We are the party of Hope, They are the party of fear

In discussions about what are Democratic values or the politics of principles differentiation, there is often a lack of a simple sound bite to the arguments. I believe the core value shared by all Americans can be reflect in one phrase: "We are the Party of Hope, they are the party of fear"

In every situation that you can image, this has never been more true today than at any other time in the last few decades. Progressivism, liberarian Democrat, liberal, whatever you call yourself, you believe automatically that the world can better. To use the words of one of party of fear, you believe that there can yet be morning in America.  Not a dark cloudy morning that makes you want to stay in under the covers cowering from your fellow Americans, but, instead, one full of sunlight where by we are all part of the American dream- from the rich man to the poor man. From the straight to the gay one. From men to women. From black to white. From atheist to Chrisitan.

We are the party of hope because we believe that each person has an inalienable right to not only survive, but to also thrive. They are the party of fear because they would have most of us to merely survive.

In life situation, after life situation, this is true:

a. Where I am, someone paying for the direct cost of health insurance will pay a minimum of 300 dollars. We are the party of hope because we believe that we can make this situation better for Americans. Not simply through govt action, but trying to find ways to respect people's dignity. So perhaps govt, perhaps some combination of govt and private, perhaps govt at the state level through block grants. The point is we understand that if people are worried about dying, they can't be concerned with living. There can be no respect if one can not afford health insurance. Can be no time to believe or not believe in God if one is unable to figure out how to pay for it. There can be only what the party of fear wants- for us to be afraid, for us to need them. The party of hope wants people to have the freedom to be able to pursue something more than mere survival. If there is more than survival- then they can go to a point where there is hope to do more under the American dream.

b) We are the party of hope because we believe all men and women are created equal whether under God or by nature. We believe that there is hope in the idea that all men and women, straight or gay, black or white, rich or poor, are equal in their rights. That majority or minority, they will not have to spend one day fearing the power of another group to end their existence as is the case in countries like Iran. Denying equal protection to one, denies it eventually to us all because the arguments used against one by the party of fear, can be used against all.

c) We are the party of hope because we believe that the geneva convention protects us as much as it protects them. That islamofascism must be stopped isn't the issue. The issue is whether we will surrender our humanity in the pursuit of life, or whether we obtain life by keeping our humanity? The party of fear thinks we will do it through Abu or Guantanomo. There are no guarantees that in pursuing human rights we will save lives, but unlike their approach, the approach of fear, there is a chance.

d) we are the party of hope, they are the party of fear, because they see the economy despite their rhectoric as a zero sum game where there is a finite pie which only the most wealthy should enjoy. This hope does't deny people like Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey the fruits of their busiiness acumen, it instead, says that in a society where there are winners and losers- we will not let the harshest parts of this device destroy us. We will make certain that there are no real losers. It is a false dichotomy to say that in order to have a Bill Gates one must have the homeless. It's false believe to think that in order to have a Warren Buffet one must have the working poor. We are the party of hope because we believe that both can thrive rather than one thrive, and the other barely survive.

e) We are the party of hope because we are the party of true freedom. Not freedom based on the rhectoric of fear whereby freedom comes at the end of a gun, or for nostalgia for a 1950s reality that never existed. We believe that faith in God can only come from the individual- not from the state. If it comes from the state- it can not be real faith. Each man or woman must decide for him or her self whether they believe or don't believe. What they believe or don't believe. To do otherwise, is to sully the nature of God- which is about the divine - above the pettiness of man. In this way, hope is about secularism b/c this says that the evangelical traditional values person can live next to the atheist in a community and still find common ground. The party of fear would divide us by telling us we have nothing in common. But this isn't true.

