OPINION:
Every independent voter I’ve ever asked about registration with a political party has said, “I vote for the person, not the party.” They all agree that government needs to spend within its means but differ on social issues.
The Congressional Budget Office reported in February that this year, interest payments on the national debt are expected to exceed defense spending. Even if you don’t agree with everything on a party’s platform, history tells us party affiliation is a predictor of how elected officials will vote on the game-changers, such as a constitutional amendment to balance the budget.
In 1995, 99% of House Republicans voted for this amendment and 63% of Democrats voted against it. In 2018, 96% of House Republicans voted for it and 93% of Democrats voted against it. The only reason you’d vote against it is if you’re OK with spending a large percentage of our budget on interest payments instead of the needy.
We have a two-party system because there are two competing economic ideologies: the command system (socialism or communism) and market system (capitalism). That socialism is a failed system is not a matter of serious debate; it’s a college test question and page 38 of my macroeconomics textbook. The millions pouring into our country from socialist and communist countries are proof enough.
Republicans believe the government’s job must be kept to those things the private sector can’t do since it lacks competition to ever get leaner.
BEN FURLEIGH
Port Charlotte, Florida
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