Why are you a Republican?

I vote for the person also. However, I have a co-worker whom I talked politics with once, and will never do it again. He said he votes straight republican across the board, no matter what. I asked him why and he said its because his grandfather taught him thats the way to vote. So I asked him what he feels he is accomplishing by voting republican no matter what. His response was that Democrats like to raise taxes, Republicans dont. That is the response of someone who has been programmed. There is no intellectual thought behind that. At that point, I realized this discussion was going nowhere, so I changed the subject.

The short answer, I am a republican because I don't like handouts, I don't like our current welfare system, and I don't like that democrats are currently trying to mandate healthcare and force people like me to pay for it. I feel that democrats are way too soft on criminals. I am against the environmental extremists and the extreme pro-abortionists in the democratic party. I am also for equality and I feel the democrats are too in favor of programs like affirmative action and reparations that are actually more damaging to minorities who begin to expect special treatment instead of expecting equal treatment. In my church there has always been a pro-life stance, but my church has never endorsed a specific politician or even a specific party. I personally think churches should avoid endorsing specific politicians and allow people to think for themselves and make their own decisions. I personally vote for the person, not the party. It just turns out that the person I vote for is more likely to be a republican than a democrat. I voted for John Kerry instead of Bush in the last election and if the democrats had actually put a decent candidate forth this year I might have considered voting for him too. Instead they went with Obama, a man who from everything I've seen cares little for the will and well being of the American people and actually has a very low opinion of this country.

I think the easiest way to explain my view is this. And keep in mind, this is a generalization. This year it isn't the case. I usually vote Republican. i prefer smaller government, we live in a WONDERFUL country where anybody can own a business, a home etc. When the government gets involved in these, they seem to go bad (airlines). When government stays out of it, it seems to flourish! I have faith that most people will help each other but when you are forced to give (welfare) I get very resentful. This year I believe either party is running a democrat. I am looking at Ron Paul, he is still in the running. He is what is called a constitutionalist. He just bases decisions on our constitution, how can you go wrong there? It has worked for this many years.

I vote for the person in local and state elections. However, in Senate, House and Presidential races you aren't voting for a person at all, you are voting for a seat. Will that seat be on the Republican or Democrat side of the aisle? Freshman House and Senate members have very little say in anything, so if you are voting strictly for the candidate, what part of their platform do you think will get accomplished? If you have a senior member representing the people of your district or your state, come election time, you are deciding if you want to keep the power of that senior member or give up the pull in favor of someone new. I've voted Republican most of the time, and for the House and Senate I don't see any reason to change... but for President, I don't see a good choice in either of the major party candidates. We'll have to see who McCain picks as a running mate... or who the "3rd" parties run.