When the Major Political Parties Have Become Unacceptable

About four years ago, my family stopped watching television.  The main reason we stopped is because we were paying a lot of money for something we never got to use.  My children are gymnasts and we spend a lot of time away from home, so it didn’t make sense to keep paying for something we didn’t use.  What started out as a money saving venture, turned into a blessing.  But, that’s a whole other blog.

Then we started listening to podcasts on our phone.  We now enjoy on car rides listening to our favorite Catholic speakers, history lessons, and science podcasts for kids.  I also finally learned how to read in the car without getting sick, so I usually read to my family while we are driving.  We used to listen to lots of conservative radio shows, but we don’t anymore.

It’s interesting that now when we visit somewhere that has T.V., I can barely watch it.  My husband and I comment on how little of an attention span we have for it.  During those times of visiting, we are reintroduced to Fox news or CNN and I see those shows through totally different eyes now.  I’ve changed.  It’s quite remarkable how when you remove yourself from all the biases how different the scenery looks when you come back.  On both sides of the coin now, I can see untruths being issued and it troubles me.  People that I used to trust for information, don’t seem so trustworthy anymore.

So, I no longer belong to the Republican Party.  This does not mean I am not a conservative.  It means my principles and values are conservative, but I simply cannot identify with the Republican Party anymore.  We have come to a great divide and I am no longer willing to jump it.  I am Catholic and following Christ and seeking His truth is my driving force.  I look at everything through a Catholic lens now, which has actually made me ask more questions about everything than at any time in my life.  I examine more, read more, think more, and pray about issues more than before I was Catholic.  I still read news and I still educate myself.  Just because I don’t watch t.v. doesn’t mean I don’t pay attention.  In everything, I work to discern the truth.  That certainly doesn’t mean I have all the answers and it’s something I will continue to work on for the rest of my life.  I needed to share all that, so you can understand where I’m coming from as I tackle this blog.

Since my point of view has changed in the last few years, I have noticed that people on both sides of the political aisle offer up some bad arguments.  A favorite argument tactic is that of the false dichotomy.  Not sure what that is?  It’s the black and white argument.  An argument where it appears that there are only two options.  Basically it comes off as: “You don’t believe in this rational option over here?  Well, that means you must believe in this totally irrational option over there.”

Let me explain in examples:

“You don’t believe in more gun laws?  Well, you must just want all toddlers to die.  Their blood is on your hands.”

“You don’t want a wall up around the border?  Well, you must just want to let all illegals flood into our country unaccounted for.”

And the most recent one being throw up in political circles is “either you’re with Trump or for Hillary.”

Now, the problem with all of these is that there are other options; it’s not just either this or that.  Those presenting the false dichotomy just want to shut you up, make you defensive, and cave.  Let me show you how these have other options.

“You don’t believe in more gun laws?  Well, you must just want all toddlers to die.  Their blood is on your hands.”  It could be that the person feels we have enough adequate gun laws and feels that enforcing them is more efficient and prudent than wasting time making more.  Most rational people don’t want toddlers to die and very much want them to be safe and protected.  However, there are some people that believe we should start promoting a culture that respects life and values it.

“You don’t want a wall up around the border?  Well, you must just want to let all illegals flood into our country unaccounted for.”  Another option is that people may feel that if we just enforced our nation’s laws on immigration in a just and prudent manner, a wall may not be necessary.  Or maybe they feel, as a nation, we can’t afford a wall given our current debt.

“Either you’re with Trump or for Hillary.”  This one is usually posed by Republicans, because nearly all the Democrats are on board for Hillary and don’t need bullied into voting for her.  But here’s another option: Maybe I’m against both sides.  Maybe I feel like either candidate is a bad choice.  Maybe I feel like the options are not something I can get behind in either camp.  I have the right to this opinion.  I don’t have to go the rest of my life just going along with whoever is up for president.  I do have that right to say “no” to both.

Often times people will say to me, “Well, you have to pick the lesser of two evils.”  As Catholics, we are taught that it is not okay to pick an evil, even if it’s deemed “lesser” than the other choice.  We aren’t supposed to pick evil at all!  Why can’t we pick evil even if we deem it to be a small evil?  Because we know that evil always has its consequences and our choices should never support it.  Now, do I think that Trump is necessarily evil?  No, but I do feel he is a bad choice.  So, you could say he is the lesser of two bads.  Through observing his past and present actions, I do not feel he is a sincere and genuine man.  People claim that he cannot be bought monetarily, yet we fail to see that power and pride are corruptible, as well.

I pose a question to those that support him:  Who could the Republican Party put up on stage to vote for that you would say “no way” to?  Is there anybody?  Or would you vote for anybody in the Republican Party, because, well hey, “it’s not a Democrat?”  If you have a person in mind, well, that means you have a line that can’t be crossed.  And if you have a person that you would say no to, why can’t I have mine?  I have a line, too.  The Republican Party put up Trump and I say “no way” because he crossed my line of what I’m willing to accept.  It is my right to have a line that can’t be crossed.  For me, this means that both parties are unacceptable.  That is a third option.

This means for me that I have to vote third party.  This, I’m told is a vote for Hillary.  No, it’s not, it’s a vote for who I cast my ballot for.  See, it hasn’t always been the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.  There’s been the Federalist Party, the Whig Party, the Liberty Party, etc.  What I have a problem with is that the Republican Party has gotten cocky enough that it can just endorse anybody and Republican voters go along with it, because we feel we have no other choice.  A non-vote is a vote for the other side, we are told.  So, we will go on year-after-year, being fed lackluster choices and the Republican Party can do that, because we are afraid.  You may like Trump, but I do not for numerous reasons.  I am afraid if he gets the nod or if Hillary gets the nod–equally afraid.

In my opinion the party needs to be dismantled.  The Republican Party is like the dead guy in “Weekend at Bernie’s.”  It’s dead, yet, we are all trying to prop it up and make out like it’s still alive and thriving.  It’s not.  Growing pains hurt, but they are necessary for positive change.  I just cannot be apart of propping up something I don’t believe in anymore.  As a Catholic, I cannot look at the man, Trump, and see a man of honor, integrity, humility, and a spirit of service.  That is what I need.  In discerning his character by what he delivers to us on T.V., I do not see a man that embodies kindness, prudence, charity, wisdom, or temperance.  These are valuable traits.  What I do see is a strong personality that is crass, hot-headed, irrational, flamboyant, and reckless.  These, in my opinion, are dangerous traits.

If you can vote for Trump, you should do that.  If that is what your gut is telling you to do, who am I to tell you otherwise?  But, do not deny me my right to listen to what my gut is telling me to do.  It is my vote and I take full responsibility for what that brings.  I have no freedom in my vote if I’m a pressured into voting for who the party wants.  No matter what happens in this election, we are a nation in trouble and no politician is going to save us now.