The Party of Small Government?

The Party of Small Government?

One of the huge "selling points" from the right is that the republican party is the party of small government. I always considered this a rather crass argument. After all, they don't seem to act like the party of small government when they are in power. Come to think of it, they don't act like the party of small government when they aren't in power. They like to say they are, but a brief look at what they do and what they stand for shows they clearly aren't. Lets first look at what they have done in the recent past to see if they stand for small government.

Recent accomplishments:
1. Patriot Act which allows domestic spying on US citizens
2. War on Iraq without Iraq attacking us
3. Expansion of government power via creation of Homeland security
4. Expansion of presidential powers via President refusing to allow documentation in a court case because he says so.
5. Expansion of presidential powers to authorize any actions at all in the name of homeland security, even on US soil
6. Unfunded Medicare Part D plan
7. Holding people out charge or trial
8. Torturing people then admitting it despite the US's Geneva convention treaty

These are the actions of a party that is for small government. These are the actions of a party trying to expand their power.

But perhaps what they stand for is small government and extenuating circumstances changed the status quo. Like 9/11. Surely in their hearts they are for small government, right?

So what is on their plattform? Small government actions right?

GOP Plattform:
1. Banning Gay Marriage
2. Banning abortion
3. Banning certain things from TV
4. Banning internet gambling
5. Restrictions on internet content
6. Continued ban on drugs
7. Requiring schools to allow prayer for all school
8. Banning flag burning
9. Using technology to monitor former felons for the rest of their lives

What kind of small government mentality believes in this mass government intervention into peoples lives? The kind of party that does this is the kind of party that believes you are too stupid to notice it, and will lie through their teeth. Words have meaning. You can't just say stuff and do something completely different. The reality is that they are for government intervention in areas they approve of doing it, and against it in things they are against. Oddly enough, they are all for government intervention into your personal life when it comes to moral choices, but against intervention when it comes to providing health care and help for the poor and help for retiring seniors. See the problem here? When you need help, they say no. When you want to live your personal life as you choose, they say no. Small government isn't just small when its convenient.

The odd thing is that they have convinced millions of people that they are the small government party. Never mind the fact that they, when in full control, doubled the debt to have unfunded tax cuts, unfunded medicare part D projects that suck, and two wars at one time. What kind of bullshit is that? Not small government by my last check. Yet millions in this country mindlessly chant the cause of small government and check their ballot for republicans.

Here is the reality. Here is the way things should be. When you need help, the government should help you out. We the people are the government, so we the people should help people in need. We should ensure the education, health, and retirement of our people, as a society, which will make the over all experience of living, better for everyone. When it comes to personal life, people should be free to live as they choose. It is not your decision on who someone can marry. If they are of age, the government should have no say in it. It is not your decisions or the governments, whether a woman gets a medical procedure or not. It is not your decision or the governments whether you can take drugs or not. It is not your decision or the governments whether or not you can gamble online. Within reason, and the law, it is not yours or the governments place to decide what I can look at on the internet or TV.

THAT is productive helpful government. A government that only intervenes to help and do good. A government that leaves life choices to the person living the life. THAT is what government should be. And that is as close to small government as you can get. And the only party that comes close to that is the democratic party.