How Can You Tell Anymore ?
By William Bailey (05/25/03)
I have come to the conclusion that it’s almost impossible to distinguish between a Democrat and a Republican. Even if one is riding a donkey and the other is perched atop an elephant. Too much has changed in the basic philosophy and ideology of both major political parties.
For almost time in memoriam, Republicans have been the party espousing fiscal soundness and sanity . . . the Democrats have been known as the party of the “big-spenders”. Based on the last few decades, the line between fiscal soundness and big spending has become so blurred that it’s, sometimes, impossible to see the difference.
It appears that the thought expressed in the following old nursery rhyme seems to be holding sway with both parties:
“Little Jack Horner
Sat in a corner,
Eating a Christmas pie,
He stuck out his thumb
And pulled out a plum,
And said, ‘What a good boy am I’ “
There seems to be a prevailing attitude in the U.S. Congress that the revenue “pot” created by taxes paid by taxpayers is the “Christmas pie” and that success on the part of the Member of Congress (House and Senate) is determined by either how many or the size of the plum (also known as “pork”).
If one follows the proceedings of both Legislative bodies . . . and one pays heed to the words being used . . . one could easily be led down the “primrose path” that the members of both Legislative bodies . . . both political parties . . . have a genuine concern for the amounts of money being expended by the federal government. There will be much “to-do” made about things like deficits, national debt, debt ceiling, etc. And yet, they go right ahead passing amendment after amendment that does nothing but increase the amount of money being expended. Makes no sense . . .
Once again, it is my contention, that it was never the intent of the Founding Fathers that the federal government be the financing agency for every single project proposed by some well-intentioned (but oft misguided) member of the Congress. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t take much research to determine that the objective of the Founders was just the opposite. They never intended to create an all-powerful, central government. Their beliefs and philosophy ran, totally, to the contrary. All that’s necessary, for any who would like to see what the Founders had in mind insofar as the extent of the powers of the Legislative branch, is to read Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution . . . and the Tenth Amendment to that same document. It will become all too clear as to just how far afield the Congress has gone in exceeding what was intended. And, both major political parties must share the blame for having done so.
More importantly, in a major way, we Americans who love, and believe in, the Constitution of the United States have a share of the blame also. How can that be ? Simple . . . We let it happen.
It really is quite difficult to tell anymore what is Democrat and what is Republican. And, it didn’t use to be that way.
There are many who would say that you “can’t ‘unring the bell’ “ . . . you can’t “put the toothpaste back in the tube” . . . you can’t “turn the clock back”. Maybe not, but there’s nothing that says we can’t have a government that functions according to the document that created it. And, there’s nothing that says we can’t have two major political parties that have clear definition and delineation in those things for which they stand. Then, those who are interested could make clear choices.
How can you tell anymore ? Have we reached a point where we have Republicrats and Demopublicans ?
Something to think about . . .
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