Republicans Don’t Vote for You: Why would You Vote for Them?

I begin with an issue that was discussed on April 20, 2022. Our legislators have a single purpose; to vote for the needs and wishes of their constituents, the voting public. If they don’t vote according to polls taken about the issues and vote against the majority, what good are they?

A poll of all voters, Independents, Democrats, and Republicans, in all 50 states reveal that a whopping 66 percent of registered voters approve of legalizing marijuana at the federal level. However, 100 percent of the men and women who call themselves Republicans in Washington oppose the issue. If they don’t vote for us, for our issues, why should we vote for them?

Why have they decided that their “beliefs” are more important than those of more than 200 million people? Always follow the money.

Lobbies are a huge part of the reason our government is dysfunctional. The beer, wine, and liquor industries are afraid that legalizing marijuana nationally would result in reduced profits for their companies. A secondary concern is the evangelical lobby, the Christian Religious Right, desperate to appease their older parishioners, demands a no vote on the issue.

This is just one of the issues opposed by fake Republicans and favored by the majority of voters.

Healthcare: 63 percent of all voters believe that our government has a responsibility to ensure that every American has a responsibility to provide free or low-cost healthcare for all. Republicans oppose universal healthcare. They believe this is a right for the wealthy and no one else.

Higher Education: Although 73 percent of American voters believe that higher education should be free or affordable for everyone, Republicans are split on the issue. Most believe that only those who can afford the exorbitant cost of higher educations should be allowed in our colleges and universities.

Immigration: A large percentage of Americans agree that sensible immigration reform is mandatory, 53 percent of Americans believe that “immigration for a better life is a human right.” Republicans want to close our borders, with the exception for pure white men and women.

Fair Taxation: 80 percent of all Americans believe that the super-rich and large corporations should pay their fair share of taxes. Republicans want to maintain Trump’s policy which allows most super-rich Americans to pay very little or nothing. Some of our largest corporations have a number of deductions that allow them to pay nothing.

Abortion: Women’s reproductive rights are human rights, and 59 percent of all Americans believe that abortion should be legal. The Christian Religious Right opposes any and all abortions, so naturally, all Republicans in name only oppose a woman’s right to make choices about her own physical and mental health.

The list goes on and on, but you can understand that Republicans are the enemy. They oppose virtually every issue favored by most Americans. The once-respected Republican Party has not existed in its former glory since 1981, and in 2017 it imploded once and for all. It is now controlled by Trump and can rightfully be called “The American Fascist Party.”

The people of our country are not on their list of priorities. Reelection is number one, and protecting the wealth and future of their owners is number two. That’s where the list ends. They are the party of billionaires and millionaires; the party of special interests.

Your vote is extremely critical to our nation’s future. Please vote on November 8 and in 2024. Your life depends on it.

Op-ed by James Turnage

Sources:

CBS News: Large majority favor legal recreational marijuana under federal law – CBS News poll; by Jennifer DePinto
FiveThirtyEight: Why Do GOP Lawmakers Still Oppose Legalizing Weed? By Michael Tesler

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Chris Christian’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Dan Keck’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License