Having read up on the candidates involved in the upcoming 2012 presidential election, I could not help but be struck by an overwhelming disconnect between their social stances and their political philosophies — a discrepancy I had noticed before but had not stopped to think about.
While I understand there is no “one size fits all” representation of the two major political parties in this country today, I also believe no one would argue with me if I said that generally, when it comes to social issues, Republicans subscribe to the pro-life, anti-homosexual marriage viewpoint and that more often than not, Democrats are pro-choice and support homosexual rights.
That is common knowledge, though, or at least it’s the common perception. The interesting part is when one contrasts those moral ideals with the candidates’ actual political platforms. Republicans support lower taxes and spending cuts and oppose social welfare programs. They essentially support the idea that the federal government should be as small and unobtrusive into our lives as possible.
Democrats, on the other hand, favor higher tax rates, federal spending, social welfare programs and essentially everything that will make the government as big and useful as possible.
Republicans want to be left alone. Democrats want to be helped. (Political fanatics, forgive my generalizations; I have to be succinct).
What I honestly do not understand is why those in favor of less government involvement in personal life (Republicans) are generally in favor of passing anti-gay marriage and anti-abortion laws that invade people’s personal lives, virtually kicking down the front doors of Americans.
And meanwhile, “let’s get involved in every part of their lives” Democrats support a hands-off approach to the above social issues, essentially letting the people run amok.
The answer I am always given for this is that Republicans are Jesus freaks and Democrats are blasphemous devils (purposeful exaggerations, everybody, let’s calm down), and that is where these moral stances come from — their faith, or lack thereof.
However, as anyone who is even mildly knowledgeable of Christianity knows, Jesus taught his followers to help those in need as much as possible; to be incredibly involved in making the world a better place. This is the role Democrats, the blasphemous devils, would like the government to embrace, but it’s an idea that seems repulsively “socialist” to the Christian Republicans.
I just don’t get it; there is a fundamental dissidence between the values that our political parties hold and the practices their members preach. It occurs on both sides of the aisle, and it bothers me, as it would be nice for consistency and rationality to be a part of our political system.
But — surprise, surprise — it’s not.
Samuel Gaffigan is a freshman English major. He can be reached at sam.gaffigan@hotmail.com.
