Here are some reasons to register and vote Democrat from our friends at the Illinois Democrats website http://www.il-democrats.org
Republic or Democracy
Contrary to what the Republican Party would have you believe, the Democratic Party is not a bunch of aging hippy liberals. The Democratic Party like any democracy is composed of folks with lots of different ideas and backgrounds.
Unlike the Republican Party we are willing to let every minority speak out and express their opinions and even if we disagree we do not attack their right to speak. That is the definition of a Democracy.
Unlike the Republican Party we look for Public Servants not "Leaders" to control the political process. A republic needs leaders to tell the people what to do, in a democracy the people tell the public servants what they want them to do. Democrats like Democracy. Republicans like a Republic.
Gay Marriage
Politics and Abortion
Gun Control
Economic Differences
Other Democratic Party Pages
To all you wage earners who vote Republican:
With Gay Marriage the Republicans have created another wedge issue like they did with Abortion using a Republican controlled court. They didn't care that millions of babies have died after a Republican controlled court created abortion on demand and they don't care about the impact this twisted ruling will have on the youth of our nation. WAKE UP!!! This is not about Christian Values, this is about getting your vote!! This is about holding enough power to make their club members rich. This is about destroying worker protections and regulations that were put in the law books by our grandfathers to protect us from these greedy, powerful people.
Just stop and consider why the Republicans who now control all of the federal government haven't even mentioned abortion (except for a halfhearted attempt to ban partial birth abortions) or gun control. In my opinion they never will because if they did fix them most of you would stop voting for these big business flunkies. The Republicans only have one issue - Getting the money out of your pocket and into theirs. So vote for Democrats and when enough of us who want to end abortion, ban gay marriage and secure our second amendment rights get on board the Democratic party will change and abortion will end. The Republicans DO NOT believe in Democracy so they feel perfectly justified in deluding you on these issues just to get your vote.
If you don't think it will work just consider the history of the Democratic Party in the south. When the majority changed from anti to pro civil rights the party changed because the majority demanded it. Today the Democratic Party is the champion of civil rights everywhere in the nation.
The Democrats do believe in Democracy so they, by definition, MUST follow the wishes of the majority of Democratic voters. So all we need to end abortion and ban gay marriage in America and Secure Second Amendment Rights is for some of you to join with the 45% of Democrats who agree with you on these issues.
Reprinted from Illinois Democrats website
http://www.il-democrats.org/conservativedemocrats.html
Monday, July 04, 2005
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Will Democrats lose working families ?
Oregon's Northwest Labor Press reports that labor activists are growing disillusioned with the focus in the Democratic Party on issues like gun control, gay marriage and abortion. Representatives of the New York Working Families Party are attempting to form similar labor parties in other states that will concentrate on matters such increasing wages, improving access to health care, honest government and fiscal responsibility. These are the issues that the Democratic Party could be focusing on and winning elections with. Instead we have radical pro-choicers, gay marriage supporters, gun control advocates and extreme environmentalists putting our party on a suicide mission for their narrow little agenda.
http://www.nwlaborpress.org/2005/5-20-05Cantor.html
http://www.nwlaborpress.org/2005/5-20-05Cantor.html
Blue Dogs 12 point plan for fiscal sanity
I have mentioned it before but here is the Blue Dog Democratic Coalition's 12 point plan for restoring fiscal sanity to our now deficit ridden federal government. If you haven't noticed, we don't hear much about fiscal responsibility and the evils of deficit spending from Republicans anymore. Wonder why ? I got this from Representative John Tanner's (D-TN) website.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Tanner and other members of the Blue Dog Coalition today announced a 12-step budget reform plan to fix the federal budget, which is in its third year of record-high deficits.
“I don’t think most Americans realize how deeply their tax dollars are being mismanaged,” Congressman Tanner said. “The result is more borrowing that has to be paid off down the road. It is a generational assault on people under 40.”
Congress and the Administration have added more than $1 trillion to the debt held by the public – much of it borrowed from foreign investors – in the past four years. The current budget path will require trillions of dollars in additional borrowing over the next 10 years.
“Our budget process is broken,” Tanner said. “The Blue Dog Reform Plan is the first step toward fixing it.”
The 12-Step Reform Plan is based on the Blue Dogs’ commitment to solving growing fiscal problems facing our country. The legislation calls for the following actions:
1. Require a balanced budget.
2. Don't let Congress buy on credit. Congress should re-enact "pay-as-you-go" rules that require any new spending must be paid for by cuts in other programs or additional revenue.
3. Put a lid on spending. Government spending has soared by more than 16% since 2001.
4. Require agencies to put their fiscal houses in order. According to the non-partisan Government Accounting Office, 16 of 23 major federal agencies cannot issue a simple audit of their books, and the federal government cannot account for $24.5 billion it spent in 2003. The Blue Dogs propose a budget freeze for any agency that cannot properly balance its books.
5. Make Congress tell taxpayers how much they are spending through recorded votes.
6. Set aside a rainy-day fund for national emergencies.
7. Don’t hide votes to raise the debt limit.
8. Justify, in writing, spending for pet projects.
9. Ensure that Congress reads the bills it is voting on. Too often, bills are pushed through Congress before Members even have time to read the legislation, which can be hundreds of pages long.
