As the tears in many AU students eyes said loudly Wednesday, many are very disappointed with the results of Tuesday's election. While I did not love or hate either candidate this time around, I do feel that the overall message of the Republican Party was something worth supporting. Beyond that, I feel that the Democrats have their work cut out for them if they ever expect this party to succeed, but right now, sulking seems to be working for them.
The Democratic Party was once a party that spoke on behalf of the average American. Leaders such as Franklin Roosevelt oversaw the New Deal, which brought the nation's economy back to life. The famed John Kennedy broke the mold to speak out on behalf of equal rights for African-Americans. These leaders combined their hearts and their minds to do what was best for America.
Today this is not the case. Politics rules today's Democratic Party. It is willing to play its cards according to what the voters want to hear. In 2004 its motto might as well have said, "If Bush did it, we oppose it." With no true stands, Kerry led a campaign dominated by opposition and negativity, which ultimately resulted in his doom. While scrambling for minority and youth votes, people realized the party's message was dim, and the effort was ultimately a failure.
While Kerry and Edwards gave a valiant effort, it is the party in general that needs work. We have witnessed various people who passionately hate Bush and would support ANY Democrat at ANY cost. The party is sounding more like a last resort for hardcore liberals than a good idea in general.
The 2004 Democratic Party represents the idle rich and the idle poor. We are talking about people who are so rich that they do not even care about taxes, and people who are so poor that they will sacrifice their kid's meal for a bowl of pot.
While I feel like the families on the bottom should be compensated in some way, I also do not feel it is our responsibility to save them for their screwups. There is a massive number of people who wasted their potential time at work to protest George W. Bush's re-election. Most of these individuals are also involved in the drug game. I am yet to see someone, anyone, on this bottom end who legitimately worked hard to find a high paying job and couldn't find it.
To me, this is a prime example of why the Republican Party is stronger today. Today the Republican Party represents people who want to go out, do their own work for themselves and get paid well for it. They work hard for their own living and do not want to be bothered about it. For some odd reason, many students at this school have a problem with this belief. For some other odd reason, many students at this school have blue hair; my only question to you is, what did your parents do to you?
Bush is a family man with strong moral values. Deep in my heart I realize that he put us into a war in Iraq that we didn't need. However, he is a man we do need. We are a country that is not ready for radical change in the way most liberals want, and he is set to make sure we don't see those changes. I look forward to another four years in office.
The Democratic Party now appeals to the people on the far ends of the spectrum; The Idle Rich and the Idle Poor.
The Democratic Party does not appeal to the working family that is trying to put two kids through college, or trying to save for retirement, etc. Democratic ideals do not appeal to individuals who want to take responsibility for themselves and not rely on others (such as big government) to subsidize them all their lives.
This was not always the way. I grew up in a Democratic household, a hardworking immigrant environment. My parents matured under the democratic ideals of Roosevelt's New Deal, which was the right thing at the right time. Times have changed and so have the parties.
I am speaking here in terms of economics, but I think this can be expanded to morality issues, which clearly carried Bush in the 2004 election. Middle America wants the morality of a George Bush. A religious, honest family man.
