Who Really Are Republicans and Democrats?

Open Email to Congress:

Dear Representatives and Senators,
    In recent years, we have had within the federal government some rather extreme differences of opinion on the responsibilities of the federal government and how it should operate. Democrats and Republicans are at extreme odds in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In addition, the Republicans are at extreme odds with the Administration, represented by Pres. Obama. Various terms, such as liberals, conservatives capitalists, communists, and socialists, are bandied about. In many cases, there seems to be no understanding of what these terms mean. We also have the case, where Pres. Obama has not declared himself with any particular designation, but has consistently claimed only that he is for change. He has also been consistent in applying governmental regulations consistent with change.
    It Is my intention in this writing to perhaps shed some light on the ideological beliefs of individual and group, through understanding the definitions of various political and economic terms. I concentrate on beliefs, because they are the controlling factors that lead to action.
    For starters, I will say that I am a liberal. With that statement, many will immediately also classify me as a Democrat, Communist, or Socialist. However, that is not the case.

LIBERALISM
     WordNet has two definitions for liberalism; a political orientation that favors social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution; and an economic theory advocating free competition and a self-regulating market. Many will jump on that to say that it sounds like capitalism.

CAPITALISM    WordNet says capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of capital. Well then, since I am a believer in private ownership of capital, it appears that my political and economic orientation is both liberal and capitalistic. With that orientation, I would obviously want my government run on the basis of private ownership of capital, reform by changing laws, in a society of free competition and a self-regulating market.

SOCIALISM    But what if I thought I was a socialist? WordNet says socialism is an economic system based on state ownership of capital. Since I believe in private ownership of capital, I obviously can't be a socialist.

COMMUNISM    What if I thought I was a communist? WordNet says communism is a form of socialism that abolishes private ownership and favors collectivism in a classless society. I don't understand "collectivism", so we check WordNet, which says it is a political theory that the people should own the means of production. Since I believe in private ownership of capital, I can't be a communist. I also don't understand "classless society". WordNet has no definition, so we go to Merriam-Webster. It doesn't define classless society, but does consider "classless" as not grouping people according to their social or economic level. This appears to mean that in Communism there are no well educated persons versus poorly educated persons nor rich persons versus poor persons. Again, since I believe educational level is based upon effort, which is variable among people, and also that persons should have an opportunity to become rich through their own efforts, I obviously can't be a communist.

    Notice that I have covered only liberalism, capitalism, socialism, and communism. I have up to now dodged the basic discord in the federal government, which involves conflict between Republicans, Democrats, and a basically non-defining President. We might then try to get some definitions for those groups to see how they might fit into any of our previously considered groups.

REPUBLICAN    WordNet says a Republican is a member of the Republican Party, but a republican (note lowercase) is also an advocate of a republic, which is a form of government. But, what is a republic? WordNet says that a republic is a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
   
DEMOCRAT
     WordNet says a Democrat is a member of the Democratic Party and an advocate of democratic principles. But what are "democratic principles"?. WordNet has nothing to say on that, but Democracy Web says . The rule of law could be defined as the subjugation of state power to a country's constitution and laws, which had been established or adopted through popular consent. The rule of law is the supreme check on political power used against people's rights. Without the regulation of state power by a system of laws, procedures, and courts, democracy could not survive. Law should be supreme to the capricious authority of any individual.


        Well, that is a surprise. Here I am; now a Republican AND a Democrat, because I believe in "supreme power lying in the body of citizens who can elect people to represent them " and also "constitutional limits on power with adherence to the rule of law".
        But if US Republicans and US Democrats, have the same beliefs as the definitions, why are they at each other's throats? Perhaps it is because one or the other has changed its beliefs so that. It no longer conforms to the definition.

CHANGED REPUBLICANS?    Is it the Republicans who have changed?. It doesn't seem so. By their actions, they still seem to believe that "the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them". This translated means that the citizens hold the power and elect House Representatives and Senators to represent them. The Republicans do not seem to be doing a masterful job in representing the citizens, as they feather their nests for reelection, but it is an extremely difficult job, because of large divisions  in the desires of the citizens themselves.

CHANGED IT DEMOCRATS?     Is it the Democrats who have changed? It seems that it might be. By definition, they are supposed to advocate democratic principles, which are intimately tied into the rule of law. Remember also it is said that democracy could not survive without the regulation of state power by a system of laws, procedures, and courts. The definition also said that law should be supreme to the capricious authority of any individual. As we look at the actions of Democrats, we see that they apparently turn a blind eye toward the Obama Administration's lack of law enforcement, such as immigration control. They similarly turn a blind eye toward Obama's various executive orders, the latest of which is forcing expenditure of taxpayer funds for protection against climate change and for which Congress has shown no similar agreement.

SUMMARY
     In summary, it appears that Democrats have changed their beliefs and actions over many years to arrive at a position which is now inconsistent with the original definition of a Democrat. In fact, the record shows that Democrats have moved toward an economic system based on state ownership of capital (Socialism) and abolishment of private ownership and the favoring of collectivism in a classless society (Communism).