Republicans and right wing Christians

[auntpolly]

This can be a debate if you want. I don't want to debate; I'd just like to hear what people say about this.

I am at odds many times with the Republican party because of the way I perceive them letting extremely right wing Christians dictate party philosophy.

Like with this constitutional ammendment. Republicans can't be in favor of ammending the constitution every time something like this comes up; can they?

Or am I missing a point? -- enlighten me because I long to be enlightened!!

 

[Pop Daddy]

each party has people they try to please, Demacrats have unions, blacks and gays they must try to please. This is the way policitcs work

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by Pop Daddy
each party has people they try to please, Demacrats have unions, blacks and gays they must try to please. This is the way policitcs work

OK, but doesn't it bother you that this is the way it works for you? I guess not....

 

[Eeyore1954]

Doesn't bother me at all. Everyone has the right to be represented by someone. It's not just "extremely right wing Christians" who support this amendment.

 

[auntpolly]

Let me put it this way -- how can the party that talks about less govenment all the time (which I love the idea of) let a bunch of people who want lots more of it control them?

If Republicans really did support less government like they say they do, I might be able to vote for a few of them.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Pop Daddy
each party has people they try to please, Demacrats have unions, blacks and gays they must try to please. This is the way policitcs work

ITA. I fear left wing extremists just as much as I fear right wing extremists. Every party had a lunatic fringe, propagandists etc.
While the far right has the hardcore Christian people who want everyone to worship Jesus, the far left has the hardcore atheist people who want to take historical crosses off of town seals at who even knows what cost to taxpayers.

Someone posted on here a few days ago that some right wing nutcases were cursing at her and throwing rocks at her car because she had a Kerry sticker. The next day I posted a thing about some group who plans to wreak chaos at the RNC by, amongst other things, trying to break the legs of horses ridden by mounted police officers on security by throwing marbles at their feet and making them fall.

I personally wish everyone could get along but until people like Michael Moore and Jay Severin settle down and attempt to have reasonable, well thought out debate minus the mudslinging and name calling, it's probably not going to happen.

 

[auntpolly]

Thanks for your replies -- I guess it's more of a case of what you personally think the lesser evil is.

I still don't get how you "less government" people can be OK with all the government that goes along with the right wing Christian agenda.

I say this in all honesty, there are things about the Republican ideal that I could get on board with, but the way it is executed I could never agree with.

 

[caitycaity]

I am at odds many times with the Republican party because of the way I perceive them letting extremely right wing Christians dictate party philosophy.

Like with this constitutional ammendment. Republicans can't be in favor of ammending the constitution every time something like this comes up; can they?

i agree with you. the problem as i and many republicans (not religious rights republicans) see it is that the religious right is no longer the lunatic fringe of the republican party. for a great number of reasons (so many that i could write a dissertation on it), the republican leadership has, in recent years, really kowtowed to the religious right agenda and their faithful traditional republicans still vote for the republican candidates anyways because they still agree with more of what the republican candidate is offering than the democratic candidate. my dh and all of our republican friends get very frustrated at the pushing of the religious right agenda. dh has been so fed up with some of gwb's moves that he was seriously considering either voting democrat or third party.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by auntpolly
OK, but doesn't it bother you that this is the way it works for you? I guess not....

It bothers me tremendously that democrats bow to the ACLU and the NAACP. (both organizations which I think try to do good, but go way overboard)

I used to be a democrat, until they moved too far to the left to appease to political correctness crowd.

I'd consider being a republican if they were not so far to the right.

I'd say I agree with each party on about half the issues. Against Abortion, For Gay marriage. Against the Death Penalty, For the right to bear arms. Against Affirmative action, for legalizing and regulating drugs....etc.

I really feel like there is too little independent thought in this country. Everyone seems to bow to their party's ideals. It's a shame.

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by caitycaity
i agree with you. the problem as i and many republicans (not religious rights republicans) see it is that the religious right is no longer the lunatic fringe of the republican party. for a great number of reasons (so many that i could write a dissertation on it), the republican leadership has, in recent years, really kowtowed to the religious right agenda and their faithful traditional republicans still vote for the republican candidates anyways because they still agree with more of what the republican candidate is offering than the democratic candidate. my dh and all of our republican friends get very frustrated at the pushing of the religious right agenda. dh has been so fed up with some of gwb's moves that he was seriously considering either voting democrat or third party.

