by Eddie Alexander

Created on: August 29, 2008

Growing up in suburban Idaho and following in my parents' footsteps, I always considered myself a Republican. After all, my parents were pretty smart people, and they equated Democrats with taxes and big government... so naturally, I did too. Reaganomics were well beyond reproach, and all prosperity during Clinton's tenure was attributed directly to the Reagan Revolution. It seemed that was possibly the best person since Christ. Did I mention he defeated those godless Commies? Moving on to our current president and the war on terror, I remained a sheep for some time. And so I wholeheartedly supported the the doctrine of preemption in 2003 just like everyone else-except for those crazy antiwar hippies.

It's almost comical to look back at the beliefs I clung to before I started reading. (Almost comical, but not quite because tears may be a more appropriate response when you realize that many people have not moved past such beliefs.)

I realize now that the Republican party and I should have parted ways when the Goldwater form of Republicanism gave way to neoconservativism and the religious right. The rhetoric has remained somewhat consistent since then, but it is hollow now. Republicans today still advocate tax cuts, spending cuts and reducing the size of government. Along with that, they also promote balancing the budget though they have completely failed to do so: with the exception of the residual surpluses in 2000 and 2001 after Clinton, Republican administrations have run deficits ever since Richard Nixon. These deficits have predictably arisen from the combination of tax cuts and astronomical defense spending.

Formerly champions of liberty and small government, Republicans can only represent hypocrisy when their policies are considered. Let's start with the War on Terror that is intensely supported by the GOP. Wars always lead to an expansion in governmental power and restrictions on personal liberty, and our undeclared forays in the Middle East are no exception. Now we have policies like the Patriot Act and the recent FISA bill which simply massacre civil liberties. Also, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security was the single largest federal expansion in 50 years, and it was signed into law by a president who still promotes small government and tax cuts. One final example of hypocrisy revolves around the issues of torture and morality. The same politicians who denounce homosexuality and premarital sex as immoral or sinful now condone the torture of so-called enemy combatants in Gitmo. Glad they have their priorities in order...

During the primary season, I was back in the party for a few hopeful months to support the candidacy of Ron Paul. For once I found a politician I agreed with on almost every issue, a rare thing indeed. But as feared, he was too intelligent to be elected it would seem.

So how did the Republican lose my vote you ask? Four words: Ron Paul didn't win...

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