Beth Hamilton, Naples
What they say, do
When listening to the Republican candidates, they all have the same slogan — smaller government.
Let's take a look at how that worked out for the states with Republican governors and Republican majority in the Legislature.
Ending collective bargaining rights for public employees has been a priority for Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Idaho. They have been working hard to cancel the hard-won protections that had been in place for these workers.
Many Republican states have restricted abortion rights, adding regulations to end the freedom of choice for women in those states. Mississippi has even gone so far as to attempt to pass a law called "personhood" that could make birth control illegal.
In Michigan, the governor has created the "emergency manager law" in which he appointed a person who has unilateral power over the municipalities and school districts. This person can now break contracts and dismiss the previous elected officials.
Florida, along with other Republican states has proposed drug testing for government employees and welfare applicants. Drug testing is costly, and in Florida's case, it did not find the drug use it was looking for from the welfare applicants.
This year, many Republican states have changed the requirements to vote (no vote without a photo ID), along with limiting the time available to vote.
So, in the Republican's mind, ending collective bargaining, restricting women's health-care rights, taking over power from elected officials, drug testing and limiting people's ability to vote constitutes "smaller government."
This is not smaller government — and actions do speak louder than words.
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Comments » 2
pmz writes:
"Smaller government" is a code phrase for "more for me, less for you".
PAREIDOLIA writes:
The GOP claims to be against GOVERNMENT INTRUSION;
-yet the GOP would have no problem with Government intrusion if it came to :
1. Forcing Americans to accept Christian symbols on public property.
2. Forcing Americans to speak English (good idea, however)
3. Forcing all pregnant women to give birth.
4. Shoving Creationism and religion into our public schools.
5. Creating a marriage definition that excludes gays
The GOP claims to be against SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. However, I am sure they would be willing to preserve the N.R.A., the Nat. Right to Life Committee, and the Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Conservative types say there should be no separation between church and state; (meaning Christianity, of course) then they scream when some Muslim Cleric agrees, wants to insert SHARIA LAW into our Judicial System. Figure THAT one out.
So you see; the GOP is nothing more then a bunch of gangsters in skirts and three-piece suits with conflicting objectives; hiding behind a veil of patriotism, riscal Responsibility and morality;
who want to run our lives: THEIR WAY.
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