Today, I was faced with a question... "what is a
republican and what makes the difference between any party?" And, if you think about it, unless you know where they came from, political party today doesn't always say much about anythingWell, one must first look at where they originated.
It goes back to Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. If you look at the two men from upbringing to their rise to politics there is a sharp distinction to be made. Hamilton, who wasn't of British descent (unlike most Americans at the time), was in favor of a large, powerful government. Jefferson, on the other hand, had seen British tyranny and feared it greatly--thus in favor of a very free and much smaller government.
Now, where does this leave us? Well, Hamilton was a "Federalist" (not to be confused with the earlier Federalist Party). Jefferson was a Republican. Over the years, parties changed names but today's republican party is the descendent of Jefferson.
The republican party was based on strict interpretation of the Constitution. The idea that the government can only do what the Constitution explicitly authorizes. Today that is all but lost.
Today, we have Supreme Court justices legislating morality and immorality from the bench. When in reality they should be arguing over whether or not any of them can read. Since, they obviously no longer protect the sanctity of the U.S. Constitution.
We see Congress spending all their time voting themselves raises through the tax code that isn't even allotted for in the Constitution and unanimously renaming french fries.
Where is the backbone this country was founded on you ask? Talk to Sen. Obama--he'll tell you we will pull through "because this is the United States of America." Talk to Sen. McCain--he'll tell you that we will pull through by cutting government spending, by our foreign policy, by becoming energy independent--not by turning down our thermostats and inflating our tires but by work, conservation, and using our God-given natural resources.
Why Republican? Smaller government, self-sufficiency--just like Jefferson. Oppositely, Democrats support big, powerful government, at the expense of its taxpayers--just like Hamilton.