2008 Woodie Awards
Conservatism holds strong at the College
College republicans keep quiet
Jonathan Victor
Issue date: 2/3/05 Section: Op/Ed
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Many of my classmates and friends think of Muhlenberg as a liberal campus, but in all honesty, most college campuses and college student bodies lean to the left. Muhlenberg, at least for colleges on the East Coast, does not stand out as terribly Democratic by any means. Unfortunately, many of my fellow Republicans tend to hold back their views on campus for fear of being branded as cruel and heartless. Many people have unjust generalizations about conservatives that intimidate them into hiding their views.
I learned in my Political Science class that the Republican Party stands for two conservative tenets: moral order and freedom from "too much government." I fully support the first aspect; as a conservative-but not evangelical-Christian, I wholeheartedly oppose abortion. Republicans also generally believe that the private sector, whether charities or religious institutions, can improve the standard of living for all Americans. I sternly support these two points, especially the latter, under all circumstances.
As far as the idea of small government, the government should definitely provide some services. It can do this cheaply and achieve economies of scale if it cuts back on wasteful spending habits. However, Republicans also believe in both fewer regulations and more support for big businesses.
John Kerry criticized large businesses, such as Wal-Mart and other big-box stores, for destroying our general welfare. However, improving market efficiency helps more people than it hurts. Republicans want effective, moral government, something that many left-wingers fail to appreciate.
I will admit, although I voted for George W. Bush, his intelligence leaves much to be desired. His tax cuts should probably be distributed more evenly across the board, instead of going almost entirely into the upper class. We also need to gradually decrease our dependence on foreign oil, especially with the turmoil in the Middle East. It's time to focus our attention on becoming more independent. However, market forces will eventually correct this on its own; as gas prices rise, people will consider it an economic necessity to switch to alternative fuel methods for powering their autos and providing power. In addition, the upper class will invest its money in the stock market and create dividends and capital gains for all shareholders to enjoy.
I learned in my Political Science class that the Republican Party stands for two conservative tenets: moral order and freedom from "too much government." I fully support the first aspect; as a conservative-but not evangelical-Christian, I wholeheartedly oppose abortion. Republicans also generally believe that the private sector, whether charities or religious institutions, can improve the standard of living for all Americans. I sternly support these two points, especially the latter, under all circumstances.
As far as the idea of small government, the government should definitely provide some services. It can do this cheaply and achieve economies of scale if it cuts back on wasteful spending habits. However, Republicans also believe in both fewer regulations and more support for big businesses.
John Kerry criticized large businesses, such as Wal-Mart and other big-box stores, for destroying our general welfare. However, improving market efficiency helps more people than it hurts. Republicans want effective, moral government, something that many left-wingers fail to appreciate.
I will admit, although I voted for George W. Bush, his intelligence leaves much to be desired. His tax cuts should probably be distributed more evenly across the board, instead of going almost entirely into the upper class. We also need to gradually decrease our dependence on foreign oil, especially with the turmoil in the Middle East. It's time to focus our attention on becoming more independent. However, market forces will eventually correct this on its own; as gas prices rise, people will consider it an economic necessity to switch to alternative fuel methods for powering their autos and providing power. In addition, the upper class will invest its money in the stock market and create dividends and capital gains for all shareholders to enjoy.