Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Capitalism v. Socialism: The Coming Debate
The Republican Party has been made up of three groups over the past decades. Hugh Hewitt lays them out well in is book, If It’s Not Close They Can’t Cheat. In my own words they are:
1) National Security- this base is made of those who favor strong military and the development of new military technologies to enhance our readiness and power.
2) Business Class- this base favors the lower taxes, fewer economic restraints, and the freedom of trade to drive their dollars.
3) Religious- this base believes that their conservative religious beliefs should dictate not only personal choices but political choices as well. They are predominantly Protestant.
These values have been the driving force of the Republican Party while the Democrats have been distinguished in areas of big government (more federal spending, unions, etc), multiculturalism (mostly on the surface), and human autonomy (pro-choice, same-sex marriage, etc.).
While I still firmly believe that Protestants, as well as other religious conservatives, should vote Republican, I think the party bases are shifting. Each party is becoming a two-base party. The Republicans are becoming the Capitalist Party and the Democrats are becoming the Socialist Party.
Within the Capitalist Party the most defining people are those who favor a government that allows independent organizations to succeed and excel without being infringed upon. They value an economic system that encourages people from all backgrounds to invest and produce and gives everyone that opportunity. In addition to that base, it will also remain strong on national security. I’m continually surprised by Democrats whom I see voting for Bush because of his strong stance in the War on Terror. Actor Rob Silver, a well known liberal, said, “The President is doing exactly the right thing!” It’s not that the religious base of the Republican Party is being dropped; it’s that one’s conservative religious beliefs no longer determine one’s party. Several of the RNC speakers and leaders are pro-choice, pro gun control, and not really religious. Those issues have faded into the background of the economic and national security issues.
The Socialist Party is made of those who favor big government. They want to see everyone make the same amount of money (everyone ends up equally poor) while the government determines what businesses are allowed to do, where they can find employment, and how much they can make. In the words of that disingenuous filmmaker Michael Moore, “Capitalism is evil.” The secondary base will remain humanistic values. The woman’s “right” to choose to kill her unborn (it doesn’t matter if it’s human or not), each person’s “right” to choose who they will marry (regardless of the impact it has on children), etc. are issues that reflect a naturalist faith in humanity rather than one in a God. These people, ironically, see anyone who holds that these are moral issues are wrong. In essence, if a person believes that it’s wrong to kill the unborn or wrong to marry the same sex, that person is evil.
I saw this dichotomy filled out in the Governor’s speech this evening. Here is a man who is pro-choice, pro-gun control, in the middle on same-sex marriage, etc., yet feels very strongly that the Republican Party is the right party to be a part of:
“If you believe that government should be accountable to the people, not the people to the government ... then you are a Republican! If you believe a person should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an interest group ... then you are a Republican! If you believe your family knows how to spend your money better than the government does ... then you are a Republican! If you believe our educational system should be held accountable for the progress of our children ... then you are a Republican! If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world ... then you are a Republican! And, ladies and gentlemen ... if you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism ... then you are a Republican!”
These are the new defining characteristics of the Republican Party; the most important element being capitalism and pride in our national heritage. I believe that these values will be what shape the future of the party, and the future debates of America. The Democrats will continue going further left, and the Republicans will continue to pick up the moderates they leave behind. The Republican tent is getting bigger because the values of the part are shifting. The questions to consider when selecting a candidate are shifting from directly moral questions to questions about the very nature of our system of government and economics. Two or three elections from now that central issue will be should we have a Socialist big government or a Capitalist limited government.
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1) National Security- this base is made of those who favor strong military and the development of new military technologies to enhance our readiness and power.
2) Business Class- this base favors the lower taxes, fewer economic restraints, and the freedom of trade to drive their dollars.
3) Religious- this base believes that their conservative religious beliefs should dictate not only personal choices but political choices as well. They are predominantly Protestant.
These values have been the driving force of the Republican Party while the Democrats have been distinguished in areas of big government (more federal spending, unions, etc), multiculturalism (mostly on the surface), and human autonomy (pro-choice, same-sex marriage, etc.).
While I still firmly believe that Protestants, as well as other religious conservatives, should vote Republican, I think the party bases are shifting. Each party is becoming a two-base party. The Republicans are becoming the Capitalist Party and the Democrats are becoming the Socialist Party.
Within the Capitalist Party the most defining people are those who favor a government that allows independent organizations to succeed and excel without being infringed upon. They value an economic system that encourages people from all backgrounds to invest and produce and gives everyone that opportunity. In addition to that base, it will also remain strong on national security. I’m continually surprised by Democrats whom I see voting for Bush because of his strong stance in the War on Terror. Actor Rob Silver, a well known liberal, said, “The President is doing exactly the right thing!” It’s not that the religious base of the Republican Party is being dropped; it’s that one’s conservative religious beliefs no longer determine one’s party. Several of the RNC speakers and leaders are pro-choice, pro gun control, and not really religious. Those issues have faded into the background of the economic and national security issues.
The Socialist Party is made of those who favor big government. They want to see everyone make the same amount of money (everyone ends up equally poor) while the government determines what businesses are allowed to do, where they can find employment, and how much they can make. In the words of that disingenuous filmmaker Michael Moore, “Capitalism is evil.” The secondary base will remain humanistic values. The woman’s “right” to choose to kill her unborn (it doesn’t matter if it’s human or not), each person’s “right” to choose who they will marry (regardless of the impact it has on children), etc. are issues that reflect a naturalist faith in humanity rather than one in a God. These people, ironically, see anyone who holds that these are moral issues are wrong. In essence, if a person believes that it’s wrong to kill the unborn or wrong to marry the same sex, that person is evil.
I saw this dichotomy filled out in the Governor’s speech this evening. Here is a man who is pro-choice, pro-gun control, in the middle on same-sex marriage, etc., yet feels very strongly that the Republican Party is the right party to be a part of:
“If you believe that government should be accountable to the people, not the people to the government ... then you are a Republican! If you believe a person should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an interest group ... then you are a Republican! If you believe your family knows how to spend your money better than the government does ... then you are a Republican! If you believe our educational system should be held accountable for the progress of our children ... then you are a Republican! If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world ... then you are a Republican! And, ladies and gentlemen ... if you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism ... then you are a Republican!”
These are the new defining characteristics of the Republican Party; the most important element being capitalism and pride in our national heritage. I believe that these values will be what shape the future of the party, and the future debates of America. The Democrats will continue going further left, and the Republicans will continue to pick up the moderates they leave behind. The Republican tent is getting bigger because the values of the part are shifting. The questions to consider when selecting a candidate are shifting from directly moral questions to questions about the very nature of our system of government and economics. Two or three elections from now that central issue will be should we have a Socialist big government or a Capitalist limited government.
