Monday, November 7, 2016

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Can A Christian Be A Democrat, Or A Republican?



          It is my opinion that there is no way any Christian or Jew can justify being a democrat. Please keep in mind that I'm not saying that being a republican is Biblical, however, comparison of the platforms is necessary. Claiming, instead to be an independent, would be the biblical approach. The republican platform is not in anyone's definition scripture. The democrat platform, on the other hand, is one of the most anti God documents available in the world today. The declaration that one is a democrat and/or a vote for a democrat candidate is a confirmation of agreement with the democrat platform.

          If you are a follower of Christ, you should know the Word of God well enough to be able to distinguish between good and evil. Being able to distinguish between good and evil will enable you to realize that associating yourself with a group that condones, and promotes the killing of seventy million babies in the womb, is not what God would condone. Being able to distinguish between good and evil will enable you to realize that associating yourself with a group that condones the celebration and promotion of LGBTQ (the extra biblical word for sodomy), is not what God would condone.

          All Christians and Jews should involve themselves in the politics of their country, in order to draw that country into a relationship with God that brings blessing to their country. The democrat stance on Jerusalem, for example, is as far from what God wants as possible. The UN is even saying that Jerusalem is Palestinian territory. That statement alone should bring about cursings.[2] Democrats are for a two state solution to the Palestinian / Israel problem.  Democrats also do not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The republicans say that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and the two state solution is not the answer. 

          In order to be fair, I am including a link to each parties platform. Please read them both - just to be fair.

DEMOCRAT 2016 NATIONAL PLATFORM
https://www.demconvention.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Democratic-Party-Platform-7.21.16-no-lines.pdf

REPUBLICAN 2016 NATIONAL PLATFORM
https://prod-static-ngop-pbl.s3.amazonaws.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL[1]-ben_1468872234.pdf

Sometime between the 1860's and 1936, the (Democratic) party of small government became the party of big government, and the (Republican) party of big government became rhetorically committed to curbing federal power. How did this switch happen?[3]

History of Democrats and Republicans

In order to understand the fundamental differences and beliefs of each party, we must look at the histories of Democrats and Republicans to understand their motives for becoming a party. It is also necessary to understand their fundamental beliefs and positions and how they have stuck with these positions through their voting records.

History of the Democratic Party
The party can trace its roots all the way back to Thomas Jefferson when they were known as Jefferson’s Republicans and they strongly opposed the Federalist Party and their nationalist views. The Democrats adopted the donkey as their symbol due to Andrew Jackson who was publicly nicknamed “jackass” because of his popular position of “let the people rule”. The Democratic National Committee was officially created in 1848. During the civil war a rift grew within the party between those who supported slavery and those who opposed it. This deep division led to the creation of a new Democratic party, the one we now know today.

History of the Republican Party
The Republican Party came into existence just prior to the Civil War due to their long-time stance in favor of abolition of slavery. They were a small third-party who nominated John C. Freemont for President in 1856. In 1860 they became an established political party when their nominee Abraham Lincoln was elected as President of the United States. Lincoln’s Presidency throughout the war, including his policies to end slavery for good helped solidify the Republican Party as a major force in American politics. The elephant was chosen as their symbol in 1874 based on a cartoon in Harpers Weekly that depicted the new party as an elephant. [4]

Differences Between Democrats and Republicans

With the establishment of a powerful two-party political system in the United States—the Democrats beginning in 1824 and the Republicans beginning in 1854—there are some core differences between the two based on very strong political beliefs.
1

Tax Policy

Both parties favor tax cuts, but each party takes a different view on where those tax cuts should be applied. The Democrats believe there should only be cuts for middle and low income families, but believe they should be higher on corporations and wealthy individuals. The Republicans believe there should be tax cuts for everyone, both corporations and people of all income levels.
2

Social Issues

One of the differences between democrats and republicans lies in their views towards social issues. The Republicans tend to be conservative on social issues. They tend to oppose gay marriage and promote marriage being between a man and a woman. They also oppose abortion and promote the right of gun ownership. Democrats tend to be more progressive in their views, favoring abortion and gay marriage, but are strongly for strict gun control laws that limit ownership.
3

Labor and Free Trade

Republicans and Democrats have very different ideas when it comes to the business environment. Republicans tend to oppose increases to the minimum wage, citing the need for business to keep costs low so they can prosper and all Americans can have access to products and services. The Democrats favor increasing the minimum wage so that Americans have more money with which to purchase goods. They also favor trade restrictions to protect American jobs while Republicans favor free trade in order to keep costs low for consumers and make businesses more profitable so they can grow.
4

Health Care

Democrats generally prefer a lot of government regulation and oversight of the health care system, including the passage of the Affordable Care Act, because it makes the health care system accessible to everyone. Republicans, who opposed the Affordable Care Act, believe too much government involvement in the industry will drive up costs and have a negative impact on the quality of care that consumers receive.
5

Social Programs

Democrats across the board believe that government should run such social programs as welfare, unemployment benefits, food stamps, and Medicaid that support people in need. They believe more tax dollars should be funneled into these programs. Republicans acknowledge a need for these social programs, but favor less funding and tighter control. Republicans favor supporting private organizations that support people in need.
6

Foreign Policy

When it comes to differences between democrats and republicans, the foreign policy can not be missed. Each party has had differing stances in relation to foreign policy over the years depending on the situation. Generally speaking, when military involvement may be required, the Democrats favor more targeted strikes and limited use of manpower while Republicans favor a full military effort to displace regimes that are totalitarian and detrimental to their own people and who are threatening others. Both parties typically agree that sending aid to other countries is a good thing, but disagree on the nature of that aid and who should be receiving it.
7

