Which way, Republican or Democratic?

Mike Ghouse, December 20, 2007

In land of the plenty, paucity of good candidates for President is amazing and stifling. The undecided majority of Republican voters are confused; which way do I go; Republican or Democratic?

Two decades ago, when I chose to become an American, I found myself in tune with the Republicans; liberty, less government, fiscal responsibility, capitalism, security and peace through strength. Today, the party is not the same and it does not reflect those values any more. I am disappointed.

Under the Republican administration in the last seven years our government has become bigger. We have added layers of bureaucracy with Homeland Security, FBI, CIA and God only knows who else to handle one single item - Safety of Americans. In Iraq we have embarked on building the largest embassy in the world. We are not paying for Iraq war from the current budget, but from money borrowed from potential adversaries, with the largest national debt, ever in history.

Our Liberties are curbed, government secrecy has grown monumentally and the American public is treated as imbeciles. Wire tapping, violation of Geneva conventions that we pioneered, incarcerating indefinitely without charges, where is the ideal of innocent until proven Guilty?   Where is the pledge, with liberty and justice for all? Secrecy of any kind breeds evil men and democracy is put in harms way.

While other nations are balancing their budgets and building surplus reserves to ensure financial security, our administration has loaded us with immense debt and has a bad record on fiscal responsibility. Senator Lloyd Bentsen had challenged a presidential candidate once. Yeah, you can charge on the credit card carelessly and put up a good show of prosperity, when the bill hits home, who is going to pay?   

The Republican party needs an attitude adjustment, Investing in human development is not a charity, it is indeed capitalism. Uplifting the down trodden onto a level playing field and enlarging the consumer base is not a charity, it is an investment in human capital.  Blowing billions of Dollars and funding other nations is charity, which is needed after we have take care of our citizenry. Where are our priorities?

Our reckless war mongering is not a war on terrorism, but a terrorizing war, which has spawned more enemies around the globe.  Look at the UN resolutions record; we stand aloof and often isolated among the community of nations.

The idea of peace through strength is trashed by this administration. They believe that we have become bullies, forcing others to obey our almighty guns.

Congressman Armey couldn't have said it any better. "Republican lawmakers forgot the party's principles, became enamored with power and position, and began putting politics over policy."

Indeed, we the Republicans became arrogant, believing that America is ours to rule without any one questioning it. The President wanted "yes men and women" around him; the Republican controlled house and the senate obliged. We had the audacity to demean any one who questioned "our policies", to label them un-patriotic.  

I trust the American people will always do the right thing when things veer off the path of democracy. Republican approval ratings are in shambles, yet we refused to see the writing. Democracy was in peril with us controlling the executive, judicial and legislative branches of our government, shattering the check and balances to pieces. The checks, he legislature is supposed to provide to the executive overreach is a must and the essence of democracy essential. Our representatives became a rubberstamp.

November 7, 2006 was an important day in our history, the day democracy was re-stored, thanks to fellow Americans for putting down their foot and voting out us, the Republican congress who supported unilateralism.

I am haunted by a question, which way do I go; Republican or Democratic? Loyalty to country and democracy trumps loyalty to party.

All I hear from the crop of the Republican candidates, with the exception of Texas Congressman Ron Paul, is "Arrogance". I don't relate with these warmongers any more.  They don't get it and the Americans are looking for sanity in all these wrong candidates.

Do we need to continue to put America on peril with wars, wars and wars? 

We need to focus on the impending dangers from China's surplus trade balances, Dollar value, education, health care, uplifting the Americans who are down and earning back the lost respect from the community of nations for continued leadership edge.

John McCain says bomb, bomb and bomb, Giuliani cannot think beyond 9/11 reference. Romney wants to keep things secretive, a bad thing for democracy. Huckabee is perhaps scheming to put puppets in Supreme Court who can cancel out Roe V. Wade. Dictators like Musharraf can do that, not our Presidents.   These guys are singing Cheney's tune on "intelligence".  All they arte peddling is fear, they will be wrong again, again and again.

A New York Time columnist writes, "The Republican pack is one extremely unappealing bunch of politicians, and it is no wonder the poor voters have developed buyer's remorse before they've come near the cash register".  

On the Democratic side, Hilary Clinton plays the Republican tune well, she is a Bush-lite; she should be with the Republican gang and probably would get the nomination.  

Obama and Edwards talk sense. However, Obama has shown the propensity to make compromises to get elected, what will he do once the pressure is mounted on him after he is elected?

As Americans, which way do we go? I hope the candidates will interact with the public more often and eventually mature with sound policies for our nation.