Thursday, September 30, 2010

Anatomy of a Word - Republican

In recent years I have consistently voted for the Republican party though I consider myself more of an independent now. I decided to look up a few more words to balance out my rant on Grayson's attack on a Christian viewpoint.

A republican is a person who supports the governing principles in a republic. Surprise folks, our nation is not a democracy. We are a republic. But what does that mean?

Our republic is "a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them." A republican is supposed to favor a republic.

I broke the word up a little more and found that a publican was one who collected taxes during ancient Roman times.  This would be in tune with Rep. John Boehner's refusal to answer Chris Wallace on Sunday.  Wallace asked if the Republicans would stop earmarks.  Boehner's only comment was that business would not be as usual.  He refused to answer this!  Why?  Because as a leader, he refuses to make a stand which means he refuses to lead.  So why is he the top Republican in the House?

If republicans want the support of the people, then they better not screw up their seemingly second chance this November.  They better cut spending, rein in earmarks and start paying down our debt!  From my vantage point, any savings need to be put immediately into paying down the debt, but that cannot happen until they cut spending below income. It is simple economics!

I just want a government that cuts taxes sensibly (preferring the FairTax), stays out of debt, and adheres to the Constitution.  Maybe this is a little simplistic, but I like simple - less headaches.

Maybe I was liberally using the word publican but at least I did not mention that at the center of the word republican is the word pub which we all know to be a place of drunken behavior.  I did not mention that the Republicans became drunk on their previous power trip.  I did not mention that a publican also was someone who served alcohol in a pub.  Oops.

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