Difference Between Republicans and Democrats

While on the Internet this week, I read an interesting post from someone.  I'm not sure where it originated, but it was thought-provoking:

Republicans believe that God helps those who help themselves, while Democrats believe that blessed are those who help others.

At first glance, this statement appears to be spot on.  But after thinking about it a bit longer, I realized that this perception is part of the reason why Republicans are often misunderstood. Republicans and Democrats alike believe in helping others; they just differ in the way it should be done.

Democrats believe it's the role of government to ensure that charity is provided to those in need through government programs.  If someone needs food, there needs to be a program to make that happen.  If someone needs housing, there needs to be a government program to help that person. If someone is sick and doesn't have health insurance, government needs to step in, Democrats believe.

Republicans also believe that people in need should be supported, but they also believe that the responsibility of the individual is primary, and that government assistance should be secondary.  If a person doesn't have food, housing or health insurance, the first step is not a handout, but a hand up through work.  Republicans believe that government programs should be in place to help people through hardships until they are able to help themselves, and those who truly can't help themselves should be supported long-term through government programs.

In addition to supporting these government programs through tax dollars, Republicans believe that  charity is voluntary, not forced by the government.  People in need can and should first be helped by their families, churches and other community organizations -- people who are closest to the situations of those needing help.

Perhaps this difference in philsophy helps explain why Democrat Vice President Joe Biden contributed only 1.46% of his income to charity in 2011, compared to Republican Mitt Romney's 19.1%.  Biden probably sincerely believes he "gave at the office" through income taxes, while Romney believes that community organizations can do a better job of helping local people in need than the federal government. To be fair, many Democrats believe in government programs and contribute a large percentage of their income to charity, as Romney does.

Republicans are not the uncaring, money-hungry capitalists often described by Democrats and the mainstream news media.  Republicans sincerely care about people, as do Democrats, but Republicans believe that work, not welfare, is the way to create a society that provides everyone with an equal opportunity at success, while also providing sufficient tax dollars to support needed government programs for those in need.

Republicans are for entitlement reform, not because they don't believe people should be helped, but because they realize that by continuing the current course America will very soon reach the point where more people aren't paying income taxes than those who are, and more people are receiving government support than those who aren't. This isn't financially sustainable and puts all entitlement programs, and the people who rely on them, at great risk.

As you can see, those Republicans aren't the uncaring, selfish capitalists described by Democrats and the mainstream news media.  If anything, Republicans care enough about these programs -- to be honest with the American people about their future and to try to save entitlement programs now so they will be available for future generations of Americans.