans seem to have pushed somewhere hard to find in their present agenda, but I’ll say I’m not a Republican because I have yet to see the trickle down tax loot of any local millionaire pay for the repair of their local roads, the retrofitting of the asbestos lined old schools of their local poor district or…wait, the list can go on and on for things that need to be done and so far the trickledown economics somehow never paid/pays for. Also one thing that baffles me about Republican partisanship is that of the poor red states; the proud, free Americans totting their guns with a toothless grin. A toothless grin because the only dental care their super power free country can afford them is coming from the pliers in their “made in China” toolbox.
Actually, on some social justice issues (including the ones I am most engaged in), Republicans have been strong advocates on the side of reform.
I dislike (hate?) how both parties have become caricatures to each other and as they are portrayed in the media; depending on your stripes, you are supposed to ascribe to a certain set of beliefs … period. I am a registered Democrat and tend to be progressive on most (social) issues and I think there is a need at times for the government to regulate conduct (such as with environmental issues and wall street) … at the same time, I am advocate of fiscal responsibility (not sure I know anyone in favor of fiscal irresponsibility) and I certainly think there is a strong case for downsizing government bureaucracies. I have some Republican friends that feel the same way. More so, as is the case here in VA, what one party is currently guilty of, the same can be said of the other party at some point in time/history. That said, I share Mark’s sentiments and his repulsion about efforts to restrict access to voting. This has also been very much the case here in VA as our state has become more diverse, and more purple-to-blue in state wide elections; however, on a local level and within state government, Republicans have aggressively gerrymandered districts (and pushed for voter ID laws) in response to the blue trend, such that many state level officials and our federal level Delegates (more often than not Republicans) are locked in for life, thereby undermining the democratic process. There was a related article of interest in today’s Richmond paper about GOP Resisters.
# posted by 
: 4:14 PM
: 4:14 PM
Republicans may have been strong advocates on the side of reform on the social justice issues you’ve worked hard to reform, but what about the very subject of your bone of contention today? The right to vote is a fundamental social justice issue. So is access to healthcare and education, food and shelter…a wide range of government regulations that Republicans often cram under the “handouts” rubric. What about heterosexism, death penalty, the environment or other such social justice issues where the Republican side of reform may not coincide with yours?
Sorry I sound like a Republican bashing single-minded nut, truth is I am a registered Democrat but voted Republican for the past 20 years of mayoral elections in NYC simply because I think fiscal responsibility is the foundation to good governance. Plus in NYC most social justice issues, whether Republican or Democrat, run with a different momentum than the rest of the country (in fact NYC Republicans sound more like Democrats to mainstream Republicans) and my vote to address them one way or another is never in danger of being silenced.
CraigA - regarding the gerrymandering argument, I can remember being a kid in Texas when it was still controlled by Democrats and the districts were aggressively gerrymandered in favor of Democrats around the State. Not that two wrongs make a right, but in many cases Republican gerrymandering has come after years (and in some cases decades) of gerrymandering from the other side when they were in power.
As for the larger point regarding voting restrictions, one of the states the Professor mentions, North Carolina, released a report just today showing that thousands of voters in the 2012 election that voted in North Carolina also voted in other states in the same election, or voted multiple times, were felons when they voted, or (in some rare cases) voted after they were dead. Voter fraud is a real thing. Do I think that some of these laws are draconian? Yes. But I also think the Democrat approach of, "hey man, let everyone vote, we'll figure it out later," is an insufficient response and is not based on some idealized commitment to democratic principles. Maybe if Democrats would be honest about voter fraud, and offer some real solutions, there would be more reasonable solutions. Instead, you only have one party that views voter fraud as a problem. And it is the same party that lost an election all the way back in 1960 because of dead people voting in Chicago.
History didn't start yesterday, and Republicans didn't invent taking bad policy positions for political gain.
