Political Woes...

Will the real Republican Party please stand up?

I am so tired of? confused? frustrated? - you can fill in the blank- with the current GOP that I truly cannot understand what has been going on in the White House. I can remember in my high school gov't class learning that, in general, the Republican party equaled smaller government, lower taxes, less governmental control and fiscal responsibility.

Well, in 2001 we had a Republican president and a Republican controlled congress. They could have dealt with the social security issue. They could have worked on border security. They could have given states more educational rights.

But, they made the department of education bigger with the No-Child-Left-Behind act (which a former administrator of mine called the "No Child Left Untested" act).

What constituency are they representing, exactly, then?

The 2008 election will be the first presidential election I'll vote in, and over the past couple years (partially due to my brother challenging me to think outside the typical right-wing box) have become more and more interested in politics. So, with the upcoming primary and election, I've been trying to figure out exactly what I personally believe.

And, as I've come to conclusions on some issues and am still wrestling with other issues (just how much morality *should* the government legislate?), I don't think the current Republicans in power are aligned with their own party. Given the recent track record, I think the current government is confusing right-wing voters. What, exactly, defines the GOP? Lower taxes? Smaller government? Less spending?

If so, I'd like to see that happen in 2008 and beyond.

More to come on my current political thoughts...