DEMOCRACY:
Government & Politics | January 22, 2005
TO
THE
LEFT
AND
THE
MIDDLE!
A
Posting in "Comments
From Left Field" by
"The Scarecrow" *,
Adapted
as an E-Mail to Democratic Activists &
Prompting
Another Posting in Response to Comments
My
fellow Friends of Liberty,
Your obedient, The Scarecrow, hears the calls sent up to Heaven
and down to Hades in desperation from Americans across the
political spectrum -- from the wealthy, extremely overworked
executive employed at a major corporation to the poor, extremely
overworked single mother employed (for now) elsewhere.
As the National Committee of the Democratic Party presently
considers a new Chair, the Party considers a new direction: Shall
ye move to the Left or the Middle? My friends, yours truly most
heartily contends that -- like the choice between security or
liberty -- this is a false choice, more the reflection of the
shrill rhetoric of your opponents than a sober consideration of
your own positions.
In the humble opinion of your humble servant, the
Democratic Party must move to the Left AND the Middle, in
order to save its soul and save your nation.
First, to the Left. The Democratic Party must never
abandon its support of progressive programs assisting the lives
and protecting the rights of racial minorities, homosexuals, and
women (including those seeking abortions). The Democratic Party
must never abandon its progressive positions on Social
Security, unemployment insurance, unionism, taxation, education,
nature, or health care. And the Democratic Party must never abandon
its progressive opposition to unjust, unwise, illegal war.
But -- and please bear with your loyal servant for but a moment --
just as ye must not betray your political idealism ye must face
political reality: Most voters in America are not, in fact,
minorities (by definition), homosexuals, women seeking abortions,
retired, unemployed, union members, extremely rich or extremely
poor, students, naturalists, seriously ill, or serving overseas in
war.
Nevertheless, most Americans -- including racial
minorities, homosexuals, women (seeking abortions or not), working
people (rich and poor, union and nonunion, and those when once
they were at work), parents, naturalists, the ill, and families of
the military -- are working themselves to death; and
their families are being torn apart to
just keep an unbelievably expensive roof over their heads; the
bill-collectors and doctors at bay; and their jobs from being
downsized, outsourced, or otherwise threatened by employers or
other would-be employees -- workers across the nation and around
the world are being divided and conquered by big business run
amok, ultimately impoverishing all (for the workers are the
consumers).
As most of ye know all too well, that is life "in the
Middle" -- day after usually-more-than-eight-hour day --
regardless of whether any of one's other political instincts are
to the Left or the Right.
If the Democratic Party abandons the Middle, ye will lose most
elections; if the Democratic Party abandons the Left, ye will lose
your soul...and become the Republican Party.
Please pardon my forwardness, in sharing my impressions; but I
cannot in good conscience stay silent and ignore the cries I hear
in the still of the night from millions of households across your
great land.
Your obedient servant,
The Scarecrow
* My
alter-ego, after the classic 18th Century character created in the
early 20th Century by Russell Thorndike in his Doctor
Syn novels, adapted in various films. No endorsement of my
commentaries by any other individual or company exists or is
implied.
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