Why I Left the Republican Party

I am sitting here the day after Sen. Barack Obama has before President-elect Obama, the first African American President of the United States. I’ve worked very hard to make sure this day would come, but if anyone knew me six years ago, they would not think that I would be celebrating a Democratic victory last night. The Andy Green of six years ago would not believe that the first time he voted for President he would vote for Barack Obama, let alone support him along the entire path. The Andy Green of six years ago would most likely have voted for John McCain. I was a Republican, and pretty hardcore. I really liked Howard Dean, but felt that President Bush needed to be re-elected and would be able to fix whatever problems he had started. Our country did not get better. It did not get better at all, it got worse. As our country changed I changed, I began to realize how bad our country was getting and how President Bush has not helped out anything. I began to realize that the current Republican Party is not what America needs. The current Republican party is not the party of Lincoln, its not the party of Roosevelt, and its making its way to not being the party of Reagan. I have now left the Republican Party and have no plans to return unless major change happens. I don’t consider myself a Democrat, I will be an Independent, but I want to say why I have left the Republican Party and what I feel it can do to heal itself.

I think the Republican Party is a bully. If you don’t support the war, you are un-patriotic. Everyone needs to be gushing red white and blue out of every pour. I feel that everyone should be proud of our country, but I understand if you are not, or have a hard time doing so. I understand if you do not support the war in Iraq, a war we were lied into, a war with no cause. If you do not support the war, it does not make you un-patriotic. It is our right as an American to have our own thoughts, and the Republicans should know that. The Republican party is a bully in its recent campaigning. The Karl Rove-way of politics is to take one of the main things an opponent has and turn it against them. They tried to turn the smart Al Gore into an idiot, the tried to turn the war hero John Kerry into a war criminal; they tried to turn the great American Barack Obama into an un-patriotic, terrorist-supporting socialist with anti-American views. The Republican Party is a bully. If you don’t agree with the Republican Party you are almost looked as less of a person in Republican’s eyes. This really bothers me. There was nothing in Sen. Obama’s plan that says he is a Socialist. But that is grounded into people, and instead of using your plans for the future against your opponent, the Republicans use attacks on character. Attacking everyone’s character. If someone supports abortion, why would you label them as a baby-killer before asking why they support it? If someone is against the war, why would you label them un-patriotic before asking why they are against it? Why is it wrong for someone to have a different point of view then you, and why is it your responsibility to pick at their character? The Republican Party needs to stop the negative attacks and attacks on character. Let’s build up instead of tear down. If the Republican Party wants me back, they will stop these pointless attacks on everyone who does not think like them.

The Republican Party has positioned themselves as the party of God, and if you are not part of the Republican Party you are against God. I had a Republican McCain supporter tell me that I was less of a Christian of supporting Sen. Obama. How dare Republican’s hand me my judgment. If I did not feel what I was doing was right, I would not do it. The person who judged me did not ask me why I was supporting Sen. Obama. I did not get a chance to tell him I was Pro-Life, he judged me right there. When John Mataya and I were canvassing in Minnesota on Groundhog Day, a woman was telling us about how she was a born again Christian and because of that she could not support a Democrat. I am appalled by this. God told us to love your neighbor as you would love yourself. Joan Jett made an interesting point in our conversation. She said that God’s judgment is up to God, and people should not try to do it for him because they are trying to do something that only He can do. Republicans tried to tag Sen. Obama as a Muslim, and then tried to say that he has a radical preacher. So what if someone is a Muslim. I would vote for a Muslim, I would vote for a Jew. Those Religions are based on historical fact. If a candidate belonged to a cult, like Mormonism or Scientology, I would have a lot harder time voting for them, if they got my vote at all, i.e. Mitt Romney. God is the God of everyone, not just Republican’s. He loves us all, and we are not less of a Christian is we support a Democrat, and that is not for you to decide. The Party still needs to love and believe in God, but they cannot have any claim that they are the Party of God, and cannot act as if they are. The party needs to accept the views of everyone. If the Republican Party wants me back they need to learn that, and make it so. I hope this does not sound Anti-God, because it is not that at all.

I have a hard time believing in some of the Republican parties views that seem very narrow minded. The first being gun rights. I believe in the second amendment, but I do not think the second amendment says that we cannot regulate gun ownership and ban the sale of automatic weapons. I believe you should be able to hunt, but you do not hunt deer with an AK-47. There is no need for automatic weapons to be on the market. Why do you need to own one anyway? I do not like that Sen. Obama has been scrutinized for wanting to talk with foreign leaders without pre-conditions. Why is it wrong to try and talk things out? Who are we to tell Castro that we can only talk if he frees all the political prisoners? We need to talk things out and have good foreign policy again. The world looks at America as a warmongering nation and that needs to end.

This is just a couple of the bigger reasons why I have left the party. I do feel that the election of Sen. Obama is a good thing for the Republican’s. The Party should lay low for the next eight years, yes eight years. They need to review and revise their issues. Look over everything and cut out the hate. The Party needs new leadership. Reagan conservatives are on the decline, and it is time for change. Take people like Charlie Crist and Bobby Jindal. Give the younger blood a chance. But the answer is not Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is the past, and when need to look for the future. The only Republicans that will continue to have my support are Mike Wolf and Chuck Grassley. We as a country need to look toward the future. Someday, I might return to the Republican Party, and I will even support candidates here and there, but I have left the Republican Party of today, and am waiting for the Republican Party of the future.