The Ramblings of an Independent Voter: What kind of America do you want?

In my last blog post, I explained some common terms that we need to understand in order to choose effectively. I also made the disclaimer that I am no historian, nor do I believe I know it all. I’m simply a girl who started on a journey to get some answers just over a year ago. I’m sharing the info as I see it because I had some friends who asked me to share. You certainly don’t have to agree, or even read it for that matter.

For me, the question is: What kind of America do you want to see going forward? It seems oddly simple; however, a lot of people I’ve asked cannot tell me. Everyone can tell me what are who they don’t like and list a host of complaints, but very few clearly articulate the America they want. This is how I see our options and what bothers me about each (in red):

1.  Do you want to live in a socialist society? 

Living in a socialist society allows the government to control the bulk of your money to distribute it (through taxation) “for the good of all in the society”. You receive more benefits as a citizen of that country, but the tradeoff is higher taxes and less control over your family and life. For example, the government provides healthcare, education, and jobs. This sounds great and may be for some people. The other side is that you indebt yourself to that same government. Some argue that we are already there, and others argue that it’s a step toward communism that we must stop.

I have an issue with this on a personal level for a number of reasons. First, I am a constitutionalist who believes that my rights are given to me by a Creator, not by a government. The Declaration that led to the Constitution assured that we were always represented so the majority could not control everyone. In a Republic, minorities are represented. I’m a liberty girl who enjoys the fact that if I don’t like my station in life, I have an option (or two or three) to change things. If we are tired of government involvement, why in the world would I vote to give it more?

2. Do you want to live in an authoritarian society?

Remember that authoritarianism is where order and control is valued over personal freedom, and the person in charge doesn’t have to answer to the people/constitution. The person in charge-king, or president- makes decisions without the consent of the representatives or the people at large. In other words, in this world people are often scared into submission, or the leader uses force/executive power to get way. 

We’ve spent years complaining about Obama and griping about his executive orders and love for skipping the process of changing laws. This is a step toward authoritarianism and Trump. Although Trump says he disagrees with Obama’s use of executive order, he will be glad to use them himself if necessary. When pushed further, he says that it’s okay for him to use it because he’s right. He also tries to take from people by calling on his Washington Cronies, like when he used eminent domain to take property from owners who don’t want to sell to him. He’s also said over and over that he will say whatever he needs to say in order to get into the White House. He admitted recently that he would change once he got the nomination.

That’s all scary, but even worse is the fact that he hasn’t even really been vetted because the media never goes after him like they do others. NBC recently purchased a documentary (and all the raw footage) to use if he gets the nomination. It’s ugly, including details about his failing businesses, his lying, his womanizing-including when his ex-wife accused him of rape- etc. and the Republicans will likely lose if he’s the nominee.

3. Do you want to live in the progressive state?  

A progressive government is ever-changing. It has been described by some as a necessary evil because you must change in order to keep up with the current situation. Others have described it as a slower move towards socialism, which seems to be a step towards communism. At any rate, the point of progressives is to move things around according to the current need.

This is what we have had in the White House, both Republican and Democrat, since Reagan left. We saw progressivism with the Bushes, Clinton, and certainly with Obama. To me, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact definition that makes sense because when it’s said that we need to evolve, that seems reasonable. The problem with it is that if you change every time the mood strikes you or on every whim of the collective group, you can quickly get away from principle and thus the things that made you who you were in the beginning. Just know that of the candidates running, your progressives are Clinton, Bush, Christie (who just dropped out), and Kasig. If you want things to continue as they are and slowly move on down this same path, these are your folks.

4. Do you want to live in a conservative society?

      A conservative is typically a person who typically holds a more traditional view of things, especially when it comes to abortion, marriage, and religion/values. These people are usually a little more fiscally cautious in spending, and they tend to be more outspoken about Christian values. Freedom of speech and the Right to Bear Arms are areas on which they focus. 

     Over time, many conservatives have opted to wheel and deal with their more liberal counterparts; therefore, the conservative movement has taken a lot of hits. If you want a more conservative candidate, Marco Rubio (and probably Ben Carson-although it is doubtful he’ll advance much further) is your guy. He is conservative in many ways, but his stance on immigration and the NSA (saying it’s okay for the government to spy on its citizens) have made this questionable. More and more often, conservatives are falling into this category because of the fear of ISIS.
      
      5. Do you want to live in a constitutional society?

      A constitutionalist knows it backwards and forwards, and every decision made comes from that understanding. Most constitutionalists understand the importance of the Declaration of Independence and what it says about our inalienable rights-that they come from the Creator rather than government or any other man. The Founding Fathers made clear that they were creating a government FOR the people and wanted to make clear that a government should not change on the whims of the moment. However, they also made it clear that if a government (established by We the People) oversteps its bounds and repeatedly abuses its authority, the people have the right to abolish that government and do something else that will secure the future of our children and our safety as a nation.

