The Republican Ideological Merry Go Round.

Yesterday I ran into a Republican friend on Main Street in Flemington, who said he had been reading my recent blog entries. He said that he was offended by my assertion that Republicans had no consistent ‘core values’. He said that while our values differ in our respective parties, that Republicans were by and large more conservative, and consistent in those conservative values. This is a conversation we have had time and again, so it was not new for either of us.

“Ok, so what are the so-called conservative values you claim the Repubs have?”

“We want smaller government; the Democrats want a government to control everything. And we are pro-family values.”

“Nope, you only want a smaller government ----one small enough to fit in to our bedrooms and homes so gays and lesbians cannot enjoy true civil marriage. Or a government small enough to fit in wombs so no woman can ever have an abortion, no matter what. And, actually, you want the government large enough to take away some of those basic rights, but small enough to not have to fund social programs ----the same programs that support families and children."

This guy supports the war and is solidly anti-choice, as if you could not tell. Neo-cons are SOOO predictable.

“Well, we’re the party of fiscal conservatism and fiscal accountability. We're better at being watchdogs over money.”

“Again wrong, chief. When Clinton was in office, the federal government had a surplus. Now, Bush has created a huge deficit. What’s so conservative about that?”

“We want to put more power in the hands of the people.”

Nope again. ‘Power in the hands of the people?’ Give me a break! Under this president, civil liberties ---under the Patriot Act --- have been severely curtailed, in the name of 9/11. The suspension of Habeas Corpus. America citizens being held as ‘enemy combatants’, who may not see an attorney. This is an administration that has advocated the use of torture to interrogate prisoners. This is an administration that has advocated secret military tribunals to deal with American citizens. How is that putting ‘Power in the hands of the people?” And so on.

This went on and on for almost an hour on Main Street. Reminded me of the the lyrics from Phil Och’s “Flower Lady”:

“And they argued through the night; black is black and white is white, walked away both knowing they were right.”