Mormons do have larger then average teeth..it's true.

It's funny the preconceived notions we accept as fact without actually thinking about. Take for example my preconception when I meet a women at church and they have big overly blond hair and a long toothy smile, I assume "clearly this Mormon is from Utah." Like many assumptions some times my guess is right and some times its wrong....mostly on this account its right.

When it comes to politics both those on the left and the right make assumptions about their party and those of their opposition. By far two of the most popularly accepted doctrines about the Republicans and the Democrats is that Republicans want to limit government and are war mongers while Democrats are for larger government and peace around the world. I would venture to say that in reality we make these assumptions based not on actual fact or real research but on the word of others be it the media, friends, family or Hollywood.

An easy assumption that can quickly be put down is that the Republicans are the ones who support endless war and are constantly itching for a fight. In the 20th century however every major conflict the United States entered was entered with a Democrat in the presidency WWI, Woodrow Wilson, WWII, Franklin Roosevelt, Korea, Harry Truman, Vietnam, John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. The only actual "war" a Republican entered was the first Golf War under Bush 1. Sure Regan had the police actions in Panama and Granada but these hardly constituted wars. So what then of the assumption that wars are caused by the Republicans? Historically this simply is not true.

Like wise we are told that Republicans are advocates for low taxes and the free market. However it Was Richard Nixon that did away with the last vestiges of the Gold Standard in this country and it is Gorge W. Bush who has grown the size of government more the any of his predecessors. Not to mention Bush is the President we can look back on as the one who began the nationalization of banks, auto companies and from the looks of things the news paper industry.

For this and many other reasons is why party orthodoxy seems to be nothing more then a slick way to get us the people to keep our eyes on one ball while the real game ball is being moved without our ever realizing it's in play. The assumption that one party is all good and the other all bad is simply silly, they are both bad, and both infinitely corruptible. If we do not put aside our assumptions and look at the facts of who politicians acutely are then we will lose the America we know.