However, regardless of reality, the Republican Party is still touting themselves as 'small government'. Their supporters, too, are unironically proclaiming their party to be for 'small government' even as Republican Governors around the country, despite lip service to local governance, are proving themselves the very opposite of advocates of small, local government.
By now, you might have heard of the North Carolina Bill (House Bill 2) that just passed through the house that would deny Charlotte (or any other locality) the right to pass their own ordinances. Yes, you read that correctly. A local, self-elected government does not have the permission of the state legislative (mostly Republican) to govern itself. That's small government for you, guys. And what led a supposed 'small government' legislative to take such means? Well, trans people might use bathrooms that don't correspond to their genitalia and then - well, all hell would break loose.
When it comes to moral panic, religiosity, irrational fear of outsiders, or moral decay, the GOP proves itself as enthusiastic in halting local autonomy right in its tracks and asserting itself as moral and legal authority. It doesn't matter that a democratically elected government in Charlotte decided to take a more progressive stance on public cubicles designed to relieve oneself. State government knows best. This is exactly no different than when Democrats in Washington DC violate the rights of the State. But 'moral panic' about men defiling girls in bathrooms (which, btw they could do anyway) blurs vision and liberty and autonomy goes right out the window.In another case, the Indiana-style 'Religious Freedom' bill in Georgia wrapped up in the idea of 'religious liberty' and 'private ownership rights' is nothing more than State-sanctioned discrimination against LGBT people. While it sounds very reasonable to allow private business owners to decide who they will and will not serve (I agree, for what it is worth), when you write a bill to this effect and then exempt almost every group of people from religious discrimination except LGBT, then you are masking bigotry in religion. You either believe a business can discriminate or you don't. If you do, then it should apply universally. If you do not, then that should also apply universally.
Most troubling, perhaps, is the story this morning out of Indiana where a particularly upsetting anti-abortion bill as not only passed but been signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence. HEA 1337, supposedly designed to 'protect' women and their fetuses is a horribly written bill with unintended consequences. I recommend anyone interested to read the bill as well as the commentary surrounding it, but for the purposes of this point, I'd like to draw attention to three issues.
1) Healthcare facilities with possession of miscarried or aborted tissue must bury or cremate them. Why? What, exactly, does this have to do with the state government? Let's call this what it is. An attempt by the government to assign 'personhood' to these tissues and fetuses. Moreover, it challenges any attempts to turn that medical waste into research for the medical community. There is no purpose for this but petulance. And petulance is no reason to pass a law. Not if you are for limited government.
2) One cannot abort in the case of disability. Personally, I find aborting for minor disability to be repugnant. However, the unintended consequences of this are shocking and astounding. What if I'm pregnant with a baby who has Tay-Sachs? That child will be subjected to pain and torture and be lucky to live to three years old. What is inhumane, is a LAW that requires someone to give birth to that child and pay for the 'privilege' of watching that beloved baby suffer and die. It's draconian. On top of that, shouldn't such a decision be made between a woman and her doctor? A doctor who knows far more about medical disabilities than Mike Pence, correct?
3) Unnecessary Ultrasounds are now mandated. This one truly points out the hypocrisy of Republicans when it comes to 'limited government'. The same people who (rightly) point out that Federal health care and coverage laws violate the rights of the patient and doctor to act independently of the government, happily are writing MEDICAL mandates for every woman in the state. How is it different to tell a doctor they must do a particular medical procedure, despite their medical opinion that it is unnecessary, from telling doctors what kind of end of life care you can give to save the state money? Both are moronic. Doctors should make decisions about medical care. Only Doctors. If a doctor believes he or she needs an ultrasound, he or she will do one. Your opinion is not desired or required. Trying to shame women into making the choice you want them to is not your job. It is no different than trying to ban oversized soft drinks to force people to follow a government mandated calorie ration.
Liberty minded Republicans: WAKE UP! These people don't care about small government at all. They might be more (slightly) fiscally responsible than Democrats, but they are equally as hostile to free people making choices without their input as any leftist.
Whether you support or oppose the right to choose, you can't make your stance on government change to fit your personal opinions. Government has the right to dictate your healthcare, violate your local laws, and single out groups of people for discrimination or it does not. There is no changing the role of government to fit your purposes. There is no brutalizing one group you don't like and then acting offended when you are brutalized by the same kind of power when someone else is in charge. Liberty is liberty. Small government is small government. And neither the GOP nor the Dems care about either. It's time to recognize that.
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