I started writing for candidates in 2007 here at Daily Kos because I cared very passionately about who was going to be the Democratic Nominee for President, I also always knew regardless of who that person was, I would fight tooth and nail to see them be the next President. This was and never has been a question for me as a Democrat, even as my absolute disillusionment in the party grew and the steady march to the middle, and to the right continued forward. I knew that sticking with the Democratic party would mean an eventual tick to the left. No matter how flawed our two party system may seem, I am a believer that you work with what you’ve got.
And we’ve seen progress. Slow, maddeningly slow progress. The larger the movement, the more complicated and the more money involved, yes, the slower the movement will be. And we are talking about something huge here. And not only is moving people over to the left difficult and I believe that it’s not that we’re really moving anything to the left or right, it’s merely the PERCEPTION as such. Many of the things we fight for are not really radical at all, they’ve been painted as such in a very astute and successful war of words led by people like Frank Luntz and the well funded corporate media. These things have been poisoned for a reason. Universal healthcare, legalization of marijuana and hemp, sustainable energy and investment in our infrastructure, a humane public prison system with a far more reasonable and sane law structure, equality, a free and accissable internet, affordable higher education, etc. directly threaten the profitability of old money families that have funded elections for years. It is the establishment that is scared of change and they have lots of money to protect what has made them very comfortable. This isn’t a conspiracy, it’s just a fact.
This is how for years Republicans have managed to get millions of Americans to directly vote against their own best interests. It’s why many like me have sat down and held our heads and wondered, why? WHY? Why do people keep voting in those who would give tax cuts to those who make so much more than they do and subsidize large corporations rather than actually make it possible for the middle class to grow. It’s been shrinking for years, quantifiably disappearing.
I know many who feel that this progress has been far too slow. That we haven’t done enough. I feel this to the very heart of me as I look at my twelve year old daughter and wonder what her future holds. I see this as I worry about how will I be able to afford to send her to college? As I work so very hard and as I see my income rise, I realize that I STILL can’t afford to buy a home in the city where I live and that saving for retirement and my daughter’s College tuition is going to put me further from this goal.
But, I will still vote for a Democrat. I will be the one to hold them accountable and not only to push them further to the left, but to help erase that perception that the many things we stand for are actually quite centrist and reasonable things to want in developed and civilized society. These are the things we should DEMAND.
Your anger is justified, your disappointment is completely understandable. There have been so many betrayals and there continue to be. As we struggle to make ends meet, there is still much to be criticized and scrutinized. The TPP deal has alarmed many and for good reason. The total lack of transparency should have and was a huge red flag. And yet, I still support Democrats, because I will continue to hold them accountable. I voted for you, I donated, I matter. We will make the system work better for not just the biggest donors.
Call me silly, call me naive, call me Shirley, but I still believe that we can make things better for everyone, even those who stubbornly refuse to even listen to what the Democratic Party has to offer. I believe that the perfect can be the enemy of the good. And I believe that those who make the decision they do, do so because they feel they have no other choice. We have to help them see they do, that they need to listen to us as well. We have to give them ANOTHER choice.
I look forward to voting for whomever is the nominee.
EDIT: And yes, I do agree with many as seeing the Democratic Party as the lesser of two evils. I actually see this when it comes to the rampant corporatism and other issues when it comes to trade, etc. But when it comes to social issues, it’s rarely a difficult choice for me. Choice, marriage equality, and many other things that directly affect the lives of people I dearly love and of women, more than half the population, that’s huge. Gun control, etc. Yeah, Democrats have this one without a doubt for me.
