The Inconvenient Truth About the Republican Party

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: 727Sky

The Republican party is, for now, the lesser of 2 evils. Its become a place where Libertarians find a voice, which has moderated the party to a large degree.

The Republican party of 2004 was hot garbage.

Unfortunately that's exactly right. Lots of Libertarians would love to split off and form our own party, but we can't because that would be handing the country to the freedom-hating Democrats.

The Republican Party is libertarian?

Which one?

Not this one, surely? Republican Platform 2016

Highlights

1. Deprive Americans of the right to marry as they choose.

2. Deprive American women control over their bodies.

3. Government support for the Judeo-Christian religions.

4. Maintain the failed "War on Drugs."

5. Increase funding and size of the military.

etc. etc.

Are you guys kidding?

a reply to: face23785

Any Libertarian that votes Republican is a half-assed Libertarian.

There's nothing in the s***bag Republican Party that appeals to my Libertarian sensibilities. They do nothing Libertarian whatsoever.

a reply to: 727Sky

The Republican Party under Trump is a different beast.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: face23785

Any Libertarian that votes Republican is a half-asses Libertarian.

It's called pragmatism.

a reply to: face23785

It's more compromising your ideals in my opinion.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: face23785

It's more compromising your ideals in my opinion.

I agree. However, it would compromise them even more to let the Democrats gain more power. Surely someone as smart as you pretend to be can understand that.

It's like texan said, it's a lesser of two evils problem. I can pretend all day long if I vote for the Libertarian candidate I'm "upholding my ideals" but what I'm really doing is hastening their demise. I make my decisions based on the way the world really is, not an idealized version that doesn't exist.

originally posted by: face23785
I agree. However, it would compromise them even more to let the Democrats gain more power. Surely someone as smart as you pretend to be can understand that.

They're two sides of the same coin, they both do nothing for the American citizen. At this point it makes no discernable difference to me who is in power, nothing changes other than to get worse.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: face23785
I agree. However, it would compromise them even more to let the Democrats gain more power. Surely someone as smart as you pretend to be can understand that.

They're two sides of the same coin, they both do nothing for the American citizen. At this point it makes no discernable difference to me who is in power, nothing changes other than to get worse.

Except Republicans still support at least some freedoms. What party strips away gun rights at a faster pace, for example? Democrats.

You can pretend you're above everything because they're the same, but they're clearly not. Republicans are far more likely to leave me the # alone. I can't always count on that, it's just more likely than it is under the Democrats.

Again, lesser of two evils. Not the same. This isn't hard.

My taxes are better under Republicans. My right to self defense is safer. I don't see Republican mayors stopping their police from responding to 911 calls like is happening in Democrat cities.

There is clearly a difference. Your desire to feel special is blinding you to that.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: face23785
I agree. However, it would compromise them even more to let the Democrats gain more power. Surely someone as smart as you pretend to be can understand that.

They're two sides of the same coin, they both do nothing for the American citizen. At this point it makes no discernable difference to me who is in power, nothing changes other than to get worse.

We've long since passed the point where national politics has any real affect on people's lives other than to serve as a distraction. It's slipping quickly down the list below demographics, economy, natural disasters, and entertainment. Religion used to be high on that list but it's had a rough time for a couple hundred years due to science (and entertainment). The only politics that matters happens behind closed doors and is more about shifting wealth around than addressing anyone's needs.

originally posted by: face23785
Except Republicans still support at least some freedoms.

No, they don't, they pay you lip service on that and as evidence I give you the lockdowns along with the massive redistribution of wealth taking place.

Republicans don't leave you alone, they only tell you they're going to leave you alone while completely not leaving you alone.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
The only politics that matters happens behind closed doors and is more about shifting wealth around than addressing anyone's needs.

That's a Bingo!

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: face23785
Except Republicans still support at least some freedoms.

No, they don't, they pay you lip service on that and as evidence I give you the lockdowns along with the massive redistribution of wealth taking place.

Republicans don't leave you alone, they only tell you they're going to leave you alone while completely not leaving you alone.

Which is why I said I can't always count on them to leave me alone. It's not one or the other all the time. The real world doesn't work in the absolutes that seems like the only way you are capable of thinking.

