Letter: Know what you are voting for

Many people seem to vote against their best interests. Perhaps they don’t know what each political party currently stands for.

Democrats believe that individuals are collectively responsible for the welfare of the entire community, which entails higher taxes and bigger government. Most Democrats promote free choice regarding abortion, affirmative action, gun regulation, more social programs, government health insurance, separation of church and state, no death penalty, a regulated market, unions and more labor laws, more environmental protection, the consensus of science, and action to mitigate global warming.

Republicans believe that individuals are responsible for themselves, and that the community benefits from the efforts of individuals acting in their own interests, which entails lower taxes and smaller government. Most Republicans promote no free choice regarding abortion; no affirmative action, no gun regulation, fewer social programs, no government health insurance, no separation of church and state, the death penalty, an unregulated market, no unions and reduced labor laws, less environmental protection, distrust in scientific consensus, and no action to mitigate global warming.

Please vote, but please understand what you are voting for.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 1:08 AM with the headline "Letter: Know what you are voting for."