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I don't understand the appeal. The base of the party is social conservativism. In other words, gays bad, church is good and atheists are bad, evolution is bad, etc. You know, very anti-modern attitudes. And usually there is a highly religious undertone, a certain smug self-righteousness that implies that the true believers are morally superior to the point that the "other" is not worthy of any moral consideration- in other words, pure hatred for people not like them.
Yet, survey after survey has shown that more and more Americans are accepting of homosexuality and don't attend church or embrace religion. So that seems to put the social conservatives at odds with more and more Americans. More and more people are comfortable with moral ambiguity and cynicism, and sensitive to self-righteousness.
What's the real appeal to Republicans, then? Is it a macho image thing? I think that's the real appeal. Vote Republican or your male genetalia will shrivel up or you will turn into a lesbian? Maybe you'll become gay? It's purely emotional, not rational at all. If more people were rational, they'd see social conservativism for what it is... a sham that isn't in their self-interest.
The Republicans used to stand for morality, less government interference, and less spending. Now, they are the big-spenders, interfere with everything that should be a private matter, and many of them are not to moral at all. Those are the exact reasons why I am now an independent and going to vote for Obama or Clinton--whoever wins.
I've been a life long Republican and feel that the party has deserted me. Republicans have traditionally stood for fiscal conservatism, traditional American values, strong national defense, individual rights and low taxes. That was then. Now, they spend like drunken sailors, don't stand for many values and are only interested in cutting taxes for those on the very high end of the pay scale. I think they still stand for a strong defense, but the war in Iraq sends mixed signal and I question its motives and usefullness.
What really irks me about the Republicans is there eagerness to embrace trade deals that hurt average Americans. Support of things like Nafta are not traditional American values and more resemble the profit motive of big business. Turning a blind eye to illegal immigration is also a hot button with me.
I'm used to thinking of Republicans as coming from the Ronald Reagan mold. But times have changed drastically. If Reagan was alive today, he would probably be kicked out of the party - sad but true.
I can't stand McCain and he will only be a replay of Bush. I can't stand Hillary and view her as a Democratic version of Bush. Both McCain and Hillary are corporate candidates. I'm pulling from Obama, but have a lot of reservations. What is a person to do if you don't like any of the 3 major candidates from either party? None of them represent what I'm looking for. I just want the Bushes and the Clintons to exit the political stage for good. Enough is enough already.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,805,744 times
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You got me with that question! I know what it is the GOP offers the rich but why anybody that makes less than $150,000 a year would vote for them is beyond me. They appeal to religious nutcases with their talk but they never walk the walk. Have you ever noticed the pattern where they Republicans always come and make promises to the religious right at election time and then they forget about them for the next 4 years?
I have never considered the Republican party to represent anyone but the executive and investor classes. I am not, and never will be, of this class so I will vote MY pocketbook and I am supporting Obama.
The Republican party after Teddy Roosevelt became increasingly business friendly, and more conservative on social issues. There where to be sure pragmatic republicans like Eisenhower, and Rockefeller-and the latter representing the eastern liberal wing of the party- but by in large Republicans have been the corporate and investor class' best friends' for decades.
In the last 35 years however they have turned even further to the right-they always opposed social safety nets (Soc Sec. Medicare, unions etc) But over this time span have managed to end programs that help the poor, the elderly and now increasingly the middle class to favor the corporate elite and CEO's. The rich and corporations have increasingly become subsidized- or even been 'socialized' to maximize power and wealth to a chosen few, while making unfair trade deals that have hurt many Americans. Clinton was basically a 'Reagan light ' and continued the economic policies of this era of conservative idealogy.
During the last 30 years or so the republican party has become the 'moral police' wanting free enterprise for corporations- an extreme laissez fair social Darwin like plutocracy- while choosing to 'lecture' people about their supposed moral 'shortcomings' or 'sins'.
Obviously change is needed- and the republicans have always opposed change that may hurt the rich & Corporations (higher taxes, more regulation) -its primaries sponsors, making them, the GOP unable to adjust and adapt to the nations changing sociological trends.
This is what happened in the 1920's- after the boom went bust- the republicans inability to reform the system before bad times only made the depression worse.
Last edited by skytrekker; 03-20-2008 at 05:15 AM..
Actually the Republicans promoted protection for the plutocrats and a rigged market for the rest of us. The coal of the party has been to restore the late 1800's ‘Gilded Age’ of economic princes ruling over landless industrial peasants. They have succeed quite well and will do anything to avoid having their program destroyed.
The basic lure of the Republican Party lies in emotional appeals to naked nationalism and a supreme selfishness. It is not a "boots on the ground" party of practical approaches. It is more a "nose in the air" party of empty ideals. It appeals to classic authoritarians, both the born-follower and the leader-wannabe. It appeals to those in whom the response to the unknown is fear, rather than curiosity. It appeals to those who would rather take the short road of believing, rather than the long road of understanding.
It' doesn't matter what party you vote for, somebodys still going to be screwed. There is absoutly no way anyone can pull the two sides together. Outside of armed confilct
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I do not have the capability of answering the OP or any of the respondents in 1 or 100 million words, but I can tell you that what I believe is that a horrific number of American's have lost one key word from their vocabulary. We sue one another to win the big courtroom lottery which feeds the coffers of the trial lawyers lobby, we shoot our neighbors, even our friends without remorse which fuels the debates over guns, we have pitty, not mercy but pitty on criminals who violate human dignity and instinctive society, we use our power as religious monarchs to condemn rather than to illustrate inappropriate behavior, and my list could go on.
The sad thing that most liberal leaning people don't understand is the power that we as individuals give up when we give any government a tax dollar. We apply for grants to build, to teach, to... These grants are given with conditions. Conditions that we build according to their timeframe, teach what they want taught, etc.
There is no longer a free market motivation. Investors such as Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Andrew Carniege all risked sacrificially to begin their journey's to wealth. They risked and won, yet we don't hear of the 65-80% of American's who risked and lost in the first three years of their business's life.
By the way, that one word... Responsibility
We have people such as Jerimiah Wright, even Robert Schuller, and others who preach to the crowd rather than preaching the love, discipline, and hope of faith. All religions require discipline. From discipline we see the results in winning the national basketball championship, we see Tiger Woods march the road to phenominal status. Fewer American's are willing to practice self-discipline than ever before. As politicians we say yes, rather than no, we will have to raise taxes. As students, we say "I agree", but I don't have the willingness to find the real truth.
So, what is my draw to be a Republican... I wish I knew, I once was a blazing blue Democrat, and I saw what wolves in sheeps clothing the people such as Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Elliot Spitzer, and others with great oratorical skills led sheep to slaughter while they got fat.
I do not defend the Republican party in anyway for any members behavior or ideals, I just can't see any true American freedom of being Democrat.
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