Republican Party needs to adapt and work for greater good – or become a relic

Posted 2 November 2020 at 9:51 am

Editor:

To my fellow residents of Orleans County, I personally believe that much of the political divide that exists in our country today arises more from misunderstanding than anything else.

The word socialism is often tossed around in our area as a slur by many Conservative voters and it seems as if they do not understand the effect that socialist ideals and practices have had on our county/country.

It is not controversial to imply that Orleans County is one of the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas in Upstate New York and that the vast majority of us residents rely on inherently socialist systems to make our daily lives possible.

The vast majority of Orleans County residents depend on public schools as a means for their children to obtain an education and climb the socioeconomic ladder, but in a completely capitalist, “free market” America, public schools would likely not have the funding to exist, leaving many children in our community without the opportunity to chase their dreams, or even pay their bills.

Many of our elders in Orleans County depend on Social Security to live independently after retirement, even if they do not have enough money saved on their own to do so (yes, I understand that each member pays into SS over the years, but it is still an inherently socialist program).

How many of you, or a loved one, have ever collected Unemployment or Workers’ Comp during hard times? Well, both of these programs are also deeply rooted in socialist philosophy and practice. To clarify, I am not advocating for a completely socialist society, but it seems ignorant for many of you to denounce socialism when it has most likely had a profoundly positive impact on your life or the lives of loved ones.

It is also not controversial to imply that sometimes, Orleans County becomes a little too disconnected from the trends and changing values of the majority of the United States. Statistics show that the Republican Party just does not align with the values of younger generations of voters overall and this is not by accident.

The Republican Party is a relic at this point and if it ever hopes to gain support from more open-minded and ethnically diverse young people, I personally believe it must adopt policies that support the utilitarian good of all, rather than just capitalizing on fear and misinformation to manipulate poor white people into supporting madmen like Donald Trump, who only act with self-interest in mind. You can read this and shrug my opinions off, but the writing is on the wall.

To my fellow citizens of Orleans County, either we adapt or we die, both spiritually and economically. To quote both Theodore Parker and later Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Either we can come together as a community and advocate for justice ourselves, or justice will eventually overcome anyway, whether you like it or not. Would you rather have your legacy be on the right or wrong side of history? The choice is up to you.

Also, do not forget to vote for Nate McMurray for Congress, a true American who advocates for liberty and justice for all.

Eric Neace, Jr.

Lyndonville