Inconsistencies in Ideology

Though undeniably entertaining, the GOP Presidential Race has been consumed by dubious, polarizing rhetoric; the kind of rhetoric intended to capture the masses’ attention and manipulate information, all in a thirty-second sound-bite.

I listened with perplexity to Rick Santorum, Michelle Bauchman, and others zealously call for a ‘return to the Constitution and our Founding Fathers’. I listened to the impetuous accusations against President Obama, irrevocably branding him and his policies as ‘socialist’. Iowan caucus-goers stood mesmerized by trigger-words like liberty, class warfare, and wealth distribution; words and ideas loosely thrown-around and largely designed to incite fear. Sadly enough, this is American Politics, on both sides of the political spectrum.

Reaganite conservatives profess to champion limited government, reducing the deficit, and individual liberty, yet they insist on the government meddling in divisive private social issues and throwing millions of dollars to Israel or war crusades in foreign lands. 85 percent of all government spending comes from national defense, medicare/medicaid, and social security. If conservatives sincerely sought to reduce the deficit, they would begin to cut national defense spending instead of inconsequential social programs.

Conversely, liberals advance a platform in which government interference is discouraged in private matters, and celebrated in economic-related issues. For a liberal, a woman has a right to choose but not a right to refuse to pay for government-sponsored health-care.

Conservatives and liberals alike willingly turn their heads blindly to the inconsistencies embedded in their ideologies. It is time for Americans to take political arguments at face-value. For starters, we do not know what the Founding Fathers thought. The Federalist Papers serve as evidence of the ongoing disagreement on the role of government. Obama’s ideas are not socialist. Socialism is Marx and Engel. Conservatives and particularly tea-partiers, you do not support limited government to its fullest extent. You see the role of government as protecting its constituents and oftentimes (as history will show) playing the role of ‘world police’. Moreover, government is the vehicle through which you legislate morality. Liberals, you do not embrace ‘big’ government. In fact, you reject government’s involvement in foreign affairs. You also reject government’s involvement in issues like gay marriage or abortion. According to you, government ought to interfere if and only if it gives the stamp of approval to your political agenda.