This week: The Right track -- is it right for America?

Forget about Bill and Bob for a minute -- let's look at the big picture. A statistical analysis from the University of Cincinnati concludes what reporters have been telling us for years: America is marching steadily to the Right. Democrats still claim higher membership, but the Republicans are gaining -- and fast. Is the GOP the real 'party of the people?' Are the Democrats just out of touch? Clue us in -- what's behind this shift?

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SunValley: Is America On the Right track? For the past decade the line between "Democrat" and so-called "Republican" has been blurred to insignificance. Today's so-called Conservatives are yesterday's Liberals! Today's Liberals are nothing less than outright Socialists, if not Communist in the strict definition of the word!

What America needs is a hard and fast return to traditional Christian American values! And a complete dismantling of the Socialistic structure pervading this nation. Once, the terms "Treason and Sedition" actually meant something. Today's seditionist is an American Patriot. So, ask yourself: Whose government is it? Is it yours any longer? Are you certain?

chekov: The reason why America is moving to the right is clear. If you look at the individual items laid out in the "Contract With America" or the Republican Platform, you'll find that about 70% of the general public agrees with them. The fact is that Americans want less governmnet, lower taxes, more power to individuals, a strong national defense and a balanced budget. The Republican party today isn't just talking about these things, they're passing them.

simmons7: I think that as people grow older, and own more possesions, the Republicans have more security to offer. The Democrats are the party of "everyone but me." The Republicans are the "me" party. As people grow older they pass the liberal torch to the next generation, looking instead at how to keep what's theirs. Because of the prolonged life span, more people are passing the torch than are their to receive it.

schayne: I agree with Sun Valley at least in principle. For far too long America has been on the far left of the political spectrum. Now we are seeing a definite shift to the right. But how far to the right should we go? True, America does need to return to traditional Christian values. Many of the practices advocated by the radical religious left (and there is such a thing as a "religious" left) are destructive to our society. But some of the remedies proposed by the religious right are a little extreme and defiantly impractical.

Legislating morality is the lazy man's path to social change. And the results are always destructive. Real change must come from the grassroots level. If Christians want to change the country, they must do it one soul at a time, by sharing the good news they have within them. The best hope for America is education, not legislation. Remember prohibition?

Is America on the Right track? At least for now it is. But I dread what the future will hold if we go as far right as we did left. There is a real alternative to the right and left thing. It's an honest political philosophy that is both right and left simultaneously: Libertarianism. Unlike the Democrats and Republicans, Libertarianism is a political party that applies it's philosophy fairly across the board. Check it out at: http://www.lp.org/

MC3825: America is tired of paying for social engineering programs instituted in the last twenty to thirty years. We have gotten so far away from what made us the greatest country on the planet. We now live in a society that tries to tell us that nothing is WRONG, when we know that a lot of what we are fed IS wrong. Same-sex marriage? Affirmative action? So many special interests that America has lost sight of its own interests.

davist: I am a Christian and I am offended by the Christian Right's presumption that they speak for Christ and for me. Our Saviour did not declare war on the poor. It is not anti-Christian to vote for a Democrat. I could put myself down to a lower level and say that Christ was a Democrat but that is just politics. The so called Christian Right are not Christians, period! Thay are Neo-Nazi. Can you imagine at the time of judgement for these anti-Christians when Jesus says that "when I was hungry you told me to get a job"?

jbauernfeind: We can only get on the right track if we stop to realize that if we do not "teach the children well" we are doomed to repeat all the past problems we've been trying to forget. The new millenimum might just be a return to the social upheaval of the 60s

Twinfinity: "Traditional Christian American values"? I have no desire to return to Puritanism, folks, maybe it's just me.

Republican views are taking hold because the Democrat approach -- respecting personal freedom at the expense of economic freedom -- is easily attacked by the Republicans, who publicize their philosophy of economic freedom without mentioning their disrespect for personal freedom. If indeed we get a Republican in the White House, soon enough it'll be time for the Democrats to criticize the Republican approach, and we'll have another swing in popular opinion (if indeed there IS a Republican trend now, as the question asserts).

The left-right (Democrat-Republican, liberal-conservative) continuum is only a single line on the coordinate plane measuring liberty. For an explanation, see the World's Smallest Political Quiz.

jsloan: Socialism simply doesn't work. As well-intentioned as it may be, it runs counter to basic human nature. People want and need to support other people by choice, not decree. The current Democratic party is led by people who still believe strongly in the virtue of a socialist state. I believe the move to the right will continue until socialism is generally discredited within the Democratic party.

justinstroud: It's smart business that's blurring the distinctions; some things, such as social and cultural issues, seem to be inching (and I do mean inching) towards the liberal bent, while others (anything dealing with money) are moving to a conservative stance. The question is, are we moving to a technocracy? I think the politics of the near future will be more and more driven by technology, much in the same way that pols were pushed by the mechanization of the industrial age.

sorahl: It is obvious if you look at the facts that the Democrats have no interest in the people, only themselves. Increasing the government and getting the money from us to do it! Everyone seems to forget the big tax cut that Clinton said he was going to give us. So why is Dole's cut so impossible? Becuase he might actually keep his word?

