Commentary of a Democrat

Please read this because it pretty much explains where I stand on most political issues of the day...

I'm a democrat, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does. Let's break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for, when no one knows that better than me. Spoiler Alert: Not every democrat is the same, though the majority of democrats I know think along roughly these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow, that's interpreted as "I believe Obamacare is the be-all and end-all." This is not the case. I'm fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it's impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws. But, I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes "let people die because they can't afford healthcare" a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I'm not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.

3. I believe education should be affordable. It doesn't necessarily have to be free (although, it works in other countries so I'm mystified as to why it can't work in the U.S.), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college and saddled with five to six-figure debt.

4. I don't believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don't want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this either, ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can't afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating these problems. But, somehow, believing that makes me a communist.

5. I don't throw around "I'm willing to pay higher taxes" lightly. If I'm suggesting something that involves paying more, it's because I'm fine with paying my share as long as it's actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, living wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multi-billion-dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn't have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live above the poverty line.

7. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the same rights as you.

8. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since this isn't what they do. Spoiler Alert: Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job, it's because your employer is hiring them illegally. I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

9. I don't believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we need regulations to prevent cutting corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It's not that I want the government's hands in everything. I just don't trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products, practices, etc. are actually safe. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course it isn't. But, with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they're harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. It just seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.

10. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I can’t get over an election, but because I've spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

11. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege (white, straight, male, wealthy, etc.) need to start listening, even if you don't like what you're hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that's causing people to be marginalized.

12. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone else serving in government. What I am interested in is the enforcement of present laws and enacting new, common sense gun regulations.

13. I believe in so-called political correctness. I prefer to think it’s social politeness. If I call you Chuck and you say you prefer to be called Charles, I’ll call you Charles. It’s the polite thing to do. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you're using, you now know better. So, why not do better? How does it hurt you to not hurt another person?

14. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.

15. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human beings. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men, and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?

I think that about covers it. The bottom line is, I'm a democrat because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.

Feel free to copy and paste this commentary, if you so desire. I did. And, just in case you are wondering, the actual author is unknown.