The Problem with the Republican Party
Fostering a culture of ignorance
The modern Republican party(or GOP) is “generally socially conservative, and favors smaller government, less regulation, lower taxes and less federal intervention in the economy in general.”¹ There is nothing inherently wrong with these positions, except that most of them only benefit the rich, and being that the rich make up a minuscule percentage of the population, the party does not serve the interests of the people. Therefore, to acquire the votes they need to assume power, the Republicans have to rely on misinformation to mislead everyday Americans. The vast majority of Republican voters gain nothing from a GOP-run government.
The Republican Party claims that tax cuts, particularly for the rich and corporations, spur economic growth and do good for our society as a whole. This concept has come to be known as “Trickle-down economics” or “Trickle-down theory.” The idea boils down to more money in the hands of big businesses leading to increased rates of employment, consumer spending, and government revenues. Despite its overwhelming support from Republican leaders, there is no evidence proving this theory. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that these tax cuts only increase income inequality. Between 1979, a couple of years before the start of the Reagan tax cuts, and 2005, the start of Bush’s second term following his own tax cuts, the average household income of the bottom fifth of Americans rose 6%, while the top 1% saw their income triple.² It is not difficult to ascertain the motivation for pushing this sort of rhetoric. These policies disproportionately benefit the wealthy at the expense of all other Americans. Less than 2% of citizens earn enough to be included in the highest tax bracket, and yet the Republican Party chooses to cater to that 2% over the rest of the country’s needs.
This love affair between the Republican Party, the wealthy, and big business is also the motivation for the party’s opposition to regulation. Increase in regulation hurts big businesses’ bottom line. Therefore, when the threat of human-made climate change became all too real, the GOP, big businesses’ proxy in the government, chose to oppose scientific consensus to defend profits. With over 97% of climate scientists agreeing on the issue³, the party informally took an anti-science stance. This stance is also visible in the “anti-masker” trend permeating throughout the country during the current pandemic. Despite the country’s leading experts at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention urging the use of masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19⁴, many Americans refuse to heed their professional advice at all, even going as far as claiming that the masks are an act of oppression. This attitude, to no surprise, is found predominately among members of the Republican Party. In a Gallup poll done in the summer of 2020, 27% of Republicans attested to never wearing a mask as opposed to only 1% of Democrats⁵. GOP politicians continue to back this rhetoric to rally the people behind them. In just these two examples, the Republicans demonstrate that they are willing to risk our planet and our public health for their monetary and political gain, but what do they give to Americans in return?
The only real support that non-wealthy voters receive from the GOP is in the realm of social issues. Many GOP supporters are religiously and socially conservative, advocating against abortion and same-sex marriage and for religiously-influenced legislation concerning things such as school prayer and abstinence-only sex education. Unfortunately, it can be argued that most if not all of these positions go against the very ideals on which America was founded. The American ideal of liberty dictates that people should be free to do as they wish, as long as their actions do not harm others or encroach on others’ freedom. This ideal alone should protect all Americans, including members of the LGBTQ+ community and non-Christians, from the laws the GOP wishes to implement that would prevent them from living as they please. More specifically, the ideal of Freedom of Religion set forth by the First Amendment to the Constitution, stating, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” should prevent such legislation from being passed. Even under the accommodationist argument that “the First Amendment excludes only the direct establishment of, or preferential treatment for, a particular religion,”⁶ these laws should be deemed unconstitutional. Considering that not all religions agree universally on a single one of these positions, for example, outlawing same-sex marriage or requiring abstinence-only sex education, any law passed concerning these issues on the basis of religious belief would be granting preferential treatment to some religions over others. As Americans, we do not necessarily need to understand why all of our fellow citizens live their lives the way they do, but we do need to respect their right to do so. In doing so, we not only ensure a better quality of life for all of our neighbors, but we strengthen the bond between us all as citizens of this great nation. Instead, the GOP attempts to garner the support it needs from the majority by betraying American ideals and infringing on the liberty of minority groups across the country.
To summarize, the Republican Party’s policies disproportionately benefit the wealthy. They ignore our country’s dedicated professionals’ expertise, encourage the spread of misinformation, and betray our ideals to achieve their aims. Even those who benefit in the short term, whether financially or merely ideologically, should consider the consequences of the GOP’s actions. The growing income inequality is not only a problem for the poor. The rich need Americans of lower financial status both as employees and as consumers for their businesses to operate successfully. We already have millions of citizens who, despite working full-time jobs, cannot afford bare essentials like food and healthcare. Meanwhile, 1% of the country has more money than they could ever spend in a lifetime. The gap grows year after year, and we risk reaching a point of economic collapse. The GOP’s reliance on misinformation and ignorance could also lead to our nation’s demise if left unchecked. Republican politicians have led their supporters to ignore climate scientists’ warnings, behavior that could destroy our planet. They have led their supporters to ignore the advice of medical professionals during this deadly pandemic, behavior that could doom our public health. They have led their supporters to distrust our electoral process, behavior that could lead to the collapse of our democracy. Lastly, rather than live up to the beautiful ideals this country was founded on, the Republican Party would have us continue the hypocrisy that has plagued this nation since its inception. The hypocrisy of preaching liberty for all while denying it to those who do not fit their mold.
It is okay to disagree. As long as we share the common goal of doing what is best for all Americans, then challenging each others’ beliefs can help us develop the best solutions to the obstacles we face. That is the way the system was designed to work. However, the Republican Party’s indifference to truth and our nation’s well-being is leading us to our end. The culture of ignorance that the GOP has fostered has already backfired on the party itself. Swarms of citizens who supported the party throughout the Trump administration are now antagonizing even the most conservative of politicians for upholding their legally-mandated duties, like in the case of former Vice President Mike Pence. Additionally, they are antagonizing other notable Republicans for merely speaking out against misinformation surrounding the election, like in Sen. Mitt Romney’s case. The party’s toxic rhetoric has brought it to a breaking point. Many will stay the course, but for some, this break will serve as a sobering wake-up call. Let us only hope that it will be enough to pull our country back from the edge.
Sources:
- History.com Editors. “Republican Party.” History, A&E Television Networks, 2021, www.history.com/topics/us-politics/republican-party. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.
- Amadeo, Kimberly. “Why Trickle-Down Economics Works in Theory But Not in Fact: The Shortcomings of Supply-Side Economics.” Reviewed by Eric Estevez, the balance, 22 Jan. 2021, www.thebalance.com/trickle-down-economics-theory-effect-does-it-work-3305572. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.
- “Scientific Consensus: Earth’s Climate Is Warming.” NASA, 2021, climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/#*. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.
- “Considerations for Wearing Masks: Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 Dec. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.
- Brenan, Megan. “Americans’ Face Mask Usage Varies Greatly by Demographics.” Gallup, 13 Jul. 2020, news.gallup.com/poll/315590/americans-face-mask-usage-varies-greatly-demographics.aspx. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.
- “Accommodationism.” lawin.org, 2018, lawin.org/accommodationism. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.
