Politicians of both parties are known to go back on themselves from time to time. Every single person to hold public office has contradicted themselves. They say one thing in the past and then claim they never said it. Probably the only candidate who hasn't done this is Bernie Sanders, who has been saying the same thing since he was Mayor of Burlington.
But I'm not talking a senator going back on one or two issues from years ago. In this list, I'm pointing out the hypocrisy of the GOP party as a whole. It seems like their hatred of Obama has made them all hypocrites.
1. Syrian refugees and anti-abortion.
We all are aware of the growing crisis in Syria right now. Mercy Corps reports that almost 11 million people have been killed or have fled their homes. The ones that are able to get out are landing on the shores of Italy and Greece seeking asylum. Most Republicans are strongly against the United States taking in any of these people. However, Republicans are also strongly against abortions, claiming that states must protect the lives of unborn children. Apparently they only want to protect them when they’re still inside their mothers, not when they’re drowning on their journey to a new life or starving in a refugee camp.
2. President Obama and Cuba.
President Obama made a historic visit to Cuba, the first sitting president since Calvin Coolidge. Think what you want about Fidel Castro and Communism on the island, but it is changing. The country is changing and making great strides toward democracy. It makes sense to have an ally instead of an enemy that close to our shores. Republicans bashed the president for his visit and for standing in front of a picture of Che Guevara, a communist revolutionary. Obama is not the first president to this. President Reagan, the Republican hero visited both Communist Russia and China!
3. Taking care of veterans.
Republicans are the first one to sound the war horns whenever a crisis occurs. They never hesitate to criticize the President for his stance on ISIS and terror in general. They have no problem sending our young men and women overseas to fight their battles but have a hard time taking care of them when they get back. Most recently, a Republican controlled house cut $1.4 billion from the federal budget for veteran spending in 2016.
4. Protecting children.
It seems daily that there’s a school shooting. Hundreds of our children our dying. Republicans are quick to point out to not blame the guns, blame the people, and brush it off as fact of life. They would rather protect gun ownership then the lives of innocent children. When there’s a tragedy overseas--like Brussels, Iraq, Paris and the countless others--the GOP blames the president. What is he doing to protect Americans abroad? Also, refer back to number one on this list.
5. Rigidness to the Constitution.
We all know that the 2nd Amendment guarantees the right to gun ownership. The 1st Amendment is a little trickier. For this list I’m referring to the two religious clauses. Congress will make no law establishing religion nor shall it make any law preventing the free exercise of religion. The GOP loves to take a strict interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. “Gun ownership is absolute." When it comes to the 1st Amendment, Republicans take a looser interpretation, allowing religion to slip into public life. Laws against same-sex marriage, abortions and forbidding the teaching of evolution are based in religion. In fact, these types of laws seem like an attempt at establishing religion, which is very clearly forbidden in the 1st Amendment.
