For years, Democrats have alleged that they are the only party willing to make tough choices to save America. They told us about the economic, environmental and social crises that plague the nation. They maintain to be the party of responsibility being held back by their opponents, the Republicans, the "Party of No."
The late American journalist H.L. Mencken once wrote, "The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." Nothing proves that statement more definitively than the last 22 months. Regardless of what the questions have been, the Democrats' answers have remained the same. Whether the problem is the recession, the state of health care and education in the United States or global warming, the solution is always to spend other people's money and give more power to the federal government.
Every major bill proposed since January of 2009 has been a little more than a thinly veiled power grab. If the Republicans had proposed a so-called health care bill that entailed providing almost half a trillion dollars in subsidies for insurance companies that would result in rising rates for consumers and still leave 23 million people uninsured, Democrats would have fought it viciously and rightfully so. But that was not the case when the bill was written by their own party. Among the known content of the bill, was the creation of massive bureaucracies and measures for the further implementation of affirmative action in medical education. It didn't matter to Democrats that the bill was not only ineffective but unpopular because it accomplished their goal of expanding government.
The blatant failures of these overbearing bills are distorted and obfuscated into a justification for more power. It was nothing short of cringe-worthy when Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Barney Frank gave a short speech to the Young Democrats of Massachusetts and instructed the young audience to tell their classmates and friends that if they were not satisfied with the way things are then the cure was to give the Democrats "more authority and more ability."
Right now in Congress, the Democrats are engaged in an internal debate about the extension of President George W. Bush's tax cuts. How telling is it that the hot topic of contention within the party is just how much of the money you earned you should be allowed to keep. This is essentially the political philosophy of the Democrat Party: everything you have is a gift from the government.
It was rebellion that brought the Democrats into power in 2008. Americans were upset with the policies of Mr. Bush and when the economic crash hit they were so desperate for change they were willing to accept President Barack Obama's vague promises. Now, two years later, things have only gotten worse. Voters now know that under this administration, government is not a means but an end in of itself. It must be realized that in the up-coming mid-term elections in November, many voters will not be casting votes for the GOP so much as in rejection of the new vision for America held by the Democrats.
In September, the Republicans unveiled the “Pledge to America, the 21st century Contract with America.” The Contract was a document released by the Republican Party during the 1994 Congressional election campaign. The Contract's provisions represented the view of many conservative Republicans on the issues of shrinking the size of government, promoting lower taxes and greater entrepreneurial activity, and both tort reform and welfare reform. This latest Pledge has similar aspirations. Among the promises made are repealing Obamacare, cutting taxes and federal spending, and the end of the economic stimulus program. Unfortunately, the Republicans record of fulfilling their promises of fiscal conservatism is mediocre at best, having failed to implement many of the reforms outlined in the original Contract with America.
The stakes are higher now than ever before. If the Republicans fail to deliver this time, conservatives will turn their backs on them and the GOP will be damaged for years to come. The best way to effectively combat Democrats is for Republicans to once again champion limited government and promote personal freedom.
-Reid Bushell is a research assistant at the Edmund Burke Institute.
