The House of Representatives, the Senate, and the White House are all under either under the control of Republicans. What is it about the GOP that people seem to find so pleasing? Regardless of the tired stereotype of rich old men planning how to swindle and abuse the poor while conquering the world, Republicans are seemingly the new people's party. Is it the issues and principles of the conservative movement that have swept people off their feet? What exactly are the issues that concern the Republican Party? Read on and find out just what you're missing.
Republicans have always been for small government and more power for the states, fighting for individuals right over that of the Government. Founded during the harshest debates on Slavery, the Republican Party stood for free land and halting the spread of slavery in the west. The first true Republican, Abraham Lincoln, unified the States in the bloodiest war America has ever seen. True he took more power from the states, but only enough to ensure the lasting of the Republic. Lincoln also freed the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation, following on the Republicans tradition for the freedom individuals. Republicans were the first to pass a Civil Rights bill for African Americans in 1866, despite harsh Democratic opposition to the bill. In 1868 it was the Republicans who passed the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing the rights of black citizens. Later that year Republicans limited the workday to eight hours, thus ending some of the abuse the Industrialists were giving their employee's.
Republicans have also stood for the deregulation of business. Economics are always tricky but it is known that heavy regulations hurt income, as it becomes more expensive to produce the same product. Thus the consumer moves to a cheaper product and the company goes out of business. Of course, some regulation is necessary and the Republican Party stands true in allowing the working man have a decent wage, a steady job, and a short workday. In the 1970's America was in the midst of an economic recession, with companies going out of business daily, losing out to foreign competition. It was Ronald Reagan who deregulated the economy, the first to do so after years of increasing regulation. Reagonomics, as it was called, worked extremely well, the economy bounded back and the wealth pouring out of Wall Street created an entire social genre, the Yuppie.
Following the Republican stance on smaller government, Republicans have always supported tax cuts. Much of the money brought in by the IRS is squandered in our bureaucracy and Republicans have always tried to lean down the government when in office. A cut in taxes means more money for the working man, for him to spend or save on what he wants, not what the government would want. Raising taxes does little but give our bureaucrats more money to spend; it doesn't go to all the altruistic purposes the Democrats say it will. Tax cuts are the easiest way to slim down the government, as money becomes short then jobs will go, and it will be the useless jobs first. Those who cling to the government for work will always be against tax cuts, for it threatens their pay. Be wary of those who are paid by the Federal Government for they are always biased.
Republicans have always stood for the true intent of the founding fathers; an agrarian society based on morals and the principles of Democracy. In the years following the Revolution up until the Civil War, it was these ideals that made Republicans the liberal of the two parties, the reformer and the changer. Today they are the same party but as society has changed so much they are now the conservatives, trying to secure a safe future for America and conserve our heritage and ideals. America was founded as a country that had a government for and by the people. It fought against the centralized form of government, as that system fosters corruption and waste. Today Republicans are continuing the struggle, trying to keep America the Republic it was, a loosely tied together set of states.