Why are you a Democrat? (poll)

There's been a lot of disappointment and contempt with the Democrats in Congress not being able to end the war, and at them, for being ineffectual in getting Bush to clean up the justice department.

But there's a huge difference between Democrats and Republicans and always have been and always will be.

Bottom line is, as they say here, in Texas, "you can't negotiate with a skunk, he's going to do what he's going to do, and he'll probably stink up the place and you with it."

New England native George W. Bush did not say that.

But I'm proud to be a Democrat. I'm proud of the WPA and how Roosevelt gave meaningful work to those who needed it in the depression.

I'm proud of how Truman faced down the military megla-maniac McArthur (and to this day, he still has the all-time lowest approval ratings in history.)

I'm proud of Kennedy's call for a commitment to public service, and LBJ's continuing his legacy with Civil Rights and establishing his own with the War on Poverty, including Medicare and Head Start.

Jimmy Carter returned integrity to the country and refused to bomb the hell out of Iran and paid the ultimate price for it. Along the way, he established the U.S. as the leader in Human Rights.

Bill Clinton passed the Brady bill and Family Leave Act and brought the first balanced budget to the country in a generation, and along the way, reduced crime, and closed the wealth gap between minorities and whites.
College graduation rates grew under Clinton. Clinton preserved more National Parks land than any president since TR, and Gore had a true forum  for climate change under Clinton.

So, right now, while Pelosi and Reid, grapple with what to with a sliver of a majority,  and the worst president in history who knows no shame, we should not be ashamed or apologetic, if all of the promise of 2006 has not been fully fulfilled in 2007.

But know that history is on our side.