The Democratic Party and It's Many Facets
Left? Right? Liberal? Conservative? Does anyone besides me see how broad the strokes are in this painting?
When I discuss politics with some of my Republican friends, they call me "left-wing" or "liberal". And you know what? There is NOTHING wrong with either term. And when I speak to some of my Democratic friends, they call me a "right-winger" or a "neo-con" or something. And today, I just stopped to ask myself why different people see me and my views so differently.
Am I a Democrat? Without a doubt. A dyed-in-the-wool Texas Yellow Dog Democrat!! A moniker that I have worn with pride my entire life. I love my party and it is THE party that best represents my views, feelings and that gives me the best answers to the problems of a VERY middle-class American that spent most of the last two years out of work. Luckily, that changed in April, and unlike many around the country, my job is extremely secure....and THAT is the kind of relaxing security that I wish for every American.
Am I a liberal or a conservative? That depends on which issue you are talking about I guess. Personally as I see the issues that really concern me, they are CATO'S issues.....not liberal OR conservative. It does appear, though, that using other peoples values to judge my own opinions, many of them would fall on one side of that fence or the other.
And that is the point of this post from me. I believe that the Democratic Party has ALWAYS been the party of INCLUSION! The BIG TENT Party, if you will. We do have some very conservative members, in some parts of the country. And some very liberal ones in other areas. When we have been successful in American politics, it has always been when we allowed ourselves to listen, study and discuss ALL sides of an issue and all OPINIONS of those discussions. We would fight, amongst ourselves, about platforms and candidates and which way the country should go on each and every issue. THIS is what has made the Democratic Party the biggest, most honest, and best prepared to lead the country into the future, and the world by example.
When we have chosen otherwise, the examples that come to mind relate to 1968 and the Chigago convention. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley wanted to strong arm the convention. Everything blew up from there on the inside. On the outside were protesters from both sides of the Vietnam War argument, and chaos became the lasting memory of a party disassembling itself, into a pile of carnage that lasted until 1992, for the most part.
AND for the most part, President Bill Clinton brought us together like no one since John F. Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy would have, but it was his assassination that was actually the opening for what insued in Chicago.
Political opinions are not only based on left and right. They are also based on geography. Take illegal immigration for instance. In many state that do not border Mexico to the south, the argument ranges from human rights to making it sound like border state Democrats are racists or are completely against "immigration". So much of the times, when they are arguing, the word "illegal" never comes up. Hey, my great-great-great grandparents were immigrants.
Without immigration, I would be neither an American or a Texan.....and just so you know....that would really suck!! But when you live like I do in Texas, you have to deal with the large amount of tax money we have to spend on, not just health care for the illegals, but having to place a specific percentage of "biligual" teachers in our schools so that we can accomidate people who really shouldn't be here at all. (OK, that is our take anyway).
On the other hand, I am a lifelong Southern Baptist who has a big brother and a son that are both Southern Baptist ministers. And although none of us actually favors abortion as a birth control method, we all agree that it is nothing that the government should get involved with. As a matter of fact, we believe that CHURCH, as well as home, is the PERFECT place to actually DISCUSS how to avoid abortions......not the State House or Washington. A woman's body is HER property. And no one has the right to tell her what she can or can't do with it. Not here where they want to REQUIRE abortions be stopped...or say China where they REQUIRE abortions in many instances to control population growth.
My point is that MOST of the really important issues facing America are nearly always the ones you can't label liberal or conservatives. They are simply....AMERICAN ISSUES! They are issues that require fairness...compassion...consideration for the least of us as well as the richest of us. And most of all those that require us as a nation, to realize that our government is supposed to be run BY THE PEOPLE! Not the corporations! Not the rich! Not the religious! Not the non-religious! But by the AMERICAN PEOPLE! And we need our representation in Washington D.C.......from ALL walks of life and all political persuations.....to start REPRESENTING and stop just proving to us just how STUPID they can really be! Listen to the people that put you there, or get the hell out of the way, and let REAL people take over and follow the lead of Our Founding Fathers.
The party of Thomas Jefferson and John F. Kennedy deserves nothing less than the best, truest, and most honorable representatives to walk the hallowed halls of the Capitol and The White House, for the purpose of doing the country's business. Not the business of special interests or even the party.
"Nothing can stop the man with right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." Thomas Jefferson
When I discuss politics with some of my Republican friends, they call me "left-wing" or "liberal". And you know what? There is NOTHING wrong with either term. And when I speak to some of my Democratic friends, they call me a "right-winger" or a "neo-con" or something. And today, I just stopped to ask myself why different people see me and my views so differently.
