Why are you a democrat?

When people ask you that, what do you answer?

Is the most frequent answer I recieve.

I believe in a government of, for and by the people. I believe in religious freedom. They are better for the economy and foreign policy.

I joined the Democrats after the war began in Iraq. I used to be an indepentant since I didnt share some of the democratic beliefs.

After the war began many of my opinions changed and the democratic party appealed to me.

Equality/Civil Rights
Fiscal Responsibility
Grey-views, not all black and white responses
Live in the "reality-based community"

Of course I will also seriously consider the MN Independence Party and the Green Party on the ballot.

Plus I avoid the religous nut jobs.

I like the inclusivity of the Democratic party
I want to be represented by those who vote for things which help the common man
I do not like oppression/discrimination

etc

I've decided.. I don't want that running this country.

I'm also for equality for ALL.... which over the years the Republicans have proven they are not.

Short answer: I've been dropping in on DU because I view the religious right and the new GOP as the greatest dangers to American liberty.

:hi:

if you're smart enough to see that, you're smart enough to be a Democrat. :hi:

Afterward, Social Security sustained our family and educated me. And Social Security is a DEMOCRATIC program. I will never forget it and will always be a Democrat!

The best President after Washington.

from FDR. "The only thing to fear is fear itself." And it's so true. That one quote has helped me out so much with life. :) To have the courage when I'm afraid. :loveya:

the assholes who support the Republican Party.

Yes, it's a negative reason. Deal with it.

I believed in all the good things this country offered, like freedom, equality, and ethics in international politics.

I've been wondering about that for a long time now, ever since the DLC took control and dragged the party away from all these noble ideals in favor of whoring for corporate dollars while they chased the yuppie vote.

Grassroots Democrats are the finest people I know. The leadership, however, has failed all of us miserably for a very long time, and it's time they retired.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

No where does it say "We the companies."

And through their inclusion of the poor and meek, the Democrats embody the principles of Jesus more than any other party in the whole world.

the dignity and rights of every citizen- and I believe that society is obliged to tend to the 'least' of us. I also believe in the Constitutiom, the Bill of Rights - and the spirit of the Founding Fathers who labored long and hard to create a republic which would always protect 'justice for all'.

the system is stacked against the common, working people.
Because I believe in diversity and individual freedom.

More recently, because I just can't stand right-wingers and their self-righteous attitudes. They're always trying to push their religion, their ideas, etc. down everyone else's throat, then they crow about this being a free country.

I believe in government of, by and for the people, not the powerful. I am a democrat because I believe that we all do better when we approach the world with love and humility rather than arrogance and greed.

you know, "THOSE PEOPLE", as conservatives would call them.

seperation of Church and State, pro-choice, better money management, enviornment (big thing with me) and then if they have question's on other issues they can ask me.

The poor should be lifted up. A large middle class is, in itself, a desirable goal. Thus the progressive income tax is a core Democratic value. also Public Education, Public Libraries, Social Security, etc. etc.. All serve to bolster the middle class and bring up the poor....

Bush wants a new feudal era of the owners and the owned; of conquerors and the conquered.

I believe that everyone should have the chance to live a good life regardless of whether or not they were born rich or poor.

Teh Repukes want to take away all freedom. It's the only reason I stay a Dem because they don't want to take away all freedom as fast as the Repukes.

If they did I would say something to the effect that you must work within the system, at least for fundraising purposes :)--though MoveOn may prove that wrong!

I'm an independent, former Republican who voted for Nixon & Reagan. And over time, as I watched what Reagan did, I grew to regret that vote. As I watched the Republican party become more and more under the thumb of the religious right, I became more alienated from them.

In 1992 I had a political awakening and woke up to issues of social justice, equality, social safety net, workers rights and the common good. That year, I worked for Jerry Brown in the Dem primary season and even went to the Dem convention. Didn't vote for Clinton that year, though, I voted for an independent.

I maintained my inddepentent registration over the years, even while feeling more aligned with the Dems and the Greens. This year I worked for Dennis Kucinich in the primary season and placed my first Dem presidential vote last month for Kerry.

I feel aligned with the values of the Democratic Party, while agreeing with Ralph Nader that the party structure and heirarchy is self-serving rather and public-good serving. Right now I feel two major issues eroding the public-good are the election fraud issue and the dual-issue of corporate money in politics equating to access and the revolving-door policies where government workers (staffers, legislators, aides, etc) leave govenment and become lobbiests, cashing in on their contacts and knowledge in order to influence legislation to benefit special interests.

That is not to say that there are not many other issues that need to be addressed - the list is endless, it seems.

Thanks for the question.

I was born into a family of anthracite coal miners who were enslaved by the coal companies. My whole family was pro-union. One of my uncles was a union organizer. Family dinners were always dominated by political discussions and current events as far back as I can remember. When you are born and raised in a blue-collar family like mine sometimes the early influences last a lifetime.

.

He also asked me to canvass my neighbors, as opposed to Nader four years ago, who only asked me to go to a superrally and lobby for his inclusion in the presidential debates.

not to prevent it.

the party that tries to right social injustice. Or at least it was a
million years ago when I joined up-LOL

or whomever is the hatee du jour - and if you don't think that's what most elections are about than you are delusional.

I tried for years to be a good-will ambassador for the Republican party. So that others could see that Republicans can care about the environment, AIDS, not be racist, be for unions, be pro-choice, be for gay rights etc. etc. I joined the GOP because my family voted that way, and because I was 18 and naive. Then I realized that Clinton was not the nightmare president Rush kept saying he would be. I realized I had a job, was upwardly mobile, had a shot at a bright future. I saw that we were well liked throughout the world.

But I remained a Republican, even if at that I was what would've been considered a RINO. I voted for Nader twice because I just wasn't ready to vote for a Dem (don't blame me...I live in NJ and so my vote for Nader didn't throw the election :)) With the stealing of the WH in 2000 and the disasterous Bushco policies, I'd had enough. With the thought that I could help change what I thought was wrong with the Democratic party, I registered to vote for Dean in the NJ primay, not that it mattered by then because he was already out of the running. I proudly voted for Kerry because, while not exactly an anti-war candidate and closer to the center than I would've liked, I voted for what I believed he represented--our best hope to repair the damage done. But the progressive movement is bigger than John Kerry. He was simply the vehicle we would've used to help bring about the dream of a progressive America. It exists without him, and the momentum of the movement will hopefully drive the party to nominate a real progressive in '08. I'm a Democrat because of the two major parties that have any hope of winning elections (well even this may be questionable), this one, warts and all, is closer to my values.