If you think there is no difference between the two major parties, think again.
For those not affiliated with a major political party, it may be conventional thinking that both parties are pretty much the same. Both accept donations from wealthy contributors and have ties to Wall Street. Both seem tone deaf to the needs of most Americans. Some may feel that if they are not satisfied with the current people holding office, just vote for someone from the other party to send a message. For those of us who are affiliated with a party, we may see things differently. We may even accept or ignore the imperfections of our own party while admonishing the flaws in the other party. The corporate news media loves to make contrived equivalencies of the two major parties, perhaps, in an attempt to seem fair and balanced, even at the expense of accuracy.
By default, we now have three parties. At least one third of eligible voters register as independents. According to a Pew Research poll in May of 2011, about 35% of registered voters are independents, 40% are Democrats and 25% are Republicans. Independents vary in their thinking, from a more libertarian point of view to a more moderate view with liberal leanings on social issues. Some independents are disenchanted. Republicans are more homogenous in their leaning than Democrats, so even though their numbers are lower, their impact at the polls is still formidable.
The questions becomes, what are the rules of the road in politics today. While Republicans claim to be the party of small or limited government, their actions tell a different story. As Republicans won control of many state governments and the House of Representatives, they engaged in a typical over-reach by implementing many changes not mentioned in their campaigns. Much of it seems to be politically motivated.
Perhaps, their most egregious tactic is seen in the voter suppression laws that have been passed in 13 Republican controlled states. They are meant to remedy an almost non-existent voter fraud problem, but often fall short of that goal at an expense to taxpayers. According to an estimate quoted on MSNBC’s Politics Nation, this could affect up to 5 million voters, nationally. The real agenda, based on how the laws are designed, is to make it more difficult for likely Democratic voters to vote. Here are some examples. In Texas, the voter ID law allows gun owners to use their ID, but not students. Students tend to vote for Democrats, specifically for President Obama in 2008. Gun owners are more likely to vote for Republicans, based in part on the rhetoric from the NRA, that President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder are bound and determined to take away your guns. Of course, this claim remains unsubstantiated. The Florida law makes it more difficult to register new voters. Ohio is shortening it early voting period, partly because Democratic leaning voters tend to vote early. A 96 year old woman in Ohio was not given a photo ID, because she could not produce a marriage license. This is the first time she will not be allowed to vote. She just happens to be an African American. Wisconsin is closing some of its DMV offices where people are likely to register. Some states, like South Carolina, say they will cover the cost of photo ID’s but there is a cost to getting the proper documentation to get a photo ID. This amounts to a poll tax. So, it is apparent that Republicans, who control several state governments, are abusing their power to fix the next election in favor of Republicans. The Republican Governor of New Mexico was quoted as saying, if you need an ID to rent a DVD, then you should have one to vote. The difference is we don’t have a constitutional right to rent a DVD. We do have a constitutional right to vote.
At a time when our number one concern is the economy and jobs, Republican are busy passing extreme and redundant laws, limiting access to abortion, both at the state level and in the House of Representatives. Despite Roe versus Wade being considered settled law, Ohio’s new law bans abortion after 20 weeks, with no exception for rape, incest, or the mental health of the mother and a narrowed exception for the life of the mother, according to the Huffington Post.
In Michigan, a newly expanded Emergency Manager Law allows a state appointed manager to enact or repeal local ordinances, as described in the New York Times, June 22, 2011. In one episode of the Rachel Maddow Show, it was noted that a local community was not allow to pass a resolution honoring the Constitution. The affect of this law is that locally elected official in a community can be over ridden by a state appointed Emergency Manager.
Let’s not forget the Supreme Court Citizens United decision allowing unlimited, anonymous campaign advertizing by wealthy special interests. In the 2010 election 7 out of the 10 highest spenders in that election were conservative groups. The other 3 were public employee unions.
This explains why Republicans want to end collective bargaining for public employees Wisconsin, Ohio and other states. Collective bargaining was a main facet of the labor movement that helped create a middle class. Wisconsin is note to have pioneered collective bargaining in the public sector. Ohio’s law faces a possible recall by voters in November 2011. 2 Republican Senators in Wisconsin were recalled in special elections, as a result of their law. Their Governor faces the same possible fate.
In the meantime, if public employee unions cannot bargain, they become irrelevant. If they become irrelevant, they cannot raise money to advertise. If they cannot advertise, they cannot balance advertising of conservative Republican wealthy special interest groups. All this stems from a misguided belief by some, that corporations have the same rights as people.
In the US Senate race in West Virginia, Republican candidate, John Raese said he got his wealth the old fashioned way, he inherited it. Then, in the course of the campaign, he said he thought we should do away with the minimum wage, because it doesn’t work. How would he know? He never needed a minimum wage.
What are some key positions of the Tea party movement and the Republican Party? They want to get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency that was started during the Nixon Administration. They want to repeal the finance reform law that is already anemic mostly because of Republican opposition. For whom are they making government smaller and more limited? Not us.
This is small government, Republican style. It is small for polluters, irresponsible investment bankers and wealthy political contributors, but large for the rest of us. It is large if you are poor and want to vote. It is large if you need a minimum wage. It is large if you want to bargain for better pay or improved working conditions. It is large if you are a woman of limited means who seeks needed health care much less an abortion. It is large if want to contribute to a candidate of your choice, if you can even afford to do so.
The Republican over reach of 2011 requires a non-partisan voter response in 2012. None of what Republicans are doing has a similar tactic on the part of Democrats. Indeed, Democrats try to win elections by lawfully registering new voters, rather than suppressing likely Republican voters. Democrats favor a minimum wage, collective bargaining, a women’s right to choose, reasonable regulations and a clean safe environment.
Democrats are not perfect. Yes, they tend to pass free trade agreements that result in lost jobs. They also take money from wealthy special interests. But their actions are generally favorable to the middle class and those in need. At least, by comparison to Republicans, they are more likely to find solutions that benefit all.
The free market has become the false idol of this century, particularly for Republicans. They mistakenly think that what is good for the corporations and the wealthiest will be good for all of us. But 10 years of Bush tax cuts have little job growth to show for them. According to the New York Times, a recent study concludes that the median household income decreased by 6.7% over the past 10 years. But this does not discourage Republican and conservative zealots. Their main goal is to make President Obama a one term President.
So what is a voter to do? The case against Republicans is strong, but the case for Democrats is to be determined. Even if the President is re-elected and the House and some state government turn Democratic, the outrageous influence of big money in politics will always stymie the best intentions. The current system is broken but perhaps not yet beyond repair.
Democracy is not a spectator sport, especially in these times of a permanent campaign. To paraphrase a song by the Doors, they have the bucks, but we have the numbers. The Occupy Wall Street and all the occupy movements recognize, that if the 99% with less means, can get over their partisan bickering long enough to stand together for reform of our political system, we have the power.
It is not surprising that Rush Limbaugh and other s who preach a hate filled message of division, get paid so much. By keeping Americans divided, those with the most can literally laugh all the way to the bank. Not all wealthy people are selfish, but enough are and carry enough influence to promote their agenda with one party, while keeping the other one afraid to speak up for the rest.
Yes, we should let Republicans know that their tactics are unacceptable by our votes. But we also have to push for reform that reinstates government of, by and for all the people, not just for the wealthiest. And if it takes a constitutional amendment, we should start by establishing that corporations do not have the same rights as individual human beings. Corporations were created by people. According to the Declaration of Independence, our rights are endowed by a source that is much more talented.
William Gazitano - Bill Gazitano is Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a member of the Unitarian Universalist faith.
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