I feel like high ranking Republicans now are running on blind hate. There was a time when republican just meant that you shared different respectable opinions than democrats. Yes, I for the most part would label myself (if I HAD to) as a democrat. But the thing is, I WANT a good republican candidate. I WANT to see a republican that i would vote for run for office. But it seems like at the moment, I'm being forced to choose the lesser of two evils. BUT ANYWAY, i was wondering... 1. Why is limiting rights for women and minorities a sign of being a good republican? 2. When and how did it come to this^? 3. What do YOU want to see in a good republican? Not just republicans running for office but the general definition of what it means to be right wing.
Ever since conservatism became the main base for most Republicans, I don't think we'll ever see a "good" Republican for a couple more decades. And of course, most people wouldn't know what a "good" Republican is, because they'll disagree with a lot of their issues anyway. Nowadays, conservatives base their vote more on the religion of the candidates than their actual stance on the economy etc. I just want to see a Republican who's not a conservative per say. Some one who can say why they don't support things like abortion or gay marriage without it being, "It is against the laws of God!" Because I don't believe religion should have a place in politics.
A "good" Republican is basically a Libertarian in my opinion. Today's Libertarian is yesterday's Republican for the most part. This is supposed to mean: - Fiscally conservative, keeping government out of private business. (which gets a bad rap now-a-days because of all the focus on rich millionaires doing shady things. watch the movie Food Inc. if you want to see how government involvement/subsidies can completely ruin an industry) - Having a small military used for defense more than anything else. (whoops) - Personal liberties and allowing people to live the way they want to. (double whoops) so yeah...the old Republican platform was a pretty good one. too bad the Neo-Cons have hijacked the party.
Pretty spot-on. For the past couple of elections, I've felt quite torn, having identified myself previously as a conservative. It wasn't until about 5-6 years ago I read up enough on Libertarianism to realize that's where I stand now.
My liberal bias disadvantages me, for the same reason already stated: I wouldn't know a good Republican if I saw one. But you know what? I don't want a good Republican, or a good Democrat or Independent or Libertarian. I want good statesmen. A public official should act and be judged on policy preferences, not whatever catch-all ideology he or she belongs to. If the Democrats are voting for a federal health care mandate but a southern Democrat would prefer to vote in favor of state autonomy, he shouldn't have to vote with the rest of the Democrats. If a Republican believes gay marriage is okay or that the military should see as many budget cuts as Planned Parenthood, he shouldn't have to be constrained by his party platform. This is a country that was built on compromise and governance. I think our representatives need to forget the petty squabbles, forget the idea of parties as the machine altogether. Perhaps if parties as a ruling apparatus were declawed somehow, and left as a nominal body alone, maybe then they would remember their countrymen, that the real reason they were elected to a position of power was because they are not rulers but stewards.
Well, a good republican certainly doesn't do this: http://www.harpers.org/archive/2012/08/hbc-90008805 Or this: https://twitter.com/DavidShuster/status/240608617877876736 That convention is a white robe and burning cross short of being a fucking Ku Klux Klan rally.
[video=youtube;CqD0_-tPCcw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqD0_-tPCcw&feature=share&list=ULCqD0_-tPCcw[/video]
Pfffffffft. The Republicans are pro-small govt' in their heads only. They're so fierce in guarding the 2nd amendment but are willing to toss out the 1st at the drop of a hat, for example. As said above, the Libertarians have taken up that banner better than the Republicans have. I would argue that because of the long historical morphing (the one the video mentions, actually), that there really ISN'T a central idea of what a Republican is or what a Democrat is. They're both as consistent as bad fanfiction.
*applauds* This! perfect. this is exactly the change we need. And the rest of you make great points as well. I wish i knew how to quote all of you. The political system has turned into a fucking game. And all the moves are backed with surface information. No real thought about the repercussions of their actions. All the votes are based on what group you fit into and the partys are trying way too hard to blindly fit into the false characteristics of their corresponding group. Which is why I also disagree with the party system. Our country should not be fighting itself. We should be forming bills and laws based on what is TRUELY right by basic human beliefs (try to help your fellow man, tell the truth, dont kill someone unless your life is on the line, dont steal, allow people of all types to have equal rights), not morally right by Christian definition(which changes depending on who you talk to). We should spend more time compromising, and less time trying to shoot down opposition. "Republican" and "Democrat" were just titles to help guide people to a voting decision. NOT "die by the sword" labels to live by. Dear politicians, WE. ARE. PEOPLE. We dont fit into one catagory. We have children. We have houses were trying to keep. We have jobs were trying to keep. We have hopes, dreams, fears, and sickness. We come in all colors, religions, and nationalities. Were ALL immigrants, were ALL humans, we ALL want peace, we ALL want safety, and we ALL want a better life. The fact that politicians would sacrifice all of that to play a game they made up is fucking disgraceful.
Certainly not this: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/w...ad-to-jeb-bush-2016---the-republican-platform
There's no such thing as a good politician, so there's definitely no such thing as a good Republican.
A good republican is a tough one who can handle all the bologna they get from alot of people who can dish it but can't handle it themselves. A bad one is one who tries to be their friend. Trust me, that won't work.
This is true. In fact, it was only a few decades ago that the Democrats were the "party of the south" and filled with unabashed bigots.
Absolutely. Plus, people also have to consider that these people don't always believe the stuff they say when on the campaign trail. Newt Gingrich is actually a very intelligent person. There are videos of him doing Q&As with Christopher Hitchens back in like 2002, and he knows what he's talking about. It's not until he knows he's running for president and he has to appeal to a bunch of...interesting people, that he begins speaking the way he did on the campaign trail. Likewise, Andrew Sullivan, an openly gay political commentator, made the point on an episode of Bill Maher that there are plenty of democrats who, behind closed doors, are repulsed by the idea that they have to support the homosexual community. Case in point: It's incredibly difficult to find an honest politician. They are essentially salesman, they know they have to appeal to people.
There are good conservatives but these mainstream republicans are complete shitheads. True conservatives believe in small government. Period, end of story. When these republicans say they want small government they mean they want to deregulate these big banks and corporations so they can get their cut but then they want crawl into your personal life. Tell you what you can and can't do with your body. Conservative good, republican bad. Libertarians are what republicans should be.