Energy Issues and the Environment

There have always been clashes between the parties on the issues of energy and the environment. Democrats believe in restricting drilling for oil or other avenues of fossil fuels to protect the environment while Republicans favor expanded drilling to produce more energy at a lower cost to consumers. Democrats will push and support with tax dollars alternative energy solutions while the Republicans favor allowing the market to decide which forms of energy are practical.
8

Education

The parties have different views on the education system of the country, but both agree there needs a change. Democrats favor more progressive approaches to education, such as implementing the Common Core System, while Republicans tend to favor more conservative changes such as longer hours and more focused programs. They are also divided on student loans for college, with Democrats favoring giving students more money in the form of loans and grants while Republicans favor promoting the private sector giving loans and not the government.
9

Crime and Capital Punishment

Republicans generally believe in harsher penalties when someone has committed a crime, including for selling illegal drugs. They also generally favor capital punishment and back a system with many layers to ensure the proper punishment has been meted out. Democrats are more progressive in their views, believing that crimes do not involve violence, such as selling drugs, should have lighter penalties and rehabilitation. They are also against capital punishment in any form.
10

Individual Liberty

Individual liberty has been a sore subject of late. Political correctness is on the rise and many people believe that people need to be protected against themselves. Democrats have tended toward favoring legislation that restricts some freedoms, including foods we may have access to. Republicans favor personal responsibility, in that individuals should be able to choose for themselves what they do and what they do not do if it doesn’t break existing laws.[5]

Here are 10 huge differences in the party platforms: 
1. ABORTION
Democrats: "We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should have access to quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion." Up and to including one second before natural birth.
Republicans: Abortion should be illegal in all cases and the Constitution should be amended to ban the procedure. Most republicans  believe that the life of the mother should be considered, as well as rape and incest.
"We assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed," the platform said.
The GOP argued that supporting the constitutional right to abortion was the "extreme" position. 
2. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE 
Democrats: Applauded the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage.
Republicans: Condemned the court decision.
"Five unelected lawyers robbed 320 million Americans of their legitimate constitutional authority to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman," the platform said.
3. IMMIGRATION
Democrats:  Called for fixing the "broken immigration system," including a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Republicans: Embraced Trump's call for a wall along the U.S-Mexican border though was silent on whether to back their nominee's demand to deport all 11 million.
4. CLIMATE CHANGE
Democrats: "Climate change poses a real and urgent threat to our economy, our national security, and our children's health and futures."
Republicans: Cast doubts on whether the climate is changing, rejecting the findings of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as "a political mechanism, not an unbiased scientific institution" with "intolerance toward scientists and others who dissent from its orthodoxy." In reality, I and most thinking people believe in Global Climate Change as reality. What we don't believe is that man is causing it. Climate change has been a reality since God created the world.
5. MEDICARE
Democrats: They would not only would "fight any attempts by Republicans in Congress to privatize, voucherize, or 'phase out' Medicare," but would allow Americans older than 55 to enroll.
Republicans: They would end the health care program for the elderly as we know it, requiring seniors to either enroll in a private insurance plan or face limits on how much the government will pay. This is a lie.
6. WALL STREET 
Democrats: The party promised to "vigorously implement, enforce, and build on" banking regulations enacted to curb risky practices by financial institutions and "will stop dead in its tracks every Republican effort to weaken it."
Republicans: Blamed the Great Recession on "the government's own housing policies," not Wall Street actions and called the banking regulations "an excuse to establish unprecedented government control over the nation's financial markets."
 7. IRAN
Democrats: President Barack Obama's agreement to relax economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program "verifiably cuts off all of Iran's pathways to a bomb without resorting to war."
Republicans: The deal "gravely threatens our security, our interests, and the survival of our friends." The Republican platform called it "a personal agreement between the president and his negotiating partners and non-binding on the next president."
8. ISRAEL
Democrats: The platform backed a "secure and democratic Jewish state" of Israel and a chance for Palestinians to "govern themselves in their own viable state, in peace and dignity."
Republicans: While both parties support Israel, the Republicans said nothing about the two-state solution that has been the bipartisan cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy for decades. (This is a load of crap) Republicans support Israel and believe Jerusalem is it's capital.
9. MONEY IN POLITICS 
Democrats: They want to overturn the Citizens United decision, which eased restrictions on corporate and union campaign spending.
"We need to end secret, unaccountable money in politics by requiring, through executive order or legislation, significantly more disclosure and transparency — by outside groups, federal contractors, and public corporations to their shareholders," the platform said. 
Republicans: "I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people who cannot defend themselves,"  Trump said in accepting the Republican presidential nomination. 
The GOP platform would make things much easier for the powerful. It would repeal or raise contribution limits and allow outside groups spending millions on campaigns to hide their donors.
10. VOTING RIGHTS 
Democrats: The party said it would fight laws requiring certain forms of voter identification "to preserve the fundamental right to vote." (Many foreign countries can't believe we are this stupid.)
A leader of the 1963 landmark Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), helped nominate Clinton for president on Tuesday.
Republicans: The GOP platform endorsed state efforts to impose voter identification requirements that the U.S. Justice Department and several federal and state courts have said discriminate against minority and poor voters. The platform called Justice's actions "bullying."
Cases of in-person voter fraud, which such voter-ID laws are supposed to prevent, are "nearly non-existent," according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School.[6]

          To sum this up, the only way I can believe a Christian would be a democrat is that they don't know what the party stands for. That is known as a limited  information voter.




[1] http://www.enkivillage.com/differences-between-democrats-and-republicans.html
[2] Genesis 12:3
[3]          http://www.livescience.com/34241-democratic-republican-parties-switch-platforms.html

[4] History of Democrats and Republican

[5] http://www.enkivillage.com/differences-between-democrats-and-republicans.html
[6] Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook

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