As I analyze the current state of division American politics is creating, I have decided that the problem is a crossover that occurred during the 60's and 70's. You see, the Republican party has always stood for state rights and decreased government intervention. The Democrat party is the party of regulation and big government. However, sometime during that time period we started to experience a crossover of values. The epicenter was Roe v. Wade. The rightists started trying to regulate morality which is completely against their traditional platform. The leftists began a rallying cry for freedom from government regulation and intervention.
We still fight within our labels as right wing or left wing Americans. We might even use other labels such as moderates or progressives. Liberals or conservatives. Or simply Republicans and Democrats. Unfortunately, the issue of religion is now also thrown into the mix. We have the conservative right and the atheists. Prolife, pro abortion. Pro choice, anti abortion. Are these views possibly all wrapped up in two simple parties.
I propose that there are actually four quadrants of political division now. One is divided on the issue of morality. Moralists believe in the protection of certain values by legal means. Most specifically in this category would be the issues of abortion, legalization of drugs and homosexual unions. On the other side would be the progressives who believe that the government should not intervene in the personal lives of the citizenry.
The other division would be in the area of economics. The divisions here go by much more popular names. The capitalists believe in the value of allowing business to regulate itself and grow without hindrance. "Everybody should be able to be wealthy" and trickle down economics fly high on this flagpole. On the other hand are the socialists. Please throw out all previous notions of definitions for this word. By socialist I simply mean those who believe that all members of a society have an obligation to look out for the needs of one another. Welfare and public assistance programs are flagships in this army.
Now, some of the members of these four quadrants have banded together to form 3rd parties. For instance, the Libertarians are progressive capitalists. They believe that government should only provide for the law enforcement and military protection of the citizens. This is truly what the traditional Republican platform was. Most members of the Democratic party are actually progressive socialists. While the current Republican party is represented by moral capitalists. Although, I will say that the moral element is truly weakening.
I myself fall into all four categories. I believe in government regulation to protect the weaker members of society and yet I believe that when government is too large it begins to hinder business and ultimately hurts everyone. I also have high belief in moral values especially on issues such as abortion. Much of this is based on my religious beliefs. However, I would not want someone from another religion to regulate my life based on their beliefs and therfore I have no desire to regulate another person's life based on my religious moral values.
My hope is that eventually we will find peace with each other somewhere in the middle. I know that will most likely never happen, but for me it has helped to realize that there is more to politics than Donkeys and Elephants.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Ratification of our Constitution
Today is the anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America by Delaware, the first state to take that step. I decided to start this blog finally after engaging in a debate with a group of right leaning Americans who are so opposed to our current president that they have jumped on the political bandwagon of branding him a non-citizen in order to cast doubt not on his credibility, but his credentials. It is so reminiscent of the pandemonium which ensued after George Bush won the presidency in 2000.
I believe that the enormity of the division in our nation began with President Clinton and his controversial relationship with Monica Lewinsky. That was the beginning of the absolute disrespect for the office of the President of the United States. George Bush was labeled an "appointed president" by the leftists and now Obama is labeled a socialist and a non-American.
I am a centrist. I am not necessarily an advocate and certainly not a member of the Centrist Party. I am a true political centrist. My philosophy is that the waves of political leadership are beneficial to all Americans. If we were governed solely by the leftists we would end up with every American being supported and employed by the government. Taxes would be high and businesses would leave for other countries where it was cheaper to operate. However, if we were governed solely by the right wingers we would end up with an American caste system. The poor would be governed by necessity to the servitude of the wealthy.
I am also a Christian and much of my political view is based on my faith. I am opposed to abortion and I am an advocate of abstinance education. However, I am cautious in those things I advocate on the basis of my faith because I love my own religious freedom and would not want someone else to infringe upon my faith practices. I am not opposed to homosexual marriage in the legal sense although I do believe that homosexuality is a sin. I love homosexuals as I'm sure Christ does. Jesus came and ate with prostitutes. I believe that the Christian impact on sinners should not be legal or political, but relational.
I just wanted to kick off this blog with a statement about myself and my gratefulness for the diversity of political views in this great nation. I'm sure that if we took the opportunity to compare the views of the original signers of the Constitution we would see great diversity in their views as well. I do not have any illusions af grandeur that suspect this blog will bring about the unity of America, but that is my prayer. I believe that if this nation ever falls it will not be to an outside enemy, but to the internal enemy of apathy. It will be because Americans are no longer voting for positions, values or even people. We are voting for letters, colors and animals. R vs. D. Red vs. Blue. Elephants and Donkeys. If we cannot get past the sporting event mentality in our political process we are doomed to corruption and division.
God bless America!!
I believe that the enormity of the division in our nation began with President Clinton and his controversial relationship with Monica Lewinsky. That was the beginning of the absolute disrespect for the office of the President of the United States. George Bush was labeled an "appointed president" by the leftists and now Obama is labeled a socialist and a non-American.
I am a centrist. I am not necessarily an advocate and certainly not a member of the Centrist Party. I am a true political centrist. My philosophy is that the waves of political leadership are beneficial to all Americans. If we were governed solely by the leftists we would end up with every American being supported and employed by the government. Taxes would be high and businesses would leave for other countries where it was cheaper to operate. However, if we were governed solely by the right wingers we would end up with an American caste system. The poor would be governed by necessity to the servitude of the wealthy.
I am also a Christian and much of my political view is based on my faith. I am opposed to abortion and I am an advocate of abstinance education. However, I am cautious in those things I advocate on the basis of my faith because I love my own religious freedom and would not want someone else to infringe upon my faith practices. I am not opposed to homosexual marriage in the legal sense although I do believe that homosexuality is a sin. I love homosexuals as I'm sure Christ does. Jesus came and ate with prostitutes. I believe that the Christian impact on sinners should not be legal or political, but relational.
I just wanted to kick off this blog with a statement about myself and my gratefulness for the diversity of political views in this great nation. I'm sure that if we took the opportunity to compare the views of the original signers of the Constitution we would see great diversity in their views as well. I do not have any illusions af grandeur that suspect this blog will bring about the unity of America, but that is my prayer. I believe that if this nation ever falls it will not be to an outside enemy, but to the internal enemy of apathy. It will be because Americans are no longer voting for positions, values or even people. We are voting for letters, colors and animals. R vs. D. Red vs. Blue. Elephants and Donkeys. If we cannot get past the sporting event mentality in our political process we are doomed to corruption and division.
God bless America!!
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