Raised a democrat by intelligent and educated parents and an admirer of Roosevelt from almost infancy. Didn't despise Republicans, just considered them misquided. Thought Ike was plausible, but didn't know of his foreign adventures -- no one else did either. But when I saw Nixon's Checkers speech I was so offended that I became an instant opponent of the Republicans. (Joe McCarthy had already given me a push in that direction. Is it my imagination or does Ted Cruz bring McCarthy to mind?) The more I learned about the Republicans the more I disliked them. There is a dark context to this -- some people wouldn't put a Lincoln stamp on an envelope. (Yes deep and irredeemable South.) With time my instinctive aversion to Republicans became deep contempt, especially after and during the civil right movement and Nixon's Southern Strategy. Nixon, poisoner of the well. With time I realized that there wasn't that much difference between the two parties. Gore Vidal was right when he said there was only one party in the US -- the party of property. But for many years it has been clear that the Democrats were the lesser evil. They remain the party of lesser evil but as a representative of the plurality of Americans they have lost their way. Democratic politicians now have only one client: their own reelection and the advancement of their own interests. Below is my resignation as a Democrat.
Dear Democrats
Please don’t send me any more emails or requests for contributions. I’ve had it with you all. I thought it would be difficult to despise Democrats as much as I detest Republicans but as a party you have managed to reach that extremely low level with me.
This is not just for your ineptitude in the 2014 midterms. It is more for general incompetence and cowardice. And perhaps for some organizational incompetence and lack of discipline.
In 2008 you had complete control of Congress — the opportuity of a lifetime. You could have outlawed gerrymandering, rationalized the nation’s electoral system, implemented immigration reform, reformed the tax system (this list could go on for hours)… instead you labored mightily and brought forth a mouse —the Affordable Care Act — a horse designed by a committee — or a camel. Even on that you came within a whisker of blowing it, with the death of Ted Kennedy. Part of this is of course due to the treachery of the Republicans who preyed on your naivite to delay action by pretending some cooperation. You did not have the guts to do a public option — or enroll the country in Medicare. Shame.
Your continuous underestimation of the Republicans is distressing and dangerous. These people are vicious and would cut your balls off at the first opportunity — as they have done in the states since 2010 where your fecklessness enabled the fascist viirus. Innocent citizens cannot depend on you to defend their riights to abortion and, astoundingly, the right to vote. You have stood by passively while the right wing demonized Obama and Obamacare. You let the repubtilians paralyze the government, sabotage the economy and then blame it on you. Talk about a schmuck. You didn’t even contest the field. With the resources of the government you could have mailed every citizen in the country a comic book explaining Obamacare. Then in the election you put your tail between your legs and let the fascists whip you. Incredible: your senate candidate in Kentucky would not even admit she had voted for Obama. It is difficult not to conclude that you got what you deserved. Until you develop the killer instict the American people are at the mercy of the fascists.
With control of the Senate for 6 years you have managed (or not managed) to leave 64 judgeships unfilled for the Republicans to obstruct in the new Congress. Congratulations on your ineptitude. Now you will undoubtedly make nice with your enemies to the death when you should repay them with the same coin they have dealt you in the last Congress. How utterly depressing that you are the only alternative to the fascists.
By your behavior you make a powerful argument for term limits. Then your cowardly members
would not have to compromise their integrity (if any) to get reelected.
The reluctance of your members to take stands on any controversial issue carries over to California, where, wtih a super majority the legislature refused to address Prop 13 or do anything to cut the balls off the Republicans.
In short, that’s it between us. You are not worth the grief. You are just as corrupt as the Republicans and just as much the whores for money and corporations.
Junius