wow cool. i dont know that much about politics that i thought i did.. but i totally agree with u about republicans.. i've been demecrat since the day i was born! its so funny how the republicans try to convince people that fighting and destroying Iraq is helping them.. its so corny. u sound so much like my economics teacher, so how old r u? like 45?

me + learning = *light bulb* lol

Haha, 27, but thanks for that. If this is something that interests you, I suggest getting into American history. Read about all the major and minor changes the country has gone through. Perhaps the most relevant are the founders and the struggles they went through. Watch "1776" one of my favorite movies as a kid.

The Democratic party is the original political party in America, devised by Jefferson, and solidified by two hundred years of defending the rights of all people to be free. Republicans are just another in a long line who have tried to promote a selfish agenda and fallen by the wayside. Their time is coming.

I think it's wrong to term all Republicans as "selfish," though I suppose I can see why, since the present Republican branch grew from the "every man for himself" category, while the current Democratic party actually compares to socialist philosophy.

Economically, Republicans tend towards a "trickle down" philosophy, which pretty much says that the more money wealthy people have, the more they'll spend (thus creating more jobs,) and the more they'll invest into businesses (also creating more jobs.)
Conversely, Democrats tend towards the exact opposite--give the lower classes more money so they can spend it, and the businesses will grow naturally. They also prefer to tax the upper-classes more to fund social programs to help the lower-classes, whereas Republicans, once again, go by the "every man for himself" philosophy, which generally means, say, that health-care should be offered through employers rather than have a national health care system. (And to accomplish this, the repeal taxes on the employers so that they'll have money to have health-care plans.)

Anyway, I'm mostly rambling. (For the record, I consider myself independent, and I don't plan to go into the debate of which philosophy does or doesn't work.)

Here's a thought why Bush was re-elected a second time: The abortion/stem-cell issue... unfortunately there's a very clear line between the "Republican" and "Democratic" ideals on this issue, and if it's important enough, yes, die-hard Democrats will vote Republican (my former political science teacher, for one.) It's a shame there isn't also a place on the ballet to select why you voted a certain way.

Ahh, "trickle-down" counts as one of the greatest economic theories, right under "Let them eat cake!" You know, except for the satisfying after effect.

The problem is the idle rich seldom spend their money, or at least to the excess that would be required for the "lower classes" to see any benefit from such spending. No, the rich hoard their holdings.

Right now, America is run by companies that own companies. Where once we had prosperity because big industry produced things the country actually NEEDED, and not the recent American slang where "need" means want. Now, it's possible that a person who owns a company might never need to set foot in a store they control, yet see most benefit from the labor of the poor people who work for them.

I work in retail, where I am pushed to sell things like replacement plans, credit card sign-ups, and inferior product with higher mark-ups because the top 7 percent of our company sees the highest turn-in from this policy. Even if I work every day and sell thousands of dollars in these sales a year, I'm lucky to see a dollar increase in wages. I have wisdom teeth rotting in my head because no one in management chose to tell me the sign-up for insurance that I have to pay for out of my checks is until September. It's not just about my struggle. I think about all the people who have worked there longer, with families, who have to support those families and will never see the results of their labors despite their dedication to the company. Why should the people who work in the stores/restaurants/factories see the least benefit from their efforts versus people who sit behind a desk? I know people who are sadly grateful, convinced that if they just keep working hard enough, driving those numbers, maybe some day the little piece of the pie they see might get the tiniest sliver bigger, or maybe they'll be that little bit less expendable.

I make the analogy of the Aesop story of the ant and the grasshopper. As I remember, if we all work hard, then we all see the benefit of our labors. In Republican Children's Stories, the ants work hard for the grasshopper, who gathers the grain and if the ants are lucky, and margins are high enough, then maybe they see one grain out of a hundred, if not thousands, they should be thankful for, because there are a million other ants who can do the same job.

Your stem-cell research thing brings up another good point, about Republicans and their use of words like "values." Republicans don't care about values, they care about money, as I've said before. They pretend to care about values, because the hard working people who earn all their money for them care about values. Stem-cell research would possibly save thousands, if not millions of current living lives, using otherwise dead cells. That's right, dead cells. Of course, this kind of turn would cut into medical company profits, drug companies, insurance companies... Money.

Gay marraige is another example. True, there's religious opposition, also known as ignorance, to two people of the same gender getting married. I tell people, "Why should two people who honestly, and deeply love each other not be allowed to be married based on something as simple as gender? Why not some other arbitrary value, like race, or hair color?" I get the usual answers, none of which hold up their end on a logical response.

So, how does gay people getting married have anything to do with money, and Republicans? Gay people getting married means that insurance companies and pensions have to include this new partner as a legal spouse, meaning the company has to pay this person like they would a wife or husband. That's the bottom line, shaving cost, saving margins. Every less person they have to be financially responsible for. All for that top seven percent of our country to argue with their daughter for buying the wrong colored Porche for their 16th birthday. (If you think I'm lying, there a freaking internet video of this.)

