Thursday, September 04, 2008
Why I am not a Democrat
I need to start this piece out by stating that I am actually a registered democrat but I don't subscribe to the democratic party principles at all. I am registered as a democrat because the county I live in is largely democrat and almost all of the local elections are dominated by democrats. Most local elections do not have a republican candidate, therefore most of these elections are decided in the partisan primaries. I like to have a say in local elections, therefore, I remain registered as a democrat in order to vote.
That said, I am not a firm believer in the republican platform either but their ideals, not their actions, are closer to what I believe than democrats. I flirted with the libertarian party for awhile, more agreement in principles, but they get zero votes in local elections and national primaries. And I have found over the years that libertarians are extremely stubborn and have some very odd ideas about defending our country. So I shun the libertarian party as well.
I guess I really am an independent. I've never really liked the sound of that word, it's almost as if you can't make up your mind who you support so declaring independence has seemed kind of like a cop-out to me. Oh well, I guess it really doesn't matter one way or another. What I do believe is the government that governs best is the government that governs least.
But back to the original point, why I am not a democrat.
I am not a democrat because I like to think for myself. I am not a democrat because I value freedom, liberty and personal independence above government solutions. I believe, as Ronald Reagan did, that government is not the solution to our nation's problems, but rather government is the problem. I am not a democrat because I don't value my feelings over rational thought. I value practical ideas, personal responsibility and free markets.
I am not a democrat because I think this country is great because of what its citizens do in spite of our government. I do not believe this country is great because of what our government does. I am not a democrat because I despise socialism in all of its forms. I am not a democrat because I don't discuss or argue an issue based on how I feel but based on what I believe. I am not a democrat because I form opinions based on facts not feelings or what I think "should" be right or fair. Life isn't fair, I've gotten used to it.
I am not a democrat because I am not a lifelong idealist, I am a practicalist(sic). I am not a democrat because I approach issues of governmental intervention/interference based on what is constitutional not based upon what mood the country happens to be in about a particular topic. Let the wind blow wildly, that's what wind does, but my opinions are not subject to popularity, and neither should the government's be.
I am not a democrat because I believe the Constitution is not a dynamic document, subject to reinterpretation over time. I am not a democrat because I don't believe the judicial system should be able to make laws from the bench. I am not a democrat because I believe the government should not be a tool for the redistribution of wealth. I believe social and entitlement programs should be handled by charities, churches and organizations that specialize in those areas with the help and contributions by individuals who choose to do so. I believe I can spend my money more wisely than the government can.
I am not a democrat because I believe the government should not have a monopoly on education. I believe parents should decide which school is right for their child and not be forced to pay for the education of others as well. I believe in school choice and paying for what you use. I am not a democrat because I believe individuals should buy and be responsible for their own health insurance and health care not the government. What's next? Having national car insurance or national house/rental insurance, or natural life insurance. It has to stop!
I am not a democrat because I wholly believe in capitalism and free market innovations, not in government solutions and not in government management. I am not a democrat because I do not believe the government can run any business or enterprise more effectively, efficiently and more cost effective than private enterprise. I believe there is nothing that the government does that cannot be done better by private business except governing. And once again, the government that governs best is the government that governs least.
I am not a democrat because I do not buy into the global warming swindle. I do not believe the science is 100% sure there actually is global warming. Even if there is global warming occurring, it has not been proven to be caused by carbon-dioxide or anything mankind is doing. I believe it is much more likely that global warming would be caused by a natural occurrence, like maybe changes in the sun, than by a minute amount of a natural compound like carbon-dioxide. I am not a democrat because I believe Al Gore is completely wrong. Even if there is global warming, I don't believe there is anything we can do to stop it short of destroying ourselves economically.
I am not a democrat because I believe it is every citizen's right as granted in the Constitution, to keep and bear arms in the event of protecting ourselves from others, to use recreationally or to use against a tyrannous government should it become necessary. I believe that any outright ban on something only creates a black market and huge profitability for those willing to risk it.
I am not a democrat because the democrat party of today has changed so much from what it was back in John Kennedy's day. I am not a democrat because I prefer to ask not what my country can do for me. I am not a democrat because I prefer to take personal responsibility for my life, my actions, my choices, my mistakes, my triumphs and my failings. I am not a democrat because I do not, no I cannot, blame any of my personal troubles on someone else. I hold myself accountable for my actions and when I make a mistake or a bad choice, I own up to it and I pay the price for it. And I try to do better next time.
I am not a democrat because I think that there are much better answers in business and a free market than there are in government. I am not a democrat because I love my country unconditionally and will defend American principles against any antagonists from outside our country and from within this country. I am not a democrat because I know that some ideas are worth fighting for, that some some wars are necessary and that sometimes things take longer to work out than was thought. I am not a democrat because those facts do not scare me or make me want to quit just because things are going bad. I am not a democrat because I believe going into Iraq was the right decision and I have never wavered from that point of view. I supported the surge and I have trusted our generals to make the right decisions.
I am not a democrat because I believe Ahmadinejad when he says he wants to destroy the Zionist regime. I believe the Islamic Jihadists when they say they want to kill all of the infidels, of which America and Israel stand at the top of their list. I am not a democrat because I have no faith in the United Nations whatsoever and I believe our country should resign from that useless, corrupt organization.
I am a slow, careful thinker. Always have been. I spent a good part of my life deciding what my core value system really was. What it is that I truly, deeply believe in. I am not afraid to stand on the fence over an issue. I can often see both sides of an issue and perhaps even a third, less obvious side. I see no need to have an opinion on every single issue. Some things just really don't matter to me and I see no need to form an opinion. But on issues that matter, that I do care about and have considered completely and have formed an opinion, I will stand firm in my beliefs and will act according to my core principles unless the the situation changes. I believe, as Winston Churchill once said when asked why he had changed his mind about something, when the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do?
