There are times I’d like to write about something other than national politics, but it is such a mess, it’s hard to hold it in. That, and when there are so many things that are going wrong, that either have, or will have an impact on Marion County, it only makes sense to try to weigh in.
Plus I’m less likely to get myself in trouble than if I spout off about something the Knoxville City Council has done. In this case, I think the council’s attitude toward having “undesignated funds available” could use adjustment. Sitting in their discussion last week seemed as though they had forgotten that this “extra money” was still confiscated from Knoxville residents.
But I’m not going to get into that. Instead, I’m going to attack the Republican Party, which is over.
I write that, even though I am registered as a Republican. I wanted to caucus last year and I haven’t summoned the will to abandon the party on paper. Moreover, I believe the party has abandoned me.
I want to join a party that has some fortitude. The Republican Party’s backbone has been hit with a serious case of osteoporosis as of late, and by ignoring it, the party has become lame.
Since the election, the Republicans have completely abandoned any resemblance to an organization that supports personal responsibility, fiscal responsibility, capitalism and freedom. All we’ve heard from these jokers is that we need to give in on every Democrat request for a tax increase, we shouldn’t bother to try to reduce actual spending (The entire sequester thing everyone is freaking out about is a joke, as the sequester will just reduce the amount of the increase in spending in future years.) and the individualism this country was created to celebrate just cannot survive today.
I whole-heartedly disagree.
The individual is still strong at his or her core. Any weaknesses to the individual can be attributed to overreaching interference from the government.
Why would an individual keep trying to find a job or buy food, when he or she can be on food stamps and unemployment for over a year?
Why would a couple, or even a single parent, be more proactive in using birth control, if they receive more government assistance with each kid? Parental irresponsibility is only encouraged further through public assistant programs to provide food, diapers and other basic needs. No, I don’t want kids to live in filth or starve, nor do I want them aborted, what I want is for parents to be responsible lovers and if they aren’t, I want them to be parents. Is that too much to ask?
Apparently it is to some people. One of the dangers of becoming too dependent on the government is surfacing in the gun debate. People were not guaranteed the right to bear arms just to go hunting, it is for protection.
I am in no way disparaging anyone in law enforcement, but the fact is they cannot be everywhere to protect everyone all of the time. You might have to do something for yourself, but people have forgotten that because they’ve been brainwashed to believe that government will be the sole protector of everyone.
It’s just not true. What is even more dangerous is that the more reliant on government you are, the less freedom you have. It is awfully easy for a government that gives you everything, to be just as quick to take everything away. Maybe that will happen, maybe it won’t, but it’s best not to leave yourself vulnerable to that possibility.
Those who stand on principles like this once stood with the Republican Party. We felt they were the ones fighting for these ideals, our Constitution and the American way of life. But no more.
Where can we turn? I don’t know.
But, as I’ve said before, we need to take the power of our government back from two, nearly identical, political parties and restore the strength, power and influence of the individual. Take care of yourself and thank you for reading.
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