     That being said, a constitutionalist can be unpopular because they don’t change their minds just because it’s a “good thing” or on “their side”. They focus on reducing the size of government and getting rid of regulations on citizens and businesses. They believe the primary focus of government is to protect America and the future of our children. They believe society should, for the most part, self-regulate but agree to organize under a central government and to live by certain laws that pass only because our representatives vote on those laws. In essence, they are okay with change, as long as it adheres to the basic idea that all men are created equal and should have the same level playing field. If you like the idea of this type of government, you are looking at Ted Cruz.

My view on these things

               

I have semi-stated them above. My big thing is this: In America, we currently have the freedom to choose whatever we would like to have in government. You can totally disagree with me and want something different than I want. All I ask is that you educate yourselves and know what you really want and know the real candidates rather than the ones they show us on TV. Yes, it takes time, but I believe our future is worth it. We are on track to be the first generation to leave our children worse off than we had it. There’s something really wrong with that.

As I said earlier, I’m a liberty girl-a Constitutionalist. I can disagree with your morals and values but still believe that you should have the same freedom of speech that I am given. That’s part of it. The most recent, and best, example of this is Ted Cruz in Iowa. In short, Iowa receives government monies to subsidize their ethanol research. The governor of Iowa said people shouldn’t vote for Cruz because he wants to take away their money. Cruz stood before the people of Iowa and admitted that yes, he does think it best to phase this money out. He said that the government isn’t supposed to pick and choose who will survive in a free market economy, and he followed up with explaining that he wants ethanol to work but fair and square. The people of Iowa heard the truth and voted for him anyway. He didn’t pander to them, and he focused on the constitution…where everyone gets the same chance and free market is allowed to work. I believe that's how it should be.

I really struggle with the idea that so many people want to give more over to the government. We complain about government-run anything-schools, post office, etc. We see waste and fraud, and we witness LOTS of crony capitalism through closed door deals with both parties. Now, we want to vote in people who plan to give the government more? It’s just a matter of how fast they want to give it away. I’m not down with that. I’m also not okay with going against my principles to get what I want. If I do that, I’m no better than what we have now. I don’t want another political bully who doesn’t see the big picture or look to the constitution. I’ve looked at all of the candidates, their pasts, their records, and their proposals in an effort to find just one who stands for the same liberty that I crave. I believe I’ve found that candidate. 

Here are a couple of great articles that might help: 
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/26/donald-trump-policy-threaten-global-economy?CMP=share_btn_fb
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2011/05/05/reaganomics-vs-obamanomics-facts-and-figures/#3cb994d63a1d
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Democracy_vs_Republic

The Ramblings of an Independent Voter-Understanding Our Background to Effectively Choose the Future

I try pretty hard to keep my political opinions off of FB, although I don’t mind giving it if someone wants to discuss things in a rational, adult-like manner. Moderately aware in the past, I find this election is different for me. I watched debates, listened to candidates, and gave ear to what many pundits said. After all, they were the ones with the power to dig into what was being said-right? Ugh…not true. I’ve never been a straight-party girl, and I legitimately mark each candidate for each individual office. With that in mind, I started this “political season” more focused because I believe we are at a crossroads. A wrong decision could catapult America into a situation that it might not survive. The more I listened and searched for answers, the more questions I had. In the course of my investigating, I found terms thrown around that I did not fully comprehend. I started there, and I found that most people with whom I spoke did not really understand what these things mean either.

In discussing the election, candidates, state of the union, etc., I’ve had several people ask me to share with them what I found. There is a lot of information out there, and I know that we all have busy lives. It is with that in mind that I decided to explain what I have learned. In full disclosure, I am not an expert of any sort; however, I am a person dogged by the need to find answers and get to the truth. In my effort to explain things, I may oversimplify or confuse. I’m fairly certain that I will get something wrong. This is my way to share with the peeps that asked me to explain some things.

Key Terms and Ideas in an Order that Makes Sense to Me

As I listened to a HUGE variety of people talk about this election, I got a little confused by words I’d heard my entire life. I looked at them again to wade through and put things into perspective. I plan to lead you through a few definitions as I found them and see them connected.

Our Founding Fathers came from a government that oppressed them. They were extremely smart, brave men who did not believe anybody should have to live under an authoritarian system.  Authoritarianism is a way of governing where order and control is valued over personal freedom (usually headed by a dictator), blind submission to a leader who isn’t constitutionally responsible to the people.

After being here under British rule, beholden to a king (authoritarian) who overtaxed them but left them underrepresented and unable to govern themselves, they set out to change things, eventually paving the way for the greatest nation on earth. The Revolutionary War began, and then in 1776 they put forth the Declaration of Independence but weren’t under one central government yet.

I went back to the Declaration and put it into modern language line by line to understand the beliefs on which America was founded. (I have that “easy read version “saved if anyone is interested in it.)  At the core, it expresses the belief that all men are created equal and given the same inalienable rights by God and not the government.

After the last Revolutionary battle, they set up a “loose” federal government under the Articles of the Confederation but became concerned that the democracy was being used in a way that wasn’t good for the people. They decided to write the Constitution for the Republic. It is important to remember that we are a Republic rather than a democracy. Both of them are pretty much based on representation; however, in a democracy the majority always rules so the minority is never really represented. In a republic, there is a charter/constitution that protects “inalienable rights” that cannot be taken away by the majority because it isn’t really theirs to take.

