Lessons I learned in leaving the Republican Party

**Spoiler Alert** This is not my pledge of allegiance to the Democratic party.  You’ll find that I believe both parties are the corrupt wings of the same bird. Because I know that many will not read past the first paragraph, the end result isn’t that I have become a Democrat.  I am a political orphan.  What I’ve found out is that there are a lot of us.

In my work at the High Plains Food Bank, I came across a lot of politically diverse folks.  I was disgusted to see how things are done, mostly in Washington. I also had the chance to work on public policy initiatives, and I got to see first-hand the sausage we call lawmaking. I saw that the right wing and the left wing are on the same bird.  I met with politicians, at the federal, and some at the state level and shared with them experiences of their constituents, and they didn’t care.  They didn’t care because their party platform didn’t care.

The truth is, I didn’t leave the Republican Party, it left me.  As the world has become red or blue, I can’t help but think the “moral party” as the Republicans call themselves as anything but recently.  The problem is, morality, while important, isn’t the only thing our country needs.  And let’s be honest, it isn’t the moral party.  It’s icky the people that still believe that about Republicans.

I should preface all of this with that fact that my faith, as a Christian, is the compass for my beliefs.  Although I am sure when I say that some will roll their eyes, and some will cheer, the opposite

will happen with my next thoughts.  He cares about people, more than just where they are from.  But I also believe he is against abortion.  I am not an American Evangelical, my country is not first, God is.  American Evangelicals have convinced themselves that God is first while living in the country is.

The more I read the party platforms, the more I am inclined to rail against someone telling me what to think, how to view people, or what I think is important.  Because both use percentages and dehumanized language to get what they want.  It’s easy to get rid of people when they are just percentages.  Both parties use this tactic, and they use it well.

Lesson 1

I have found that as I begin to talk to people, there are a lot more who believe what I believe.  We are political orphans who live in a sea of purple.  People who love this country, although we’re told over and over that we don’t.  We believe that people are important, and regardless of their citizenship.

Lesson 2

Everything that goes against your point-of-view is not Hitler.  Hitler is used to rebuke everything that stands against those that disagree. Sensible gun control, Hilter did that.  Conservative propaganda, Hitler too.  I think this viewpoint cheapens the tragic death of those at lost to Holocaust.  It’s a political ruse, and it’s downright disrespectful.

Lesson 3

In

this world of Facebook likes and shares, it’s hard to believe that we are similar.  I think that’s the way the media wants it.  We actually have a lot more in common, but it’s easier to be mean on social media than it is in real life.  Meet with people face-to-face with whom you disagree, and you will find that you have common beliefs that transcend political rhetoric.

Lesson 4

I am not now, nor am I ever running for office.  Many people have told me I should, and this blog should squash all of that because when you don’t belong to a political party, you are unelectable.  I am unelectable.  BUT! What I have found to be true is that citizens have more power than elected officials ever have.  Yes, we vote, but we also don’t have to bend our beliefs to get elected.  Politicians do.  We have the freedom to support the what we want, when we want, as long as we want.

At the end of the day, I feel like both parties fail us.  Both are corrupt, and I do not want to be labeled as such.  People are more important than political parties.

Also, this is a decision I made before the current President of the United States was elected.  There is no connection between that event in this.