5 Reasons to Vote Republican in 2012

Rebecca Krawczykowski 3L

Recently the Republican presidential candidates engaged in three debates, wherein they expressed to the American people their basic beliefs, plans for America, and disdain for each other. This article recaps what was said during the September 7, 2011 CNN Debate, September 12, 2011 CNN/Tea Party Express Debate, and September 22, 2011 Fox News/Google Debate. If you vote for President based on a mutual alignment of beliefs and strategies for improving the country, then this article is for you. If you vote for whichever candidate looks the best, then vote for Mitt Romney. In 2012 you should vote Republican if you believe:

1. It is better to let people die than to pay for their health care. In one of the more memorable exchanges of the debates, Ron Paul was given the question: if a healthy 30 year-old man decided not to buy health insurance, and he fell unexpectedly into a coma, what should happen? Paul answered, “He should do what he wants to do, then assume responsibility for it.” “That’s what freedom is all about – taking your own risks.” Then Paul waxed poetic about the old days when “neighbors, friends and churches” would “take care of us.” If you didn’t catch that, Paul inferred that the guy should be denied care and, well, die because he chose not to buy insurance. You might think he is right. It is decidedly unfair that hard-working people should have to pay for that loser’s hospital bills because he was callous and chose to spend his money on iPhones and Xboxes rather than on expensive health insurance. The only solution, however, is to not let those dredges on society even enter the hospitals in the first place. After all, as Ron Paul said, they can just go to their churches and friends for help. Problem solved. If they still insist on hospital care, I suppose people like Ron Paul would just let them die on the sidewalk outside of the ER. Of course, this could pose a problem for Rick Perry’s state of Texas, which currently boasts a 25% uninsured rate. Do they have enough sidewalk space?

2. Science does not matter. Most of the candidates have been blatant about their disdain for the theory of evolution, instead opting to believe (or claim that they believe) that humanity originated 6,000 years ago in the manner stated in the Bible. They also believe that climate change is a myth. In a shocking turn of events, one candidate decided not to pander to the Evangelical vote, and that person is John Huntsman.  He said, “in order for the Republican party to win we can’t run from science and mainstream Republican philosophy.” Republicans need to stop making “comments that don’t reflect the reality of the situation.” And that is exactly why he does not have a chance to win. If he did not have the Evangelical vote before because of his Mormon faith, he certainly does not have it now that he values science and fact over religious belief. Rick Perry believes that “the science is not settled” on climate change. Not settled? Has he not seen the polar bears swimming to their untimely deaths on television?

3. Jobs are more important than clean water, land and air. Ron Paul claims that our manufacturers have gone overseas because “our country has so much regulation.” Herman Cain would eliminate the EPA if he had to choose one governmental regulatory body for elimination. It is obvious that if we did away with environmental regulation, the result would be job growth, because many new manufacturers would choose to open here. It might even solve the unemployment problem…but at what cost? Americans value having clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. If there is no regulation, manufacturers will dump toxic waste into your water supply – no question. That is because manufacturing corporations have no conscience. THEY ARE NOT PEOPLE. And they will do anything to increase profit.

4. We should build a wall to keep “The Mexicans” out. Michele Bachmann wants to build a fence on every foot of the U.S./Mexico border. Mitt Romney contends the same, although he did admit that, “they will always find a way to climb over the fence.” Well, if that is the case, either the wall has to be impenetrable to be effective, i.e. land mine fields around it or sharp shooters stationed at various points, or else we should not build one. If the fence can be climbed, what is the point? Sounds like a corporate welfare opportunity to me. Who is getting the contract? Halliburton? Rick Perry, who is the best qualified to comment on this topic, does not believe in building a fence. I find it ironic that the darling of the GOP, one President Ronald Regan, once so famously said, “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall.” Of course the Berlin Wall was more to keep people in than out, and Ronald Regan was a commie pinko liberal compared to these candidates.  Still, erecting a giant wall on one of the two U.S. borders seems entirely un-American to me (not to mention illogical.) And how does that resolve the problem of immigrants overstaying on their visas? Plus, we all know what happens when walls eventually get torn down, and, yes, it involves The Hoff.

5. What this government needs is more, not less, religion. Bachmann claims that “separation of church and state is a myth.” I thought this was a well-settled issue of law, but apparently not in Bachmann’s alternate universe. Rick Santorum said that the repeal of DADT is “social experimentation” and that if he were elected, he would reinstate it. I would challenge anyone to look me in the face and tell me that integrating blacks and whites in the armed forces was social experimentation. How is this any different? And, ahem, when are these Boomers going to realize that the issue of equality for homosexuals is settled. They may not be comfortable with it yet, but our generation is. See, what happens when you raise a generation to believe that “we are all the same inside” yet “our differences make us special,” is that you get a widespread belief of equality for all. Game over.

So if you believe in some or all of the above values, then you should definitely vote Republican in 2012. If you are not convinced, might I also mention that Perry wants Social Security out of the hands of the federal government and into the hands of 50 state governments (who needs it anyway – just let the old folks die poor), Bachmann thinks you should not pay any tax (not sure how that is going to work, but I guess it would end the endless wars), and Paul would get rid of the minimum wage (sigh). Of course, there is always that other Republican candidate; the corporatist, nation-building, wall street friendly, tax cuts for the rich, soft on environmental issues candidate. Barack Obama.