Am I a Democrat? Without a doubt. A dyed-in-the-wool Texas Yellow Dog Democrat!! A moniker that I have worn with pride my entire life. I love my party and it is THE party that best represents my views, feelings and that gives me the best answers to the problems of a VERY middle-class American that spent most of the last two years out of work. Luckily, that changed in April, and unlike many around the country, my job is extremely secure....and THAT is the kind of relaxing security that I wish for every American.
Am I a liberal or a conservative? That depends on which issue you are talking about I guess. Personally as I see the issues that really concern me, they are CATO'S issues.....not liberal OR conservative. It does appear, though, that using other peoples values to judge my own opinions, many of them would fall on one side of that fence or the other.
And that is the point of this post from me. I believe that the Democratic Party has ALWAYS been the party of INCLUSION! The BIG TENT Party, if you will. We do have some very conservative members, in some parts of the country. And some very liberal ones in other areas. When we have been successful in American politics, it has always been when we allowed ourselves to listen, study and discuss ALL sides of an issue and all OPINIONS of those discussions. We would fight, amongst ourselves, about platforms and candidates and which way the country should go on each and every issue. THIS is what has made the Democratic Party the biggest, most honest, and best prepared to lead the country into the future, and the world by example.
When we have chosen otherwise, the examples that come to mind relate to 1968 and the Chigago convention. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley wanted to strong arm the convention. Everything blew up from there on the inside. On the outside were protesters from both sides of the Vietnam War argument, and chaos became the lasting memory of a party disassembling itself, into a pile of carnage that lasted until 1992, for the most part.
AND for the most part, President Bill Clinton brought us together like no one since John F. Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy would have, but it was his assassination that was actually the opening for what insued in Chicago.
Political opinions are not only based on left and right. They are also based on geography. Take illegal immigration for instance. In many state that do not border Mexico to the south, the argument ranges from human rights to making it sound like border state Democrats are racists or are completely against "immigration". So much of the times, when they are arguing, the word "illegal" never comes up. Hey, my great-great-great grandparents were immigrants.
Without immigration, I would be neither an American or a Texan.....and just so you know....that would really suck!! But when you live like I do in Texas, you have to deal with the large amount of tax money we have to spend on, not just health care for the illegals, but having to place a specific percentage of "biligual" teachers in our schools so that we can accomidate people who really shouldn't be here at all. (OK, that is our take anyway).
On the other hand, I am a lifelong Southern Baptist who has a big brother and a son that are both Southern Baptist ministers. And although none of us actually favors abortion as a birth control method, we all agree that it is nothing that the government should get involved with. As a matter of fact, we believe that CHURCH, as well as home, is the PERFECT place to actually DISCUSS how to avoid abortions......not the State House or Washington. A woman's body is HER property. And no one has the right to tell her what she can or can't do with it. Not here where they want to REQUIRE abortions be stopped...or say China where they REQUIRE abortions in many instances to control population growth.
My point is that MOST of the really important issues facing America are nearly always the ones you can't label liberal or conservatives. They are simply....AMERICAN ISSUES! They are issues that require fairness...compassion...consideration for the least of us as well as the richest of us. And most of all those that require us as a nation, to realize that our government is supposed to be run BY THE PEOPLE! Not the corporations! Not the rich! Not the religious! Not the non-religious! But by the AMERICAN PEOPLE! And we need our representation in Washington D.C.......from ALL walks of life and all political persuations.....to start REPRESENTING and stop just proving to us just how STUPID they can really be! Listen to the people that put you there, or get the hell out of the way, and let REAL people take over and follow the lead of Our Founding Fathers.
The party of Thomas Jefferson and John F. Kennedy deserves nothing less than the best, truest, and most honorable representatives to walk the hallowed halls of the Capitol and The White House, for the purpose of doing the country's business. Not the business of special interests or even the party.
"Nothing can stop the man with right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." Thomas Jefferson
Currently, my perception of a Democrat or Republican is a person who believes they deserve to rule its people regardless of circumstances. I haven't met a politician I trust. Only person I truly have any faith in is myself... selfish as it may sound, as sad as it is true.
If you claim to be affiliated with a party, very little is asked regarding the basic views or opinions of their party, which seems as if nobody questions. If someone were to state pro-life as an important consideration, why not ask, "So you believe that government should control the thoughts and moral judgment by law?"
Democracy has always proven to be a failure in a relatively short amount of time, and though we are guaranteed a republican form of government, we aren't a Republic, but the doomed democracy that has always managed to bring forth tyranny to the detriment of the people.
Hitler (if you recall) was democratically elected.
Proud liberal American!
Great post.