As for the larger point regarding voting restrictions, one of the states the Professor mentions, North Carolina, released a report just today showing that thousands of voters in the 2012 election that voted in North Carolina also voted in other states in the same election, or voted multiple times, were felons when they voted, or (in some rare cases) voted after they were dead. Voter fraud is a real thing. Do I think that some of these laws are draconian? Yes. But I also think the Democrat approach of, "hey man, let everyone vote, we'll figure it out later," is an insufficient response and is not based on some idealized commitment to democratic principles. Maybe if Democrats would be honest about voter fraud, and offer some real solutions, there would be more reasonable solutions. Instead, you only have one party that views voter fraud as a problem. And it is the same party that lost an election all the way back in 1960 because of dead people voting in Chicago.
History didn't start yesterday, and Republicans didn't invent taking bad policy positions for political gain.
# posted by : 6:25 PM
: 6:25 PM RRL - No argument there (re: gerrymandering). Plenty of mud on faces, all around, on that one. That, in part, was what I was referring to in the first part of my post. The “Dixie-Crats” that controlled the Commonwealth for generations had it down to a fine science. I would take issue with it regardless of party … of late it has been the VA Republicans creating safe, self-serving districts … and it has had a huge (negative) impact on the VA political process.
I have not seen the NC report you comment on; yet from what I have read, it appears that concerns about voter fraud has largely been a factitious straw man argument in the vast majority of states. That is not to suggest voter fraud never happens … rather, it is to suggest it is not the issue Republicans in recent years have asserted it is. Once again, historically, mud to go around for all. At the same time, making a concerted effort to ensure that all have every opportunity to be fully enfranchised in the political process is far from being disingenuous … rather it is at the heart of the democratic process. I would not say the same about efforts to constrict and restrict access to polls and the voting process.
# posted by : 9:31 PM
: 9:31 PM
I realize that I am stupid in comparison to the others that respond, but why is party affiliation so important? I vote for candidates who are democratic, independent and republican, depending on their their position. Isn't that the goal? Why would anyone vote for a candidate just because of their button!
MMM
MMM
# posted by : 12:56 AM
: 12:56 AM
When winning election (and especially winning reelection) becomes the priority higher than effecting policy one professes to support, disgrace abounds.
Both parties are guilty. The Republicans are worse, but the Democrats are infuriating, because they act like they're above all that.
Both parties are guilty. The Republicans are worse, but the Democrats are infuriating, because they act like they're above all that.
I've said for a long time I'd become a Repub as soon as they compensate the family for my great-grand pappy's house "servant" they gratuitously turned loose. My "old lady" has no such scruples. But thern, her great-grand pappy made the long trip from Mass. with "Spoons" to lend a hand.
Fortunately, we have Mary M. and James C., consummate role models, to show us that domestic bliss is not inconsistent with standing on principle.
Standing one's ground is something else again, though..
It's much too late in the day to get back to "small government," you know, the kind that governs least. It all started with the "Kingfish," I think. Now there's a role model for the ages. Talk about getting everyone, well almost everyone, on the same page, like it or not. Why, there are still folks in some of our parish's who voted for Huey often and late, and haven't kicked the habit since the funeral.
All of which is to say: What difference does it make whether you are Repub or a Demo ? You are going to vote your own self interest, and try to convince me its in my interest to do so as well, disguised under the rubric of principle (or is it principal. I'm all shook up.
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Fortunately, we have Mary M. and James C., consummate role models, to show us that domestic bliss is not inconsistent with standing on principle.
Standing one's ground is something else again, though..
It's much too late in the day to get back to "small government," you know, the kind that governs least. It all started with the "Kingfish," I think. Now there's a role model for the ages. Talk about getting everyone, well almost everyone, on the same page, like it or not. Why, there are still folks in some of our parish's who voted for Huey often and late, and haven't kicked the habit since the funeral.
All of which is to say: What difference does it make whether you are Repub or a Demo ? You are going to vote your own self interest, and try to convince me its in my interest to do so as well, disguised under the rubric of principle (or is it principal. I'm all shook up.
# posted by : 11:00 PM
: 11:00 PM << Home
