Why Choose To Be A Republican?

[Coloradomtnman]

I grew up poor, white trash in rural Idaho, surrounded by Mormons and red-necks. After high school I enlisted in the Marine Corps for the first Desert Storm, although I didn't see any action. I served four years, received a fair number of medals and awards for my exemplary service, and instead of re-enlisting, I was honorably discharged to pursue my own interests and desires. I moved to Colorado, attended college, got a job paying over $30k a year, and realized just how geared towards money and fear our civilization is. I felt disenchanted with society and as a result have wanted change. I'm very well read, educated, a critical thinker, compassionate, and I think that the most important things for human beings to attain are fellowship and love among all people, self-discovery, compassion, understanding, and peace. I'm a radical leftist with extreme views and yet it seems to me that Jesus and I share more in common than the evagelical right. I don't understand why anyone relates to the GOP for any reason other than simple greed and the fact that the GOP extorts the traditional family values of evangelical Christians. Could someone explain to me why they choose to be a member of the Republican party? Honestly, I don't understand and think that this kind of conversation will help me to perceive the GOP and its members with a more accurate perspective.

 

[Jon]

To quote Mike Huckabee, who grew up in conditions similar to your own, "I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich. I'm a Republican because I didn't want to stay poor waiting on the government to save me."

Not that I necessarily agree with the statement, but it has some truth behind it.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

To quote Mike Huckabee, who grew up in conditions similar to your own, "I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich. I'm a Republican because I didn't want to stay poor waiting on the government to save me."

Not that I necessarily agree with the statement, but it has some truth behind it.

So Republicans want to be rich?

 

[xsited1]

You got me. They used to be the party of morals and principles, but not anymore. They used to be the party of smaller government, but not anymore. They used to be the Christian party, but not anymore. Maybe they like elephants.

 

[Jon]

So Republicans want to be rich?

Who doesn't? They just don't want to be poor and live off government handouts, I think.

 

[Caligirl]

I grew up poor, white trash in rural Idaho, surrounded by Mormons and red-necks. After high school I enlisted in the Marine Corps for the first Desert Storm, although I didn't see any action. I served four years, received a fair number of medals and awards for my exemplary service, and instead of re-enlisting, I was honorably discharged to pursue my own interests and desires. I moved to Colorado, attended college, got a job paying over $30k a year, and realized just how geared towards money and fear our civilization is. I felt disenchanted with society and as a result have wanted change. I'm very well read, educated, a critical thinker, compassionate, and I think that the most important things for human beings to attain are fellowship and love among all people, self-discovery, compassion, understanding, and peace. I'm a radical leftist with extreme views and yet it seems to me that Jesus and I share more in common than the evagelical right. I don't understand why anyone relates to the GOP for any reason other than simple greed and the fact that the GOP extorts the traditional family values of evangelical Christians. Could someone explain to me why they choose to be a member of the Republican party? Honestly, I don't understand and think that this kind of conversation will help me to perceive the GOP and its members with a more accurate perspective.

Think about people as falling into a few different groups. Some do best with sharp delineations, and others do best with fuzzy boundaries. Most people have some of each.

I have one kid who needs very sharp boundaries and another who needs a little more give and take.

I think that's what it boils down to, and neither approach is right or wrong.

 

[Caligirl]

Who doesn't? They just don't want to be poor and live off government handouts, I think.

LOL I didn't read the quote in your post and I thought the "who doesn't" was in response to "maybe they like elephants" lol.

I mean really, who doesn't?

 

[Coloradomtnman]

Who doesn't? They just don't want to be poor and live off government handouts, I think.

I don't want to be rich. I just want to have enough to live healthy, free, and without fear of poverty. I know many people who live below the poverty line and they don't live off government handouts. In fact, I don't know anyone who lives off government handouts.

And, I think, for every wealthy person there must be many more people who live in poverty for reasons either beyond their control or because they choose to do work that isn't rewarded with high pay. Such as charity workers.

