What is the Republican Party?

[bdude]

Fiscal Conservatism, or profligate spending dictated by the times?
Social Conservatism, but do traces of Libertarianism linger behind the curtains?
Isolationism, or a demand for military force on the whims of one man?

Why does the Republican Party act in a schizophrenic manner?

What happened to the Republican Party of the late 1970s..young, headstrong, and full of fresh ideas for those Cold War times?


I don't know what they stand for anymore, except for these: more spending, more jingoism, more corporate profiteering.

 

[bamacre]

Fear

 

[Genx87]

Changing of the guard. Small govt minded conservatives are being driven out of the party by big govt types.

That said they still stand for

anti-abortion
less taxes
aggressive handling of the WoT
and traditional marriage
closing illegal immigration

You can disagree with the above but they do stand for that.

What happened to the Republican Party of the late 1970s..young, headstrong, and full of fresh ideas for those Cold War times?

I could be wrong but didnt they grow up into what we have today?

 

[cubeless]

exactly what happens to every regime: the first generation has ideals and some level of selflessness and restraint, the following generations are corrupt recipients of privelege...

that's why people vote for 'change' - sometimes with a revolution, sometimes with a ballot...

all systems eventually lose their initial focus... america's political system is just swirling downward... bo is no different than any other politician that preceeded him: he'll just spend the money on his beliefs vs. some one elses (if he can work it out with congress)...

time will tell...

 

[brxndxn]

Both parties don't stand for shit.

The Republicans only 'tend' to be one direction; the Democrats only 'tend' to be another. It's a struggle by each to gain slightly more than half of the consensus while still keeping each other in power.

So, they practice 'divide and conquer' and attempt to convince us that they are polar opposites with a few red herring issues like abortion, gun control, and illegal immigration - while the much greater issues are completely ignored.

If you look at what the Democrat party 'stands' for, you will find contradictions upon contradictions - and it is exactly the same with the Republican party..

Republicans.. pro life, yet for death penalty
Democrats.. pro abortion, yet against death penalty

Republicans.. conservative government, yet for religion in everything
Democrats.. mostly catholics, yet anti-religious

The only thing that is obvious about the Democrats and Republicans is that they agree on big government, more government control, more government spending, fewer civil liberties, giving up sovereignty of the US Constituion to numerous treaties and trade agreements, lax enforcement of immigration law, the sanctity of the Federal Reserve, etc..

If you are told you need to pick between the Yankees and the Red Sox because no other team has a chance at winning, you might point out that there's other teams.. or that you hate baseball so it's irrelevent anyway.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Genx87
less taxes

They can say that all they want, but when they deficit spend, they are effectively, and inevitably, raising taxes.

 

[mooseracing]

Originally posted by: brxndxn
Both parties don't stand for shit.
.

I don't even know why we have parties anymore, how many people do straight tickets?

Hell I don't even know why these people run for office, I don't want to vote for any of them, yet if no one votes it gets us the worst people.

 

[WHAMPOM]

What! Now? OK. Me and mine first and screw everyone else. Everthing else is their lying Repubs' lips moving.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: bamacre
Power and Money extracted from Middle America through Fear

Fixed

 

[Lemon law]

Right now, the GOP seems to stand for power at any cost.

 

[Moonbeam]

The Republican party stands for American values, the kind of values that made America great, such things as industriousness, self reliance, family values, traditional religion, philanthropy, the rights of the individual, private enterprise, etc. America, in its two hundred year history has been a beacon to the world, a place where people could come and become a part of something, a great melting pot of ideas that developed into a vibrant culture. The Republican party seeks to preserve and foster that greatest of world cultures.

 

[GTKeeper]

The GOP stands for special interests. Thats it.


They are using moral conservative values as a tool to get elected and stay in power that they themselves do not follow. They want to stay in power to benefit themselves only, they don't give 2 shits about anyone else but themselves.

Bush is an alcoholic and past drug addict.
Cheney has a lesbian daughter that he hasn't disowned yet, like he should based on GOP beliefs.

 

[Harvey]

Topic Title: What is the Republican Party?

:camera: A recent Republican party committee meeting.

