The point concerns the basic philosophy of the GOP-- where it stands, for example, concerning the principles undergirding PBA and abortion in general. While the Democrat Party generally is unabashedly the pro-abortion party (such that it almost uniformly champions abortion litmus tests for elected officials, federal judges and Supreme Court Justices), the GOP is certainly no pro-life party. In fact were it not for the social conservatives (SCs) within the GOP, the abortion plank would have been actively eliminated from the GOP platform just as Dole almost accomplished in 1996. The GOP clearly wants to avoid the abortion issue, while the Dems openly embrace it. And so the GOP leaves the Dems in charge of the abortion theater. Effectively, the GOP is comprised of Democrats where abortion is concerned. It does not present a real alternative to the Democrats on this issue.
>Republicans are the driving force behind welfare reform and a serious attempt at budget balancing.<
Yes, and when I look at the big picture, I see that for very many years nothing happened on welfare until a Democrat made it happen. This supports the point that Dems already have the field. Indeed they have always held it, and despite the Republican majority in Congress they yet hold it. The GOP is but a faction within the Democrat Party. Surely it sometimes serves as a feeble braking mechanism against some of the outlandish beliefs of mainstream Democrats; but essentially it is generally allied with those same Democrats.
>Republicans, mainly in states and municipalities, have been the driving force behind charter schools and vouchers, the latter fought tooth and nail by Democrats.<
Again, when I look at the big picture I see education is veritably ruled by Democrats. Even the GOP education struggle is fought on Democrat terms. That the GOP and the Dems differ on vouchers is quite a minor issue when both the GOP and Dems are forever locked into the failed NEA/Dept. of Education/ACLU/Planned Parenthood paradigm. Even where vouchers are concerned we see that as soon as SCs ask that private and religious schools be eligible to accept them, the GOP hops into the lap of the Democrat Party. Even on education SCs often must fight the GOP as well as the Dems.
>Tax relief, both federal and state, has been more likely under Republicans.<
Riiight. Every blue moon the Republicans squeak through a bill allowing some Americans to get back $12 of the thousands they have sent to Washington's pork processing machine, and each time the Republicans prance around like game roosters while leaving the Dems yet in charge of the pork processor. They would truly distinguish themselves by taking over the pork processor and freeing Americans from having to send so much money to Washington in the first place. But of course Republicans will never do any such thing because they and Democrats play the same dang game. "Milk them until they cry uncle, and then throw them a buck or two only to milk the heck out of them on the flip side."
Yes, the Republicans sometimes act as a braking mechanism against the Dem's penchant to spend until they get dizzy. But Republicans spend in much the same way. Both they and the Dems are essentially the same.
>Even a relatively liberal Republican, like Rudy Guliani, has had the kind of commitment to law- and- order, and improvement of basic services, that has turned New York around.<
Rudy is just one little man. When I look at the big picture I still see a GOP that whines about the rule of law and such crap while allowing its Democrat Party to force it to accept a certifiably perjurious likely rapist president.
>Republican appointed judges are far more likely to follow the law, rather than be creative, and Republican appointees to the Supreme Court, although not all one could wish, are far more likely to overturn Roe v. Wade.<
That "although not all one could wish" of yours truly says it all, Neocon. They are "not all one could wish" because many of them are Democrats.
Look. It is clear to me that SC values are not wanted in the GOP. The SCs must leave the Demoblican "big tent" so that their message will no longer be buried in the confusion, cowardice and mealymouthedness that is characteristic of the GOP. It is better that they utter a clearly heard but ignored message than one perfunctorily supported by wet noodles like Trent Lott. |
