I'm a Democrat...But Not On Blind Faith - David Jeter

The toughest thing about being a democrat is that our ability to create a cohesive platform is hamstrung by our natural ability disagree with everyone. Democrats have a very difficult time believing an issue on blind faith. As President Clinton did, we love to wrestle with the possibilities, when most Americans want a quick, easy, pill to swallow. The reason I am a democrat is that I think that this party believes at least some of the generalizations that I believe:

• Not all people are given the same advantage from the start
• Poor people are poor because they were never taught life skills
• All people deserve a chance to be great
• All people deserve a second chance to be great
• Exploiting vulnerable people is not the way to build an empire
• Creating a society where most people are in the middle class is important
• Immigration is how everyone came to this continent
• We have the ability to meet basic needs for all of our citizens, if we chose to
• Healthcare is a right not a privilege
• Protecting the environment should be a factor in all thought processes
• We cannot compel other nations support us, especially if we bomb them
• We cannot purchase the respect of other nations
• A woman has the right to make choices regarding medical conditions
• A person has the right to be respected about choices at the end of their life

The greatest strength of the Democratic Party is its ability to disagree with all of the above, and begin the conversation that will ultimately improve how are society works.

David Jeter
Spokane, WA