I read your diary hoping to find out why you consider yourself a Republican and why you, presumably, support the current Republican administration.
But you didn't really reveal the answers to those questions. You did a better job of describing yourself.
So, in the interest of furthering the conversation, I'll pose some questions for you below.
I'm a Republican.
I'm a Republican. I have about a month's salary in savings. That's it. I do have some odds and ends in retirement plans but I need a lot more. As soon as my kids get through college, I intend to get serious.
Are you aware that the Democratic Party created the Social Security system to prevent elderly people from living out their old age in poverty?
Are you aware the the Medicare system was created by Democrats to make sure the elderly had access to medical care?
Are you aware that the Democratic Party and leftist activists have fought very hard for better conditions in nursing homes, and that nursing home owners are some of the biggest contributors to the Republican Party?
Are you aware that GOP activists have been plotting to do away with these safety nets for the elderly because they dislike regulation and huge financial tranfers to the poor?
Do you know that your failure to save for your retirement is frowned upon by GOP activists, and they don't want to give you the money you failed to save?
I'm a Republican. My kids go to public school. I do care about your kids; that's why I taught Sunday Schools and was a Cub Scout leader. My hope is that my kids will get better jobs and make more money than me.
Are you aware the the Republican Party used to have it in their platform that they would abolish the Department of Education?
Are you aware that the strongest educational activists on the right are trying to eliminate any distinction between public and private schools so they can use their tax dollars to teach creationism?
I'm a Republican. I have a job with health insurance. My wife is currently undergoing a health crisis that may very well bankrupt us anyway. It sure is sad when you go bankrupt after a catastrophic health crisis.
Are you aware that the Democratic Party has long desired to de-link health insurance from employment, and to provide all citizens with health care?
Are you aware that Kerry proposed to have the Government take over responsibility for all catastrophic care, such as your wife may currently need? Under a Kerry administration, you would not need to fear financial ruin. Did you know that?
I'm a Republican. I'm a Christian. I don't know anything about you.
I'm a Republican. I'm going to heaven.
This is not a political matter. I hope you don't think the fact that you are a Republican is the reason you are going to heaven. You don't think that, do you?
I'm a Republican. It is not only my right, it's my duty to spread freedom and democracy around the world (I agree with Sue on this one).
Do you know that it requires young men and women to put their lives at risk to spread freedom and democracy? Have your children enlisted? Have you explained to them their duty to do so? Can we spread freedom and democracy by promoting it, or do we have to use our armed forces?
I'm a Republican. I live in a beautiful area in Western NY, near three wonderful state parks, more state forests and a fantastic National Forest. I hope they last forever.
Why do you think that every environmental group in the country endorsed Kerry, Gore, Clinton, and Dukakis?
Do you think they are stupid?
I'm a Republican. I'm white.
I'm white. I'm not a Republican. Should I be? Why?
I'm a Republican. I don't even have keys for all the doors on my house. I have never lived in a house where we locked the doors.
Here is a question: for those of us that live in cities where we frequently have armed break-ins, why do we support handgun control, and why do we stomach laws that forbid us to own firearms?
And why do people that feel so safe that they don't lock their doors feel it is so critical that they have no restrictions whatsoever on what kind of weapons they can have?
Personally, I'm for each state deciding what their guns laws are. But I'm still puzzled by this strange disconnect.
I'm a Republican. I accept my responsibility to fund the government and I believe we ought to help our neighbors who are struggling. I do believe that long-term welfare support saps people of their will to work in the same way that inactivity atrophies our muscles. I don't know what the solution is but I think we need to search for one.
Clinton ran on Welfare reform and he passed Welfare reform. But are you are aware of the actual dollar amounts that go to Welfare recipients vs. go to Corporate Welfare recipients?
If you are concerned that welfare is ineffective, that's one thing that can be debated. But if you are concerned about wasteful spending, you should look elsewhere.
I'm a Republican. I think homosexuality is a sin. So what? I sin too. I don't hate homosexuals.
Good, I'm glad you don't hate homosexuals. But I have a question. Is it sinful to have homosexual desires or only to act on them? If it is only a sin to act on them then it is no different from a heterosexual who engages in non-marital sex, right? So why pick on homosexuals?
But more to the point, why should homosexuals be denied any sexual life at all? Did God create homosexuals just so he could torture them? Did God give homosexuals sinful desires because he wanted an excuse to send them to hell?
When you examine a belief system that calls homosexuality 'sinful' it gets difficult to distinguish from hate.
I'm a Republican. I wasn't born rich but I was born content.
Glad to hear it.
I'm a Republican. I'm wrong all the time. I read Dailykos and I read Little Green Footballs and a bunch of other blogs. I don't always agree with what is said on them but I do like THINKING.
That's all I'm asking you to do.
I'm a Republican. My rights and civil liberties should be protected and so should yours.
Great! Do you support the indefinite detention without counsel of American citizens?
Do you support the torture of American citizens?
Do you support search warrants being executed without notification or charges being brought against an American citizen?
No?
Then why are you a Republican?
I'm a Republican. I can't think of anyone I hate.
Then step away from the party that likes to run with people carrying "God Hates Fags" signs, and come over to the side of the Jedi Warriors.