Call it whatever the hell you want to.

By Joe Fields


You can call it purity, if you so desire. I don't really care what it's named anymore. But I'm a democrat for many reasons.

Those reasons?

I believe in fairness.

I believe in unions.

I believe in a living wage.

I believe in holding corporations accountable for their business practices.

I believe in government programs to help those less fortunate than us, that cannot help themselves, for we, as a nation are only as good as our weakest links.

I believe in protecting the environment, at any cost.

I believe in my freedoms.

I believe in preserving the constitution.

I believe in taxes and big government.

I believe in holding our leaders accountable to the rule of law, and to the the provisions of our constitution, which contain remedies for politicians who have committed high crimes and misdemeanors.

I believe we SHOULD NEVER GO TO WAR based on lies.

I believe we SHOULD NEVER SUBVERT THE CONSTITUTION, by diverting hundreds of millions of dollars marked for war against the Taliban and al-qaeda in Afghanistan, so that we can overthrow the leader of a different and sovereign nation.

I believe that we should never be taught by our leaders to live in fear.

I believe in the freedom of choice, and that includes a woman's right to abortion.

These are just some of the things I believe in that make me a democrat.

Now, it has become painfully clear, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the republican party of this era holds beliefs which are antithetical to everything I've mentioned above. It is also clear that, while our democratic leadership made a lot of noise before the 2006 mid-term elections, most of the noise pandering to the liberal wing of the party, they have ended up becoming most ineffectual in stopping this administration, and in some cases have actually collaborated as co-conspirators to acts that may be construed as unconstitutional, and contrary to the good of our citizens.

So I have had to ask myself, since most of my beliefs are, for the most part democratic beliefs, then why are my democratic leaders continually caving in, showing no backbone, always ready to spout feel good rhetoric, but never digging in their heels and fighting tooth and nail for what is right for our party and this country? What kind of leaders are they, that always cave in to this most corrupt of administrations? We count on our leaders to do our bidding. We count on them to side with us.

I said the other day that to me, the definition of a moderate is someone who hasn't paid attention, or just doesn't care. I believe right now, at this moment in time that there SHOULD BE PARTY PURITY. There should be a unified effort by our democratic leadership to stop this war, and to hold those responsible for undermining our constitution. And anyone who is not part of this solution is part of the problem. Our party leaders should either lead, follow, or get the hell out of our way. And the only reason they are able continue down this road of incompetence and acquiescence is because we are impotent, as the liberal wing of the party. We are not organized, like the religious right became, within the republican party. And because this is so, we will continue to be ignored.

A little party purity right now? I say DAMNED RIGHT!!


Posted in full with author's permission.

Originally posted at democraticunderground.com: http://tinyurl.com/3e2eaq