POLITICS AND RELIGION

I have never been able to understand why Republican candidates feel they must pander to fundamentalist Christians – aka “evangelicals”, the “religious right”, and the Tea Party – in order to be perceived as a true conservative.

I also find it the height of hypocrisy that these so-called Christians continue to support and defend the most “un-Christian” President in our history. 

It has always been my understanding that one of the basic tenets of conservatism is limited government – the belief that the government should intrude in one’s personal and business life as little as possible.  The role of government should be to provide citizens with the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals; conservatism emphasizes empowerment of the individual to solve problems.

Another quote from Barry Goldwater, the politician most often credited with sparking the resurgence of the American conservative political movement in the 1960s –

“I am a conservative Republican, but I believe in democracy and the separation of church and state. The conservative movement is founded on the simple tenet that people have the right to live life as they please as long as they don't hurt anyone else in the process.”

Contrary to the belief in limited government, “evangelicals” want the government to tell citizens how to live their lives by forcing the specific religious beliefs of fundamentalist Christianity on them.  The Republican Party has perverted conservative philosophy to include the tenets of extreme fundamentalist Christianity.

Religious belief is personal and individual.  It should never be legislated, or used as the basis for legislation.  One’s religious beliefs may cause a person to become involved in political activity as a way of helping society and one’s “fellow man”, but one religious group’s specific religious beliefs and interpretations should NEVER be made into law.

I agree with Susan B Anthony, who said, “I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.”

Founding father Thomas Jefferson correctly observed, “Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law”.

Murder is not illegal because God said, "Thou Shall Not Kill".  It is illegal because it takes away the victim's civil right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution.

If your religious beliefs instruct you that abortion is bad – then do not have an abortion.  If your religious beliefs tell you that homosexuality and same-sex marriage is wrong - then don’t practice homosexuality or marry someone who is the same sex as you.  But you cannot force your specific religious belief on your neighbor, regardless of any sincere desire to save him or her from the “fires of hell”.

Returning once again to Barry Goldwater, from decades ago -

"Today's so-called 'conservatives' don't even know what the word means. They think I've turned liberal because I believe a woman has a right to an abortion. That's a decision that's up to the pregnant woman, not up to the Pope or some do-gooders or the Religious Right. It's not a conservative issue at all."

The religious can certainly "preach the gospel" to those who will listen, but cannot make the government force non-believers to follow their perception or interpretation of the gospel.

America is NOT a “Christian country” - it is not a religious country, period.  The idea of religious freedom and the separation of Church and State is a cornerstone of American democracy.  It is one of the main reasons the first settlers came here.  Separation of Church and State means that the government cannot tell a citizen how to worship or what to believe.  It also guarantees the right of citizens NOT to worship and NOT to believe.

I remember seeing a sign at a diner may years ago that said –

THE LAST TIME WE MIXED POLITICS WITH RELIGION PEOPLE GOT BURNED AT THE STAKE.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Enough is enough!  America needs strict national gun control legislation now.  We have had too many mass shooting tragedies at schools, churches and public places not to act. 

As I explained in “The 2nd Amendment is Obsolete", the ability of a citizen to own a gun for individual personal use – protection, hunting, target shooting - is a privilege and not a right.  Like. as one op-ed I came across suggests, owning a car.  “Not everyone can or should own a car.  Driving requires education, registration as a driver, and insurance on our vehicle.  Our government regulates how fast we go and assesses fines for infractions, and it can take back that privilege.”  Individual gun ownership is no different.

In addition to banning all assault weapons and passing a “red flag” law, ownership of a gun must be treated in the same manner we treat automobiles and driving.

* All gun owners must have a valid license, which must be renewed every year. The initial issuance of a license must be based on a thorough and comprehensive background check.

* To get a license a person must pass a written test and a “practical” test. Gun licensees must demonstrate they know how to properly operate and maintain a gun.