f) They are the party of death, we are the party of life. Reproductive choice isn't about dying- its about what kind of lives we are living. I know there are those who will argue the semantics, but the core truth is that we want freedom and responsbility. One without the other is meaningless. Hope is about both freedom and responsibility. We believe that with rights- for the most part both should be left up to the individual. The party of fear- is afraid our us making choices. That our choosing when to end our lives as Terri Shiavo choose means that we don't cherish life. but, they are wrong. We cherrish life more intensely because freedom and responsibility are about a constant yearning and questioning about what life really is? Being unafraid of risking that we might get it wrong. Being unafraid to admit when we did get it wrong. Bush is big on his freedoms. But as Katrina showed his party's idealogy is not big on figuring out how to take responsibility for those things that go wrong. Hope in Katrina comes from saying never again in our society will we let them happen. Not from denial. Not from freedom to pretend nothing ever happened. Hope comes from responsibility for our mistakes so that it can give us resolve for our future successes. To help us cherish them even more.

There are many other ways in which we are the party of hope, and they are the party of fear- from Iraq to freedom of speech to voting to faith that with facts and wisdom we can each make our own decisions for ourselves. That we can know about evolution and believe there is a God. That we can understand Global warming and still see there are many possible solutions. that we can only have true security by not fearing the 'other' around us, but by figuring out what ways we can truly be secure in our bodies, our skin, our faith, our communities, our society, our country and our world. There way is anti-hope. THe fear of what can destroy rather than what can create. We don't want the nanny state- but we also don't want the nanny private sector either. We are the party of hope, because are the party of many voices.

•  Is it fear or hate?

  I've been thinking about things lately along similar lines, but the theme in my head was that the republicans are about hate. Sure, they use fear with the constant drumbeat of a war on terror, but to me their overall agenda comes down to hate.

  This came to mind when they whipped their agenda into a frenzy lately with flag burning, gay marriage, etc. I thought to myself, "which of the things republicans support don't require citizens to hate thier fellow citizens?"

  With gay marriage, it's obvious, and God knows they won't pull any punches when talking about liberals. But there are other, less noticed examples. When republicans talk about "tort reform," they huff and puff about frivolous lawsuits and runaway juries. That means they're asking citizens to hate ordinary folks who are injured and the ordinary folks who serve on juries.

  With the new bankruptcy law, they went on and on about "irresponsible" citizens and how those citizens were hurting the Americans who "work hard." So, let's hate the people who are broke because they're hurting us.

  They say health care costs are out of control because some citizens go to the doctor too often. Their poor choices hurt me, republicans say.

  Everything about the republican agenda is about getting us to hate each other.

  Now, I'm not taking issue with your diary at all. You just prompted me to write down what's been in my head lately.

  by VetGrl on Sun Jul 09, 2006 at 10:12:57 AM PDT

  •  hate is what comes after fear

    I don't think they care one way or another if you hate a group or not. They want you to be afraid. Their electoral strategy depends on it. Afraid of terrorism. Afraid that someone will get more than you. Afraid that more socialized medicine will mean you won't get a doctor ontime. Etc. Groups are one wedge issue, but there are others as well. IN a way fear is more visceral than hate. Hate you feel sometimes, but fear- you feel all the time even when you are not confronted with it.

    by bruh1 on Sun Jul 09, 2006 at 10:28:30 AM PDT

•  Daily Progressive Beacon had this all in Roves

  words. "We will win in 06 on Terror alone"

  by dale peters on Sun Jul 09, 2006 at 10:44:52 AM PDT

•  Conservatism Is The Ultimate Form Of....

  defeatism. While conservatives deride liberals for our "Utopian fantasies", they are the ones who have given up on humanity. "Everyone for themselves" seems to be their mantra, while liberals believe if we work together we can come so much closer to a "Utopian" society. Now dont get me wrong, Utopia probably isnt achievable, but damn if society can't get a hell of a lot closer than we are now. And the kicker is it would require very little sacrifice from the conservatives. Seriously, what would they have to give up? A few percentage points of their income??

  The only form of hope conservatism provides is the most perverted form of hope there is. I call it the "lottery mentality". That somehow, against all logic and reason, YOU will be the one to break out of the poor or middle class and join the ruling class.

  by sarasson007 on Sun Jul 09, 2006 at 11:50:40 AM PDT