Those familiar with my columns may be surprised to hear that I
am angrier and more concerned about the Republicans than the
Democrats.
After all, most rational Americans have come to expect the
conglomerate of special interests’ socialist policies and
moral failings. But at least the Democrats are consistent and
openly embrace socialist legislation that invades individual rights
of property, life and free speech. But the GOP talks of free
markets, individuality, rights and defense, but in practice is
nothing more than Democrat-lite.
The current administration serves as a prime example of
Republican double talk. One of the first acts passed by George W.
Bush upon claiming the presidency was a tax cut. This was a highly
beneficial piece of legislation that gave money back to Americans
for the first time in a decade.
However, in pure Republican fashion, Bush catered to business
interests at the expense of the American people by passing tariffs
on foreign steel and signing the single largest farm subsidy bill
in U.S. history. As a result, the price of produce and steel, two
commodities the American people need, rose. The yearly cost of
these bills will exceed the tax cut, thus making it a worthless
stimulus package.
And in the wake of Bush’s financial shenanigans and false
promises, Sept. 11, 2001 occurred. Yet instead of following the
true principles of both America and the GOP, Bush chose to push for
the (anti) Patriot Act.
Sept. 11 occurred because the government got too big for its
britches. Instead of focusing on the safety of the American people,
the Clinton administration made drastic and harmful changes within
the CIA and FBI to limit the effectiveness of intelligence while
catering to all the special interest groups who were filling their
pockets.
As a result, more bureaucracy was created and more federal
funding went to the Department of Redundancies Department than went
toward the safety of America. It is no wonder that our ineffectual
government didn’t see these attacks coming and as of yet has
failed to capture Osama bin Laden.
But the current administration also refused to focus on safety
and has instead chosen to federalize employees of airlines, create
new departments and laws restricting access to all Americans, and
spy on U.S. citizens. Also there has been a strong push to get all
new ID cards, databases, and e-mail-spying software included in the
government’s grand watchful eyes.
So instead of going to the root of the problem and focusing on
the only job the government is supposed to do (protection of rights
and property), Bush has expanded government even further.
And the problem continues. The Homeland Security Act has now
been signed into law and the government is ballooning again. Bush
has created an entire new department and bureaucracy that must
integrate into the muck left by Clinton. The law also sets to put
more firearms in the hands of federal employees. And given the high
rate of guns being taken away from law-abiding citizens with
anti-constitutional gun control laws, it is frightening to think
about the power shift Homeland Security would incite.
If a homicide bomber or airplane highjacker attempts to take
lives of Americans again, it will not matter how many feds are
armed if the people have no means to fight back.
So where did the true Republicans go? What ever happened to men
like Ronald Reagan who refused to expand government throughout his
administration? He was a president who stood his ground until a
Democratic Congress forced him to sign a huge tax act in return for
the defense budget and laws that ultimately destroyed the Soviet
Union and saved the world.
These men still exist, but have abandoned the current spineless
GOP. They are America’s Independents and Libertarians, who
still believe in freedom from oppression and universal human rights
to liberty, property and happiness. But both major parties frighten
the populace with scare tactics aiming to minimize any third party
votes.
After all, who would want to “waste” their vote? Yet
as long as we continue to support power hungry Democrats and
Democrat-lites (GOP), we can’t expect any positive
change.
Schwartz’ column runs every Monday.