If wealth were redistributed so that hard work is rewarded with high pay and not just work in the field that is the highest paid, then there would be more equality and less division among people.

Jesus wasn't wealthy. Neither were any of the Disciples. Nor was Gahndi. Nor was Buddha, though he started out that way.

 

[Jon]

If wealth were redistributed so that hard work is rewarded with high pay and not just work in the field that is the highest paid, then there would be more equality and less division among people.

So you're a socialist. I get it.

I'm not. I'm a capitalist. I earn money, I spend it as I see fit. I give when I can, but I didn't go to school and am not still going to school to better myself so that the poor can reap the fruits of my labors. Sorry.

 

[CornbreadOracle]

I think you're looking at it wrong. Jesus wouldn't have felt at home in any political party. It's a misnomer to try to apply the philosophy of either party to Him. Jesus was completely apolitical.

And He said unto them, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's." Luke 20:25 KJV



But since you ask, I'm a republican because I'm NOT rich, but I would like the chance to be.

 

[dilloduck]

If wealth were redistributed so that hard work is rewarded with high pay and not just work in the field that is the highest paid, then there would be more equality and less division among people.

ok--please tell me how you are going to measure hard work ?

Of course you can't.

 

[CornbreadOracle]

ok--please tell me how you are going to measure hard work ?

Of course you can't.

I always thought that the reward of high pay for high achievement was a terrific measure of hard work. But what would I know? I'm an evil capitalist pig. Oink.

 

[elvis]

I grew up poor, white trash in rural Idaho, surrounded by Mormons and red-necks. After high school I enlisted in the Marine Corps for the first Desert Storm, although I didn't see any action. I served four years, received a fair number of medals and awards for my exemplary service, and instead of re-enlisting, I was honorably discharged to pursue my own interests and desires. I moved to Colorado, attended college, got a job paying over $30k a year, and realized just how geared towards money and fear our civilization is. I felt disenchanted with society and as a result have wanted change. I'm very well read, educated, a critical thinker, compassionate, and I think that the most important things for human beings to attain are fellowship and love among all people, self-discovery, compassion, understanding, and peace. I'm a radical leftist with extreme views and yet it seems to me that Jesus and I share more in common than the evagelical right. I don't understand why anyone relates to the GOP for any reason other than simple greed and the fact that the GOP extorts the traditional family values of evangelical Christians. Could someone explain to me why they choose to be a member of the Republican party? Honestly, I don't understand and think that this kind of conversation will help me to perceive the GOP and its members with a more accurate perspective.

abortion and gay marriage motivate the christian right to vote republican.

 

[WillowTree]

Just think, if Democrats really really really lived the "spread the wealth around" mantra they spew, well, old John Kerry could make several several several several poor people millionaires. Wonder why he dosen"t do it?

 

[WillowTree]

I don't want to be rich. I just want to have enough to live healthy, free, and without fear of poverty. I know many people who live below the poverty line and they don't live off government handouts. In fact, I don't know anyone who lives off government handouts.

And, I think, for every wealthy person there must be many more people who live in poverty for reasons either beyond their control or because they choose to do work that isn't rewarded with high pay. Such as charity workers.

If wealth were redistributed so that hard work is rewarded with high pay and not just work in the field that is the highest paid, then there would be more equality and less division among people. If this is such a great idear why don't you ask John Effen Kerry? He might help ya!

Jesus wasn't wealthy. Neither were any of the Disciples. Nor was Gahndi. Nor was Buddha, though he started out that way.

.

 

[CornbreadOracle]

Just think, if Democrats really really really lived the "spread the wealth around" mantra they spew, well, old John Kerry could make several several several several poor people millionaires. Wonder why he dosen"t do it?

Obama could at least give his Kenyan brother a few bucks a month. Funny how libs are all keen on "spreading the wealth" until they have to open their own wallets.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

I'm not a Democrat. I don't think that the two party system by which we live accurately reflects the views of all citizens of the United States.