TomC: The shift to the right is a shift away from believing more government will solve our problems. We've got big government, and more problems than ever before. But obviously it has had no impact on the major parties yet, as witnessed by Dole's timid "cut the growth rate" approach and Clinton's strategy of blasting Dole as a "program cutter". One fears and the other caters to government dependent voters - welfare recipients, social security recipients, civil servants, etc.

krisi: I agree with chekov. As for your assertion that Rush represents the Republican take on things, I question that very much. If he has done anything meaningful, it's explain a little bit about the core tenets and worldview socialist philosophy to Bob and Betty American who didn't get that in school or from their own pleasure reading.

His talk (however strange & out of place it may seem, coming from him) of human dignity and personal responsibility underscores a prime failing of the welfare system, which was a construct of the New Deal Democrats and a centerpiece of their political philosophy.

Also, Rush's very polemicism is colorful and a lot of people like him simply because he is as extreme as their own personal frustrations. Not that this makes him right. It makes him culturally resonant.

The Democratic platform does contain elements of Socialist thinking which have been proven ineffective under Soviet Socialism and the Eastern Bloc brand of communalism. Moral vaccuum and a lack of personal responsiblity is the cornerstone of the demise of that system. I think that's what you see American society reacting to at least a little bit--we are beginning to notice our own corruption.

Since the subject of the Christian Right lobbyists came up, I'll mention that I consider myself a Christian but reject the practices of the Christian lobbying organizations. Those groups are going down the wrong avenues, however well-intentionedly they may wish to influence society. Their own tactics defeat their ultimate ends. You can't legislate morality, and whining about how unmoral everyone else is doesn't help either.

I think people are turning to the Republican party because their platform, while lacking in some respects, offers to manage government in at least a financially responsible manner. The Democratic Congress has failed miserably in this respect--due not to bad economic circumstances but to core flaws in their philosophy and assumptions about human nature.

The Republicans are certainly not unflawed in their philosophy or assumptions. At the moment, though, somebody really needs to balance out America's budgetary mess and the Democrats have not the political guts or philosophical convictions or whatever it takes to do that.

figpuck: Republicans and Democrats are virtually indistinguishable, except perhaps in rhetoric. If people are voting "right" more, it's probably because the coin comes up tails more often than heads these days, and we all know enough about probability to realize that's a temporary fix. I believe the real political trend of today will prove to be a shift toward new parties that offer real choices (i.e., philosophically different from their opponents). With the rise of the internet, we all have a chance to be heard and to listen, regardless of our financial resources. Yes, I realize the poor have little access to online searches, but already libraries are offering frre time and no doubt these offerings will be expanded. This year Greens, Libertarians and Natural Laws are the fringe parties, but they have four years to build with out investing huge amounts of money.

kopera: The current deterioration of pay and working conditions in my job seems to be directly linked to the shift of American politics to the right. The Democratic party is currently politically where moderate Republicans were 15 years ago. It seems to represent the interests of what is left of middle class America. The Republican party has moved far to the right. It seems to represent the interests of the very rich and such groups as the Christian Coalition that would like to forcibly impose their views on everyone.

The poor no longer have any party that represents their interests and will ultimately be left to suffer in poverty as a result. Hopefully, the Republican party will be soundly defeated in the upcoming election and American politics will move back towards the middle where it belongs.

Psychadelic: I think that way too much is made over political parties in this country. In his farewell address, George Washington warned this nation to stay away from forming political parties. Obviously, we have failed to do that. If we as a country are going to made any sort of progress, we need to join together as a people and not segregate ourselves into political parties or anything else. Forget about the definitions of "Democrat" or "Republican" when election times rolls around and simply vote for the person whose views you agree with the most.

nanderson: The middle class are tired of paying for the poor and the Democratic Party thinks we should. Sorry, you have bled us dry, our numbers are dwindling, we are turning into the poor. One of my reasons for switching to the Republican Party is because I'm tired of seeing welfare people making more than I do. I'm tired of seeing babies having babies. I'm tired of paying for something that doesn't work.

dantrem: The reason why the GOP is gaining ground is simple. Americans are tired of seeing Democrats throw dollars away at every cause out there.

benwats: The reason why so many people are shifting to the Republican side is because they are more informed about the politics and positions taken by their representatives. Rush Limbaugh DID start this with his unbelievably popular radio talk show (which suprised everybody). This spurred many more conservative talk shows (such as Mark Davis here in Dallas). The overwhelming popularity of talk shows expressing conservative views has given Republicans a chance to explain their views to the rest of the United States.