Topic Summary: What do they stand for?

:camera: Republicans standing for what they believe in.

 

[NeoV]

Gen X said

"anti-abortion
less taxes
aggressive handling of the WoT
and traditional marriage
closing illegal immigration "

Here is my problem with this list - anti-abortion and "traditional marriage" are really religious issues - not political ones. This melding of the church and the repub party is particularly evident in the current administration - and the 'traditional' marriage thing actually impacts such a small number of people - to list it as a major item that the party stands for - seems quite petty to me.

I don't think Democrats like abortion - they simply support the right of a woman to choose. I don't like what abortion is at all - but I'm not going to tell someone they HAVE to have a baby they don't want to carry in their body for 10 months.

I think the one big omission from this list is catering to the weathly - a sad but true fact of today's repub party.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
The Republican party stands for American values, the kind of values that made America great, such things as industriousness, self reliance, family values, traditional religion, philanthropy, the rights of the individual, private enterprise, etc. America, in its two hundred year history has been a beacon to the world, a place where people could come and become a part of something, a great melting pot of ideas that developed into a vibrant culture. The Republican party seeks to preserve and foster that greatest of world cultures.

Crap, my sarcasm meter just exploded...I knew I should have lowered the sensitivity of it.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: Genx87
Changing of the guard. Small govt minded conservatives are being driven out of the party by big govt types.

That said they still stand for

anti-abortion

Only as a way to garner votes from the religious right.

Seriously, do you think the Republican party would like to see Roe v Wade overturned?

Once abortion is no longer legal, all of those one-issue voters no longer have a reason to vote.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: NeoV
Gen X said

"anti-abortion
less taxes
aggressive handling of the WoT
and traditional marriage
closing illegal immigration "

Here is my problem with this list - anti-abortion and "traditional marriage" are really religious issues - not political ones. This melding of the church and the repub party is particularly evident in the current administration - and the 'traditional' marriage thing actually impacts such a small number of people - to list it as a major item that the party stands for - seems quite petty to me.

I don't think Democrats like abortion - they simply support the right of a woman to choose. I don't like what abortion is at all - but I'm not going to tell someone they HAVE to have a baby they don't want to carry in their body for 10 months.

I think the one big omission from this list is catering to the weathly - a sad but true fact of today's repub party.

There was a long and lengthy discussion about this about 3 months ago I engaged people with and that was, how does one keep their religious views out of policy making? The answer is they dont.

My personal view if the state should never have got involved with marriage.

As for the last line. That applies to both parties equally. You think it is a coincidence John Kerry would have been the wealthiest president in history if he were elected? Both parties cater to the wealthy because that is a good source of funding for them. They also run in the same circles.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: feralkid

Originally posted by: Genx87
Changing of the guard. Small govt minded conservatives are being driven out of the party by big govt types.

That said they still stand for

anti-abortion

Only as a way to garner votes from the religious right.

Seriously, do you think the Republican party would like to see Roe v Wade overturned?

Once abortion is no longer legal, all of those one-issue voters no longer have a reason to vote.

Overturning Roe v Wade doesnt make abortion illegal. It simply pushes it back on the states. I am sure there are some republicans who talk the talk but wont walk the walk. I would say as a whole though, the party would be fine with roe v wade being overturned.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: GarfieldtheCat

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
The Republican party stands for American values, the kind of values that made America great, such things as industriousness, self reliance, family values, traditional religion, philanthropy, the rights of the individual, private enterprise, etc. America, in its two hundred year history has been a beacon to the world, a place where people could come and become a part of something, a great melting pot of ideas that developed into a vibrant culture. The Republican party seeks to preserve and foster that greatest of world cultures.

Crap, my sarcasm meter just exploded...I knew I should have lowered the sensitivity of it.

I was very serious. There is, however, often a gap between what a person believes he stands for and the actual results of the actions one takes to promote that.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: NeoV
Gen X said

"anti-abortion
less taxes
aggressive handling of the WoT
and traditional marriage
closing illegal immigration "

Here is my problem with this list - anti-abortion and "traditional marriage" are really religious issues - not political ones. This melding of the church and the repub party is particularly evident in the current administration - and the 'traditional' marriage thing actually impacts such a small number of people - to list it as a major item that the party stands for - seems quite petty to me.

