I, Republican

Over the past months many people have been on an emotional roller coaster of ups and downs, concerning the election. It appears to me, and many others, that the nation is very much torn between the two competing ideals of Democrat vs. Republican.

I am a Republican. I was raised in a very conservative family: my father being in a branch of military, and my mother being a medical transcriptionist. My grandparents were all very hard working people as well. They were raised in a generation where you had to work for what you had, and they cherished what they earned.

My mother has told me many stories of how she would go with my grandmother to the cotton fields to pick cotton, only to be rewarded with a quart of buttermilk for a day’s work. I suppose you could say this was a generation of hard work and determination.

So, as my grandparents had children and passed their ideals onto them, they in turn passed their ideals onto me.

I began my working career at the age of fifteen, and have continued my hard work until now at the age of thirty.

Let me be clear: I have worked very hard to get to the position I am at in life. I worked hard so I could have a good paying job to provide for my family, with equally gratifying benefits; such as health insurance, vacation time, sick time, etc.

I never thought I would see the day that over half the United States of America’s population would vote in socialistic ideals.

For hundreds of years our nation has been prosperous under capitalistic ideas, and supported by our strong Republic foundation.

I am a strong student of history, and have read and learned how great empires and nations of history-past have risen to power, and the common reasons they have fallen. Facts and events that seem to echo in today’s modern times.

But, in effort to better understand the “other-side-of-the-coin” I have decided I’ll ask you, Democrats & Liberals, to help explain to me your mindset and ideas.

I will explain to you my mindset and ideas so you can better understand where I am coming from.

As mentioned earlier, I have worked very hard to get to where I am at today. Why then should I be forced to pay extra taxes to support those who have done very little to help their self? I am very much in favor of charity, but only on my terms – and to causes I relate to and agree with.

I do not agree with the notion that people are born into unequal circumstances, thus have not had the same opportunities in life. My father was born to a poor family, with a mother that tried to kill him, and a truck driving father who was never home. He is now a middle-class American, and very successful and stable. He had statistically poor chances of prosperity – yet attained it through American ideals that have existed prior to welfare state notions, and free handouts.

I was raised to believe that we must face the consequences of our decisions; not run from them, or lay blame on external factors.

I as a conservative believe abortion to morally wrong because someone decided to have unprotected sex, and now does not want to deal with the potential outcome of that act. However, I agree with abortion in instances of rape, incest, or life endangerment to the mother. Adoption is always a viable method of not raising a child.

So I am not totally blind to the realities of life.

I will refrain from this post of commenting on our president, as that could take up a whole separate post.

I am not judging you. I am not ridiculing you. I want to understand you.

So, now that that is all said – can someone please explain to me why you dislike Republican ideals, and why you support Democratic ideals?

Working hard is not a republican thing, its up to the individual.

The times have changed, it is not easy to walk over and work at you neighbors farm or help build a shed and get paid in hand.

This is times of big corporations. Where rich get richer and poor do not have an OPPORTUNITY to get rich and the gap keeps getting wider.

So many people are wrong about the "free handouts", in order to get welfare people have to work. There are few that abuse the system but branding entire the poor that are trying to get ahead is never good. Getting rid of their basic assistance will prevent them from getting ahead.

I think Republican abuse the "free hand out" as a way to reduce government involvements. The gap have to be reduced before cutting off the assistance other wise it would be Humans, and Sub humans world.

reply to post by MentorsRiddle


From what I see there is a disconnect with your perception of those who need help. Not everyone who has gotten sick, who is out of work, or who is using Social Services is lazy. Not by any means. Many of the people who have fallen through the cracks of society have done so after giving 110% to the system and working hard for their entire lives. Some, truly, did end up with unfortunate circumstances.

Imagine a person who worked 50-70 hours, maybe in retail or food service - and always paid their own way and provided for their family. This person would not have had much money to invest or save. Given a tragic situation, like a lay-off or an illness? Well, even though they were highly productive and proud members of society - they were just above water. Barely breathing.

Is is morally right for us to abandon these people? The ones who we mindlessly relied upon, time and time again, without even paying any attention to them? The ones who get our coffee, refill our drinks when we eat out, scan or items at the grocery store, give us advice when we're shopping for a TV, pick up our trash, install our cable - etc.