GrandAdmiralPetry: The Democratics are of the mind set that everyone should be included, and we should all work together for a better society. Then they admit that someone has to lead this effort and charge the people. This tends to discourage lack of order by setting people on each other's time, and then much less gets done. Basically Democrats have nowhere to go so they make the best of what they've got on Earth, and that tends to allow for much abuse.

The Republicans are of the mind-set that heaven-on-earth begins with making rules and hierachies for everyone to follow and live under, and that this will be a happier place for everyone who is here. This view tends to leave wide open the actual needs of mankind. This won't accomplish anything on Earth, but this much hierarchical organization would do well in space colonies.

RobinMcM: Krisi's view is closest to my own, I think, and offers several seminal insights, to wit, that Rush's appeal is primarily because he is "culturally resonant." Brilliant!

One place where I think Krisi is missing the boat is regarding the religious right. Krisi asserts that... "Their own tactics defeat their ultimate ends. You can't legislate morality, and whining about how unmoral everyone else is doesn't help either."

I think that the ultimate ends of the religious right are to control how people think, not just how they behave. While it's true that you can't legislate morality, the effectiveness of the homosexuals as a political force has been, I suspect, very instructive to the religious right. Homosexuals have organized and brought about, in just a decade or so, sweeping changes in the way that society thinks about homosexuality. This clearly demonstrates that effective and carefully applied marketing techniques can bring about nothing less than a societal paradigm shift in a very short time. That is what the religious right appears to be after, and I think it would be disastrous for America!

smouer: Could it be in large part to the graying of America? Might possibly the aging baby-boomers be following the eternal trend -- that as we age, our experience in the real world causes us to shed the unrealistic idealism of our youth? Does not an "aging population trend" naturally shift to the political right?

Why are America's families becoming an endangered species?. And Why are our young people more reluctant to start new families? Is it not an alarming trend that America is graying? Could it be that the passing social paradigm, still largely reflected in our laws, government regulations and social practices, have caused our young to shy away from reproducing and family commitments?

mig29: Is America really moving toward the right? I would like to think so, but TV and radio seem to entice me to hold onto worthless Socialist programs. Liberalism is what I hear preached. I found it refreshing to read these comments from Tripod members. Maybe there is hope for conservativism.

Now, Kopera said "The poor no longer have any party that represents their interests..." Did you have the opportunity to see the Vice Presidential debate? One candidate expressed a need to help the poor by offering tax breaks to inner-city employers. This would encourage employment and move new employees out of poverty. The other candidate said the best way to help the inner-city poor is to not offer tax credits but simply cut taxes. Tax cuts would allow inner-city businesses to decide how more of their own money is spent and would result in more jobs. Kopera, which strategy would aid more poor people, the Democrat's tax breaks or the Republican's tax cuts?

Dala: I hate all right wing people! They should all me shot! Read Living Marxism On-line for the truth!

Brumfieg: I believe that the "march to the Right" you refer to is actually the anti-incumbent expression of a voting population that has tired of the broken promises of the career politicians. The career politicians of both of our major political powers have only two interests- get elected by any means possible, and get reelected by any means necessary. What passes for legislation in the public interest is actually legislation-for-profit at the behest of the corporate lobbies. If the definition of an honest politician is one who stays bought, then we have the most honest politicians money can buy. Until we eliminate politics as a vocation rather than a public service we will all suffer at the hands of our "public servants." `Ask not what your government can do for you, but what you can do for your government (sic)' Does this sound vaguely familiar? What is wrong with this premise? Who is the boss now, the government or the people? Is that how America was founded?

VLemley: I view our society as acting like a pendulum. We swing permissive, then conservative. We are now entering a period of conservatisim.

Neither of the two major parties are serving the people, but rather themselves. And neither is "the party of the people". And neither party will make any real changes in "The System", no matter what hyperbole one hears. The people have been left out and put to sleep by TV and news reporting that is at best biased and at worst a figment of the imagination of people that have some sort of agenda. Government will no doubt remain unresponsive or even hostile to the needs of its constituents no matter who is President or in the Congress.

People are starting to feel uneasy with a sense that time is running out. Whether the country will collapse of fiscal or social causes has become a great fear in the hearts of all of us. Dimly, we sense that something is dreadfully wrong, and something must be done. We are grabbing at straws in the hope that it is not too late.

