drbillchristian

I'm amazed at the number or Republicans that have never read Plato's "Republic". Loud and obnoxious Rush Limbaugh style Republicans have hair-trigger reflexes when pointing out someone else's stupidity, yet remain completely oblivious to the very core of their supposed idealogical identity.

The Cliff's-Notes definition is this: A "republican" (with a little "r") is somone who (like Plato) believes that there is a class within a given society that is better-able to govern the whole of the society.

"Better than" any OTHER class, of course. Whether it be a two-class, 3-class (as Plato envisioned) or more classes than that, the core of the repulican philosophy is that some are better at governance, and should therefore be in charge.

So for the "Republican" Party (with a capitol "R") to attempt to govern while remaining unaware of this notion seems quite comical.

But what's terrifying (yes, that's where I'm going - "Republicans: More Terrifying that the "Terrorists") is that not even the "governed" are aware of the philosophy of governance called "republicanism".

You see, Saddam Hussein's most-loyal defenders were the "Republican Guard". Perhaps this was because they believed they were best-suited to govern Iraq, and so were more willing to fight for that continuing ability.

But then we come to the (paying attention?) to the Republican of Mexico, with a completely corrupt Republican government there (too) that is completely disinterested in taking care of even the most basic needs of it's people (also). Hence we have the flood of Economic Refugees into this country.

But the Republicans in the Untied States, despite their "Law & Order" posturing, fail not only to enforce Immigration Laws, they manage to get rich off the illegal labor that occurs as a result of their inability to govern according to the Law.

The Congressional confusion between the enforcement of existing immigration laws, the creation of new (and equally ineffective) immigration laws and the simple act of creating a physical barrior at the border has only the superficial appearance of ineptitude, incompetance and stupidity.

These are Republicans, after all. They know what they're doing.

They're getting rich.

Whether it be from near-slave labor conditions in the orange groves and tomato fields in the Republic of the Untied States, or the murderous profits reaped from trafficking narcotics through the Republic of Mexico, the Republicans on both sides are reaping rewards by failing to perform the very core of what their own philosophy requires: to govern better than the other classes.

Instead, the welfare of the "other classes" is thrown into the idealogical trash-can and exchanged for profits made by Republicans on both sides of the non-existant border, and I wonder if the means required to rid Iraq of it's Republican Guard may be all that's left to forcibly remove the Republicans that have corrupted both countries.

95five-0

You know last time I check there where rich democrats also. Plus the fact that there is a bi-party government so one side can stand up for the other. I see democrats doing nothing more than pointing finger and not trying to fix anything. Also correct me if I am wrong but there was a democratic president for 8 years prior to Bush and all this same stuff was going on.

And as for Platos philsophy on how to run a government, if he really believed that why did he go into hiding after socrates was killed and never come back and try to change anything?

bruiser

I suppose there are no dimocrats who use illegals. Who was the Clinton nominee who had to give up her nomination for a nice job in the Clinton administration because it was found out she had hired illegals? And as for a party that thinks it's born to govern, that's the dumocrats.

bry623

Is sounds like we are splitting hairs over terminology. The meaning of words change over time. Using some long ago dead philosopher's definition of republican to define today's conservatives is a stretch. Republicans define themselves by their beliefs.

Beuiser makes a good point. I feel that the democrats think they are the ones to govern. After all, Jefferson supported the electoral college because the average American was not smart enough to select the president. Democrats control the unions. Why? The dems need union $ to stay afloat. The unions need the rank and file to stay afloat. Do they really need the unions?

drbillchristian

Republicans believe in the acquisition of wealth and so their other "beliefs" change accordingly. Which is to say simply that they have no other beliefs, only statements that justify whatever profitable course of action they currently advocate.

That Republicans from the Republic of Mexico, the Untied States and Saddam Hussein's Iraq all agree and act accordingly proves that the philosophical commonalities they share are still significant, even if their lower-level brethren are ignorant of what ties them all together and attempt to redirect attention away from the very core of exactly who and what they are.

Further, whatever the big-"D" Democrats may or may not be does not influence the identity of the Republicans one bit, and to suggest that it does denies the very existance of any Republican beliefs whatsoever.

Words really do mean things, and Republicans really are something other than whatever it is that the Democrats are not.

bruiser

What's wrong with being successful? What's wrong with being the best you can be? Do you realize the richest people in Congress are dimocrats? Why are you so hung up on money?

http://direland.typepad.com/direland...too_rich_.html

bry623

How stereotypical. I suppose all minorites are criminals too and every angry woman is just having her period or maybe all Muslims are terrorists. I love it when people use blanket statements to define a group of people. It shows how limited their understanding is. I am a republican and I do not believe in the acquisition of wealth. Look at my returns last year. I guess being anti-abortion is to accumulate wealth for the OBGYNs. And we need to increase the executioners pocketbook so let's keep the death penalty. We believe in freedom. Whether it is freedom from slavery, tyrants, or whatever, everyone should have more control in their lives. That is the nature of every republican president from Lincoln to Bush. I prefer to look at the good side of things and just try to be happy an positive with my life. The republicans focus on what is going good and how to make it better.

How can you in good faith compare republicans from Iraq and Mexico to republicans from America. Nationality, race and religion play a bigger role in the philosopihies of the different groups in different countries. What do republicans agree on and where is this proof that you speak of? Who are the lower level bretheren? Maybe it is me, as I see no connection at all (I do not even know why we are discussing Mexico). I do not recall any of our republican presidents endorsing ethnic cleansing. I do not recall any republican president invading any neighboring countries. So I guess I must be the one who you refer to as ignorant.




Here you are way off base. In politics most issues are polar. It's one of those ying and yang scenarios. The dems ran 2004 on an anti-Bush platform. So by your definition, that denies the existance of their core beliefs.

I do agree with you that Republicans are something that Democrats are not. Yet at the same time, I feel that both want what is best for the country. It is just deciding what is best and how to acheive it. However, it is rather disingenuous to start a thread like this and not expect some comparison between the two sides of the political arena.

drbillchristian

(quotes added)

Should have posted the quotes the first time, for clarity.