Sunday, December 05, 2004

"Back to Our Base"

The Republicans were clever campaigners this election. When the President and Vice-President spoke at campaign rallies they required oaths of support of attendees. They were working their "base".

Of all the states in the United States, Massachusetts is the base of the Democratic Party in America. When George McGovern was running for President, Massachusetts supported him. They are a perennial Democratic state.

It has been suggested that we as Democrats should be looking for someone other than a Senator. And by all means, someone from some other state than Massachusetts. God forbid another "Massachusetts Liberal". Well it is time to examine ourselves as to whom we are and what we stand for.

We cannot beat around the proverbial bush. (No pun intended). We have to speak clearly to the American people and let them know that the people are foremost in our agenda. We are a pro-choice party and we shall work to defend the right of reproductive choice for all women in America. Let there be no mistake about that.

We are a party and a people that looks to the future in America. We work to improve the lot of all of our citizens and we invest in science to help us find the cures to diseases that afflict our masses. We do not use the mantra of the religious right to interfere with the scientific pursuit in search of the cure to Parkinson's Disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, diabetes, or any other malady that might lend itself to treatment with embryonic stem cells. No we don't think it is more moral to throw fertilized cells, suspended in liquid nitrogen, into the garbage rather than donate these cells to science.

We are a party that believes that one's sexuality is a private matter and should not be regulated by the State. We believe that each individual is guaranteed by the Constitution the "right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." We find intolerance amoral and opposed to all of the things we believe in. We oppose limitations on marriage based on sexual preference and defend the right of all individuals to find fulfillment in marriage regardless of their sexual orientation. We oppose as a matter of moral principle the movement to pass Constitutional Amendments to deny certain individuals the right to be married based solely on their sexual orientation.

We are a party that believes that gun ownership is a right protected under the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. But just as ownership of automobiles can be regulated, we believe that it is the government's right and indeed its responsibility to make sure that gun ownership is done responsibly, that not all types of guns are available for sale, and that regulation of gun traffic will contribute to the lowering of crime in America. THAT is the moral thing to do.

We are a party that believes that government is not something evil that needs to be starved to death with looming irresponsible deficits that threaten to bankrupt this very country. We are the party of fiscal responsibility and find it immoral to pay now and pile up the debt on future generations. We have the moral position on this.

We are the party that believes that taxation is a burden for all of our citizens and that those citizens who have the greatest ability to pay should have the greatest burden. It is immoral to cut taxes for the wealthy increasing the proportional burden on the middle class. We have the moral position.

We are the party that believes that regulation to protect our environment, and indeed to protect our world from the threats of pollution and global warming is the moral position. It is immoral to fail to regulate polluters, to cut down our national forests, and to drill for oil in pristine parks. We believe the moral thing to do is to protect our Natural Resources for all of the future generations of Americans.

We are the party that believes that war should be the last resource and not the first in dealing with conflicts and rogue states. We believe that when we are in a war, that the care of the people who are fighting, the civilians and yes even our enemies should be done with the greatest respect in a fashion consistent with the Geneva Conventions. It is immoral to do otherwise.

We as Democrats have much to be proud of. We do not need to change our goals, our policies, or even our candidates. It is time for a Massachusetts Liberal to be elected President. Our last Massachusetts liberal was John F. Kennedy, probably the greatest President this nation has known.

Bob

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