Ideas Not Politics

Since Government Affects Every Person, Understanding Policy
Is a First Step of Christians Being Meaningfully Engaged in Society

Many Christians are cynical about politics because they only see the rancor and bitter ideological divides, but since ideas matter-- politics is one of the great battlefields of ethics, morality, and belief systems that affect our everyday lives

Throughout US History, America has been a Two-Party Political System

Democrat-Republican v. Federalist
Democrat v. National Republican
Democrat v. Whig
Democrat v. Republican (since 1852)
Only once (W. Wilson) has a 3rd Party Won

The Founders decided the Presidency should be won by a "majority" of voters. In other words, someone who could unite more than half the country. Then, the majority of everyone's interests would be represented, rather than only the winning minority. That's why we work mostly on a "winner take all" Presidential primary system

A Two-Party System (like Plato's Idealism and Aristotle's Realism in Philosophy) means all positions, from the most conservative to liberal, and everything in the middle, will be represented. That's why the two parties are often at opposite sides of the ideological spectrum-- but meet in the middle. The person elected President represents the mood of the majority of citizens, otherwise a minority faction (like oligarchs) could rule the country-- undermining the idea of a democracy.

Political Parties change positions (platform planks) as voters communicate their beliefs. If parties don't respond to their constituency, they won't be elected since their ideas are not held by the majority of the people

In-Party political battles to determine the planks of the party is a messy but necessary process. But each time a party loses elections, especially strings of elections over several years, parties must go back to the people to determine what they believe (government by the people). Then the party leaders must find candidates and a message that connects with those sentiments, or it will continue to lose elections and influence over the direction and governing of the country, states, & towns

Democrat Ideals

The Democrat Donkey started in the 1830s when it was used during Andrew Jackson's Democrat campaign. His opponents called him a 'jackass' for his populist policies. Well known as stubborn, however, Jackson decided to co-opt the mascot, and used it to his own advantage. The Donkey represented stubbornness of a group which refused to follow what others were thinking, representing "Progressives"

Income Equality

• Not Only Equal Work Opportunity, but Equal Income (more Socialist)
• Redistribution of Corporate Profits
• Redistribution through Tax Rates
• Redistribution through Govt Programs
• Redistribution from Majority Population
• Enforcing Home Ownership quotas
• Enforced Labor Pensions, esp Public

Jobs and Economic Fairness

• Govt Subsidized Infrastructure
• Enforcing Clean Energy Jobs, Shuttering Fossils
• Penalizing Big Business
• Raising Minimum Wage to Socialist-Type "Living Wage"
• Raising Corporate Taxes and Raising Taxes of Wealthy Beyond 35% to 50%+

Civil and Human Rights

• Ending Systemic Racism
• Closing Racial Wealth Gaps
• Loosening Criminal Justice
• Increasing Global Immigration
• Guaranteeing LGBT Rights
• Undermining Majority Positions (White and Christian Privilege)

Voting and Government Reform

• Make D.C. a state
• Increased Federal Employees and Govt Oversight
• Appointing Ideological Judges
• Constitution as "living document"
• Making Voting an Honor-Based System and Amnesty Voting

Quality and Affordable Education

• Strengthen Teacher's Unions
• Provide Debt-Free College
• Redirect Tax Funds to Minority Colleges
• Crack Down on For-Profit Schools
• Deny Voucher & Private School Funds
• Invest only in Unionized Public Schools
• Disallow School Choice/Zone Schools

Republican Ideals

There was an urban legend that several animals had escaped from the New York Zoo. Thomas Nast, the most popular and influential cartoonist of the mid-1800s, took the opportunity to represent the Republicans as elephants, docile but unmoveable when calm, unstoppable and destructive when excited. They represented immovable convictions combined with an unstoppable force when provoked.

Protect the Constitution

• Elect-Place 'Originalist' judges who interpret the intent of the Framers and their ideals, protecting the fundamental beliefs the country was founded upon that made our nation Exceptional
• Ensure the freedoms set forth in the Bill of Rights
• Reaffirm values of Declaration of Independence

Government Reform

• End Political Corruption in General
• Stop Pay for Play to Officeholders
• Limit Gift Lobbying of Special Interests
• End Government Overreach like Executive Orders and Regulations by Unelected, Unaccountable Federal Officials

Restore Financial Sanity

• Resurrect the American Dream
• Eliminate Wasteful Fed Spending
• Shrink Federal Government
• Lower Federal Debt
• Rein in Entitlement Programs
• Deregulate to Grow Economy
• Fix Trade Deals that Hurts Americans
• Increase Competition Across State Lines

Provide Security to Citizens

• Establish Law and Order through Police
• End Sanctuary Cities for Illegal Aliens
• Require ID to Vote
• Enforce Legal Immigration
• Protect against Open Borders
• Rebuild Military to Meet Global Threats
• Pursue Peace through Strength Policy

Honor the Voter's Mandate

• Fix Corruption by 'Draining the Swamp'
• Undo non-legislated Executive Orders
• Replace Obamacare (passed by 51%)
• End Federal Government Education (Common Core), Send to States
• Pursue "All of the Above" Energy Independence for Security and Stability
• End Federal Government Overreach

Discussion

• Questions about Planks
• What did you learn?
• What troubles you?
• What encourages you?

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