Of course, Republicans say they care about these things. They do, but only because it costs them money. They can preach about religion and values because they know in the end that good, faithful people will vote in their favor on these issues of value. I feel sorry for Christians who think Republicans care anything about values, because you cannot serve both God and Money. Jesus said that. You're not a bad Christian by accepting gays as people, or defending human rights, or helping to cure the sick, or believing in charity. But Republicans want you to think so. Better for their margins.

Hi folks...I usually don't get into the other forums...I get my butt kicked enough in the religious forum. I couldn't help get into this one though because of it's title.

I am a Christian. But, I don't like President Bush...I respect him as the leader of our country. I can say that since he and his brother Jeb got involved in our countries politics, my husband has been unemployed twice under republican leadership. It has proven difficult for us financially, something that was not the case when Clinton was in office. I pray for the day we have a new president. I don't vote strictly for a party, but as a Christian, I tend to agree more with the democrats than the republicans, eventhough my dad is a lifelong republican. Even my dad voted against Bush in the last elections. I am against abortion. That's where I draw the line with the republicans. I am not in favor of gay marriages, but am in favor of gay adoptions. As long as the couple is a loving couple, we have way too many children with no parents...let's give them loving parents regardless of what their gender is....again all of this is my opinion.

Blessings,

Emilie

wow robii.. u wrote an entire essay worth! lol newayz, i am so touched *sniff*

and i totally agree with u guys saying that republicans being greedy. like, they are so totally robbing people's money, did u see how much the tax is rising? and we dont even get much back for it either.. either its going to the pointless and horrible war, or its going in their pockets.. that's wat i say. but then again, i no nothing more than wat my parents say and wat u guys tell me =) and omg robii, ur so wonderful.. i think im in love with u.. even if ur such an old man. lol jk jk.. =) since im not getting much results in my post about Israel.. i really want to know the truth about that.. wat i think is that they were wrong to not recognizing Palestine as a country, and they had no right to just declare that place as another country ruled by another government just because they have the power to. i know the Holocaust was horrible, but that doesnt give them the right to do such to those people! the Palestine's didnt do anything! its all America and Europe's fault.. they shoulda made a proper arrangement.. wat do u think? =)

by the way.. only recent events interest me.. all that history.. is sooooo yesterday! lol =) i get enough of it in school, its so boring.. nothing exciting like wats going on right now.. not like its awesome, but its exciting.. its intense! yeah, history was exciting when it happened.. but thats the thing, it already happened, i missed it =) lol so its no interest to me now lol

Melissa, you contradict yourself. In one post everything you say relates directly to history (the current conflict between Israel and Palestine stemming from the decisions of politicians immediately following WWII,) and in the next you say that only the modern stuff is interesting, when in fact it, too, is based on history. For instance, were you aware that we put Saddam Hussein in power and supplied with him weapons? Have you heard that we're presently in talks with Saudi Arabia (a dictatorship) and even Iran (a long-time foe) about eliciting their help with the "insurgents" in Iraq. Hmm... I wonder what will become of it ten years from now.

Furthermore, in response to "did u see how much the tax is rising?" If taxes have risen, I must have missed it. I WISH they'd rise so at least this country would be funding Bush's war instead of the United States going even farther into debt with other countries. It's possible that maybe your state raised taxes recently, so maybe that's what you're referring to, but nationally, I've heard of nothing. I have heard there's been talk of raises the gas tax after the collapse of a major bridge in Minneapolis, but I doubt legislation will go through, particularly with people already outraged at the price of gasoline.

Robii, we could talk for hours and I don't think I'd be able to get you to acknowledge that (most) Republicans are people and not the die-hard money-grabbers you make them out to be, so I'll not bother to try. I will say, though, that I'm impressed by your ability to turn what are obviously social issues into financial ones (referring to your statements that Republicans oppose gay marriage and stem-cell research because it would cost them more money, rather than that there's a feeling that it goes against nature's intent and is inexplicably "wrong.")


Edit: Oh yes, another reason I wish they'd raise taxes for the war that I feel should be mentioned. Historically, in every major war fought by America, taxes have been raised and the public was, more or less, involved in the war effort. Now it seems that it's only the military, independent contractors, and their families who really bear the burden.

I'm sure we could talk for hours, but I'll save you the time, yes, most Republicans are good, hard-working, faith inspired people. They honestly believe they are doing the right thing. However, when I refer to "Republicans" I mean the ones in power, high enough to make these decisions, who use their followers like puppets. The ones in power abuse and mislead the faith people put in them, and to their own ends.

As far as an inexplicable wrong, I'll choose fundamental human rights over some oblique feeling any day of the week.

No offense to the people at the beginning of this board, but how can you say those who don't dislike president Bush is not an alert citizen? Both of my parents support him, and they are very alert citizens. Not to mention most of the damage was done by Clinton who, THANK GODDDD, was impeached.