Tuesday, May 19, 2009

How the Republican Party Lost Its Soul

Once upon a time the Republican party had principles. It was the party which believed in limited government, and no candidate better exemplified those principles than Barry Goldwater, who surely was one of the most principled people who ever ran for President.

But somewhere along the way the Republican party has completely lost its sense of principle. This was driven home to me today when Chuck Todd mentioned that one of the things which brought George W. Bush into disfavor was the federal government's involvement in the Terry Schiavo case.

This ridiculous and pathetic involvement in a family's very personal and private decision represents the mentality of the Republican party today. Instead of based on limited government, as it used to be. the party now has repeatedly opted for government regulation of people's private lives. The list is endless: abortion, contraception, drug use, viewing dirty pictures in the privacy of one's own home, prostitution, in all of these areas, the Republicans today are for draconian regulation of our private lives, and is responsible for putting millions of people in jail for victimless crimes like drug use.

Add to that the fiscal irresponsibility practiced by the Republicans since 1980. Reagan and the first Bush quadrupled the national debt, and under George W. Bush this process continued. Under Clinton, by contrast, we actually had a surplus! And the Republicans still dare to call Democrats the party of big government! What liars!

No wonder the party is practically extinct.

No comments: