Recently I received a survey from the Democratic National Committee. Most of it was not very relevant to what I care about so I took the opportunity to write them this letter to return with the survey.
When Bill Clinton turned his back on the values that had long been the core of the Democratic party, I became disenchanted with the Democrats and voted for third party candidates whenever possible. The values that I speak of are the social and economic programs enacted by FDR, Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson. Programs that favored working people over rich corporations. Programs that ensured racial and gender equality. Programs that provided a safety net for those facing hard times. Programs that ensured the elderly would not have to live in poverty. It boils down to a party, and a platform of polices, that care about people, all people, and prioritizes people over corporations.
Bill Clinton sold out the Democratic party by embracing policies that had always been Republican priorities. Policies that favored corporations, banks, and the rich. Sure it made him popular in the short term, but it also allowed the Republicans to shift further to the right. Since the Democrats now stood for all of the things moderate Republicans had always eschewed, the Republicans were now free to pursue their extremist right wing social agenda of rolling back all the progress we had made with civil rights and gender equality. Figures like Newt Gingrich could now rise to power and shift the conversation further and further to the right. The end result is the tea party and now the extremist and racist candidates now dominating the Republican presidential race.
Hilary Clinton is not the person to revive these traditional Democratic values and restore the party to national prominence. Hilary has continued on the rightward swing that her husband started. But as long as Democrats continue to act like moderate Republicans the Republicans are going to continue down their path towards extremist racist and nationalistic policies. We need someone who can shift the entire conversation to the left and get the country talking about things that will move our country forward once again.
We are very fortunate, that for the first time in many years, we have such a candidate in Bernie Sanders. Sanders is a bona fide liberal Democrat in the mold of FDR, Kennedy, and Johnson, who can restore our party to greatness and get this country moving in the right direction once again. The huge support that Bernie is generating proves that he has struck a nerve with the American people, who are ready once again to pursue the causes that were once near and dear to Democrats.
This primary season is not about the two candidates, or just picking the best person to beat the Republicans. This primary race is for the heart and soul of the Democratic party. Hilary on one hand represents business as usual and a continuation of the moderate Republican policies of the Clinton and Obama administrations. Bernie on the other hand represents a rebirth of the values that made the Democratic party great, and the social and economic programs that will float all ships and get us back on the path of equality and opportunity for all.
This will not be an easy transition. People like Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and others who are obstructing the course of progress, will have to go. The party big whigs, and the big money people, will have to step aside. The voice of the people is clear. The Democratic party will either return to its core values, or become a footnote in history as the extremist right continues its surge. The battle outside is raging. Don’t stand in the hallways and block up the doors. The times they are changing.
Thank you,
Paul Lieberman
