An Appeal to Moderates and Independents

In normal times, both the Democratic and Republican parties have, for the most part, represented mainstream American views. The past six years, however, have revealed us a Republican party that has unabashedly pandered to the ultra-conservative base at the exclusion of all others, including even moderate members in its ranks. It should be clear to everyone that the Republican Party has been hijacked not only by ultra-conservatives but by immoral and crooked politicians whose only objective is power, even if it means the destruction of our great nation.

How am I so sure of these frightening developments? Let me break it down:

First, extreme right Republicans make a point of making clear their religion at every opportunity, as long as it is an acceptable protestant religion. They talk about protecting freedom of religion, yet their party has a definite problem with those who do not follow a religion they consider the proper one. Even one of their own, Mitt Romney, is the target of criticism from members in his party since he is a Mormon. I must also point out the blatant hypocrisy with the recent attack by the right on Barack Obama concerning his religion. First they claim he attended a Madrassa when he was young, and when that turned out to be if not a blatant lie, then at the very least completely false, they attack the church he attends since it states in its mission the importance of supporting the African-American community. Their logic as to why this is something to be critical of is laughable since the church naturally does serve the African-American community, as other churches have served the community at large, and may I also point out that they served the white community while excluding the African-American community even as recent as 50 years ago! Considering this fact, the mission statement of Obama’s church is not surprising nor should it be seen as negative.

Second, Republicans no longer accept a moderate agenda but an ultra-conservative one. They have squelched the moderate voice in their own party, so it is no wonder that those like Senator Webb switched parties. Have you ever wondered why the Republican Party seems to be in line, while the Democratic Party cannot seem to stop bickering? It is because the Republican Party refuses to allow diversity of opinion or discussion within its ranks while the Democratic Party allows it, though at the expense of the strength of being unified.

Third, I call the Republican politicians immoral and crooked because their only end is power and they will use any means to obtain and maintain that power. Outing Valerie Plame Wilson was part of this since her husband presented evidence that countered their reasons for the invasion of Iraq. Invading Iraq was meant to increase their stranglehold on our country, and Wilson was interfering. They wrap themselves in the flag and claim they support the troops, but as the recent exposure of conditions at Walter Reed shows, they could care less. This is part of a greater problem in which this administration consistently cuts funding for Veterans across the board. Their hypocrisy should also be quite clear since while they were in power they criticized obstructionism by the Democratic Party and threatened to eliminate the ability of the minority party to filibuster if the Democratic Party attempted that tactic. What do they do in the first few weeks of the Democratic Party? They start filibustering and obstructing Democratic legislation to put a check on this administration. It should be clear that these Republicans care for nothing more than power and plunder.

Fourth, Republicans have brought the level of discourse to a frightening low and disgusting level in this country. Since when was it acceptable to call anyone a ‘faggot’ in what should be a respectable event? It seems, in the ranks of conservatives, that Anne Coulter is allowed to say such things about former Democratic senator John Edwards, yet the entire right wing goes ballistic when a few anonymous posters at the Huffington Post expressed regret that our VP, Bird-shot Cheney, was not killed in the Afghanistan terrorist attack. Though no person should express such wishes, they are not as harmless as Coulter calling Democratic politicians gay (including Al Gore, Bill Clinton, and now John Edwards) and also calling for the killing of liberals, including a suggestion that a Supreme Court Justice be poisoned.

Fifth, the conservatives continually pound on the ‘tax and spend liberal’ talking point when they have not had one balanced budget under this president. In fact, this administration has added more to the deficit than all previous presidents combined! All this administration and the Republican party has to show from all this deficit spending is a mess in Iraq, a deteriorating economy, poor services for our brave veterans, and billions missing in Iraq whether to the corruption of the Iraqi government or to the raping of the tax payers by corporations who received no bid contracts. Fiscal conservatives no longer have a voice in the Republican Party, instead it is the Democratic Party who is attempting to reign in spending by establishing in the House on the first day a pay as you go policy.

What the Republican Party has become is no longer American, it is an abomination. They represent now only two constituencies: The extreme fundamentalist Christians who wish to enshrine their fringe values as the law creating a Christian version of the Taliban; and their corporate donors who they award with no bid contracts, corporate welfare and relaxed federal regulation standards. I call on moderates and independents to support the Democratic Party, or at the very least support a third party rather than casting a vote with the Republican Party that does not care about your values, only about your vote. Force the Republican Party to recognize that moderates and independents are as important, if not more important than the fringe constituencies which they have currently sold themselves to at the expense of the majority of our great country.