My opinions on the rest of the pack.....
Jul. 10th, 2004 09:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poltr1In my last entry, I listed four political parties, other than the Democrats and Republicans, that are fielding candidates for President (of the United States) this November.
I consider myself an independent. I don't vote a straight political party line; I think it's stupid for me -- or anyone else -- to blindly vote the way a political party tells me to. I'm smart enough to make up my own mind.
The Libertarian Party most closely aligns with my own political ideology -- bare-bones personal government, free-market economy, socially liberal, financially conservative. Cons: Many people don't have the self-discipline to govern themselves; necessary government programs would be slashed or cut completely (examples: Social Security, FEMA, Medicare, Medicaid).
The Natural Law Party has some great goals, but it's hard for me to determine a way in which they can achieve them. Cons: Some of their goals and aims don't seem practical or plausible; ties to Transcendental Meditation (I can't imagine a hardened death-row inmate even trying TM). (R refers to them as the "Fluffy Bunny Party".)
The Green Party aligns with my goals for global non-violence, environmental concerns, and social diversity. Cons: One-issue parties don't cut it with me; fear that they'll use the Greenpeace approach to "solve" issues (i.e. stage media circuses to bring them to people's attention and do nothing more).
The Constitution Party is much too far right-wing for me. I cannot and will not support them in any way, other than an occasional mention that they're out there. Cons: Plenty, as far as I'm concerned. They're Neo-cons and Dominionists who believe the Republican Party has become too liberal.
And now for the Big Two.....the Democrats and the Republicans....
The Democratic Party is supposed to represent the "little guy" -- the working-class, the middle-class, labor unions. But it's been apparently controlled by special-interest groups (e.g. ethnic subgroups) and lobbyists. It's become too much of a political machine, running on inertia and getting nowhere.
The Republican Party has been the stronghold for Big Business. But in the past 20 years, it too has been controlled by special interest groups -- the so-called Religious Right (or as Issac Bonewits call them, "the Religious Reich"). In the GOP, the Golden Rule reigns supreme -- those who have the gold make the rules. That gold, contributed by wealthy individuals and companies, go straight into the war chests of elected officials.
Yeah, I'm jaded and cynical about the Big Two. They both ride the see-saw like two fat boys, and there's no real progress being made. They've been on the political see-saw for too long. Time for them to hop off and let others have a ride.
I consider myself an independent. I don't vote a straight political party line; I think it's stupid for me -- or anyone else -- to blindly vote the way a political party tells me to. I'm smart enough to make up my own mind.
The Libertarian Party most closely aligns with my own political ideology -- bare-bones personal government, free-market economy, socially liberal, financially conservative. Cons: Many people don't have the self-discipline to govern themselves; necessary government programs would be slashed or cut completely (examples: Social Security, FEMA, Medicare, Medicaid).
The Natural Law Party has some great goals, but it's hard for me to determine a way in which they can achieve them. Cons: Some of their goals and aims don't seem practical or plausible; ties to Transcendental Meditation (I can't imagine a hardened death-row inmate even trying TM). (R refers to them as the "Fluffy Bunny Party".)
The Green Party aligns with my goals for global non-violence, environmental concerns, and social diversity. Cons: One-issue parties don't cut it with me; fear that they'll use the Greenpeace approach to "solve" issues (i.e. stage media circuses to bring them to people's attention and do nothing more).
The Constitution Party is much too far right-wing for me. I cannot and will not support them in any way, other than an occasional mention that they're out there. Cons: Plenty, as far as I'm concerned. They're Neo-cons and Dominionists who believe the Republican Party has become too liberal.
And now for the Big Two.....the Democrats and the Republicans....
The Democratic Party is supposed to represent the "little guy" -- the working-class, the middle-class, labor unions. But it's been apparently controlled by special-interest groups (e.g. ethnic subgroups) and lobbyists. It's become too much of a political machine, running on inertia and getting nowhere.
The Republican Party has been the stronghold for Big Business. But in the past 20 years, it too has been controlled by special interest groups -- the so-called Religious Right (or as Issac Bonewits call them, "the Religious Reich"). In the GOP, the Golden Rule reigns supreme -- those who have the gold make the rules. That gold, contributed by wealthy individuals and companies, go straight into the war chests of elected officials.
Yeah, I'm jaded and cynical about the Big Two. They both ride the see-saw like two fat boys, and there's no real progress being made. They've been on the political see-saw for too long. Time for them to hop off and let others have a ride.
