What are Republicans afraid of?

This is not a political advocacy blog. Its not even really a political blog. Its a blog about you and me and all other humans who walk this earth. Political positions do not define any of us, BUT our core assumptions make each of us a political "beast" and define our political position.

There are numerous reports in the media about Republican law makers being "afraid" to hold town meetings because of the political heat they will take from their liberal constituents. Of course there are the reports that the loud complainers are paid protesters to intimidate the sitting Congressmen so that they will not carry through with the Trump agenda. There may be some truth to this, but political opposition to Trump and the Republican agenda is about much more than the particular Congressman. Its even about much more than Trump's agenda or even Trump himself.

The political divide in our nation is not new. Its been around since the founding of our nation. Its been around since the beginning of time. As long as societies have organized themselves to meet their needs, there have been two distinctly different assumptions.

First, there are those who believe that society should provide a "fair" playing field so that people can work as hard as they want to earn the benefits they desire. The role of government is to protect the playing field by providing equal opportunity for all to win. This actually is justice or equity. the judgment that people should receive according to what they earn. This assumption does not care about a person's sex, race, age, appearance, handicap, or whatever. If the person can make and sell widgets, then they prosper accordingly. Personal responsibility and risk/reward are the prevailing values.  The needs of those who cannot fend for themselves (orphans, widows, mentally ill, etc.) are met by family and charity first and government as a last resort. This assumption seeks smaller government.

Second, there are those who believe that society should control the playing field so that benefits are "fairly" distributed to everyone regardless of what different people can earn. The role of government is to protect the playing field from those who can win better than others. This is entitlement, an expectation of a right not governed by justice but according to some central conscience of society. Entitlement is NOT social justice, as many portend. It is the absence of justice. This assumption tends to use sex, race, age, appearance, handicap, or whatever as an alternative basis for why everyone deserves the same benefit. People should be not be at risk or subject to harm is the prevailing value. The needs of those who cannot fend for themselves (orphans, widows, mentally ill, etc.) are met primarily by government with family and charity as supportive to government. This assumptions seeks bigger government.

At the core of all the shouting and finger pointing is simply competing assumptions.

Republicans should not be defensive and timid in advocating the position of personal responsibility, justice, and smaller government. Democrats should quit bullying those claiming the first assumption and boasting they have some moral high ground. An assumption of personal responsibility is not bigoted and mean spirited.

As a society we should clearly see and willingly debate the different assumptions behind justice and entitlement. 

Once society can debate the two assumptions and quit spewing vitriol at each other, maybe, just maybe we will have a reasonable approach to voting for which assumption we collectively wish to govern our land.

BUT, human nature has been around forever. We didn't get here overnight and we won't resolve it overnight. Until we can and do, we must just PONDER what could be .......