South Park Republicans

Tech Central Station ^

[bikepacker67]

Picture a typical Republican. Perhaps you see images of George Bush, John Ashcroft, Ronald Reagan, or maybe even Alex P. Keaton. Basically, many people think Republicans are a bunch of stodgy white guys with money.

Times are changing. The Republican A-list now includes Colin Powell, Christie Whitman, J.C. Watts, and Condoleeza Rice. Women and minorities have been making great strides in the party, but they generally dress, talk, and act like their predecessors. You are more likely to find them at a formal reception than a rock concert.

If Republicans are so different from mainstream America, then who voted for them? The nation has more Republican congressmen and state governors than any other political party, plus control of the White House. There are not enough Alex P. Keatons to account for these election results. Our nation is among the most diverse on earth. Half of the voters are women, a quarter are minorities. There are millions of union workers, retirees, immigrants, government workers, customer service employees, and individuals in low paying jobs, unemployed or on some form of public assistance. All of these groups are expected to lean left. Surely, the stodgy, affluent, religious white guys are outnumbered in the electorate by a huge margin. Yet Republicans candidates still do well. How is that possible?

The answer could very well be the "South Park Republicans." The name stems from the primetime cartoon "South Park" that clearly demonstrates the contrast within the party. The show is widely condemned by some moralists, including members of the Christian right. Yet in spite of its coarse language and base humor, the show persuasively communicates the Republican position on many issues, including hate crime legislation ("a savage hypocrisy"), radical environmentalism, and rampant litigation by ambitious trial lawyers. In one episode, industrious gnomes pick apart myopic anti-corporate rhetoric and teach the main characters about the benefits of capitalism.

South Park Republicans are true Republicans, though they do not look or act like Pat Robertson. They believe in liberty, not conformity. They can enjoy watching The Sopranos even if they are New Jersey Italians. They can appreciate the tight abs of Britney Spears or Brad Pitt without worrying about the nation's decaying moral fiber. They strongly believe in liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, and free markets. However, they do not live by the edicts of political correctness.

The South Park Republicans are an incredibly diverse group encompassing a variety of nontraditional conservatives, such as the Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bruce Willis supported Republicans because of their commitment to lower taxes and fiscal discipline. Rap artist and movie actor LL Cool J recently endorsed NY governor George Pataki.

The most important South Park Republicans are not famous. They are the millions of people of every age, race, sex, and religion that generally agree that government spending is usually not the best way to deal with the nation's problems. Many of these individuals can tell you why Ayn Rand should displace some other authors in high school literature classes. They know firsthand from endless hours at the DMV, at the post office, and preparing income tax forms that government wastes time and money. They know a nation cannot tax its way to greatness.

If he were alive today, John F. Kennedy could very well be a South Park Republican. He rightly proclaimed, "An economy hampered by restrictive tax rates will never produce enough revenues to balance our budget-just as it will never produce enough jobs or profits." You read that right. JFK was a supply-side tax cutter. His alleged private exploits would place him squarely within the South Park wing of the Republican Party.

Sound farfetched? There have been many Democrats that changed parties. Ronald Reagan, Senator Phil Gramm, and Mayor Mike Bloomberg were all once Democrats that became Republicans. The Democratic Party moved left, and the people that stood in the same place increasingly found their views shared by the elephants of the GOP. But not all elephants belong in the same herd. Pat Buchanan pushes a Christian/protectionist agenda that has absolutely nothing in common with the Libertarian folks who support free trade and complete separation of church and state. Depending on whom you ask, "Conservative" can mean smaller government of lower hemlines. (Hint: South Park Republicans are more likely to get Cosmo than the Weekly Standard.)

The South Park Republicans are not new, though they may now be more vocal. The party finally seems willing to embrace members that listen to the hard rock and rap music long denounced by the old guard. Heck, even vegetarians are welcome.

The media generally misrepresents Republicans as religious rich white males. This is patently false. Half of the voting public is Republican. They watch R rated movies, enjoy a few drinks at happy hour, and even go to the occasional Wrestlemania. Hopefully, the South Park Republicans will shatter the unfair stereotype and set the record straight. As Cartman would say, "That would be pretty sweet."

