Why I am a Democrat. . .courtesy of . . . .
From www.trial lawyer's diary, posted on Daily Kos, March 23, 2006
I'm a Democrat because we've elected Jim Hightower, Ralph Yarbourough, Howard Dean, Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Paul Wellstone, Jimmy Carter, LBJ, JFK, FDR, and Thomas freakin' Jefferson, all with Ds next to their name.
It's my party because it doesn't put a barrier on your membership based upon your social views. It only asks whether you are committed to making this country better than it was yesterday, for ALL Americans.
It's my party because it understands that the tools of government can be used to solve problems, rather than create them; serve people in need, instead of watch them drown in flood waters from a hurricane; use restraint in our relations with our global neighbors, rather than ignore their viewpoint.
There have been times I've been proud of my members of party, like when John Kerry voted against the first Gulf War in 1991; and ashamed by my party, like when John Kerry voted for the invasion of Iraq a little more than ten years later.
I love my party because we bitch and moan about what's wrong, and we dig into to try and fix what's right. We are proud to be Democrats, even in years when we've gotten our ass handed to us in elections (anybody remember Mondale/Ferraro?).
I love my party because it's not based on hate or fear, but on the promise of hope.
And I love my party because I know that it can and will change, even if it takes 30 years.
I don't get that from Republicans. I've grown up in an era that began to embrace Goldwater conservatism in favor of neocon nuttiness.
And while I disagree with the stances my party's leaders take in Congress, and I wish they would stand up more and more frequently than they do, I am behind them right now:
BECAUSE I'M ALL THEY GOT.
So I'm willing to help stop the bleeding this year, and in '08, and from every election until I die or until we get our majority back. All the while, I'm going to fight for progressism.
But I'm not going to abandon them only because they're a little slow on the uptake.
Remember the immortal words of Will Rogers:
"I don't belong to an organized party. I'm a Democrat."
I'm a Democrat because we've elected Jim Hightower, Ralph Yarbourough, Howard Dean, Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Paul Wellstone, Jimmy Carter, LBJ, JFK, FDR, and Thomas freakin' Jefferson, all with Ds next to their name.
It's my party because it doesn't put a barrier on your membership based upon your social views. It only asks whether you are committed to making this country better than it was yesterday, for ALL Americans.
It's my party because it understands that the tools of government can be used to solve problems, rather than create them; serve people in need, instead of watch them drown in flood waters from a hurricane; use restraint in our relations with our global neighbors, rather than ignore their viewpoint.
There have been times I've been proud of my members of party, like when John Kerry voted against the first Gulf War in 1991; and ashamed by my party, like when John Kerry voted for the invasion of Iraq a little more than ten years later.
I love my party because we bitch and moan about what's wrong, and we dig into to try and fix what's right. We are proud to be Democrats, even in years when we've gotten our ass handed to us in elections (anybody remember Mondale/Ferraro?).
I love my party because it's not based on hate or fear, but on the promise of hope.
And I love my party because I know that it can and will change, even if it takes 30 years.
I don't get that from Republicans. I've grown up in an era that began to embrace Goldwater conservatism in favor of neocon nuttiness.
And while I disagree with the stances my party's leaders take in Congress, and I wish they would stand up more and more frequently than they do, I am behind them right now:
BECAUSE I'M ALL THEY GOT.
So I'm willing to help stop the bleeding this year, and in '08, and from every election until I die or until we get our majority back. All the while, I'm going to fight for progressism.
But I'm not going to abandon them only because they're a little slow on the uptake.
Remember the immortal words of Will Rogers:
"I don't belong to an organized party. I'm a Democrat."
posted by Paschal Baute at 10:19 PM
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