I think it is.

Dragon27: Socialism does not work. The Democratic party has taken up socialism as its prime directive. As such even though the Republicans completely lack a clue as to what to do in the world they seem a FAR better alternitive than socialized medicine, socialized banking, working for the government since private industry will eventually be phased out by a socialistic government, that the Democratic party offers.

Both parties are so out of touch with the people and are so corrupt that very few people can actually identify with either party really.

mayoreric: I hear again and again in these responses that "socialism doesn't work". Do I have to remind anyone that the Soviet Bloc countries were more totalitarian than socialist in nature?

My wife lived in Germany for several years and admires how universal the health-care system is. Sure, she paid for it but it was there for her and for everyone. A poignant example: in Germany, the doctors look at a lump and if it's not growing and has been there a while, they have the option to not do anything. Here, the doctor is forced by his insurance carrier to carry out procedures and tests (expensive ones!) to come to the same conclusion.

We have an obligation to help out those less fortunate than ourselves. What has Rush Limbaugh done with his newfound wealth to ease the suffering of anyone else?

I'm as frustrated as anyone by the two-party system. We pay for the elections indirectly, through higher costs for everything we buy. In Germany, the elections are subsidized by the government, and the fact that taxpayers pay for the privelege to vote certainly encourages them to do so. In the UK, elections are five weeks long, from the declaration of candidacy to election day. What a savings in productivity that would create here!

Mario Cuomo said at a recent address that politicians are afraid to make any unpopular stand, and by doing so, have resigned themselves to following the sheep and their wishes rather being faithful shepherds. As long as corporations hold America ransom (how can an honest person come by the money it takes to get elected to a Senate seat, much less the presidency?).

I'm afraid I sound more like a 'reformer' than I want to. Reform is where my conscience is, but I will vote Demo on Tuesday just because the thought of Bob Dole being President frightens me so..

tmcmahon: Many people are complaining these days about the political parties not paying enough attention to the American people. Many are saying that there is no distinction between the parties. When you look at what is being said and done there is only one person to blame for anything that is wrong and anti-Constitutional. OURSELVES!!!

We as an American people have not only abandoned but totaly forgotten that this country was created by the people for the people. Who gave these so-called leaders the right to rule? God did. And why did he? Because we as Americans and Christians have forgotten to pray and ask God to make the changes in our leadership. Have we forgotten Watergate? Whitewater? Where was the Christian Community?

If we are moving to the right it is because it has to happen. We will move back to the left sooner or later anyway. When will the American people finally stand up and be accounted for? Who is willing to stand up and say "I dont like this and I am going to change it!"

dpurcel: Of all the Tripod surveys I've read, this is easily the most depressing batch of responses I've read. We need a return to "Christian values?" The Democrats are Socialists? The New Deal and Great Society were Socialist programs? Rush "explains the 'core tenets' of Socialist philosophy" to average Americans? "I'm tired of seeing 'welfare people' make more than I do?

Please, folks -- study up on the issues. Take a skeptical stance on matters. Don't take as gospel what Dole, Clinton, or Limbaugh say -- dig behind the issues, study up for yourselves, try to find the truth. Don't believe the shallow rhetoric, and don't settle for less than a substantial point of view on matters. It's clear the great majority of people who have responded to this are simply mouthing and repeating cliches they've heard through the media and from politicians. Very sad...

jrjones: Wow, great discussion. I just think we've seen what began as a good and compassionate effort to build a social(ist) safety net in this country was demonstrated as unworkable over a 40 year period. Now all we see is people made apathetic and greedy and depending on free money (even if a small amount) rather than taking responsibility for themselves. The Liberals in power take advantage of those people so that they may retain their power. Simple. Americans may be slow to mobilize, but it's understandable since the major media is sympathetic to the socialists, and magnify and repeat their distortions and untruths about their agenda. We are slow, but not stupid. We are moving toward another path to fix things.

FEH: I'm from Alabama, where the Republicans are right-wing conservatives and the Democrats are, well...right-wing conservatives. Go figure. Both the Democratic and Republican candidates for senate oppose a woman's right to choose, both are against gays in the military, and both are for capital punishment. Where's the choice?

Why such a Rightward shift? I don't know. A Jeff Sessions(R) ad says a vote for him is a vote for the values Alabamians have always held dear ... the right to have mandatory prayer in public schools and the right to bear firearms, to name a few. Right. As a pro-choice, pro-gun control, lesbian atheist pacifist, I guess I'm being left behind while everybody in Alabama runs Right. Not even my vote can save this race.