Lawrence Evans: GOP: ‘Guardians of Privilege’

Your readers send many letters expressing outrage at the Republicans in Congress and our legislature and pledging to vote against them. I hope they carry out those pledges. But the interesting question is, why do others vote to keep the Republicans in office?

If one asks them – average people, not rich donors who expect (and get) direct repayment through policies on taxes and regulations – why they support the GOP, one hears about “small government” or “fiscal responsibility” or “economic growth.” But the record of GOP control wherever it has it shows that the Republicans enlarge government and spending without restraint for things they want to do and usually lag far behind Democrats in promoting actual prosperity.

So what is it really that average GOP voters expect to get? I suggest it is preservation of their privileges, of which being born white (preferably male) and not into poverty are the important ones. The GOP also supports their disdain for those not born so lucky.

In my youth, Southern Democrats were openly for white supremacy. Today’s Republicans are more subtle: Supremacy is out, so they defend privilege. One might properly translate GOP as “Guardians of Privilege.”

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Lawrence Evans: GOP: ‘Guardians of Privilege’."