Once they set up the Republic, capitalism sprung forth. In capitalism, private owners control a country’s economic and political system. It’s marked by the free market and led the way for America to flourish in a way that the world had not experienced.

A term that we have heard a lot over the last few years is progressivism. This term describes both Republicans and Democrats. It is not quite the same as a moderate, but sometimes gets tossed around the same way. The Progressive Movement seems to have begun during the really early 1900s. Historians disagree on the exact beginning, some arguing that is started with the New Deal and others saying it began before. In essence, progressivism is the idea that the government is an evolving entity and takes on the role the times requires. These people often argue that our Founding Fathers did a good job at the time and wanted a limited government because of their experience with the king. They also argue that the people of that time (the early progressives) wanted to adjust things as needed, allowing the government to play a more activist role.

Why do we need to know these, and how the heck do they affect us now?

It’s a lot. I know! I’ve been working through this for around a year. It is really, really important. Understanding from where we come sheds light on why we are here and where we need to go now.

After studying this for a while, the Progressive Movement (to me) seems to be the slow movement away from liberty. At one point in time, Americans would not have accepted many things that we now think is normal. In this, I am not referring to social issues but rather the move from believing in American exceptionalism to the idea that we must accept our station in life, whining and complaining about “fairness” rather than pulling ourselves up by our boot straps and knowing that we can do better if we work harder and smarter.

In just over a hundred years, we have landed in this place where many Americans cheer for a revolution they hope will lead to socialism without really understanding it. Socialism is a political and economic system that puts the community as a whole before the individual and does so at the hand of the government. This comes from the ideas of Karl Marx and is often said to be the transitional state between overthrowing capitalism and realizing communism, which is a system all social activity is controlled by a totalitarian and state dominated (single and self-perpetuating) government. In short, the government rules it all, and inalienable rights are non-existent. The beauty of America rests in the fact that the will of the people can prevail, and we have the freedom to express our beliefs without fear. That stops working when we stop participating and advocating for ourselves. One cannot simply listen to a candidate’s rhetoric and expect to know the truth. Their actions matter more.

Many young people hear the promise of “free” and have no clue that translates into “free right now”. It is imperative we teach them that an education given to them without earning it (whether by getting a job to pay for it or working hard in school to earn a scholarship) weakens their resolve to be a better person and puts them in debt to that same government. They will be held accountable for that cost, and likely, so will their children because of the amount of debt the ever-increasing government keeps taking in order to give them a “free and fair” life.

My research into what was and what could be (quite easily I might add) leads me to the here and now. My own personal belief? We cannot afford another progressive, on either side. While some would argue that progressive thought has a place in our current situation, I disagree. It breeds laziness and apathy. The majority of students in today’s classroom have no idea what it means to live in an American society where true freedom encourages exceptionalism. Many of them will ask me what they must do in order to do fine in class. The hardest battle I face as a teacher stems from acceptance of mediocrity. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it moves closer to the norm every day.

Americans are angry and exhausted. As a teacher, I give of myself above and beyond what is required so my students have every chance to be successful. No matter what I do, it is still up to them to take that education and put it to good use. It is the same in the current political situation. We have a duty as part of the REPUBLIC to hold up the standards of the Declaration, even more so than the Constitution. This requires us to be sure everyone has an equal shot, but it maintains that the individual must take hold of the opportunity and make something of it. Each time we give the government more power in a messed up attempt to make things fair, we only create a society where individuals lose the will to step outside of their comfort zone and take risks as Americans have always done.

I am fearful of where we are at this moment in history. After years of hearing people complain about Obama and his tactics of using executive order and bullying to get his way rather than following the Constitution and going through the proper channels, America should be running towards constitutionalism and someone who puts the individual first while protecting the Republic. Instead, the front runner is a man who admits he will use those same tactics to get his way. He will wheel and deal and compromise, the very thing that defines the crony capitalism we claim to despise. Since he is on “their side”, they find it more acceptable. He and Obama are so much alike it screams out in the face of Americans, yet most do not see it because they are willing to compromise principles to “take back America”. News flash…a self-proclaimed kiss up who will do whatever it takes to make the deal and who changes his stance (if he even has one) on most things regularly is not the answer. Principles matter. How have the compromises worked out so far?

Are we really willing to sell out? The Republic isn’t perfect, but there isn’t anything better. It only works when we educate ourselves and vote out our representatives when they do not vote the way we want, but it requires great strength, stamina, and fortitude. Either we believe in liberty and vote on principles, or we vote in another progressive-and continue down this path of self-destruction.  It is my belief that we need to vote for a constitutionalist and give ourselves and our children a fighting chance.

Many members of the Republican Party herald Ronald Reagan as the greatest President of our generation. It is important to remember that nobody thought he could win or get anything done because they were afraid he wouldn’t be able to work with others, and he was very conservative. Turns out, the world craved a man of principle, and he accomplished more than could have been imagined. In the words of Reagan, “"I hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: as government expands, liberty contracts."