Why I Am Not a Republican

I suppose it’s a bit strange to start out an essay saying what you’re not, rather than what you are. You see, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a “Mormon,” as we’re sometimes called. While the Church does not officially endorse a specific political party, and generally remains politically neutral, so many U.S. Mormons that I know are Republican, one may think there is an official endorsement. I repeat, there is not. At the same time, many other fellow Christians, with whom I share many beliefs and values – to one extent or another – are also loyal Republicans. So, while many may think I “fit the mold” of being both Christian and conservative, there are important reasons why I resist it.

Perhaps my biggest concerns with the Republican party have to do with hypocrisy and extremism. Now, keep your shorts on. I’m not saying all Republicans are hypocritical fanatics. But quite a few are. And as a whole, the GOP has moved so far to the right in the last 20 years, I have had to keep my distance. The funny thing is that, as some of my friends and family lean more and more to the right, it makes it look like I’m leaning to the left, even though I’ve pretty much stayed in the center. It’s what I call a politico-optical illusion.

Don’t be mistaken: I certainly don’t think the Democrats are perfect. But, as a party, they at least seem less likely to claim they are. And, as I said, I consider myself a moderate. As one example, I am for universal health care, but against non-therapeutic abortion.

What strikes me as strange is that many people say they’re Republican because they’re Christian. And yet, that’s the same reason I am not a Republican: because I am Christian. The beliefs and values I gain from a testimony of Jesus Christ, the scriptures, and teachings of prophets and apostles don’t mesh with the kind of vitriolic, every-man-for-himself, you’re-either-with-me-or-against-me rhetoric I hear from so many Republicans. Indeed, the Christian beliefs and values I often hear about from the right have been squeezed and distorted so much to fit particular political agendas, I can barely recognize them as being actually Christian. And in so doing, the political extremists have hijacked the GOP and made it their own crusade… literally.

Take the concept of war, for example. I can’t find in Christ’s teachings the notion that war is glorious and commendable. It may be justifiable, but it should never be entered into until we have turned the last cheek, gone the last mile, and done good to them that hate us. I fear that most of the wars we’ve fought (by whatever label they’ve been given) in the last 60 years have not followed this pattern.

After 9/11, I agreed with the need to go after Osama Bin Laden and the pseudo-government that gave him sanctuary. But then I was shocked when the Iraq war announced... before the mission to capture Bin Laden was accomplished. In fact, I have many thoughts and concerns about the current war in Iraq and government policies and practices related to it. However, this public blog is not the right forum to fully express those views at this time. Contact me if you’d like to discuss it more.

What really gets me is how many conservatives question the patriotism of anyone who disagrees with the war and other policies of the Republican administration. I argue that it is absolutely possible for someone to admire the courage and dedication of the troops while still questioning the wisdom and morality of specific military and political strategies that put them in harm’s way.

I’m even more concerned about the bigotry I hear from Christians, especially toward Muslims. It’s both ridiculous and sad when I hear someone say in an interview that they can’t vote for Barack Obama because they heard he has a Muslim background. Even if he were a Muslim, which educated people know he isn’t, what possible difference should that make? Have we reached such a level of fear that we’re ready to hate an entire group of people (again)? Yes, there are Muslims who hate the U.S. But the vast majority are good people who just want the best for their families, like everyone else. Most Muslims are as appalled by violent extremists as other reasonable, faithful folk, whatever their religion. And yet, a few people somehow manage to use their religion to justify hatred and violence. These crusaders and “jihadis” – whether Muslim, Christian, or Jewish – are the ones who truly scare me. They are deceived, and do not follow the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that I know.

In mundane terms, I am not only offended but actually frightened by conservative Republicans who question both my patriotism and my faithfulness when I assert that we should give peace and diplomacy a chance. It’s not fluffy liberalism; it’s Christianity. I’m just trying to do what Jesus would do.

Besides the extremism, the danger of linking a political party with religious values is that you can get caught in the trap of believing that “ends” will invariably justify the means, simply because your core values seem righteous. That’s when we start seeing more corruption and ethics violations, cronyism, and greater politicization of management decisions. We have witnessed this all in recent years. I suppose it’s only natural; if you believe God is backing you, then it’s easy to convince yourself that anything you do couldn’t possibly be wrong.

But let’s leave religion aside for a moment. After all, I am not convinced that God has picked a political party. Somehow, that seems beneath Him and the grand scheme of things. Besides, although many Republicans would like to think that their party is endorsed by God, the name “Party of God” is already taken – in Lebanon, they call it “Hezbollah.”

Let’s talk politics. One of the current Republican presidential candidate’s strongest themes is to warn voters that the Democratic candidate will raise everyone’s taxes. In spite of independent analysis that this is not actually the case, the notion strikes a fearful note. Similarly, many of the measures on the current Oregon ballot are aimed at lowering taxes, in spite of the consequences. And then there’s the overly-used moniker first coined by Ronald Reagan: “tax and spend Democrats.” While I am all for accountability, fairness, and reasonable frugality, I would rather be a “tax and spend Democrat” than a “spend and spend Republican.” For all their talk of wanting smaller government, spending has always outpaced income under Republican administrations. I am not making this up. If you examine the history of our federal deficit, you’ll see it has been greatest with Republican presidents at the helm. The last time we had a budget surplus was under a Democratic president. You can argue cause and effect (every president, regardless of party, takes credit for the good things that happen and blame circumstances beyond their control for the bad), but decisions and philosophies of politicians are undeniably linked to the economy. I was always taught that I should live within my means and avoid debt. That does not seem to be a value of the Republican party family. They somehow believe you can have first-world infrastructure and services, without having to pay for it. That flies in the face of reason… and capitalism, I might add.

For those who think government should get out of the business of infrastructure and public services, if that’s what it takes to avoid paying taxes, I invite them to visit any third-world country. In most of these places, such as Honduras, there is a widespread avoidance of paying taxes. This lack of funding trickles down to show up as rampant crime because of ineffective and out-numbered police, deteriorating roads, and lack of potable water. You really do get what you pay for.

I love my country. That’s why I have chosen to serve it as a career. The freedoms, opportunities, and wealth we enjoy are the envy of most of the world. That’s why, in spite of a few very vocal hate mongers, there are tens of thousands of people around the world lining up every day for the chance to get a visa to immigrate to or just visit the U.S. It’s OK to be proud of that. But it’s not OK to be elitist or bigoted.

Which is why I am a Democrat.