These people worked hard, paid into the system, and did so with the belief that they were doing the right thing. If these people end up in trouble I feel very strongly that the system should be there for them. After all, they did participate in it as well.

This doesn't address things like poor children - who have never paid in because they have yet to have an opportunity to do so. But it's a start.

Oh, and another thought. Housing people in prisons is not a cheap affair at all. In fact social programs are actually less expensive. So the Conservative approach is contradictory. We can either help the disadvantaged in a fiscally responsible and proactive way - or we are likely to end up paying much more to jail them once desperation drives them into stealing just to eat,

~Heff

I, American.......I vote for the best candidate no matter what his party is. I didn't vote this year, didn't like my choices.

Originally posted by MentorsRiddle
So, now that that is all said – can someone please explain to me why you dislike Republican ideals, and why you support Democratic ideals?

"Republican ideals" are not generally those you've described. Republican ideals include controlling the rights of others, reducing others to "less than" them, dictating religious beliefs, removing voting rights, to name a few.

Basically, Republicans want to rule, and they want to rule a Christian, white, wealthy nation. Their policies limit and remove the freedoms of others through implementation of law or the reversal of social progress.

Democrats, on the other hand, actually DO believe in personal freedom, equality, personal liberties and rights.

I don't care who wants to deny it, it is proven fact that while the Republican party screams about their rights and liberties, their mission is to strip those they don't agree with on religious grounds of their rights and freedoms. That makes the Republican party the most hypocritical party I have ever seen.

reply to post by Hefficide


I worked between 12 and sixteen hours a day before I got hurt. I only had about three employees but worked hard to keep both myself and them working. I worked right along side of them and then did the estimating, billing, purchasing, seting up for the next day, and all the associated paperwork after they got off. I have worked since I was eighteen for others and on my own. I put in thirty years before getting hurt. I paid in my share to Social Security also, paying both halves as a business owner. I would like nothing better than to go back to building houses and remodeling, maybe someday I will get this epilepsy under complete control.

reply to post by detachedindividual
Perhaps you can explain why these "liberty loving" people extended the patriot act? forced people to purchase a product they do not want? force people to fund infanticide when it is against their principles? enacted section 1031 of ndaa 2012(where American citizens can be "disappeared" with no recourse whatsoever)? How do any of those acts preserve liberty? How do any of those acts preserve freedom? How does allowing a president the authority to assassinate American citizens on American soil with no recourse promote liberty? how does arresting an American citizen for exercising his free speech rights promote liberty? how does allowing government employees to molest our children, our wives, our grand parents and ourselves promote freedom? How can you hold such a dichotomous position while declaring a "love for liberty"?

Perhaps I should also clarify - I am all for welfare, and governemnt help when it is needed - in the case of disibility, etc.

But why do people who do nothing for work, or work only just long eough, get a pay check?

There needs to be more control of this system, and more checks and balances.

Everyone I have ever known on welfare, except a small handfull that really needed it, were drug users, and alcoholics who didn't deserve it.

They were lazy trash.

I realize some need it - but there is not enough checks and balances to ensure those who truly need it get it, and those who don't need it are rejected.

I've been working since I was 14 years old, mowing yards, working at the super market and right now I have a pretty good job I make enough money to get through college.

Working hard is not just a Republican thing, I consider myself a progressive. I support Environmentalism, I support higher taxes on the wealthy so everyone can have a shot. Many Republicans today, have shifted so far right that they cannot accept reality. We're hoping President Obama let's those tax cuts expire and return them to the same levels they were under the Clinton administration.

Lowering taxes has never stimulated the economy.

Has lowering taxes ever stimulated the economy?

The short answer is no. The long answer is that lowering taxes in general puts more money back in your paycheck and more money in the hands of investors. Neither of these things stimulates the economy. They are economically neutral.

At the heart of the question, do lower taxes stimulate the economy, is another question. What does stimulate the economy? According to the Federal Reserve, more money in circulation stimulates the economy. But, taxes are not money taken out of circulation. So on the face of it, lowering taxes has no effect on the money supply. So the lowering of taxes alone will not stimulate the economy.