I also don't think wealth is moral. I don't want to be rich, but I don't want to work for rich people. I would like to do what I think of as meaningful work that does good for my community and my world. However, those jobs are difficult to obtain and don't pay well. However, if there weren't many many people who try to live a dream of being wealthy, and instead worked to help eachother and those less fortunate than themselves it seems to me the world would be a better place.

I see the desire for wealth and the need to maintain wealth as responsible for the destruction of the environment. It also greatly reduces the chance for people to start and run small businesses. Multinational corporations put small businesses out of business everyday. Some small businesses do well and even thrive, but how many more small businesses could there be if it weren't for Pepsi, Coke, Walmart, McDonald's, etc. etc.? How many people work meaningless jobs for wealthy people just so they can pay bills to wealthy people just to have a home and put food on the table for their families?

I can understand traditional family values even if I don't share them. However, I don't think its moral to force people, through the legislation of laws, to live by someone else's values. If evagelical Christian don't believe in abortion they don't have to get an abortion. If they don't believe in gay marriage, then they don't have to get married to a gay person. If they want to believe that the Earth was created in 7 days, and the life has developed through intelligent design, fine, they shouldn't force others to believe that. However, if their beliefs hurt people, then I think its moral to stop them from applying those beliefs to others.

I believe wealth is immoral. That belief doesn't really hurt anyone. In fact, if that belief were instituted many, many people and the environment would benefit. It isn't right that some people live comfortably and control the lives of others because they are rich and other people live at the mercy of the wealthy elite. Try to stop wanting to be rich and instead just want to live a meaningful life, I think anyone who does will find the world a much more beautiful place and life a much more amazing thing. Valuing money instead of valuing your time on Earth as a small part of the whole seems empty to me.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

I think you're looking at it wrong. Jesus wouldn't have felt at home in any political party. It's a misnomer to try to apply the philosophy of either party to Him. Jesus was completely apolitical.

And He said unto them, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's." Luke 20:25 KJV



But since you ask, I'm a republican because I'm NOT rich, but I would like the chance to be.

I didn't mean that Jesus would be a Democrat, I just don't think Jesus would be a Republican, the party that is made of up of right-wing Christians who flout the Bible as the end-all-be-all way that one should live one's life and the explanation of everything. Jesus would be a socialist if that were the case: I'm thinking of the bread and fish parable.

 

[editec]

Having spent a lot of time in a Young Republicans' club when I was a younger man, I have to tell you the best reason I can think of to be a Republican is their bartenders make a better martini.

I think they dress better, too, plus their daughters tend to be somewhat cuter.

Politically, I've never seen any good reason to become a Rep., since they've never seemed remotely interested in helping those of my class, but the moment somebody makes me a decent offer with some real encentives to sign on the Republican line, no problem.

 

[CornbreadOracle]

I didn't mean that Jesus would be a Democrat, I just don't think Jesus would be a Republican, the party that is made of up of right-wing Christians who flout the Bible as the end-all-be-all way that one should live one's life and the explanation of everything. Jesus would be a socialist if that were the case: I'm thinking of the bread and fish parable.

My point is that NO political philosophy would apply to Jesus. That includes socialism. I'm very familiar with the loaves and fish parable. Jesus fed a mulititude with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. That's not socialism; it's a miracle.

The government didn't come along and take 3 loaves and 1 fish to give to a poor family. Instead Jesus, out of the goodness of His own heart, made the most of what He had. He just happened to be Jesus, so He was able to perform a miracle. If you MUST draw a parallel, I'd say this supports capitalism more than socialism because *obviously* Jesus was able to do more with what he had than Ceasar would have been able to do.
He didn't NEED governemnt intervention to be giving.

However, I STILL think that Jesus would have been neither capitalist or socialist. He was completely apolitical, as I've said before. I think Jesus was far more concerned about the hearts of men than their voting record.