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Dancing Between the Party LinesParenting makes it not so black and white. |
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So, I, too, started voting Republican at 18 and in the 80s when the economy was doing well, under “Reaganomics”, I got a degree in finance, got a job, got married, had a child, and things were going great, until, wham! Our second child was born. Not only was he born, he had problems. Not your general, run-of-the-mill boy problems, but ones that required early intervention services from the state, paid for by the state, and medical expenses covered by the state because of his two rare disorders. At first, I was embarrassed to tell my parents my son was on Medicaid, that through a state-run program we had certificates for food for his nutritional needs, and that we were applying for funds to cover respite care. However, as we were paying co-pay after co-pay and especially after knowing he had racked up over $220,000 in medical expenses his first month of existence, there was always the threat that he would have a life-threatening emergency that would amount to the same type of expenses. Since he still needed professional intervention above what the state was covering, we were increasingly getting into major debt. The state we were living in didn’t take into account the parents’ financial status when applying for Medicaid -- it was a great help. However, I felt that why does financial help favor the underprivileged and the poor? Why does my disposable income have to be spent on medical bills? Don’t the politicians who make these laws consider the fact that disabled children are born into families regardless of financial situation? In fact, I had a one in 10-20 million chance of having a child with these two disorders. There is no other documented case of this occurring, worldwide. Lucky me. However, I love my child and will do whatever is necessary for him to maximize his potential, even if it meant sacrificing my own health. When dancing around the line of political affiliation, as a parent I see the Republican Party, in general, pushing “Right to Life” issues (usually a lot of men making grand speeches), and I am okay with that position. However, I see the Democrats, who seem to support the “Woman’s Right to Choose”, i.e., abortion, supporting early intervention programs, IDEA, school accountability programs, after-school programs, young parent programs, and programs for the disabled. Without the funds for these programs we were able to access in our circumstance, our son would not have been doing as well as he is now. So, before state legislators start banning abortions due to political party pressure, families will be affected in more ways than one. If you personally believe in the right to life, you should also believe in the right to quality of life, and be ready to support programs that enhance all who come into this world challenged, alive, but able. Otherwise, you, too, will be dancing between the two parties’ positions when it comes to meeting the needs of any child. |
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1. Jeff Schwartz
Aug 18, 2006 10:23
I too, like many others, fall within the two political lines. I tend to lean to the right, but not so much so as to make me standoffish. The right seems to offer me more personal protections to safeguard my personal freedoms than the liberal left. The left took away my opportunities for aid that could have allowed me to achieve certain educational and professional goals. However my views on abortion tends to lean to the left. Although I believe in the sanctity of new life, I believe that women should be the sole individuals to make the decision on what they can and should do to their bodies. Men do not get pregnant, therefore do not have the experiences of the consequenses of an abortion. I think we have come along enough in civilization where men should not make laws that personnaly effects the bodies of women. Men may advise, but women have to make the decision and deal with the consequences.2. Alan
Aug 18, 2006 14:11
I seem to be the resident "radical lefty" at this site (cf. my "Red Fish, Blue Fish" piece about politics and history in schools), but I'm also a "maverick" within the left in some areas (take a look at my blog header for the details). I'm not very happy with the high numbers of abortions in this country (though like Jeff I think they should remain legal), but I'd point out that abortions went down under Clinton and it is Democratic policies like expanding aid for education and family planning that help prevent unwanted pregnancies to begin with, which is far better than letting it get to the stage of abortion. And unlike Republicans, Democrats support programs that would help mothers and their babies after the children are born, and if we had more of that kind of thing perhaps people wouldn't feel as much pressure to get abortions.I'd also point out to Jennifer that the true "pro-life" position, as in for example the Catholic church, also includes opposition to the death penalty.
Now, Jeff: I'd be very curious to know how you feel that the right offers you more safeguard of your personal freedoms. This is the crowd that came up with laws to check into your library habits without a warrant, to do "sneak and peek" searches of your home, and of course snoop around with your phone calls and/or phone records without a warrant. My side is the predominant supporter of the ACLU, who was just in the news for getting the NSA phone snooping program declared unconstitutional, and also recently helped overturn a school district's policy to require all students (not just athletes) to file through the gymnasium and pee into a cup so as to have Big Brother analyze the content of their urine.
The only possible thing I can imagine you thinking of is some kind of NRA propaganda. But the reality is that the NRA has won, and Democrats have not proposed any new gun control laws in this millennium! And the ones they proposed last millennium did not involve taking away people's guns in any event, only requiring new guns to be sold with trigger locks and closing the gun show loophole.
How you can claim you'd get more financial aid from Republicans, I have no clue whatsoever. That's just completely bizarre.
3. Maria Thompson
Oct 30, 2008 02:59
Jennifer,You live in the funny place called "Reality" where ideology looks the silliest. It always seemed silly to me to argue for a Right to Life, but not a right to the basics needed to sustain it. I'm a moderate Democrat who frequently calls for a pox on both parties. Let's meet in the middle and get positive things done.