2008 Woodie Awards
The Not So Conservative Party
Republicans seem to have forgotten that they used to stand for limited power.
John Ferreira
Issue date: 3/25/05 Section: Opinions
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Power corrupts all, even those with the best of intentions. This has been evident by the recent actions of the Republican Party. One of the basic tenements of conservatism is the limitation of power. Conservatives believe that limited government is the best way to build a society that will benefit all. They believe in low taxes, little government intervention in the market, and to oppose a tyrannical judiciary that will establish rules based on imaginary provisions.
There has been much talk lately of the Republicans changing the filibuster rule in an attempt to stop constant stonewalling on President Bush's nominees. Even though the Democrats should give these judges the right to an up or down vote, I believe that this so-called "nuclear option" is a direct abuse of the majority party. The American system is filled with provisions for the protection of minorities; like the filibuster rule which is in place to avoid the majority from steam rolling its agenda through. Not all legislative efficiency is a good thing, sometimes it is necessary to block initiatives that are too far out of the mainstream. Republicans have become drunk with power. Does the congressional leadership believe that its majority tenure will last eternally? There will be Democratic Presidents again and there will Democratic majorities once again. What will Republicans say when Democrats attempt to install left-wing judges, if the rules are changed the Republicans will have no mechanism of defense. George Washington once said that the purpose of the Senate was to cool legislation to make sure that it is tempered correctly. The American political system is based on moderation, and slow organic change, Republicans will commit a grave mistake if they continue with this hubris.
On another matter that took place this past week as the Senate, the House and President Bush moved to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case. The now famous case of the brain damaged woman in a vegetative state was something that the executive branch should have intervened in. Although the right is life is very important, the rule of law is also important if we are to continue to function as a nation. Republicans seized this opportunity in an attempt to gain publicity and to gain some votes with conservative voters. The argument that Ms.Schiavo was not given due process is preposterous, since six different Florida courts looked into the case. It is indeed a sad day when conservatives are the ones making up laws, and simply changing the rules when they don't like the results. That is was happened in 2000 when Al Gore challenged the Florida election and attempted to use his friends in the judicial system to change the rules. Laws are in place to keep order in society, laws should be changed through the democratic process. It should be the job of the legislative body of each state to make rules, and not of the judicial branch which should be in place only to enforce the laws. The Terri Schiavo Case is just another in a long history of the federal government amassing more and more power. The rights of the state of Florida were trampled in this case. I doubt the motives of her husband but that is beyond the point. This case should have been decided by the State of Florida, not by the United States Congress.
The Republican party is forgetting its roots. Limited government used to be what the party stood for, but with two recent developments we are led to wonder what will happen with the party. The election victory of 2004 has left the party with a hubris that must be controlled if Republicans are to enjoy a working majority. What often happens in history is that when a party gets to big it splinters and falls because there are too many interests to keep at bay. President Bush and the Republican leadership should avoid any more attempts to increase government power, and return to true conservatism.
There has been much talk lately of the Republicans changing the filibuster rule in an attempt to stop constant stonewalling on President Bush's nominees. Even though the Democrats should give these judges the right to an up or down vote, I believe that this so-called "nuclear option" is a direct abuse of the majority party. The American system is filled with provisions for the protection of minorities; like the filibuster rule which is in place to avoid the majority from steam rolling its agenda through. Not all legislative efficiency is a good thing, sometimes it is necessary to block initiatives that are too far out of the mainstream. Republicans have become drunk with power. Does the congressional leadership believe that its majority tenure will last eternally? There will be Democratic Presidents again and there will Democratic majorities once again. What will Republicans say when Democrats attempt to install left-wing judges, if the rules are changed the Republicans will have no mechanism of defense. George Washington once said that the purpose of the Senate was to cool legislation to make sure that it is tempered correctly. The American political system is based on moderation, and slow organic change, Republicans will commit a grave mistake if they continue with this hubris.
On another matter that took place this past week as the Senate, the House and President Bush moved to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case. The now famous case of the brain damaged woman in a vegetative state was something that the executive branch should have intervened in. Although the right is life is very important, the rule of law is also important if we are to continue to function as a nation. Republicans seized this opportunity in an attempt to gain publicity and to gain some votes with conservative voters. The argument that Ms.Schiavo was not given due process is preposterous, since six different Florida courts looked into the case. It is indeed a sad day when conservatives are the ones making up laws, and simply changing the rules when they don't like the results. That is was happened in 2000 when Al Gore challenged the Florida election and attempted to use his friends in the judicial system to change the rules. Laws are in place to keep order in society, laws should be changed through the democratic process. It should be the job of the legislative body of each state to make rules, and not of the judicial branch which should be in place only to enforce the laws. The Terri Schiavo Case is just another in a long history of the federal government amassing more and more power. The rights of the state of Florida were trampled in this case. I doubt the motives of her husband but that is beyond the point. This case should have been decided by the State of Florida, not by the United States Congress.
The Republican party is forgetting its roots. Limited government used to be what the party stood for, but with two recent developments we are led to wonder what will happen with the party. The election victory of 2004 has left the party with a hubris that must be controlled if Republicans are to enjoy a working majority. What often happens in history is that when a party gets to big it splinters and falls because there are too many interests to keep at bay. President Bush and the Republican leadership should avoid any more attempts to increase government power, and return to true conservatism.