Democratic Oak Tree

A majority of Americans have concluded that George Bush has been a disastrous President. But many of the critical issues our nation faces have taken much longer to develop than just the past six years.
For a generation, We the People have been deeply influenced by Republican phrases such as “no new taxes,” “private sector solutions,” “government red tape.

Twenty-six years ago, Republican Ronald Reagan became President; he was likeable and easy to listen to. But In his inaugural speech he proclaimed: “Government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.” Backed by a Republican Senate for six years, he left behind a huge national deficit and weakened federal agencies.

Then came Republican George Bush the First, who probably won the presidency because of his catchy phrase “Read my lips: no new taxes.” (That must have embarrassed him later, since he did approve new taxes to reduce a budget deficit.) He wasn’t able to pass conservative legislation because he faced a Democratic Congress, but he controlled the powerful executive branch and continued the Republican tilt in our national priorities.

Next – thankfully — was Democratic President Bill Clinton.  Unfortunately, Republicans controlled the Senate for six of his years in office. That’s why his legislative initiatives were usually blocked. Still, he is known for presiding over the longest period of peace-time economic expansion in American history. Under Clinton, we got not only a balanced budget but a federal surplus! Who knows what Clinton could have accomplished if he had had a Democratic Senate to work with for more than a couple of years.

Now we are suffering through Bush the Second, who has had an extremely supportive Republican Congress backing him almost every step of the way. (Only since January have Democrats chaired the Congressional committees, and the Senate is basically tied between Democrats and Republicans.)

In addition to his catastrophic invasion of Iraq, this President will probably be best known to future generations for his refusal to deal in any meaningful way with global warming, and for running up an enormous national debt while giving massive tax cuts to the rich.

(The irony about the last quarter-century of Republican power is that in spite of campaign rhetoric, the Republican Party has a tendency to get us into debt — without any national benefit to show for it — and leave the next President and the rest of us to cope with the problem.)

What situation do we find ourselves in now, after this generation of Republican politics?

• Global warming getting worse, threatening human beings and other species around the planet.
• Greater Inequities in health care, and a grossly inefficient and costly medical “system.”
• Scandalous deterioration of roads and bridges.
• Handguns everywhere.
• A tax structure that favors the rich.
• Fewer grants and low-interest loans for college expenses.
• Weakened public health services.
• Schools crumbling.
• Reductions in government funding of scientific research.
• Fire station closures.
• Struggling public libraries.
• Dangerous cutbacks in food and drug inspection.
• Teacher layoffs.
• Degradation of public parks.
• Extremely expensive prescription drugs.
• Rich getting richer, middle class shrinking.
• Increases in family homelessness.
• Reductions in the care of veterans and their families.
• Rising cost of living.
• Fewer good-paying jobs with decent benefits.
• Reduced mine and workplace safety.
• Higher property taxes and reduced municipal services.
• Mismanaged emergency services (remember New Orleans).

This is a list (in random order) that shows some of the results of Republican policies – based on the “You’re on your own” philosophy that benefits those who already have much and proclaims that less regulation is the solution to almost all public needs.

We’ve been affected at the federal, state, and local levels.

The contrast between the parties in management of government is clear. Republicans today can’t even manage their own policies efficiently.

Consider the ground-breaking achievements for the common good when we elected a Democratic Congress and a Democratic President: unemployment insurance, Social Security, low-interest college loans, United Nations, Medicare, anti-poverty programs, civil rights, energy conservation, an expanding middle class.
And don’t forget that some of the progress credited to Republican Presidents (such as Nixon on the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency) was possible only because of Democratic support in Congress. 

We the People must reverse our beloved country’s decline.

We need to communicate that our most fundamental political value is what’s best for the common good.
Here are some ways to make that happen:

• Register as a Democrat, to make it clear to politicians that you support working for the common good. (Currently voters not affiliated with a party are far more numerous than Democrats or Republicans.) Think how differently our leaders would respond if Democrats were a majority of voters!)
• Make it a habit to vote in every election.
• Learn more about politics and government from objective newspapers or reputable news shows (such as those on PBS).
• Share your views.
• If you can spare some time, get involved with Democratic groups.
• If you can spare money, give to Democratic committees.

We the People urgently need to restore a government that works for the common good.