Source

More money printed by the federal reserve only stimulates the stock market, while lowering buying power of the individual.

To tax the rich is to cause layoffs - they are business people who will continue to make their profit.

Having lived in different parts of the country over the last decade and considering myself an independent, I would love to tell both parties something - You BOTH have your fare share of lazy. My definition of lazy infers the fact that MOST, if not all, lazy republicans and lazy democrats are too lazy to even vote. Trivializing issues so that they are inflamatory and simplistic seems to be the problem our politiacal system is having. The lazy never have and never will throw the vote.
What did throw the vote - probably civil rights and women's issues. The same issues the republicans are HISTORICALLY last on the Harriet Tubman. Why can't gays and lesbians get married? How does that effect my life? Having it be an issue so that my small children can already start asking questions? Fantastic.
What a woman does with her body is her own business. Whether her actions send her to hell is her own business.
My neighbor in Mississippi summed up her religious beliefs in a single, beautiful sentence. "Love the sinner, hate the sin." I was foced to ask the obviuos - "Whatever happened to practice what you preach?"

I dont know the ins and outs of the way things work in the USA. But the hardest working people in my nations history, were the miners who dug up coal, tin, and other valuable minerals until the mass closures of mines during the Thatcher government. They broke thier backs digging through the strata of the Earth, risked death and dismemberment every day, and many developed upper respiratory diseases linked to the inhalation of coal dust.

They did this to feed thier families and provide for the futures of thier children, despite the fact that they were near enough never paid enough considering the danger they were in. In Wales (for those who arent aware, thats part of the UK that comprises a significant cunk of its west coast) you would have been hard pressed to find a SINGLE conservative voter. The reason for that, is that people who were involved in the hardest work, for the least money, were traditionally allied with the Labour party. Since vast numbers of miners lived in Wales, the majority of them voted Labour.

REALITY CHECK!

People often work very hard, and get nothing out of it, short of living hand over fist, and barely making the rent. A person who works thirteen hours a day to feed thier kids, goes hungry themselves, and can save nothing, works a DAMN sight harder than anyone who ever mistakenly thought they could do an honest days work while wearing a suit, and using no equipment other than a laptop, and a mobile phone.

Originally posted by myselftokeep
Having lived in different parts of the country over the last decade and considering myself an independent, I would love to tell both parties something - You BOTH have your fare share of lazy. My definition of lazy infers the fact that MOST, if not all, lazy republicans and lazy democrats are too lazy to even vote. Trivializing issues so that they are inflamatory and simplistic seems to be the problem our politiacal system is having. The lazy never have and never will throw the vote.
What did throw the vote - probably civil rights and women's issues. The same issues the republicans are HISTORICALLY last on the Harriet Tubman. Why can't gays and lesbians get married? How does that effect my life? Having it be an issue so that my small children can already start asking questions? Fantastic.
What a woman does with her body is her own business. Whether her actions send her to hell is her own business.
My neighbor in Mississippi summed up her religious beliefs in a single, beautiful sentence. "Love the sinner, hate the sin." I was foced to ask the obviuos - "Whatever happened to practice what you preach?"

I am not talking about religion here.

No matter how much you look at it, an abortion "Just because" is evil... It is murder of life. It is selfish.

The Republican party is talking about religion. Abortion should only be a personal issue. I agree with you it is evil but I can only have an opinion on it as it pertiains to my own offspring. MOST women think it's evil but to take the choice away is worse. My mind has no way of wrapping my head around this issue when the republicans seem to want it both ways. How can the death penalty not be brought up in the same arguement? The way my mind makes sense of this is to believe the republicans want to play God. They want to regulate conception/birth and death in the case of any serious malfunctions. Meanwhile, the REAL CRAZIES on the right don't even care to adress/admit the malfuntions that can be detected in the first trimester. Just mind boggling to me.

reply to post by detachedindividual

You are obviously mistaken, as I am also a conservative, and I have no intention of "ruling" over anyone or any thing.

Please dont try to spout your made up liberal perspective of a conservative to a conservative that knows better.

