March 1, 2023
My thoughts on the Republican & Democrat False Equivalency.
The day is March 1, 2023 it at the moment it looks to be unlikely that President Joe Biden’s Student Debt Relief plan will likely not become a reality due to fierce opposition by Republican appointed or conservative leaning judges. Make no mistake that there is only one party looking to block this relief. The blame of this falls solely on the Republicans and the conservative justices they have appointed. While Democrats or liberals have been way less than perfect in addressing the plights of Black people in particular the idea that both parties are the same is a false equivalency. Republicans have championed policies that have harmed people of color, while prioritizing the interests of the wealthy and powerful.
Republicans have consistently championed tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthy and leave out the middle class, further exacerbating income inequality. They have also championed tough on crime and law and order policies that have disproportionately targeted people of color, leading to the over-incarceration of Black people and creating a cycle of poverty and violence that has devastated many communities. I would even argue when a Democratic official choose to champion these causes, that candidate or official is usually looking to break common grown with conservative minded people.
Moreover, Republicans have opposed many progressive initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act, Civil Rights, and affirmative action, and sought to take away a women's right to choose. These policies only serve to strip away rights and stall progress for Black people, women, and other minorities.
It is important to recognize that while the Republican party may have been champions of abolitionism in the past, the party has transformed over time and now stands for vastly different policies and priorities. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the party became associated with progressive reform movements, such as the regulation of monopolies, the conservation of natural resources, and the establishment of labor protections.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Republican Party became more conservative in response to the Great Depression, with the rise of laissez-faire economics and opposition to the New Deal policies of Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the party took on a more socially conservative stance, aligning itself with the religious right and opposing the civil rights movement and other progressive social movements of the time. The historical argument that Republicans were once champions of abolitionism is not relevant to today's political landscape. The party now champions conservative policies and often reactionary social views, while the Democratic party has become the party of civil rights and progressive social change.
In conclusion, Republicans have done little to move the nation forward as a more harmonious society but instead only induced policies to stall progressive that seek to keep those who garner power at the top and the top to have their boots on the necks of those who dare to climb up. It is crucial for voters to recognize these differences and make informed decisions when choosing their political representatives. While Democrats have their many flaws and at times choose to die on hills that majority of mainstream American is unready to embrace; they still fight to advance and protect people. The teams are not quite two wings on the same bird.
Respectfully,
Jeff Brooks