sword said:
I disagree completely that Roe V Wade is what ties evangelicals to the Republican party. It is one of many issues that draw Christians to the GOP.
Evangelicals tend to be conservative by nature, so they tend to side with the Republicans on many issues such as the following:
* Budget: Conservative Christians tend to support less govt. spending
* Economy : tend to support free market solutions to economic problems
* Crime: tend to support ?Law and order policies and the death penalty.
* Drugs: tend to oppose legalization of drugs
* Education: tend to prefer local control of school and education
* Energy & Oil: tend to support wide range energy policy.
* Environment: tend to be pro-environment but question man made climate change.
* Families & Children: tend to encourage pro family policies
* Government Reform: tend to favor smaller govt. and states? rights
* Gun Control: tend to be pro 2nd amendment
* Homeland Security: tend to be strong border advocates
* Jobs: prefer jobs expansion over social programs
* Principles & Values: tend to prefer conservative values
* Tax Reform: tend to be for reduction in taxes
* War: tend to be hawkish
* Welfare & Poverty : prefer putting people to work & expanding economy to modern social programs
I?m Still looking for a Democrat who shares these views.
When you put up what is basically the conservative platform you are not going to get a Democrat who share all those views you would have a Republican.
IMHO opinion you "dressed up" some of what I perceive as Republicans views.
*Republicans like less spending unless it is something they like such as military, law enforcement or military. When Republicans become seniors you do not see them wanting cuts in Social Security or Medicaid. When a Republican has a child with a drug problem they want there to be a program to help that child with their addiction.
*Republicans are happy with free market solutions until they lose their job and then they are a happy with the government to help restore their business or provide them with training and/or schooling. Some Republicans are happy with the government punishing companies that send jobs overseas instead of understanding it is part of the free market.
*Supporting law and order policies means additional police and prisons which is more government and less fiscal constraint.
*Republicans love to say they are against the legalization of drugs. First there is only one drug that is up for discussion and that is marijuana. So Republicans want MORE government to criminalize marijuana that is similar to alcohol and want to spend the money needed for law enforcement and prisons to aid their larger government.
*Republicans tend to support families if they look like my family. They also tend to say the government doesn't belong in family issues which can lead to both abuse and in the case of some home schoolers children that are uneducated (not implying this applies to most home schoolers but it does happen).
Government reform: This may be true generally but in reality Republicans want federal dollars spent in their state the same as Democrats do.
Gun Control: Republicans may want less gun control but we all believe in the second amendment and we all believe their should be some restrictions. I assume that you don't believe prisoners should be able to buy guns so you do believe in some form of gun control.
Homeland Security-Are you saying here that you want the government to build a giant wall at a huge expense. Doesn't that contradict less government spending?
Education: Local control in education sound good and noble but you are also saying that you are willing for areas that do not have the needed tax base that a sup-par education is good for those children.
Environment: My viewpoint is many Republicans tend to be just anti-regulation and it doesn't matter what happens to the environment. It is much broader than just climate change.
Energy and Oil: It appears that Republican politicians support any wide range energy source that is making money no matter what it is doing to the environment. You don't see much support from Republicans on green energy solutions.
Prefer job expansion over social programs: It is hard to find a Republican or Democrat than doesn't believe a good job is preferred to a social program. Bill Clinton signed Welfare Reform into law. Providing safety nets for people is a good idea whether you are a Republican or Democrat.
Principles and Values: It looks many times like Republicans like their principles and values in spite of the fact all Americans pay taxes and deserve the same rights.
Tax Reform: Nobody wants to pay more taxes but we do need to pay for the additional police, military, prisons and the wall Republicans want to build.
War: So are you really saying the Republicans want us to get involved in war. I think there are differences of opinion but I think both parties want war to be the last resort. Wars really are budget breakers that you said Republicans don't like spending money.
Welfare and Poverty:Same issue as jobs.
I am a Democrat but we have had Republican controlled WH and Congress and we have had Democratic controlled WH and Congress and we have had a different parties controlling either. I actually think that government works better when the control of power is split between parties generally cause neither side can go too far. If either party had all the answers they would never leave power.
