The Republican and Democratic Parties have been battling for over a century over ideology, policy and power within The United States. Both of the major political parties like to poke holes within each other's proposals and bicker over who is right. But what happens when the positions on both sides are contradictory? Each side will bash the other side’s agenda while accidentally pointing out the flaws in their own.

The Gun Control-Marijuana Legalization Contradiction

Since the War on Drugs has begun, Republicans have called for more restrictions on drugs and harsher penalties for the people that use them. Liberals have branded the War on Drugs, especially marijuana, as a joke in recent years and have called for the end of the four-decade-old war. Democrats believe that whether the drug is legal or not, people will continue to use and sell the substance. They claim that laws don’t dictate human behavior and that it’s impossible to legislate drugs out of our society. Where is that logic when it comes to guns? Every time there is a mass shooting, Democrats call for more gun control and say guns are the source of the problem. However, they fail to realize that the more they ban guns, the more they ramp up the black market for them. Regardless of the law, like drugs, people will obtain what they want one way or another. While conservatives shout, “Gun laws don’t work,” liberals are shouting the same thing about marijuana and/or drugs, which leaves voters scratching their heads. Chicago has the most restrictive gun laws in America, accommodated by high gun violence rates. While their liberal-supported gun laws aren’t working, the conservative's drug war has led to nothing but the world’s highest incarceration rate and over a trillion dollars down the drain.

The MLK-JFK Contradiction

Republicans often champion civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., as one of their own and tout his accomplishments. While King was a registered Republican, Democrats will often point out that the parties ideology has changed throughout time. This implies that by modern day standards, MLK would be a part of the Democratic Party. King advocated for equality and peace, which is mostly associated with modern day Democrats. Nevertheless, this doesn’t change the fact that liberals have taken credit for some famous people that wouldn’t follow their modern day ideology. John F. Kennedy called for lowering taxes in many cases and told Americans, “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Kennedy wanted citizens to rely less on the government while supporting free trade. Grover Cleveland, who has been ranked very effective by historians, was a Democrat in the 1800s, but also supported free trade, was against government regulation, and reduced the size of the federal government. Each political party has the technicality to “claim” these people, but both parties also follow a completely different philosophy and ideology than they did in the past.

The two parties that rule America find too many contradictions within themselves. Republicans claim they advocate for a smaller government but want to tell you what you can and can’t do when it comes to sex, marriage, abortion and language. Democrats tell us they are pro-choice, but that label doesn’t apply when it comes to unions, guns, large sodas and other drugs. It’s important to understand that these parties and politicians will say anything to obtain power. Which liberties are you willing to give up?