Watching the Republican Straw Poll speeches after watching the last couple of Democratic forums, posed some basic differences in what the parties seem concerned with. Democrats push ending the war, promoting universal health care, rolling back tax cuts on the rich and expanded civil rights for all… including gays. Republicans stress cutting taxes, cutting the size of “Big Government”, cutting taxes, fencing out illegal aliens, cutting taxes, building up the military and cutting taxes.
When they say “Big Government” is what they intend to get rid of, they plan to do it by cutting welfare programs, reducing medicare and medicaid, “reforming” Social Security, and eliminating the IRS in favor of a 23% “fair tax” (a sales tax on just about everything which will really screw the poor).
By ending “Big Government”, therefore, they mean eliminating government responsibility.
The Republicans talk about “family values”, which means limited rights for gays and lesbians who, after all, choose to be what they are. They avoid talking about Iraq as they avoid talking about Bush and his administration which they have a party commitment to. They wave the flag whenever it looks like they should actually talk about the real issues, like our frustrated economy and our debt to China and the disappearance of jobs to that nation, India and others.
But take responsibility for our problems? Not on your petunia!
If Americans really listen and weigh the issues with the candidates’ plans and promises, they will opt for “Government Responsibility” and ignore the attacks on “Big Government”, which, by their support of Bush, they have only made bigger since the Democrats left office.