I'm a conservative. Am I going to lose my job now?
Recently it was pointed out to me that I am putting my position as adjunct faculty at the local community college at risk by openly being a part of the local Republican party. It may be prudent then, for me to clarify WHY I am part of the Republican party.
I am fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I would like to see a small federal government that does not meddle in social causes, domestic or abroad. Be it education policies at home or regime changes abroad, I don't think it is our federal government's place to get involved. Education policy should be determined by local communities with a little bit of state coordination. Policies and politics of other countries should be determined by the citizens of those countries.
This is not to say that we should ignore heartaches abroad, but that our Federal government should not be the primary conduit of assistance. We allow the appearance of Federal Aid to stand in for personal involvement, even though we know full well that much of that aid seeps away in the form of bureaucrats' salaries.
Of the two parties, the Republican party historically advocated for small government, lower taxes, and individual freedoms more than the Democrat party did. Yes, the Republican party has drifted away (Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind, etc., this atrocious bail-out) from its core and that is why I am involved. The Ron Paul movement allowed me to see that there are quite a few people who align themselves as I do -- more Republican than Democrat -- but pretty dissatisfied with the current face of the Republican party. If we all get involved, perhaps we can yank nudge the party back to the right.
I'm putting this out here so that if any of my community college colleagues come to check out the rumors that I am (gasp) a Republican, they can learn that yes, I am, because I don't like what the current administration has been up to.
In what ways do I disagree with the Republican norm?
1. I don't think government has any business organizing any sorts of marriage. I think we should do what Germany does. Individuals register their couple-ship with the state in a civil ceremony which takes care of fiscal concerns. Religious people hold a religious ceremony in a religion of their choosing. The state does not take a position on what is moral, and the religions are free to acknowledge - or not - the marriages of other flavors of religion.
2. Foreign policy, obviously. Why on earth are we out defending other countries' borders and repairing their roads and bridges when our own borders, roads, and bridges are falling apart? Military might is for defense, not meddling in other people's business.
3. No Child Left Behind. Yikes! Bureaucrats determining curriculum is always a bad idea. Schools should be accountable to parents, not to federal cubicle-dwellers.
So, there you have it. I'm that kind of conservative. A mind-you-own-business be-responsible-for-yourself shrink-federal-government states'-rights reduce-taxes kind of conservative. And I'm a really good English teacher.
I want to believe that my political ideas will have no bearing on contract renewals. Am I just being naïve?
:: a year ago today: rant: television
politics, job security, GOP
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