* Underage individuals must not be allowed to own guns.  The minimum age for a driving license is usually 17, but the minimum age for owning a traditional gun should be 18.

* Gun owners must have insurance similar to auto insurance.

* We must title and tag each gun at point of purchase, so each gun is registered in a local data base and law enforcement can know if a person is stockpiling an excessive number of guns.

Guns must be inspected at least every other year.

American lives are more important than political contributions.  Fuck the hypocritical Republican Party!  And fuck the NRA!

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS DEAD!

The Republican Party has totally abandoned all honor, integrity and responsibility, has abandoned the Constitution, American values, and traditional Republican and true conservative philosophy, and has lost credibility as a legitimate mainstream political party. 

The Republican party is truly dead and now must be buried.

By embracing Trump and “Trumpism”, and truly becoming the “Party of Trump”, the once Grand Old Party has also embraced corruption, cowardice, deceit, dishonesty, hypocrisy, and racism. 

It is very literally impossible for anyone with a brain and a conscience to continue to support Trump as President.  Anyone who supports Trump either doesn’t have a brain or doesn’t have a conscience.

Trump’ words and deeds are indefensible, and the continued defense of Trump’s words and deeds by the Republican Party and Republicans in Congress is unacceptable and indefensible.

Trump has committed, consistently and unapologetically throughout his entire business and political life, every single “bad act” that Republicans have claimed, rightfully or wrongfully, were committed by a Democrat and that they have denounced in the past.

The Republican Party is literally saying to the American public that only Democrats can commit, be charged with, and be held accountable for illegal and unethical activity.  The same activity performed by an alleged Republican is neither illegal nor unethical and should not be punished.

The term “Republican” has officially become a synonym for the word “hypocrisy”.

The only possible reason to explain the Republican Party’s support and defense of Trump is that they are afraid of offending, and losing the votes of, Trump’s core cult of ignorant racists, who apparently make up about 30% of American voters.  The votes of these deplorables are more important to Republicans than protecting the Constitution and the future of America.

It is vitally important that, if he survives impeachment, Trump must be voted out of office in the 2020 election.  But that is not all.  Every single Republican in Congress running for re-election who does not publicly oppose, denounce and disavow Trump must also be voted out of office. 

In the past I have voted for Democrats, Republicans and third-party candidates, depending on the candidate and the issues.  I will never again vote for any Republican for any office unless he or she vocally opposes, denounces and disavows Trump and “Trumpism”.

If the Republican Party is to survive, rank and file Republicans with a conscience, and true conservatives, must encourage, support, contribute to, and vote for a candidate who challenges Trump in the Republican primaries, like Governor Bill Weld, and encourage, support, contribute to, and vote for anti-Trump challengers to the current hypocritical Republicans in Congress in the primaries.  And they must only support local and statewide candidates who publicly oppose, denounce and disavow Trump.

A final point – see how the Republican Party has changed in my lifetime.  The following is from the official Republican Party Platform of 1956 (the highlight is mine) -

“While jealously guarding the free institutions and preserving the principles upon which our Republic was founded and has flourished, the purpose of the Republican Party is to establish and maintain a peaceful world and build at home a dynamic prosperity in which every citizen fairly shares.

We shall ever build anew, that our children and their children, without distinction because of race, creed or color, may know the blessings of our free land.

We believe that basic to governmental integrity are unimpeachable ethical standards and irreproachable personal conduct by all people in government. We shall continue our insistence on honesty as an indispensable requirement of public service. We shall continue to root out corruption whenever and wherever it appears.

We are proud of and shall continue our far-reaching and sound advances in matters of basic human needs—expansion of Social Security—broadened coverage in unemployment insurance —improved housing—and better health protection for all our people. We are determined that our government remain warmly responsive to the urgent social and economic problems of our people.

To these beliefs we commit ourselves as we present this record and declare our goals for the future.”

REMEMBER OUR VETERANS!