I need a republican..
- Thread starter lauren grier
- Start date
lauren grier
you're like stars
I only ever know because of fb.. ^_^ I have a few friends/their spouses that are active in local politics/ members of state govt.
krystalhartley
New member
You know, up until the Great Depression, we were really all separate states. It was when we were in this terrible, terrible place that the federal government stepped in with some BIG ideas to HELP and that's what started us on this path to big government. At that point, local and state politicians (for the most part) were desperate for the help for their constituents. They couldn't look at those people uprooted from their farms, living in boxes, etc.
And so many of our programs have good intentions. They want people to have access to healthcare, education, etc., for our own good. It's healthy for us to do that. Ideally, everyone would be able to make responsible choices to provide that for their families (not talking about the people who can't, but the people who can and don't). So, they (the gov't) feel that in our best interest, it will just be mandated and *they* think they are the best people to oversee the funds for those programs and to have accountability for them (even though we know they really aren't).
Like...if a parent tells their kids to get good grades and leaves it up to the kids and it doesn't happen, well, then the parent gets a little more involved to see that it does happen. If the next level of involvement doesn't work, they push harder and "oversee" things even more. They make rules, rewards, and punishments. It becomes something that takes up a great deal of their time (and probably $$) rather than something that should have been done by the child without that much intervention (given normal learning behavior, etc....not talking about special circumstances). The parent could choose to just not bother, but then she knows it will lead to other problems in the future. And she loves her child and doesn't want to see him suffer.
I wish we were more selfeliant...as individuals, families, communities. It's a really big principle for me. There would be fewer problems, more self-esteem, and more overall happiness. Hard work, saving, education...probably everyone on this board agrees how important they are, but there are millions who don't. Sadly, there are too many who will quit a job to qualify for a program rather than push through on the low wages the job provides. There are people who use their student grants to buy unnecessary luxuries.
I like this quote from a leader of our church:
"No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family's well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will supply himself and his family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life" (Spencer W. Kimball, "Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action," Ensign, Nov. 1977, 77-78).
Michael and I had a lull between employment back when Avery was little. I think he was going to essentially have about 6 weeks with no paycheck. We had very little in savings, and so we borrowed money from his mother and spent the next couple of years paying that back. When I quit my job to be a SAHM, we downsided from our fully loaded Camry to basic, basic Ford Escorts (no power anything, manual transmission). I know I've seen stories like this and even more severe from many of the cupcakes here on the board... sacrifice a little now for a better place down the road, ya know? Too many people aren't satisfied with that. They are quick to take advantage of every gov't resource before exhausting other possibilities--often with the rationalization that their taxes paid for it, so why shouldn't they?
But while we continue to take money from the gov't, then I guess they see fit to dictate how it's used.
And so many of our programs have good intentions. They want people to have access to healthcare, education, etc., for our own good. It's healthy for us to do that. Ideally, everyone would be able to make responsible choices to provide that for their families (not talking about the people who can't, but the people who can and don't). So, they (the gov't) feel that in our best interest, it will just be mandated and *they* think they are the best people to oversee the funds for those programs and to have accountability for them (even though we know they really aren't).
Like...if a parent tells their kids to get good grades and leaves it up to the kids and it doesn't happen, well, then the parent gets a little more involved to see that it does happen. If the next level of involvement doesn't work, they push harder and "oversee" things even more. They make rules, rewards, and punishments. It becomes something that takes up a great deal of their time (and probably $$) rather than something that should have been done by the child without that much intervention (given normal learning behavior, etc....not talking about special circumstances). The parent could choose to just not bother, but then she knows it will lead to other problems in the future. And she loves her child and doesn't want to see him suffer.
I wish we were more selfeliant...as individuals, families, communities. It's a really big principle for me. There would be fewer problems, more self-esteem, and more overall happiness. Hard work, saving, education...probably everyone on this board agrees how important they are, but there are millions who don't. Sadly, there are too many who will quit a job to qualify for a program rather than push through on the low wages the job provides. There are people who use their student grants to buy unnecessary luxuries.
I like this quote from a leader of our church:
"No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family's well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will supply himself and his family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life" (Spencer W. Kimball, "Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action," Ensign, Nov. 1977, 77-78).
Michael and I had a lull between employment back when Avery was little. I think he was going to essentially have about 6 weeks with no paycheck. We had very little in savings, and so we borrowed money from his mother and spent the next couple of years paying that back. When I quit my job to be a SAHM, we downsided from our fully loaded Camry to basic, basic Ford Escorts (no power anything, manual transmission). I know I've seen stories like this and even more severe from many of the cupcakes here on the board... sacrifice a little now for a better place down the road, ya know? Too many people aren't satisfied with that. They are quick to take advantage of every gov't resource before exhausting other possibilities--often with the rationalization that their taxes paid for it, so why shouldn't they?
