Redefine Change » Political Parties http://www.redefinechange.org Inspiring change, one improved citizen at a time Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:43:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 The Top Ten Senators vs. The Average American http://www.redefinechange.org/2009/10/the-top-ten-senators-vs-the-average-american/ http://www.redefinechange.org/2009/10/the-top-ten-senators-vs-the-average-american/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:13:41 +0000 Brandon http://www.redefinechange.org/?p=206

I’m currently reading The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Norris. I have found the fervor with which Roosevelt fought the “unholy alliance between big business, politics, and the courts” profoundly inspiring. I do not have the resources (relationally or monetarily) that Roosevelt possessed, but I do have strong convictions, a brain, and a decent proficiency for graphic design. This is my first attempt to use that proficiency to affect political reform in our country. As I’ve conveyed to several friends over the last year, the issue is not Republican vs. Democrat, but corporatism. And it is my contention that corporatism has infected both parties. I believe the chart below speaks for itself in this regard. I would love to hear your thoughts and would greatly appreciate it if you shared this chart with your friends and family!

senateVamericans
]]> http://www.redefinechange.org/2009/10/the-top-ten-senators-vs-the-average-american/feed/ 11 Rod Dreher on Ron Paul http://www.redefinechange.org/2008/12/rod-dreher-on-ron-paul/ http://www.redefinechange.org/2008/12/rod-dreher-on-ron-paul/#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:51:52 +0000 Brandon http://www.redefinechange.org/issues/?p=152

Interesting column by Rod Dreher at the Dallas Morning News regarding how Ron Paul’s campaign could influence the future of the Republican party. Let’s hope he is right.

]]> http://www.redefinechange.org/2008/12/rod-dreher-on-ron-paul/feed/ 0 The three-headed monster formerly known as the RNC http://www.redefinechange.org/2008/11/the-three-headed-monster-formerly-known-as-the-rnc/ http://www.redefinechange.org/2008/11/the-three-headed-monster-formerly-known-as-the-rnc/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:10:18 +0000 Brandon http://www.redefinechange.org/issues/?p=32

While highly educated, ridiculously well compensated individuals from Think Tanks around the country scramble to find the Republican Party’s identity I offer the following assessment that either, no one else sees, or is not willing to admit – the Republican Party has become one disturbingly ugly monster.

One with three heads. And terrifying agendas. While all of the talking heads keep insisting the party stands for limited government, fiscal conservancy and individual liberty, the facts indicate otherwise. The monster’s three, equally ugly heads are made up of Religious Right Wingers, Deregulating Money Hoarders Masquerading as Free Marketers and Neo-Con Power Grabbers. For thirty-years or so, ever since the Moral Majority and trickle down economics started to creep in, their only common denominator is that they have become increasingly evil and ruthless in the pursuit of their individual agendas. In doing so they have slowly and unashamedly hijacked the party, all but negating any credibility the historical platform of fiscal responsibility and limited government had with the electorate. But I suspect the gig may be up. Not because they recognize the error of their ways, but because the three heads have become so big and powerful that it is becoming increasingly difficult to peacefully coexist under the same pretenses any longer. Consider the following as evidence.
This week James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, has declared that Obama’s presidency has set the pro-life movement back 35 years. While that may be true, what is even truer is that Dobson and his constituency – the vast majority of mainstream Evangelicalism – are hell, errrr, heaven-bent on legislating a precise set of morals. The letter his political action arm sent out a few days before the election, not only reveals their highly unbiblical approach to “unredeemed sinners”, its vitriolic and offensive tone, no doubt riled up renewed support for their agenda with some in their camp. I almost threw up when I read the letter. And I am a Christian. Contrast that with what leading Republican Think Tanker and deputy director of the Hoover Institution, David Brady said this week and, UH OH!, you’ve got a problem. Professor Brady, who is in Australia as a visiting fellow at the United States Studies Centre at Sydney University, said, “In order for the Republicans to win again they have to drop the anti-gay, anti-immigrant, strict pro-life, no-abortion social positions they have taken.”
Like I said. UH OH. So while the Religious Right Wingers and the Neo-Con Power Grabbers appear headed towards a wee bit of a tiff, one might be curious to know what the Deregulating Money Hoarders Masquerading as Free Marketers are up to. Surely they can be the mediator that prevents the other two from, well, biting each others heads off. After all, isn’t it the guise of fiscal conservatism and limited government that has held the comical charade together for the last three decades? Hollywood star, and California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in an interview with CNN this week encouraged Republicans to, “fund programs if they’re necessary programs and not get stuck just on the fiscal responsibility.” Can I get a triple UH-OH? The not-very-hard-to-conclude conclusion of the matter is that only one thing has driven the RNC for the last few decades. And that one thing is winning. For three decades they have run rough shod over their opponents on the left (not to mention some basic tenants of the Constitution.) While this has led to an impressive winning percentage (hey 20 out of the last 28 years is not bad), in the process, the three heads have grown so big and become so out of touch with the heart of what America was founded upon, that the only people left to run over are themselves. We can only hope and pray that all three of the proverbial heads get lopped off the monster as a result of their infighting.

Moving forward

How you move forward with this particular issue probably depends largely on your historical party affiliation. If you’re a Democrat, you are probably reveling in the RNC’s downfall. If you’re a Republican you are probably considering what to make of the slew of opinions being thrown around.

Regardless of your historical party affiliation, I think it is very important to note the dangers of NOT having opposing viewpoints within a government. While I don’t agree those opposing viewpoints should consist of faith based items (that’s the whole point of separation of church and state people – so one religion doesn’t dominate) I do believe that having opposing viewpoints can help keep a government healthy.

As many Republican analysts make the case for becoming more like the Democrats I submit they need to become more like, well, a sensible party that stops acting like we’re spoiled trust fund kids. (Waaaait. Maybe that’s the problem. I wonder how many elected officials ARE spoiled trust fund kids. But I digress.)

Diversity of views on government policy, specifically, monetary, foreign and fiscal policy are vital to keeping us from becoming one enormous blob. “Where do I start,” you ask? Block out 30 minutes and watch this. (Ignore the “Inconvenient Truth” correlation in the endorsement on their site as I believe the two documentaries are completely different.)

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