3 Reasons Why Democrats and Republicans are Fundamentally the Same
I go over some key votes that demonstrate how Republicans and Democrats are fundamentally the same when it comes to big government.
NUMBER 3 WAR
On the heels of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) was passed into law with overwhelming bilateral support: 204 Democrats and 214 Republicans approved the bill in the House and 50 Democrats and 47 Republicans approved the bill in the Senate.
This approval for what would become a seemingly never-ending “War on Terror” in the Middle East continued as the Iraq Resolution for invasion was passed a year later with 215 Republicans and 81 Democrats approving in the House and 29 Democrats and 48 Republicans approving in the senate.
In the years following the Bush-led military actions, support for further interventions continued despite political party changes in legislature and White House with Obama authorizing some 26,000 drone bombings in 2016 alone, targeting countries like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan.
On April 16, 2018, a bipartisan committee of senators led by Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Bob Corker put together a new authorization for military force in the hopes of continuing military action abroad with more congressional input.
As can be seen, no matter who is in power, Democrat or Republican, the past 17 years have made it clear that both parties largely wish to continue the military-industrial complex’s bidding for perpetual war.
NUMBER 2 SPENDING AND DEBT
The national debt has continually grown, whether there was a Democrat or Republican majority, because those in power continue to recklessly spend beyond their stolen means.
Ronald Reagan approved a $1.8 trillion addition to the national debt. Bill Clinton approved a $1.3 trillion increase. George W. Bush approved $5.8 trillion, the largest increase in history at that time. Barack Obama approved an $8.5 trillion addition, nearly surpassing all other increases combined. And finally, as projected in the fiscal year 2019 budget, Trump will approve some $4.7 trillion in additional debt, a 29-percent increase from the $20 trillion in total debt from Obama's last budget in 2017.
As can be seen, no matter who is running the show, increased debt and spending is a bipartisan pastime.
NUMBER 1 EROSION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS UNDER THE GUISE OF NATIONAL SECURITY
One thing has been especially clear since 9-11: Both Democrats and Republicans are all too willing to trade individual liberty in the name of security theater.
The high emotions of the 9-11 terrorist attacks created the perfect backdrop for Republicans and Democrats alike to create a police state where the 4th amendment would be largely scrapped under national security protocol.
The Patriot Act of 2001, its reauthorization in 2006, as well as the USA Freedom Act in 2015, empowered state agencies to skirt around the Bill of Rights with special abilities to search records, spy on phone calls and e-mails, and collect data without a warrant or notice to affected parties. Issues like warrantless wiretapping, torture, kidnapping, and No-Fly Lists, became the norm with the new powers crafted in the wake of terroristic fear mongering.
The Patriot act had the support of 185 Republicans and 123 Democrats in the house, 48 Democrats and 49 Republicans in the Senate and was signed off by Republican George Bush.
The 2006 reauthorization had 207 Republicans and 44 Democrats’ support in the house, 55 republicans and 34 Democrats’ support in the Senate. Again, signed off by Republican George Bush.
The USA Freedom Act, proposed as a reform to the Patriot Act, was just a political move to hide the fact that the Patriot Act was being largely left untouched as the NSA moved operatives into NSA command centers to centrally monitor and hack information instead of the prior in-person espionage. 196 Republicans and 142 Democrats approved this bill in the house. 23 Republicans and 43 Democrats approved it in the Senate. It was then signed into law by Democrat President Obama.
In addition to these more clandestine operations, the more overt TSA was created as part of the Airport Security Federalization Act of 2001. 211 Republicans and 74 Democrats in the House and 50 Democrats and 49 Republicans in the Senate voted to approve the creation of the TSA, stripping passengers of their rights to travel without being molested and radiated.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 was another bilateral attack on fundamental rights to due process and trial with indefinite detention, a concept whereby people could be detained for as long as there are “hostilities.” 190 Republicans and 93 Democrats of the House along with 48 Democrat and 44 Republican Senators approved the bill. President Obama signed it into law and it remains in place to this day.
As can be seen, when it comes to stripping away fundamental rights, both Republicans and Democrats are all too eager to get in the game. Which is why it is important to focus on ethics and principles over parties and people.
Sources
Patriot Act:
Iraq Resolution:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Resolution
https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-joint-resolution/114
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/107-2002/s237
Obama bombing:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/09/america-dropped-26171-bombs-2016-obama-legacy
NDAA Vote:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr1540
Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/107-2002/h455
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Terrorists
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/107/hjres64
2018 AUMF:
https://www.fcnl.org/updates/the-aumf-2018-what-does-it-really-authorize-1393
TSA:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/107/hr3150
National Debt:
https://www.thebalance.com/us-debt-by-president-by-dollar-and-percent-3306296
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
Philosophy is my core. Reason is my foundation. Phở is my sustenance.
~Connect with me :{D
∀ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dapholosopher
∀ Twitter - https://twitter.com/DaPholosopher
∀ Steemit - https://steemit.com/@thepholosopher
∀ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/thepholosopher
∀ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pholosopherofficial/
∀ Minds - https://www.minds.com/thepholosopher
~Help me afford more Phở (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
∀ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/thepholosopher
∀ Crypto - https://thepholosopher.com/support/
∀ Liberty Tees - https://www.libertariancountry.com/?rfsn=639897.fb3ec
∀ More Liberty Tees - https://www.rageon.com/a/users/voluntaryist
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
Really well done video as always. Shows the real hypocrisy, not all NPC's are liberals. Goes both ways.
Would love to get you onto my channel for an interview.
A video interview?
Yeah I have a YouTube channel with roughly 37k subs.
It has always been The State versus the individual.
Exactly!
The son of democracy and Republicanism a dictator ;-)
The terms republican and Democrat is just another way to divide us and turn us against each other.
Congratulations @thepholosopher! You have completed the following achievement on the Steem blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click here to view your Board of Honor
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPTo support your work, I also upvoted your post!
Do not miss the last post from @steemitboard:
Thank you! ^^
Well written, thanks. I'll give you a follow to see if I like some of your other content!
My Pleasure! ^^
Well done. I think even though I don't live in USA, both parties are conservative, just one is more conservative over the other,
its time people focus on taking society into a new direction
Curated for #informationwar (by @thoughts-in-time)
Our purpose is to encourage posts discussing Information War, Propaganda, Disinformation and other false narratives. We currently have over 9,500 Steem Power and 40+ people following the curation trail to support our mission.
Join our discord and chat with 250+ fellow Informationwar Activists.
Join our brand new reddit! and start sharing your Steemit posts directly to The_IW, via the share button on your Steemit post!!!
Connect with fellow Informationwar writers in our Roll Call! InformationWar - Leadership/Contributing Writers/Supporters: Roll Call
Ways you can help the @informationwar