But while we continue to take money from the gov't, then I guess they see fit to dictate how it's used.
Ainwena
New member
I would consider myself a "moderate" on most issues. I am a card carrying liberal when its the environment (don't get me started on BP) and a redneck when it comes to guns. I think less government goes back to the early days of our country. It is the same debate people have been having for over 200 years, and we are still having it. IMO, I think less government goes along with the idea of being independent and supporting yourself, without having to rely on government. Even local government is still "government". The more the citizenry is enabled by government, the more they will expect and demand in the long term, and therefore be more enabled.
It's like a parent who interferes with their child's growing independence. The more they interfere, the child will either accept it and eventually depend on it and demand more OR resist it and revolt. Hence, the situation that America is in today (welfare and other social programs, not taking responsibility, no accountability...people rebelling (at this stage, getting angry, forming a new party, talk of secession blah blah blah).
What is the happy medium? Is there happy medium?
Bleh...my 2 bits.
It's like a parent who interferes with their child's growing independence. The more they interfere, the child will either accept it and eventually depend on it and demand more OR resist it and revolt. Hence, the situation that America is in today (welfare and other social programs, not taking responsibility, no accountability...people rebelling (at this stage, getting angry, forming a new party, talk of secession blah blah blah).
What is the happy medium? Is there happy medium?
Bleh...my 2 bits.
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heatherbird
New member
Just poking my head in... I'm a raging liberal Democrat and I think this thread is fascinating. 
This doesn't have a lot to do with anything, but someone mentioned earlier about how much money people spend to be elected into a federal office... here in California the two major Republican gubernatorial candidates have spent something like $80million (Meg Whitman) and $35million (Steve Poizner) on advertising. And this is just for the primary. Let me tell you, if Meg Whitman had donated $80million to our state deficit and paid for ONE ad that said 'I got our state out of debt, vote for me' I sure would, Republican or not. LOL.
This doesn't have a lot to do with anything, but someone mentioned earlier about how much money people spend to be elected into a federal office... here in California the two major Republican gubernatorial candidates have spent something like $80million (Meg Whitman) and $35million (Steve Poizner) on advertising. And this is just for the primary. Let me tell you, if Meg Whitman had donated $80million to our state deficit and paid for ONE ad that said 'I got our state out of debt, vote for me' I sure would, Republican or not. LOL.
amandabarugh
New member
I'm hoping we all can post in this thread.
My hubby is a die hard democrat too, but his family is 110% republican. It is a huge issue with us, and we can't have political conversations with his family at all! (Well we could, but they just tell us we're stupid and wrong, so we don't.)
So why am I in this thread? Because I would love to hear from republicans. I want to understand their perspective, and that is something that can't / won't ever happen with DH's family.
Love the thread title, too! :thumbup:
That's me and my hubs, except it's my family that would tell us that we were stupid for being Dems, etc. I'm the token liberal in the family, in all meanings of the word.
amandabarugh
New member
You know it's funny that you bring this up, Krystal.
When my husband and I got married, we were the butt-busting, lower middle class family that really needed assistance, but always made just a touch too much. We wore rose-colored glasses, and we were very liberal then. Then our daughter was born with health problems. We needed the assistance even more, but we were slowly moving up, job-wise. Still busted our butts to make ends meet though, and they were barely meeting, if at all. Still liberal as heck.
Now, our hard work has paid off. We don't need the assistance, even though the health issues are still there, and I'm now able to comfortably stay home, where before we couldn't afford for me to work (daycare) but couldn't afford for me not to do so. Everyone has told us that once we hit this point we would become more conservative, and I'm waiting to see if that switch happens because I find myself even more liberal now than I was when we were robbing Peter to pay Paul. Same with the hubs. Although, he's not nearly as bad as I am.
I find the dynamics of situations like this fascinating. It's interesting how some change completely, and yet, others continue with their same way of thinking when their personal situations change, either for the better or worse. Politics, in general, fascinate me, though.
I don't think that just cause you start to make more money you become more conservative. I always think thats a strange thing to think. My grandparents were rich, large farmers who also owned a trucking business. They vote/d democrat everytime.
I hear this often from my conservative In Law's. Like it's just a matter of time until I "wise up" and stop being liberal.
Like Amanda, I'm living proof this is not true! I was raised by a single mom of three, and we were supported by all kinds of public assistance. I even got some Financial Aid in college due to being so poor. My sisters and their kids still get state health care and other assistance as they are still struggling. Now Hubby and I make a fairly decent living, don't want for anything, and I am still as liberal (or more so) than ever. I could go on about all the ways that I'm liberal, but I don't want to get kicked out of this thread
and I want my fellow SSD'ers to still like me. I've stayed on the sidelines for most of this discussion, but I am lovin' how civil and intelligent you all are keeping this thread. Kudos to you! :thumbup:
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