Why Independents and Moderates must vote for Democrats

This is that idea that led me to blogging.  It is the reason I feel the need to speak out.  The middle of the political spectrum is usually the tipping point of an election, especially in polarized times when the bases of both parties are pouring on the rhetoric and engaged in the election.  I have to admit, I did not vote for President Bush in either election.  I was undecided up until the week before the 2000 election. I wasn't terribly upset when he won the first election.  I was even a little impressed at some of the early successes of the administration (No Child Left Behind, Tax Cuts), but that was long ago and all those good feelings are but a distant memory.  Since 2001, we have changed from a nation united to a nation divided.  For a President that once claimed "I'm a uniter, not a divider," this development is a direct consequence of his leadership.  So, for your consideration, here are the things that concern me about this administration:

• The expansion of executive authority, including the use of signing statements as a way to ignore balances of legislative branch.
• The lack of respect of the judicial branch, branding the courts as "activist" for insisting the equal protection clause be enforced in all legislation and failing to recognize the branch as an equal to the executive branch.
• The use of Constitution and the amendment process as a political tool to rally the base. 
• The uncompromising use of the "majority of the majority" policy for moving legislation through Congress.
• The threat of the Nuclear Option to arbitrarily change the rules of the Senate and remove a protection for the minority.
• The constant use of fear to influence people's votes.  I would not be surprised to hear a change in our terror alert status in the coming months, even though the last change in status was almost two years ago (during election time).
• The intolerance of the majority party as seen by their never ending focus and priority for their social agenda.

The current government is not a government for the people, by the people. It is the party of the winners, the 52% of the country that voted for the President in 2004.  Somewhere, President James Madison is rolling over in his grave, because the current leadership has forgotten what he penned in Federalist Paper No. 10.  He saw that pure democracy threatens individuals rights.  That if unchecked, majority rule becomes the tyranny of the majority.  It is time to change the leadership of this country to restore the republic envisioned by Madison and the rest of our Founding Fathers.

So, to any moderates (Republicans included) and especially independents, whether its state or federal, house or senate, it is time to Vote for the Democrats and restore some balance in our country again.

Comments

[toni]

I could not agree more. The Republicans have always been for the rich. President Bush started his administration with a surplus, so not only did he eat up that money, he put us in the largest debt this country has ever seen. The people who support him are blind to the fact that he started a war that no one wanted, under false information, and has killed so many people on both sides, not to even mention the ones who have been wounded and whose lives will never be the same, just so he could satisfy his ego.
He is a disgrace to this country.

[Ken]

"The Republicans have always been for the rich."

Those tax cuts "for the rich" gave me, a middle class white collar cubicle-jockey, more federal funds back than any of my previous years working. And statistically, most everyone earning less than $20K a year now gets nearly 100% of their federal taxes back. Tax revenues from "the rich" are also higher now than they have been in the past with more progressive taxation.

"he {Bush} put us in the largest debt this country has ever seen"

Yes, military conflicts and increased spending on social services tend to increase debt.

"The people who support him are blind to the fact that he started a war that no one wanted, under false information... just so he could satisfy his ego."

Nice rant. If no one wanted it, why at the time of the invasion did polls show overwhelming support? If the information was false, why did several other countries and a host of this countries politicians support it? And what on this green earth makes you think it had anything to do with ego? I've heard oil, imperialism and Israel used as conspiracy scape-goats... but ego?

I'm not worried about a country divided. Our country will always be divided on any host of issues, that's what makes America, America. But I do agree tha the current Republican controlled government is not what the founders had in mind.

[Nick A.]

Ken,

Undoubtedly, tax burden has decreased on everyone, and pure mathematics would dictate the majority of the benefit be allocated to the super-rich given they pay the most taxes. I also enjoy the lower tax rate I have as a middle class earner. However, in a time of war, it is a bit foolish to lower the tax burden while incrementally increasing expenditures. The facade of the current Republican administration is one of tax restraint, but in reality they are tax and spend politicians, except here they are spending the money now and leaving it to a future administration to raise taxes to cover the excess spending.

As far as ego, I think it is well documented just how the Bush-Cheney White House views executive authority and even claiming a mandate after the last election. While public opinion was largely in support of the invasion at the time, we don't pay our leaders to respond to public opinion on false intelligence at a time we are seeking vengence for 9/11.

Finally, yes we will have disagreements in a two party system. But this land was founded on compromise, of which we see very little nowadays. A president is elected as president of the whole country, not just the 52% that voted for him. It is about time he started governing for all of us. Execute the will of the majority, while protecting the rights of the minority. Things must change for progress to continue.

Thanks for your interest in the blog.