So, a short while ago, I wrote a post regarding Representative Jason Chaffetz’s blatant hypocrisy regarding his mantra against big government in community affairs while simultaneously using his power as a member of Congress (read “big government”) to try and overrule D.C.’s recent recognition of gay marriage.

Now, I am not stupid, I know that, in reality, Chaffetz is far more concerned with protecting people from the ookie gays than he ever was about keeping government out of our lives. Indeed, Chaffetz’s recent tweets show that he is citing the rules set forth in the Constitution to give him the right to do this. To be fair, Chaffetz is right – he is well within his rights to try and take down the DC Marriage Act – but the point that I feel fails to connect with Chaffetz and his supporters is that just because you can do something does not mean that it can’t still conflict with your core beliefs.  If you state that you are against big government and tout is as one of your core beliefs, you should not easily cast it aside because someone has done something you disagree with.

And this little action reflects the Republican Party on the whole.  Now, I can’t say what is in one persons mind and how they came to the decision that they did to act, but I can view a body of people, their words, and their actions. The systemic problem of saying one thing and doing another is tearing the Republican Party apart.  The examples are endless:

• Saying that they are anti-spending while racking up the largest deficit ever seen in our nations history.
• Saying that they want to spread freedom and liberty while supporting torture.
• Complaining about our failing schools while pushing for greater cuts in education.
• Running on pro-family platforms while cutting health care insurance to low income children.
• Stating pro-life platforms up to the point that the child is born then ignoring their needs through the rest of their life.
• Talking about the importance of God and Family but only if it is their God.

As I said, the list goes on and on (feel free to add some more in the comments).

Is it any wonder, then, that the Republican Party is lost and adrift? For the past eight years these contradictions compounded and became codified into policy.  The hypocrisy became less theory and more fact – to the point where the American people roundly rejected the party in the 2008 election.

And so, today, we find Republican relics who continue to expose just how flagrantly they disregard their core principals for what is politically expedient, and reaping the seeds they have sown – less relevance, less respect, and less power. So Representative Chaffetz, continue to disregard core principals, or at least fail to justify why you do what you do, it only weakens your party further. Remember, just because you can do something does not mean that you should.

P.S. Don’t write responses stating something along the lines of “well Democrats have done x, so your point is invalid.”  Of course Democrats have, that is not my point. My point is that hypocrisy is part of some peoples nature – and one that we have every right to judge people on.  I have noticed it more in the Republican party of late, and the American people are judging them accordingly.