Last week I wrote about partisanship- why it’s not only good and proper but quite necessary for a healthy democracy. I certainly thought I put myself out on a limb by writing it but writing about it is one thing; practicing it is something entirely different. That same week, President Obama’s excessive and expensive economic “stimulus” bill met staunch and unanimous opposition from every single House Republican (and several Democrats as well). The move was brazen, unexpected and badly needed.
Perhaps what was most beautiful about the Republicans’ unanimous opposition was that it seemed to stem from what I believe is proper partisanship, or partisanship based upon core beliefs, philosophy and bedrock principles- not merely Party affiliation (which is improper partisanship). Republicans saw this bill for what it really is:
• A waist of tax payer money
• An inefficient way to stimulate the economy
• A restriction of American economic and financial liberty
• A total embrace of ill-conceived Keynesian economics and
• Generational thievery
The list of negatives could go on and on, but these seem to me to be the five most important issues with the stimulus package.
Now why do I say that the Republican vote seems to be in line with proper partisanship? Mainly because when their opposition to the stimulus bill is coupled with other votes they have made, it becomes clear that this particular vote was not about Party but about philosophy. The House Republicans have already backed several Democratic/Obama proposals but yet found it impossible to back this horrendous stimulus package. If their partisanship were really based upon Party, then they would also be rejecting every other proposal made by the opposition, but the fact is that they haven’t.
I am keenly aware that the difference between proper partisanship and improper is not always clear, nor should it be though. Ideally, a particular philosophy aligns with a particular Party. In our American case, capitalism, individual freedom, smaller government (conservatism) with the Republicans; increased government spending and regulation, socialism and a greater trust in the role of government (modern American liberalism) with the Democrats. These lines are not always clearly demarcated, but with the election of one of if not the most liberal candidate ever to the White House and the loss of almost every moderate Republican in the House, the two major Parties seem to be more closely aligned with their traditionally associated philosophies than at any time I can remember.
Although proper partisanship itself is good, it is also somewhat scary to see the stark and very real differences between the Democrats and Republicans. The debate is no longer about bigger government or smaller government (an idea put forth by President Obama himself) but about competing economic and social systems. On the one hand we have a President and Congress who believe in “spreading the wealth” (read: a Robin Hood system of taxation) and on the other an opposition Party which finds wisdom in the knowledge and beliefs of our Founding Fathers and therefore our nation’s founding principles. It is perhaps such stark differences that make healthy and robust conservative and Republican partisanship so vitally important to our Republic.
But what is it about this stimulus bill that is so offensive to Republican philosophy? Perhaps it’s the fact that at one point it was proposed that ACORN (the “community organizing” group associated with Obama and under federal investigation) receive billions of tax payer dollars. Or maybe it’s the $200 million allocated to spruce up the national Mall along with the $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (this creates jobs how?). Then there’s the $100 million to reduce the threat of lead paint (I’d rather spend that on reducing the threat of Iran) as well as the billions of other dollars that will do nothing to spur economic growth and that will simply have to be paid back with interest by the tax payers (read: you and me) in the future.
I think one of the reasons so many average citizens do not support this stimulus measure is because they realize, correctly so, that it will do nothing to stimulate the economy. Dolling out billions of dollars to special interest groups and projects does nothing but increase our already criminal levels of debt and weaken the United States long term.
Thank God some members of Congress understand this.
