With Super Tuesday behind us and several more primaries ahead of us including my own state, Florida’s, on March 15, I am thinking about my great-nephews and great-niece. The two oldest are young men, not young boys, now. As they watch and listen during this election season, what are they, and all young people their ages, learning about us, our country and how we relate to one another? What have they been learning over the past eight years?
Throughout the past eight years they have learned from Republicans in elected office that preventing the President of the United States from achieving his agenda even if what he proposes is what is best for the majority of Americans is far more important that doing what is best for the majority of Americans. They have learned that taking care of those in need: the elderly, disabled, disadvantaged and veterans is not what matters most to Republicans but taking care of the wealthy does matter to them. They have recently learned that here in our country people were exposed to toxic water because of what their state government did, not by some unforseeable accident. Worse is that they have learned that the very same government who created the problem then denied it existed and still has not taken the necessary steps to correct it.
During this election, they have learned by hearing the words of the Republican front-runner that making disparaging remarks about minorities and women is not only acceptable but applauded and rewarded with votes. They have also learned that racism, bigotry and white supremacy are still alive in our country. They have learned that we have made very little progress since the Civil War. While we cannot legislate against hate, bigotry and racism, we surely can do much better to send a loud and clear message that those attitudes have no place in our society.
They have learned that mass shootings and accidental shootings have become a way of life here because unless there is an indication of some terrorist connection, people are willing to accept these shootings rather than stand up as one united voice and say “ENOUGH!”
But before we Democrats hold our heads up proudly, we must look at the lessons they are learning from us as well during this election. We are teaching them, by the current dialogue among some supporters that if our candidate does not win the primary, we will either stay home or vote Republican. We talk passionately about taking care of the elderly, disabled, disadvantaged and veterans. We speak eloquently about equality. We sound the alarm about the need to take care of this planet before we destroy it. Yet, for all we say and all we want to do, some of us are willing to give the Republicans control of the White House if our candidate is not the nominee.
We have to teach our young people, by our examples, not just our words, that we are committed to making the present and future better for them. This election is about more than just offering free college tuition though that would be wonderful. This election is about more than taking on Wall Street and “the establishment” though something certainly needs to be done to stop the greed which hurts so many while benefiting so few. This election is about how we will approach these and other issues in a way that provides resolutions and, equally important, does not burden future generations. We have already done that.
People celebrated the Bush tax cuts and the Bush rebates. But while they were spending their rebate money, did they once consider how that would be paid for and by whom? Probably not! Did they ever question the wisdom of cutting taxes while increasing the defense budget? Probably not! They were happy to be paying less taxes and getting extra money from the government. How all that would be paid for didn’t really seem so important at the time. That is part of the problem. How things will be paid for and who will end up bearing the burden seldom seem so important when we are being offered something for free.
This election is about more than being part of a “revolution” though revolutions are sometimes necessary to bring about change. This election is about the reality of making the system we have, the government we have, work as it is supposed to work, as it was created to work by and through compromise and finding that common ground which will move our country closer to achieving the ideals upon which it was founded.
The choice between which party is more committed and more able to move our country forward is crystal clear: the Democratic Party is committed to equality, women’s rights, LBQT rights, protecting our fragile environment and finding the best solutions to ensure the safety of our citizens and those of the world.
My great-niece and the other two great-nephews are quite young. They are discovering the joys of nature and the excitement of just being outside playing. We must protect the air they breath, the water they drink and this amazing planet they look upon with wonder each day. We can not do that as a country divided. We can never hope to achieve anything as a party divided.
Moderately liberal, liberally moderate, American flag waving Democrat! Bachelor of Arts in History with concentration in Early American History and Abraham Lincoln
Graduate student pursuing a Master of Arts Degree online in American History at Southern New Hampshire University