Liberals are the ones that try to force their oppinions on others. They want to force religious institutions that are against abortion on religious grounds, to participate in them "or else".

They are trying to force many of us onto the government tit, I dont want BS obamacare, it isnt going to help a single poor person get healthcare, it is going to make many pay money they dont have, for not getting it. Many of us conservative poor do not want any welfare, of any type, we simply tighten our belts in bad times, and keep at it. The are trying to force me to sacrifice my morals, by "forcing" me to take welfare insurance or they fine me. The can kiss my butt, I am not taking it, and I will simply go back to working under the table, so they wont get any of my tax check for fining me.

The definition of "marriage" is older than written language. It has been for longer than words were written down, between a "man and a woman". They want to force their opinion on others. Instead of trying to redefine one of mans oldest institutions, to fit "their" view, why not just make it a "civil union" or "insert word or words of your choice besides marriage here"? The answer is simple, it wouldnt be forcing their beliefs onto others like they want to, so they have to redefine the term "marriage" to mean that which it has never meant at any time in all of history.

Lets be clear, I dont care of LGBT folks wanna have a civil union or whatever, it makes sense to me, as today it is a legal issue, not a religious one. It is not however, "marriage".

Human nature is very easy to see and understand, very few will work if they dont need to, so giving them the ability to not work and still get by, will only result in many not working, as there is no need, as they are doing fine without doing so. This is the reason for not wanting to reward those that dont work with the ability to get by without doing so. I believe that if you dont work and want any .gov money, you should have to show up every single day, mon-fri, and do 8 hours of public service work for your benefits. Basically working for them, so that your not sucking those working dry, while sitting on your butt.

Liberals and dems all seem to think themselves so smart and enlightened, but they simply come across as dumb to me, as mostly all their primary beliefs are founded in ignorance.

BTW dems were the ones for slavery in the civil war, and started the KKK, they are the historic racists, not repubs and conservatives. Yet they are the ones always calling the right these things. This is a very funny attempt to hide their past, but they are still the same extremists they always were.

The left has not changed, and is full of the same "We are right, our wrong, join us and accpet our beliefs or else" types they have always been.

They are the most intolerant, and unthinking group I have ever communicated with.

Just when you believe a republican and take him at his word - sure enough good ole Mitt shows up. Please refrain from calling yourself a "student of history" and then refer to democrats as the actual racists. Please refer to any 7th grade textbooks and take a look at ALL the changes the Civil War left us with. See where the evolved democrats took their politics and then look at where all those racist ones ended up. I'll even give you a hint - all there distant relatives now work at fox news.

reply to post by myselftokeep


Um wrong, look back only 50 years, all southern dems were KKK members....true story.

Let me throw something else out there that will require a consevative's world to tilt a little. Economists have provided a link between liberal abortion laws and significant drops in crime rate two decades after they were enacted. Don't believe me - read a book called Freakonomics and share your thoughts. The thought is that a mother that KNOWS she is going to provide a terrible environment BOTH during and after pregnancy saves the world a future criminal.

In my OPINION having lived in MS - there are NO dems down south these days leaving me to question those 60 years ago. What were their differences of opinion with republicans?

reply to post by MentorsRiddle

For hundreds of years our nation has been prosperous under capitalistic ideas, and supported by our strong Republic foundation.

I am a strong student of history, and have read and learned how great empires and nations of history-past have risen to power, and the common reasons they have fallen. Facts and events that seem to echo in today’s modern times.

Which hundreds of years are you talking about? There hasn't been a decade in the history of America in which bankruptcies and foreclosures haven't destroyed the lives of untold hard working people. Like cattle in a shoot, the prime capital is separated out for the land barons and other insiders to feast upon. Once in awhile they throw a bone to the hungry and grateful dogs waiting outside the palace gates.

Likewise, there hasn't been a decade since the first boat dropped anchor in America in which the immigrants and their descendants have not invaded, killed and conquered other peoples in order to maintain the illusion of the wealth and greatness and benevolence of our leaders and money lenders.

www.history-timelines.org.uk...

Sorry MR, selective hearing and reading is not studying history, its staying within a safe comfort zone.