Why Vote Straight Democrat?
By Mike Hersh, Nov 4, 2002
Some Democrats were wishy-washy on some important issues, and not all of them fought Bush hard enough on his tax give-aways for the wealthy and powerful or even on Iraq.
I am not naive about this, and I do not overlook it. I am voting for Democrats to stop Bush, because there is no other worthy choice. This is not about what's best for any party; it's about what's best for us. We must stop Bush for our benefit and our future.
Some Democrats are too middle of the road for me, and we should replace "Semicrats" in the primaries with more progressive candidates. That said, the time to change horses is past. Rubber stamp Republicans are the only real alternatives to half decent Democrats in most races.
Most Democrats opposed Bush on most of the most important issues. With some glaring exceptions. While I don't agree with every Democrat by any means, they are all better than Bush, Cheney and DeLay on every issue. On every single issue. Forgetting that is a big mistake, one too many made in 2000. Look where it's gotten us?
No one and no political party can be perfect. Not Democrats and not Greens. We have to elect -- not just support, but elect -- the best people. That means we have to support people who have a reasonable chance of getting elected.
If a Green can win, that's fine. If the Green can only help Bush get a rubber-stamp GOP Senate to pack the courts with neo-fascist judges, progressive Greens should rethink their positions.
Democrats aren't like Republicans. They don't take marching orders from central command. Voting to give Bush and Cheney absolute power is lunacy, and that includes voting for stalking horse candidates. That indirectly helps Bush. What is at stake this Election Day?
Government will enforce pollution controls and other safeguards or make them "optional."
We will improve education, or else turn it over to theocrats.
We will protect Medicare and Social Security, else or "piratize" it.
Our courts will remain free or extreme right wingers will dominate.
These are just four of the many critical choices hanging in the balance. Our choice tomorrow will determine our nation's course for years if not decades to come. What's at stake Election Day? What isn't at stake! There remain huge differences between the two dominant parties.
Republican policies -- written by industry lobbyists and "religious" right wing bigots -- hurt regular Americans by accident and design. Their extreme agenda keeps us down and divided. They distract working and middle class people with "wedge" issues like guns, gays and gestation while they plot to give $billions of our tax dollars to idle rich Republican supporters and off-shore corporations.
Republicans don't respect voting rights, separation of church and state, freedom of speech or checks and balances. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and even without absolute power the right wing extreme is more than corrupt enough already.
"Sending a message" with votes hurt progressives in 2000. That's a luxury we can't afford this time. This is a key election. It may be our last election. Vote Democrat this time, so you will have a chance to vote next time.
Vote against Bush, but also for a better America. Convince as many people as you can to vote proudly for Democrats and for themselves.
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