Why we are Democrats

Full text below:

A letter printed in Sunday’s Statesboro Herald (“My thumbnail history of the American left from 1919-2012”) stated a number of inaccuracies about the Democratic Party- a party that I have been elected to represent as Chairman in the great state of Georgia.

I would like to give another viewpoint of the “History of the American left”, one that is grounded in reality and based in fact and logic, not wild exaggerations or unnecessary hyperbole. Our accomplishments do not need embellishment, as they stand tall on their own.

The Democratic Party is one of the oldest political parties in the world. We stand for the values of justice, fairness and equality. We are for honest leadership and open government.

We believe that innovative leadership creates jobs and that investments in education pay off. We believe in an economy that works for everyone.

We value responsibility and smart, practical policies that benefit all–not just the most fortunate folks. We know that when we promote opportunities for all people, it lifts everyone to the top.

The “History of the American left” is incomplete unless it mentions our biggest accomplishments- Social Security and Medicare for our elderly and infirm, an end to child labor that was persistent in the early 1900’s, and winning the fight so that women and minorities can cast their vote as easily as men do.

When African-Americans were prevented from voting, a Democratic President signed the Civil Rights Act.

When a crazed dictator took over Europe, a Democratic President stopped him. When a crazed terrorist brought down the Twin Towers, a Democratic President brought him to justice.

Even now, we are the foot soldiers defending against the GOP war on women.

We created the 40-hour workweek so that parents could spend time with their kids, a mandatory minimum wage so that workers could be paid a fair wage for a decent day’s work, and a guaranteed student loan program so that students could go to college.

The GI Bill? We did that. First man on the moon? We did that too. The HOPE scholarship? That’s us.

In just the past four years, we’ve prevented insurance companies from denying your claim due to a pre-existing condition. We have placed two female justices on the Supreme Court, eliminated “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” in the military, and withdrawn over 100,000 troops from Iraq.

The author’s history lesson in Sunday’s Statesboro Herald was a work of fiction, crafted by fear and  woefully distant from the facts.

Any true history of the Democratic Party must include the valiant fight for justice and equality that we have worked so hard towards- and still strive for- every single day.