Belief vs. Reality Part 1

As I have become more and more interested in politics during the past few years of my life, I have realized how different my own views are compared to the actions of the party of which I am a part. After realizing this, I decided to take a look at the professed beliefs of each major political party and compare them to the actual reality that the politicians of these parties effect through legislation. The conclusion that I have reached is that neither party even attempts to abide by its own precepts.

I will start with the Republican party. An true republican believes in freedom in the truest sense of the word. This means that he thinks a man or business should be free to earn a living or make a profit without help from the government. If he fails, he does not expect the government to pick up his tab.

A republican believes that man is responsible for his own destiny. He believes in low taxes and small government. He does not support medicare, social security, or any other government-run safety net. If a person needs these things, it is because he hasn't worked hard enough in his life to earn a retirement with health benefits (or he has worked hard enough and wasn't disciplined enough to save for retirement).

How has the leadership of the republican party lived up to these ideals? While it is true that republican leaders have historically lowered income taxes during their tenures in office, they have not reduced the size of government commensurate with the lowered income. What does this mean? This means that republican administrations simply find other ways to tax Americans without calling it a tax. They call it issuing treasury bonds. The gross national debt has increased substancially with every republican administration in recent history. Reagan ballooned government spending (although this is partly justified by the fact that he won the cold war). Bush Sr. increased national debt, and George W. Bush presided over the largest increase in government since the great socialist FDR.

How can republicans allow this? Why do they continue to elect leaders who share their views in word only, but not in deed? There can only be two explainations. The first is that the majority of republicans are ignorant of the actions of their elected leaders. Since most people only scrutinize politicians during the election season, perhaps we are too inclined to believe what we hear from polititians, rather that look into their records. The second is that republicans are simply the same as democrats. Democrats believe in tax increases for the rich simply because they are not rich (and those who are rich pay close to zero taxes thanks to great lawers and accountants). Many republicans believe in reduction of government only when it affects someone else. A republican farmer would be the first to tell you that welfare is for lazy bums, but tell him that government subsidies for farmers are just a polite way of describing welfare and he'll politely ask you to leave his property.

The only solution to this is for a third party to be formed. This party would be based on the same principles that made our country and every other notable civilization great. These principles include individual freedom, rule of law, and personal responsiblity. No society has ever become great through socialistic principles. This seems to be lost on republicans and democrats alike.