The modern-day Republican Party is an exercise in hypocrisy, a marriage of convenience between two groups with opposing interests.ÿ One camp is composed western-style libertarians who simply want limited government intervention in private matters.ÿ This strain of Republican wants simply to be able to live life and conduct business without interference from big brother.ÿ Libertarian Republicans, such as the late Senator Barry Goldwater, a pioneer of the modern conservative movement, care little about social issues or what individuals do behind closed doors.ÿ In fact, Goldwater, later in his life, was pro-choice, and a supporter of Planned Parenthood.
ÿThe other side of the Republican divide is composed of social conservatives.ÿ These Republicans are the antithesis of libertarians, and wish to use the power of government in order to impose and preserve a preferred social agenda.ÿ In the name of God, "common sense", "traditional values", and "morality", these Republicans are willing to limit civil rights and liberties in order to preserve an obsolete and unjust social order.ÿ Social conservatives care more about enacting a narrow agenda aimed at saving the nation's "moral fiber", and leave many bigger questions about good governance unanswered.
ÿIn the 1980s, the Republican Party was able to fuse these two groups together.ÿ Harnessing the anger of libertarian conservatives towards the Civil Rights Movement, and the frustrations of social conservatives over issues such as abortion, the Republican Party created a formidable voting base.ÿ However, because the camps have divergent values, the Party has sold its soul in order to maintain power.ÿ The days of fiscal responsibility and governmental non-interference in private affairs have been thrown away in favor of a government with topsy-turvy priorities.ÿ Now, government does nothing when it ought to do something, and intervenes where it is not wanted.ÿ For example, the current Republican-dominated government made concerted, extensive efforts to save the life of one brain-damaged woman in Florida.ÿ Several months later, they stood idly by while rising tides caused by a hurricane drowned and displaced the population of a metropolis.
ÿRick Santorum is one of these disingenuous conservatives.ÿ An ardent advocate of imposing a moribund status quo, he is also a business conservative.ÿ This means that he is, ironically, a flip-flopper.ÿ No individual can be both a libertarian and an interventionist, yet Senator Santorum attempts this feat.ÿ By engaging in fear-mongering and dividing citizens along lines of race and class, Republicans such as Santorum are able to divert attention from their agenda.ÿ Few people in America actually want the agenda that these reactionaries push, but the Republicans have preached a clever message of "common sense" governance.ÿ For example, it is "common sense" that the best way to deter crime is by increasing the length and severity of prison sentences.ÿ The stiffer the penalties for a crime, Republicans say, the less likely a rational individual is to commit those transgressions.
ÿThe belief that common sense equals good governance is dangerous.ÿ Common sense is useful when addressing issues such as fiscal responsibility (meaning that you should not spend money that you do not have).ÿ However, the proposition of governing according to common sense becomes difficult when dealing with complex issues that do not have readily available solutions.ÿ Throughout history, common sense has opposed the logical.ÿ Common sense dictated that the world was flat.ÿ Logic proved this incorrect.ÿ Common sense argued that the sun and starts revolved around Earth.ÿ Logic determined the opposite.ÿ Common sense is faltering and unreliable, because it relies too much on irrational sentiments and gut impulses.ÿ Today, the Republican Party argues that it is "common sense" that people are stuck in poverty because they are lazy, and too reliant on government entitlements.ÿ Therefore, it makes perfect sense, they say, to slash social programs such as welfare and Social Security.ÿ If individuals are forced to be personally responsible, then poverty will cease to exist.
The truth about poverty, however, is more complicated than these Republican oversimplifications would suggest.ÿ Many people on the bottom of American society work full-time, and do everything humanly possible to make ends meet and pull themselves up by their bootstraps.ÿ However, when an individual makes $5.25 an hour, it is impossible to live comfortably, even if he works 80 or 90 hours a week.
ÿThere is no morality in misrepresenting the truth, or in denying help to those who need it most.ÿ Although many social conservatives argue that free market capitalism is the American Way, and therefore God's Way, this is not true.ÿ It is morally repugnant to take advantage of the poor by having them vote against their own economic interests, yet this is exactly what Republicans have done since the 1980s.ÿ When Republicans talk to voters about fears of gays destroying the fundamental traditions of the nation, or of affirmative action destroying the nation by affording blacks and Hispanics undeserved opportunities, they win elections by appealing to the lowest common denominator.ÿ There is nothing moral about this.ÿ
ÿAllowing all citizens to marry is in accordance with the basic, traditional values of our Constitution.ÿ Denying any citizen the right to marry, or allowing states to ban same-sex marriages is a violation of the fundamental protections of the 14th Amendment.ÿ Affirmative action seeks to fulfill basic and traditional American values notions of justice, liberty, and opportunity.ÿ Republicans campaign against both on the grounds that they undermine the American Way, but there would be no American Way without protecting the Constitution.ÿ Hypocritical conservatives, such as Rick Santorum, try to gloss over these facts in order to maintain their grip on power, and there is nothing godly in lying in order to secure personal gain.
ÿGod is not a Republican, nor is the Constitution a document based on notions of common sense.ÿ Republicans like Will Haun know this, and should be ashamed to claim otherwise.ÿ The hypocrisy needs to stop.
Robert Idlett is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, and a liberal columnist for the Eagle.