We should start a DIS Libertarian group! I swear it has the best of both parties!!!

 

[wvrevy]

This is just my opinion (and I'm a lllooonnnggg way from being a conservative republican), but I feel like the republican party is actually lying when they say they want "less" government. What they mean when they say that is "fewer social programs", but don't expect that to mean "few restrictions on individuals". They are all for increased military spending, regardless if it's peacetime or wartime (though I'm not entirely certain there's a difference anymore), but can't find 1/1000th of that money to be spent on developing the arts. They seem to have no problem with legislating morality (so-called "decency" laws) so long as it's THEIR morals that are being legislated. They have a penchant for making laws restricting the first amendment, and the fourth has taken quite a beating this term as well...but by god, don't even think about touching the second

Again, I'm about as vocal a critic of the right as we've got here on the Dis, so take my feelings with a grain of salt if you feel the need, but I stand by the assessment. The republican party has become the bastion of big money and big corporations, and pay only lip service to the actual people that make up this country.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by wvrevy
This is just my opinion (and I'm a lllooonnnggg way from being a conservative republican), but I feel like the republican party is actually lying when they say they want "less" government.

I think all politicians (both sides) are lying when they say they want less government. I mean, come on, if there was less government, half of them would be out of jobs!

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by wvrevy
They seem to have no problem with legislating morality (so-called "decency" laws) so long as it's THEIR morals that are being legislated. .

And here, precisely, is where the Republican Party and I must part company!

 

[WishingStar]

Originally posted by wvrevy
This is just my opinion (and I'm a lllooonnnggg way from being a conservative republican), but I feel like the republican party is actually lying when they say they want "less" government. What they mean when they say that is "fewer social programs", but don't expect that to mean "few restrictions on individuals". They are all for increased military spending, regardless if it's peacetime or wartime (though I'm not entirely certain there's a difference anymore), but can't find 1/1000th of that money to be spent on developing the arts. They seem to have no problem with legislating morality (so-called "decency" laws) so long as it's THEIR morals that are being legislated. They have a penchant for making laws restricting the first amendment, and the fourth has taken quite a beating this term as well...but by god, don't even think about touching the second.

Well Said.

 

[kellyb2000]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
It bothers me tremendously that democrats bow to the ACLU and the NAACP. (both organizations which I think try to do good, but go way overboard)

ME TOO

 

[auntpolly]

It's beyond me how people can be against the ACLU!

If anybody's protecting our liberties, it's them. I literally thank God for them (and back that up with my check book!)

 

[Doug123]

I totally agree with wvrevy (which wouldn't come a shock to anyone that knows me). The GOP is in favor of less government ON CERTAIN ISSUES ONLY. Tax collection, is an example. Regulations in order to protect our environment from businesses just looking at their profit margin, is another. The big one, of course, is downsizing or eliminating social programs. However, as wvrevy also indicated, the GOP loves more government when it comes to such areas as the military and passing legislation to product us from ourselves.

Neither party can claim, across the board, that they want less government. It all depends on the issue.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Originally posted by auntpolly
It's beyond me how people can be against the ACLU!

If anybody's protecting our liberties, it's them. I literally thank God for them (and back that up with my check book!)

Perhaps because they only stand for some people's "civil liberties." Caving into any specific group is an issue as far as I am concerned.

 

[caitycaity]

It bothers me tremendously that democrats bow to the ACLU and the NAACP. (both organizations which I think try to do good, but go way overboard)

the difference as i see it, is catering to groups like the aclu and the naacp is not outside the "mission statement" of the democrat party. some of the things the religious right is pushing on the republicans are against the supposed republican worldview.

i also agree with auntpolly about the aclu. i know several republicans who are aclu members and volunteers. most of the stuff the aclu does is right on, imho.

Perhaps because they only stand for some people's "civil liberties."

care to cite examples of exactly what you have a problem with?

the ACLU has helped the KKK before. i'm not sure how they only stand up for some people'e liberties. if you read about the kinds of things that they do (i read my area's monthly newsletter ) it seems to me like they are working to protect a pretty wide base of people.

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by caitycaity
it seems to me like they are working to protect a pretty wide base of people.

You are so right. If you support the ACLU you've got to let go of agreeing with everything they do -- right away. It's not about the issues - it's about the freedom.