I don't think Democrats like abortion - they simply support the right of a woman to choose. I don't like what abortion is at all - but I'm not going to tell someone they HAVE to have a baby they don't want to carry in their body for 10 months.

I think the one big omission from this list is catering to the weathly - a sad but true fact of today's repub party.

That is one of the major reasons I traded my (R) card for a (D) card. There are other reasons but as an agnostic I am fed up with the (R) party catering to (more like using) the religious right.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: GarfieldtheCat

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
The Republican party stands for American values, the kind of values that made America great, such things as industriousness, self reliance, family values, traditional religion, philanthropy, the rights of the individual, private enterprise, etc. America, in its two hundred year history has been a beacon to the world, a place where people could come and become a part of something, a great melting pot of ideas that developed into a vibrant culture. The Republican party seeks to preserve and foster that greatest of world cultures.

Crap, my sarcasm meter just exploded...I knew I should have lowered the sensitivity of it.

I was very serious. There is, however, often a gap between what a person believes he stands for and the actual results of the actions one takes to promote that.

Great. Now write a paragraph about what the Democrats stand for and then remember what they have done the past 50 years.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Genx87
I am sure there are some republicans who talk the talk but wont walk the walk. I would say as a whole though, the party would be fine with roe v wade being overturned.

Hell yeah it would give the Moral Interventionists what they crave, power over others.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: GarfieldtheCat

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
The Republican party stands for American values, the kind of values that made America great, such things as industriousness, self reliance, family values, traditional religion, philanthropy, the rights of the individual, private enterprise, etc. America, in its two hundred year history has been a beacon to the world, a place where people could come and become a part of something, a great melting pot of ideas that developed into a vibrant culture. The Republican party seeks to preserve and foster that greatest of world cultures.

Crap, my sarcasm meter just exploded...I knew I should have lowered the sensitivity of it.

I was very serious. There is, however, often a gap between what a person believes he stands for and the actual results of the actions one takes to promote that.

Great. Now write a paragraph about what the Democrats stand for and then remember what they have done the past 50 years.

Well, because it's so much easier, let me start with my own party first, the Libertarians, who have done absolutely zero.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Well, because it's so much easier, let me start with my own party first, the Libertarians, who have done absolutely zero.

Yup. They haven't started any unnecessary wars. They haven't run up huge deficits. They haven't started any social programs that are projected to bankrupt the country. They haven't had the RIAA in their bedroom. They haven't trampled on your 2nd nor 4th amendment rights, nor any others. They haven't sent your money overseas to dictators. They haven't sent any goons to your state to bully cancer patients using medical marijuana. They haven't tried to expand NATO to Russia's borders. They haven't told you that Iran is a threat. They haven't given immunity to corporations who allowed the government to spy on you.

I could go on it seems, wow. This Libertarian Party sounds good. I like a government that doesn't do much. I think it was Henry David Thoreau who said, "That government is best which governs least.? You and he are on to something, I think.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Well, because it's so much easier, let me start with my own party first, the Libertarians, who have done absolutely zero.

Yup. They haven't started any unnecessary wars. They haven't run up huge deficits. They haven't started any social programs that are projected to bankrupt the country. They haven't had the RIAA in their bedroom. They haven't trampled on your 2nd nor 4th amendment rights, nor any others. They haven't sent your money overseas to dictators. They haven't sent any goons to your state to bully cancer patients using medical marijuana. They haven't tried to expand NATO to Russia's borders. They haven't told you that Iran is a threat. They haven't given immunity to corporations who allowed the government to spy on you.

I could go on it seems, wow. This Libertarian Party sounds good. I like a government that doesn't do much. I think it was Henry David Thoreau who said, "That government is best which governs least.? You and he are on to something, I think.

Yup, we Libertarians believe that to the extreme. We believe in so little government that we never govern at all. We just stand on the sidelines and point fingers with great egotistical glee. We have all the virtues on non harm as a cabbage.