The Republican Party

I am a Republican. I am not a learned Republican steeped in political knowledge. However I watched Senator Obama beat the stuffing out of John McCain. I say I am a Republican, yet I find some of the values espoused by the Democrats to be appealing. I think abortion should be a choice made by the mother with the father's input. I think that we have to get health care under control and I do not believe giving a voucher to citizens to use in buying health care is viable. Hell, $5000 won't my much in the way of health insurance, and many poor people would use the money to put food on the table, booze in their gullet, or drugs in their veins. I think Social Security needs to be fixed. I am one who will probably have over 50% of their retirement income come from the monthly benefit check. I think veterans should received better benefits and the GI Bill do what it did years ago, pay for college so people who serve can improve their lot in life.

I do not like the idea of increasing government involvement in private issues. However, it seems the Republicans couldn't stem the tide. I think we are over committed in defense spending and need to work harder at forging international friendship instead of looking for the economic advantage all of the time.

A liberal Congress scares the hell out of me. I do not like the Employee Free Choice Act and think there will be nothing worse than its passage. I fear companies will flock to other countries to avoid the chicken shit contracts that will be forced on employers. I also think there are enough issues in the passage of that law to create law suits that will tie up the implementation of that bill for several years.

Most of all I want the Republicans to get rid of the religious right. I cannot think of a more damning, damaging segment of the party that drives young voters away in large numbers. I do not like the southern conservatism that continues to reflect the racial divide in the country, and I especially do not like that they tend to vote Republican. I do not think a return to the old values is to be the savior of the Republican party, I think that expanding commitment to new values is what is going to lead the Republican party out of the wilderness.

I also don't see that happening very soon.