[Primetimedonna]

Congrats on dodging the bullet!!

Hopefully things are going better for you now in the girl friend department!?!!

[smith288]

[OregonRepublican]

I consider myself a south park republican

-Im 20 years old
-dont go to church but believe in god, but havent read the whole bible
-Listen to hard rock
-Go to rated R movies (when I do go if ever)
-I occisonaly cuss, but when i cuss I dont think im going to hell
- Im a college student
- I consider myself more conservative then most republicans including bush
- People like my aunt who will dispise you if you cuss in front of her or listen to hard rock (very christian) drives me nuts... and I find that a lot of these people are republicans but thats what you get for a "diverse" party.
- Im pro-life not from a religious point of view but from the view that the kid dosent choose to live or die.
- I hate the words "diversityyyy" "openmindness" and "tolerance"

[RockinRight]

Damn!

[smith288]

If you are banking on hoping she will get better AFTER marriage...dont get married...marriage is for when you are 100% happy with the person and who they are. Hedging your bets is not the way to a happy marriage. Just my opinion of course.

[HairOfTheDog]

My dad always said "Women marry men hoping they'll change... Men marry women hoping they won't."

heheh.

[Finny]

Then, I meet this other girl, who seems perfect-but-she lives in another state (think airplane distance, not driving) and she too has a boyfriend (who she complains is a liberal Bush-hater too...).

Clue her to Free Republic and get her to read this thread. I also find it heartwarming how many people here (and I'm one!) are trying to convince you that you're better off moving on from your vegetarian-except-for-chicken, Carter-lovin' fiance. I know, 27 seems old to you now ... but believe me, you're but a pup.

Your life's ahead of you -- don't look back unless you have to. She'll get over it.

[RockinRight]

My gf or my new friend?

[wolfpat]

That goes with Gallagher's contention that a woman looks at a man the same way she looks at a house: She doesn't see it for what it is now. She sees what it'll be when she's done with it.

[muir_redwoods]

"All South Park Republicans are, are young Republicans who have yet to settle down."

Maybe but I'm 55, have three kids and a house in the burbs and I identify with the term "South Park Republican". It's not too different from libertarian really

[Betis70]

>>Hopefully things are going better for you now in the girl friend department

In the Bay Area? Heh heh. Well yes and no. I now know how to (generally) avoid the political whackos, but that makes it tough to meet anyone around here. Haven't dated anyone worth getting serious with yet.

[RockinRight]

Maybe someone ought to put together a FreeRepublic dating site.

[Nataku X]

Someone suggested naming such a dating site "Freep for Keeps"...

[Finny]

Your new friend (sorry I didn't make that clear). Show her this website, and have her read all the warnings about marrying someone of opposite political views.

I third what some other posters have said about marrying someone you don't want to change. My first marriage, when I was about your age, I made the stupid mistake of thinking that I could change the guy I married. In retrospect, I realize that a) there was nothing wrong with him (!); b) I had no right to change him, and c) had he wanted to change me, I would have been outraged! So I had to ask myself, Who the hell did I think I was?

The problem was my lack of maturity, not his lack of *whatever* I thought at the time. The second time around, when I met the man I've been married to now for 16 years, I remember thinking, "He's got no emotional barbed wire, nothing I want to 'fix.'" It's been a good match so far!

[gaijin]

marking.

[Spyder]

All South Park Republicans are, are young Republicans who have yet to settle down.

Ruh roh... I'm a nearly 50yo and quite settled... The better half is 56, career Army, we have our requisite house in the suburbs and 2.5 children (.5 being the cat). We love South Park and vote (R) almost exclusively. How do we fit your theory?

[Spyder]

They had me rolling at the negroplastly/caucasoplasty (like Michael Jackson).

[Deetes]

Team America was great too. TAR ?

[Dick Vomer]

[rockrr]

All South Park Republicans are, are young Republicans who have yet to settle down.

That's me! (Except for the "young" part ;'}