I Am Not a Republican (Or a Democrat)

I’ve never really been comfortable labeling myself a Republican or a Democrat simply because I think it’s unfair to be forced to align with a group of people only to help better identify who I would like to fill an elected office. Not all political candidates hold the same values of the party they identify themselves with, so why would it ever make sense to pick a candidate solely on his or her party affiliation? The party system in general makes no logical sense to me, but I do understand why it exists. The average American does not want to spend the time or, quite frankly, may not have the intellectual capacity to properly consider and understand where each candidate stands on each individual political issue. So instead we have two vastly differing sides, in which the gap between them is getting wider every day, which we are forced to choose between. The two parties are so hell-bent on proving that their side is right and the other side is wrong that the actual issues become less important. This is why politics are so divisive, and something needs to change.

A huge issue with politics today is the social pressures that come with aligning yourself with a certain political party. Race, religion, stature, ethnicity….none of these things should require you to vote Republican or Democrat. It’s understood in the US today that blacks and the impoverished vote Democrat, Christians and Southern whites vote Republican, etc., with few exceptions. If a Christian votes Democrat or a black person votes Republican, should they feel shame or be treated like a traitor? I understand why these tendencies are there, but they are not there for the right reasons. How far has this country really come since the civil rights or women’s rights movements if people still elect their government officials because of their race or religion? I’m not saying your race or religion should not be a huge part of your makeup and affect the choices you make in a big way, but I am saying the issues should be analyzed with those things in mind rather than making a choice based on social pressures and what people on biased news networks tell you what your race or religion should do.

The media is probably the biggest reason the US is so divided. Social media is a big part of this, but that’s a discussion for another time. There is no such thing as impartial news broadcasts in this day in age. I don’t really know if there ever has been, but surely it is worse now than it has ever been. Not only are you forced to pick a side in politics, but you are also forced to watch a news channel that only leans in that direction. It’s crazy! Instead of coming together and getting behind the elected officials that have were fairly put in office by a majority vote, the media does everything to discount anything that does not fit their agenda. With Americans constantly being fed with negativity from the media about every decision that is being made in Washington, they bang down the doors of their congressmen and senators demanding that they put a stop to whatever those decisions may be. Because politicians love nothing more than being elected again, they make sure their positions are heard so they can brag about it in their next campaign. This is why nothing gets done. When things do actually get done, one side gets so upset about it that they do everything they can to repeal whatever has gone into effect. Who is at the center of making sure this chaos exists? The media! Great ratings.

The presidential race of 2016 are a direct result of people finally starting to realize that this process is broken. They are also an indication of how divided this country has truly become. When Donald Trump first announced his candidacy, I laughed and figured he was just trying to get more ratings for his TV show or sell a few more books with the free publicity. But then he tapped into the ugly underbelly of racism in America. Trump supporters can name off all the reasons they think it is good to back him (business and trade, foreign affairs, etc.) they want, but ultimately the only reason he has risen to the leader of the pack is because he went after Mexicans, Muslims, and blacks. I think every time he mentions the giant wall he will force Mexico to build, he rises two points in the polls. The worst part is that it is so obvious that he knows that this is the reason he has become so popular. He is exploiting the hate and resentment of the American people by appealing to the under-educated, so called Patriots, and the racists.

On the other side, there is Hillary Clinton and the Bernie Sanders. While I do believe and respect the fact that Sanders genuinely believes in what he is saying, his popularity is just as astonishing to me as Trump’s . His views are so far from what our country’s foundation was built on that he would have been laughed off the stage in years past. But because people (young people especially) are so desperate for something different in politics, he somehow has gained some traction and influence in the Democratic party, among the voters anyways (obviously not among the officials). As for Clinton, she is the least trusted and most unliked candidate for President in my lifetime, and she’s the odds on favorite to win! Amazing. If nothing else, this election goes to show you how easily influenced people are if you strike the right chords. The last few months have been the first time I’ve ever felt any embarrassment in being American. I still love this country to the core, but I hate what politics have become.

My whole life, because of my belief in God, I’ve considered myself a Republican. Over time, I have slowly started to waver from that identification, but the Donald Trump experiment has forced me to look deeper. While social issues like abortion, LGBTQ issues, etc. do stand out as reasons for Christians to vote Republican, shouldn’t all the other issues be considered as well? Don’t you think Republicans take positions on these issues just to get the Christian vote? I do. As a Christian, do you not have compassion for all people, not just the white American with a job? Wasn’t the Great Commandment to love your neighbor as you love yourself? I’ve had endless conversations with friends, family, coworkers, etc. regarding Donald Trump and it is clear to me that support for Trump is generally stemming from hate. It is either flat out racism or a general hate for someone that has a different opinion. I’m as fed up with the process as anyone, but I won’t be tricked into operating outside of my moral compass. I will and have always carefully considered my vote because I feel it is an obligation as a citizen of this country, but I will forever make decisions based on my morals, not by choosing a side. I will stand for what is right, and I will stand for what I believe God would want me to stand for. This country needs morals and it needs spiritual guidance, not hate and divisiveness. If you think Obama divided us socially and racially, wait to see what happens if Trump is elected.

THE TWO PARTY SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. I’m not a Democrat….but I’m also not a Republican. I’m for what is right.