In short, I think, therefore I am not a democrat.
my nickel,
OH
That said, I am not a firm believer in the republican platform either but their ideals, not their actions, are closer to what I believe than democrats. I flirted with the libertarian party for awhile, more agreement in principles, but they get zero votes in local elections and national primaries. And I have found over the years that libertarians are extremely stubborn and have some very odd ideas about defending our country. So I shun the libertarian party as well.
I guess I really am an independent. I've never really liked the sound of that word, it's almost as if you can't make up your mind who you support so declaring independence has seemed kind of like a cop-out to me. Oh well, I guess it really doesn't matter one way or another. What I do believe is the government that governs best is the government that governs least.
But back to the original point, why I am not a democrat.
I am not a democrat because I like to think for myself. I am not a democrat because I value freedom, liberty and personal independence above government solutions. I believe, as Ronald Reagan did, that government is not the solution to our nation's problems, but rather government is the problem. I am not a democrat because I don't value my feelings over rational thought. I value practical ideas, personal responsibility and free markets.
I am not a democrat because I think this country is great because of what its citizens do in spite of our government. I do not believe this country is great because of what our government does. I am not a democrat because I despise socialism in all of its forms. I am not a democrat because I don't discuss or argue an issue based on how I feel but based on what I believe. I am not a democrat because I form opinions based on facts not feelings or what I think "should" be right or fair. Life isn't fair, I've gotten used to it.
I am not a democrat because I am not a lifelong idealist, I am a practicalist(sic). I am not a democrat because I approach issues of governmental intervention/interference based on what is constitutional not based upon what mood the country happens to be in about a particular topic. Let the wind blow wildly, that's what wind does, but my opinions are not subject to popularity, and neither should the government's be.
I am not a democrat because I believe the Constitution is not a dynamic document, subject to reinterpretation over time. I am not a democrat because I don't believe the judicial system should be able to make laws from the bench. I am not a democrat because I believe the government should not be a tool for the redistribution of wealth. I believe social and entitlement programs should be handled by charities, churches and organizations that specialize in those areas with the help and contributions by individuals who choose to do so. I believe I can spend my money more wisely than the government can.
I am not a democrat because I believe the government should not have a monopoly on education. I believe parents should decide which school is right for their child and not be forced to pay for the education of others as well. I believe in school choice and paying for what you use. I am not a democrat because I believe individuals should buy and be responsible for their own health insurance and health care not the government. What's next? Having national car insurance or national house/rental insurance, or natural life insurance. It has to stop!
I am not a democrat because I wholly believe in capitalism and free market innovations, not in government solutions and not in government management. I am not a democrat because I do not believe the government can run any business or enterprise more effectively, efficiently and more cost effective than private enterprise. I believe there is nothing that the government does that cannot be done better by private business except governing. And once again, the government that governs best is the government that governs least.
I am not a democrat because I do not buy into the global warming swindle. I do not believe the science is 100% sure there actually is global warming. Even if there is global warming occurring, it has not been proven to be caused by carbon-dioxide or anything mankind is doing. I believe it is much more likely that global warming would be caused by a natural occurrence, like maybe changes in the sun, than by a minute amount of a natural compound like carbon-dioxide. I am not a democrat because I believe Al Gore is completely wrong. Even if there is global warming, I don't believe there is anything we can do to stop it short of destroying ourselves economically.
I am not a democrat because I believe it is every citizen's right as granted in the Constitution, to keep and bear arms in the event of protecting ourselves from others, to use recreationally or to use against a tyrannous government should it become necessary. I believe that any outright ban on something only creates a black market and huge profitability for those willing to risk it.
I am not a democrat because the democrat party of today has changed so much from what it was back in John Kennedy's day. I am not a democrat because I prefer to ask not what my country can do for me. I am not a democrat because I prefer to take personal responsibility for my life, my actions, my choices, my mistakes, my triumphs and my failings. I am not a democrat because I do not, no I cannot, blame any of my personal troubles on someone else. I hold myself accountable for my actions and when I make a mistake or a bad choice, I own up to it and I pay the price for it. And I try to do better next time.
I am not a democrat because I think that there are much better answers in business and a free market than there are in government. I am not a democrat because I love my country unconditionally and will defend American principles against any antagonists from outside our country and from within this country. I am not a democrat because I know that some ideas are worth fighting for, that some some wars are necessary and that sometimes things take longer to work out than was thought. I am not a democrat because those facts do not scare me or make me want to quit just because things are going bad. I am not a democrat because I believe going into Iraq was the right decision and I have never wavered from that point of view. I supported the surge and I have trusted our generals to make the right decisions.
I am not a democrat because I believe Ahmadinejad when he says he wants to destroy the Zionist regime. I believe the Islamic Jihadists when they say they want to kill all of the infidels, of which America and Israel stand at the top of their list. I am not a democrat because I have no faith in the United Nations whatsoever and I believe our country should resign from that useless, corrupt organization.
I am a slow, careful thinker. Always have been. I spent a good part of my life deciding what my core value system really was. What it is that I truly, deeply believe in. I am not afraid to stand on the fence over an issue. I can often see both sides of an issue and perhaps even a third, less obvious side. I see no need to have an opinion on every single issue. Some things just really don't matter to me and I see no need to form an opinion. But on issues that matter, that I do care about and have considered completely and have formed an opinion, I will stand firm in my beliefs and will act according to my core principles unless the the situation changes. I believe, as Winston Churchill once said when asked why he had changed his mind about something, when the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do?
In short, I think, therefore I am not a democrat.
my nickel,
OH
# posted by OH @ 9:13 AM 
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excellent....You should have been the keynote speaker at the r convention and this should be required reading in every high school.
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