They do leave me alone in some instances. Again, Republicans are better for my taxes. When a gun bill comes up they pay more than lip service. They vote to keep our freedoms. Again, not every time, but more than the Democrats do.

There's degrees here, and pretending you don't see that is just silly. You're making a fool of yourself pretending that Republicans are trying to strip freedoms at the same rate as Democrats. That's clearly and obviously false.

Now, claim the real world doesn't exist one more time. I'm moving on. I know you can't.

originally posted by: face23785
The real world doesn't work in the absolutes that seems like the only way you are capable of thinking.

In American politics it sure does, they are both beholden to lobbyists.

You're making a fool of yourself pretending that Republicans are trying to strip freedoms at the same rate as Democrats.

I'm not taking the ever so slightly lessor of two evils approach. Gutless and guileless stances like that are exactly why we have two s*** parties. If it makes you feel better to pull the handle for Turd Sandwich over Giant Douche knock yourself out.

Does an action or policy make the state stronger or does it make individuals more free?

Smaller government is secondary to personal liberty. Sadly, the Republicans don't beleive in smaller government either, nor in less government interference in the market, and certainly not in the supremacy of the individual over the state.

The Republcian party 2020 is the party of "law and order," of glorifying the police state, of increasing government control over free expression and civil disobedience. It is the party of infusing government with religion. It is the party that tells us we don't have the rights to determine what we do with our bodies.

There is NOTHING libertarian or Libertarian about the Republican Party. If you're paying homage to it, you're paying homage to those who support a theocratic police state ... pure and simple.

originally posted by: face23785

There's degrees here, and pretending you don't see that is just silly. You're making a fool of yourself pretending that Republicans are trying to strip freedoms at the same rate as Democrats. That's clearly and obviously false.

Is it though? There has been more gun regulation under Trump than under Obama. More prosecutions for gun owner violations under Trump than Obama. And dude, Patriot Act. Nothing has stripped more rights away from American citizens in recent history. Except perhaps Corporate Personhood, which has been highly pushed by the Republican party.

Do they talk about freedom? Yes. It's a great catch phrase to garner votes. Yours included. Do they deliver on it? A resounding no.

originally posted by: okrian

originally posted by: face23785

There's degrees here, and pretending you don't see that is just silly. You're making a fool of yourself pretending that Republicans are trying to strip freedoms at the same rate as Democrats. That's clearly and obviously false.

Is it though? There has been more gun regulation under Trump than under Obama. More prosecutions for gun owner violations under Trump than Obama. And dude, Patriot Act. Nothing has stripped more rights away from American citizens in recent history. Except perhaps Corporate Personhood, which has been highly pushed by the Republican party.

Do they talk about freedom? Yes. It's a great catch phrase to garner votes. Yours included. Do they deliver on it? A resounding no.

And, once again, I never claimed the Republicans were pure, that they don't do shady #, that they don't sell out.

There's also been a bill sitting in the House since January that would put a 30% tax on all gun sales and a 50% tax on all ammo sales.

It has zero chance of passing because of Republicans. There are benefits to voting Republican, few as they may be. Whatever slight benefit I can get, if I can get it by taking a 5 minute trip to my polling place once every 2 years, seems like a decent tradeoff to me.

I'd love to see the two-party monopoly broken up. Until that happens, I work with what I've got. Sitting here kicking and screaming "WAaaaaaaaaaaa! It shouldn't be like this!!!!" isn't for me. Sorry.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Blue Shift
The only politics that matters happens behind closed doors and is more about shifting wealth around than addressing anyone's needs.

That's a Bingo!

Being a hardcore Republican or Democrat these days is like being a hardcore Vikings or Cowboys fan. Maybe different franchise names but they all have the same employer, the NFL. It's like fighting over which McDonald's in town is better when they're all just selling you the same crappy Big Mac.

(Except for that damn liberal McDonald's on 4th Street that gives away way too many ketchup packets like a bunch of stinking commies!)

a reply to: face23785

FYI there already is a Libertarian Party. It's been around since about 1972

www.lp.org...

a reply to: Blue Shift

I wish there was a Five Guys of politics.