The Primate Press

I am a Democrat, but on the day after Sept. 11, 2001, I wanted nothing more than for the Bush administration to succeed. I was behind it. Though I disagree ideologically with Republicans, I had to go on faith that they would have the wisdom to respond effectively. And I was devastated as anyone to see, over the course of the next 7 years, every bit of this good will and political capital squandered. Massive incompetence, embarrassing flouting of the rule of law, blatant corruption, spectacular abuses of executive power and the obvious precedence of self interest over the interests of the people took away the Republican Party’s right to run this country. The people took it away officially on Nov. 4th, 2008. Now we all have to live with what the Democrats and Obama are going to try and do to get us out of this mess.

I don’t know how successful they’re going to be. I won’t claim that anything the Obama administration has done so far is perfect. I am saddened by the prevalence of “Clinton Democrats” because I don’t really think they’re agents for change. As far as the stimulus package is concerned, I’m sure it has many problems. However, I agree with the green initiatives and have high hopes that they will begin to undo the environmental damage done by the Bush administration, and create jobs in the process. I also agree with the general theory that a prosperous middle class stimulates the economy from the bottom up, so don’t even mention tax cuts to me as the “Only” stimulus there is.

This is how the Democratic Party differs from the Republican Party. It has always promoted dissension, and never really held loyalty up as much of a value — certainly not above truth. Because of this, the Democratic Party usually destroys itself. So don’t worry. You’ll have your government back in time. Also because of this I will never claim that my party does no wrong or is not corrupt — as the Far Right staunchly did no matter what kind of conduct came out of the Bush White House. When a member of my party — Rod Blagojevich, Roland Burris — stinks of corruption I’m going to be the loudest critic, because what I care about is the truth.

What I will not tolerate is a faction of the public rooting for and working for the current administration’s failure. Why? What can possibly be the benefit of them failing to anyone in the United States? What possibly was the benefit to anyone of the Bush administration failing miserably in Iraq? For the 8 years of the Bush administration I refrained from initiating arguments with conservatives which I knew could not be decided because of ideological entrenchment — no matter how hard it was to resist sniping. The Republican Party had their chance to run things and has lost it through their own doing. It’s not in anybody’s interest, except the bruised egos of the Far Right, to work for the failure of the Democratic Party this time around.

So, perhaps think twice before you send out your poisonous vitriole — or at least before sending it to me.