Values That Unite Us
by
Bob Henderson and Charlotte Coffelt
Now don’t you Republicans let this go to your head, but we Democrats envy the very astute marketing job you have done in defining yourselves. When Americans vote Republican, they universally believe they are voting for low taxes, small government and a strong national defense.
But who can define the Democratic Party so succinctly? We have for too long let Republicans define us as being for high taxes, big government and a weak national defense.
Yes, we want taxes to be as high as necessary, but no higher, government as large as necessary, but no larger, and defense as strong as necessary.
But we want much more. Just what do Democrats stand for?
We believe Democrats are united by three values – our commitments to equal justice for all, to economic opportunity for working Americans, and to responsible leadership in all matters.
Let’s measure your score on these values, and see if you also agree.
First, if you are old enough to have done so, did you join with progressive Democrats in supporting the civil rights movement in the 1960s and women’s rights in the 1970s? Were you pleased with the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell? Do you favor the Dream Act that would guarantee citizenship for those brought into our country in their infancy or extreme youth and who now attend college or serve in our armed forces?
If you answered yes to these questions, then you believe in equal rights for everyone living within America’s borders, regardless of their race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, even their illegal entry into the U.S. under certain, specific conditions.
Almost certainly, you now accept these rights as universal and correct. But did you support them during the struggle to obtain them? From our earliest memories, and even before that, Democrats have stood for, marched for, voted for and fought for, equal rights for all Americans. Our commitment to civil rights is the single overarching cause that most unites us as a political entity.
Next, do you believe that all Americans should enjoy the economic opportunities afforded by a quality public education and government policies that protect working men and women from the worst excesses of corporations and the very wealthy?
The fight for economic justice – the second commitment in the Democratic creed – is today’s fight for civil rights. Democrats are committed to policies that promote the development of a strong and prosperous American middle class, much like the GI Bill did following World War 2.
Our great democracy is threatened by the unrestrained capitalism that results in America’s wealth going increasingly to the very few. We must work to defeat the power of corporations that now corrupts our Congress. Democrats are united in working toward an economic system that promotes fairness and the financial health and well-being of America’s working families.
Finally, the third commitment Democrats make to voters, we believe, is the responsible exercise of leadership in all matters, the responsible stewardship of our government.
Do you support a national defense strong enough to protect America from any threat, and at the same time demand the responsible, restrained use of America’s military might in a manner consistent with our history and values? Do you favor American leadership in an enlightened age of international cooperation?
Do you believe that, collectively, we are responsible for our world’s environment, responsible for the prudent management of our nation’s finances, responsible for investing in all our citizens’ futures, that we are, in fact, responsible to and for one another? Democrats believe this.
When we say we’re proud progressives, that we proudly vote Democratic, that we are proudly united, it is our belief in these values that unites us – equal justice for all, economic opportunity for all, and responsible stewardship of the American cause.
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