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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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