FC resident Larry Wiwi
Forty years ago I was deeply immersed in the study of various political and economic thought eventually resulting in my adoption of conservatism grounded in our founding documents and free market capitalism which led to a political leaning in favor of Republicans. Despite this leaning, I have always considered the views of Democrats, and have voted for them, particularly in local elections because I always believed that voting solely by party was foolish and that Democrats, like me, had the best interest of the country and the citizens in mind and simply had some different ideas about how best to meet those interest.
Unfortunately, the Democrat Party has mutated into something different – their ideas are no longer in the best interest of the citizens and they have become quite brazen in how they plan to accomplish their political goals. The Biden/Harris team has collectively stated that once in power they will use executive orders and the administrative apparatus (EPA, IRS, etc.) to end fracking and largely the use of coal and oil that power our economy (and the world by the way), eliminate your personal choices with respect to health care and impose Medicare for all, will confiscate your firearms, open the borders to more illegal invasion and even force innocent citizens to pay slavery reparations to other citizens. At least they are becoming more honest about what they will do and how they plan to do it.
I am not certain how this mutation happened but the best explanation I can offer is the Democrats pandered to the Left to get the votes and in the process created a Frankenstein of sorts but through the actions of Sanders, AOC, Pelosi and Schumer, Frankenstein broke out of the laboratory and now they can’t bring him back in part because a good portion of them do not want to bring him back.
For at least ten years I have hoped that Democrats would fix their party or leave it but it never happened and now find myself faced with a bit of a Hobson’s choice: Continue to vote as I have and reward some Democrats despite the frankly un-American, anti-freedom platform of the party or vote straight Republican and give votes to a party that has often fell short of promises made.
For the 2020 election at least, I will reluctantly be an intentional straight party ticket voter for the first time since though they may be undeserving, the Republican party is at least not anti-freedom and socialist in intent.
Larry Wiwi, Franklin County