People vote for different political parties for many different reasons. Today many conservatives vote Republican believing that the Republican party will protect their heritage, gun rights, limit government and reduce taxes. To their credit the Republicans have reduced taxes. But what good does that do when at the same time they expand government? How will we pay for this expansion? The answer is deficit spending. Since 9-11 under the leadership of the Republicans government has expanded by leaps and bounds in the name of safety. The truth is when government expands we are less free and far less safe.
The Republican Party must also expand government in the form of social programs. For instance many principals get compromised away to cut deals with the Democratic Party. As when Bush threw more money at the education problem to please Ted Kennedy. Everyone knows that more money will not fix the problem. But when it comes time to face the music Bush and the rest of the Republicans can always use the excuse that they have given more funding to education than any other previous administration.
Along with increasing the size of government we have fought two wars and have won two wars. However, these “victories” will require the long-term presence of our military to prevent the “crows from coming back to roost”.
Do I think the President made a mistake by reducing taxes? No, of course not. But government expansion is paid for by deficit spending the value of our dollar decreases and the economy is weakened. This cancels out any good that the tax cut might have done to begin with.
The Democratic Party is suffering from it’s own problems right now. Traditionally a melting pot for blue-collar union workers, civil rights groups, and minorities, the party seems to be splintering into a million different fragments. After the defeat of Al Gore in 2000 they seem to have recognized that they needed a change in strategy, but they still haven’t figured out what that should be.
To the Democrats credit, they recognize the dangers of deficit spending. The trouble is, they like the Republicans seek to expand government. Unlike the Republicans they have a plan to pay for their expansion. Raise taxes. This will reduce the deficit and balance the budget, but it will hurt the economy. When all taxes are considered, regulatory, local, state and federal, the average American pays 50 % of their wages in taxes.
When taxes are raised it increases the cost of doing business in the United States. Businesses relocate outside of the United States to become more profitable. The economy suffers and the tax revenues that were being used to pay for the expansion of government begin to dwindle. Which leads us back to...deficit spending.
Two very different parties with one very common problem. How to pay for the expense of running the government. To that I have one simple solution, stop expanding it!
So if both parties are hurting the economy, why do we continue to elect them? Why doesn’t either party do something to actually fix the problem? This answer is simple. Both parties run on the campaign promises that they will fix the problem but it never gets fixed. Why? You may ask. The answer is that if the problem gets fixed there will be no need for the candidate any longer.
Politicians from both parties like to give the appearance that they are “working on the problem”. When election time rolls around again they can claim that they have made “great strides towards our goals”. This statement is usually followed by another by the incumbent candidate, “ but in order for us to achieve our goals you must re-elect me!”. Thus the circle continues.
The economy isn’t the only problem this scenario applies to. Take the state of Georgia right now.
During Governor Barnes term civil rights groups threatened an economic boycott if the state flag was not changed and the large Confederate flag removed. The change was made without the consent of the people. This angered many Georgians. Along comes candidate Perdue with the promise that if elected he would “fix the problem”.
Governor Barnes tried to fix the problem to avoid an economic boycott and to try and heal years of racial injustice. He made the problem worse. Governor Perdue tried to fix the problem by promising to decide the fate of Georgia’s flag by a vote of the people. He didn’t. Instead he compromised and made the problem worse.
Civil Rights groups are not happy because they defeated the ’56 flag. No they are mad because the compromise flag is a prominent Confederate symbol. So why did Georgia’s black legislators vote for this “divisive” symbol? To fix the problem?
No they voted on it so there would still be a problem to fix.
Republicans, the tax cuts you applaud are useless if your party continues to expand government.
Democrats, the tax increase you voted for to eliminate the deficit is useless if it drives business out of the country.
Supporters of Civil Rights groups, the money you donate to fight racism is wasted. The money you donate furthers racial tension. Because like any other politician if the problem gets fixed your leaders are out of a job. When your " leaders" threaten economic boycott does it not effect black workers in Georgia? How are they helping by threatenig the economy of your state? When your leaders threaten economic boycott they are threatening your jobs too!
People of Georgia, black and white when will you learn the career politicians are not your friends?
The only way to fix the problem in Georgia is to let the people vote, not the politicians.
Clint Lacy
