Freda Stevens, a party activist and candidate for State Representative in Florida's 100th District, presents the case for welcoming moderates and conservatives into the Democratic Party. While ideological diversity can pose some problems in reaching a consensus about how to govern, there is no question that the party with the largest tent wins. The declining Republican vote in many areas of the country is a good example of what happens when a political party becomes too intolerant of differing beliefs. Democrats must be careful not to fall into the same trap by moving too far away from the mainstream.
Stevens writes:
Political reform is not a new concept to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party "Big Tent" position accepts a democrat because he or she fundamentally agrees with a majority of party positions. The beauty of the Democratic Party is she includes every end of the spectrum.
FDR Democrats, Truman Democrats, Blue Dog Democrats, New Democrats, 21st Century Democrats, Democratic Leadership Council founded by former President Bill Clinton, Democrats for Values, and Democrats for Life of America are conservative to moderate leaning democratic groups. Each group has a significant role in shaping our great country.
Some of the most powerful presidential, congressional, legislative, and local democrats have moderate to conservative views that differ from the mainstream left side of the party. Moderate to conservative democrats may be fiscal conservative, pro-life, pro-gun, pro-business, and/or pro-War.
20 republican House seats, 9 Senate seats, the Governor's office and all cabinet seats, and the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Senator Mel Martinez are open in 2010. Although, I support Fair Districting, if my fellow conservative to moderate democrats would stand up and take their place then gerrymandering would be obsolete.
It is our time to take back control of the Florida Legislature, the Governorship, and reshape the Florida Democratic Party platform.
Freda Stevens, President
Florida Democrats for Life
http://fredastevens.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html
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