A Wake-Up Call
This blog has been cooking for a while. It’s not diabetes related AT ALL, so if you’re waiting for the tie-in, it’s not happening.
I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I’m a fiscal conservative. Since I was old enough to vote, I’ve voted Republican. It’s not that I’m against Democrats; it’s just that my views aligned more with Republicans. I do not want the government involved in any aspect of my personal life, as long as I obey the law. They should have no say in who I am, who I love, and what I do to my own body. They can’t tell me what to wear, where to work, or what to write.
My reasons for being a registered Republican were always related to matters of money. My husband and I make fairly decent money. We’ve both worked extremely hard to advance our careers and earn enough cash to live comfortably. What I do not like is when the government takes that money and gives it to people who have neither the drive nor the desire to better their lives. I fully support helping those in need, but I cannot condone laziness or greed.
I believe in a small government. I believe in capitalism. I do not support socialism in any form. Any time government size is increased, freedom is sacrificed. This belief in freedom was the hallmark of the Republican Party. Until recently.
Over the past decade or so, the Republican Party has lost touch with its core principles. The “Religious Right” has taken over and turned it into something it used to be so vehemently against: unconstitutional.
The First Amendment specifically addresses the rights of religious freedom. This includes the right to practice no religion at all. Obviously, this is a biggie – it’s THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
Thomas Jefferson wrote it best:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.
So, why is it that conservatives today feel so strongly that religion has a place in government?
Yesterday, I got sucked into a debate on foxnews.com (yes, I watch and read Fox News) regarding Cindy McCain’s recent photographic support of gay marriage. While I’m not gay, I strongly believe that homosexuality isn’t a choice. After all, why would anyone choose to be subjected to the kind of ridicule and discrimination that gays and lesbians face on a daily basis? However, even if it was a choice, the government has no LEGAL basis to oppose the LEGAL joining of two people.
Most of the forum posters were staunchly religious and felt that homosexuality is in direct violation of God’s word. They base this argument on the bible (i.e., a collection of STORIES that contradicts itself with regularity and has been so mangled by translation that it makes little sense). They argue that the bible is some sort of moral code that must be followed and enforced by the government. Obviously, this is in direct violation of the First Amendment.
So, I calmly and rationally attempted to explain this in a well-crafted response. Instead of being even remotely amenable to the concept, the responses consisted mostly of various bible verses. WTF, Republicans?
So, from here on out, I am a Libertarian. I will no longer vote for or support a party that has strayed so far from its core values and become nothing more than a bully, Sunday morning preacher, spewing fire and brimstone nonsense.
Wake up conservatives. You lost the last election because of this religious nonsense, and if it continues, you’ll lose more and more votes. This is not Colonial America, and we are not Puritans. We are the United States of America, and if you’re unclear about what that means, I suggest you give the Constitution a thorough read.
Themocracy
Although I am a Christian, I am not a Republican either. I am a full believer that religion is a choice and that there should be a separation of Church and State. I would not want government legislating against my religion, so why would I expect other people of faith (or non-faith) feel any differently? Legislation should be done on the basis of keeping people safe and equal. I agree that the Republicans religiousness is turning off many people, including people who are religious themselves! I find Republicans to be a little too “inside the box” and walk around thinking everyone is just like them. Our party system is too diverse for people to be so short sighted.
Very well put.
I suspect Libertarianism is much more common than pundits suggest; in fact, I consider myself one, even though I’m registered with a party so I can participate in primaries (if I lived in state where that wasn’t required, I would drop party registration instantly), that’s where my party support ends. Personal liberty was a core belief of our founding fathers (as were the rights of states). Many people don’t want the government in their wallets, or their bedrooms!
I agree, Scott. Unfortunately, I also live in a state that requires party registration to vote in primaries (don’t even get me started on the flaws with the electoral process . . . ). As the parties move further away from the middle, I think more and more voters will respond. Well, I hope they do.
Very well said, Shannon. I consider myself middle-ground, an independent. Although, I do lean more to the Democratic side. Which means I typically agree with MSNBC more than Fox, though I watch both to balance things out and then of course tune into Jon Stewart for a good laugh about it all. It bothers me that so many conservatives claim that our country is based on Christian ideals, which is absolutely not the case. It bothers me that both parties demonize the other, in the most trivial of situations, and as a result hinders anything from getting done. This party system needs to go away. It’s clearly broken, and getting more broken with recent happenings such as the U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing unlimited spending into political campaigns – that essentially ensure the buying of elections, as those without money will be priced out of getting the vote out. This is not what our country was built on, or what it should stand for in this world.
Some of the reasons you give for being a Republican are the same reasons that have really made me think about leaving the Liberals lately