10. Require honest cost estimates for every bill Congress votes on. Taxpayers and Members of Congress deserve to know how much each bill costs.
11. Make sure new bills fit the budget.
12. Make Congress do a better job of keeping tabs on government programs.
Congressman Tanner serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. He is a founding member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 35 moderate and conservative Democrats known as fiscal hawks.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Tanner and other members of the Blue Dog Coalition today announced a 12-step budget reform plan to fix the federal budget, which is in its third year of record-high deficits.
“I don’t think most Americans realize how deeply their tax dollars are being mismanaged,” Congressman Tanner said. “The result is more borrowing that has to be paid off down the road. It is a generational assault on people under 40.”
Congress and the Administration have added more than $1 trillion to the debt held by the public – much of it borrowed from foreign investors – in the past four years. The current budget path will require trillions of dollars in additional borrowing over the next 10 years.
“Our budget process is broken,” Tanner said. “The Blue Dog Reform Plan is the first step toward fixing it.”
The 12-Step Reform Plan is based on the Blue Dogs’ commitment to solving growing fiscal problems facing our country. The legislation calls for the following actions:
1. Require a balanced budget.
2. Don't let Congress buy on credit. Congress should re-enact "pay-as-you-go" rules that require any new spending must be paid for by cuts in other programs or additional revenue.
3. Put a lid on spending. Government spending has soared by more than 16% since 2001.
4. Require agencies to put their fiscal houses in order. According to the non-partisan Government Accounting Office, 16 of 23 major federal agencies cannot issue a simple audit of their books, and the federal government cannot account for $24.5 billion it spent in 2003. The Blue Dogs propose a budget freeze for any agency that cannot properly balance its books.
5. Make Congress tell taxpayers how much they are spending through recorded votes.
6. Set aside a rainy-day fund for national emergencies.
7. Don’t hide votes to raise the debt limit.
8. Justify, in writing, spending for pet projects.
9. Ensure that Congress reads the bills it is voting on. Too often, bills are pushed through Congress before Members even have time to read the legislation, which can be hundreds of pages long.
10. Require honest cost estimates for every bill Congress votes on. Taxpayers and Members of Congress deserve to know how much each bill costs.
11. Make sure new bills fit the budget.
12. Make Congress do a better job of keeping tabs on government programs.
Congressman Tanner serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. He is a founding member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 35 moderate and conservative Democrats known as fiscal hawks.
Casey continues to lead in Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race
Daly Thoughts www.dalythoughts.com continues to project Democrat Tim Casey as the likely winner of the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race. Polls have consistently shown Casey leading over the incumbent Rick Santorum. That's great news as Santorum is nothing but a pawn of big business while pretending to be a champion of moral values. A good example of Santorum's corporate leanings is his rabid support for free trade at all costs while working families in Pennsylvania continue to lose jobs as a result of such policies. Even though free trade has cost Pennsylvania far more jobs than most states due to its high concentration of manufacturing, Santorum just voted for CAFTA which will only make matters worse. Casey would make a great Senator. He is the son of the late great Bob Casey and is pro-life (like his father) but also pro-gun and pro-capital punishment (unlike the elder Casey, I think). Some of the left wing blogs are pushing a nuisance challenger to Casey in the Democratic primary and will no doubt try to dry up his campaign funds by pressuring Democratic groups and contributors to withhold campaign cash. Some destructive politically correct liberals would rather let the Republicans continue to control our government than allow a Democrat with any conservative views to prevail. Let's hope that Casey wins a decisive victory in the primary and goes on to defeat Santorum in the general election. Casey is youthful and could emerge as a leader of Democrats seeking to return our party to the mainstream.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Oregon Democrats push for pro-gun plank in platform
Democratic Party leaders in Baker County,Oregon are pushing for a plank in their state Democratic platform afirming the Second Amendment guarantee of the right to keep and bear arms. The Observer reported in their June 21, 2005 edition that Baker County Democrats approved a platform resolution in support of gun ownership that they hope the state party will add to its platform. http://www.neobserver.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=8085
The adoption came after a spirited debate over the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Chuck Butcher of Baker City crafted the county party's resolution which states, in part, "The Democratic Party of Oregon resolves as follows: To recognize and support the right to keep and bear arms in Section 207 of the Oregon State Constitution and the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as an individual right not granted by the government but rather guaranteed by the government. In recognition of the tremendous personal responsibility engendered by the right to keep and bear arms, the Democratic Party of Oregon further advocates severe penalties and their enforcement for criminal use or misuse of this right."
Butcher said he wanted to submit "a clear resolution without a lot of hedging, and frame it in language that could pass overwhelmingly, if the argument is presented correctly."
Adopting the resolution into the state party platform "might win us some votes, but it's more about principles," Butcher said. "Platform planks are mostly ignored by candidates, who say what they want to say. If a candidate pummels the Second Amendment out here, he wouldn't go anywhere. "This plank at least says the Democrats are paying attention" to the Second Amendment, Butcher said.
Bruce Rafferty, the Democratic party's county chair stated that the party has lost support in his area due to the perceived support of gun control by Democrats."A lot of people have told us that if the Democrats would shift on the Second Amendment, they'd rejoin the party," Rafferty said. "I think our party needs to take a look at what the grassroots people want. There's too much direction from Washington, D.C., and not enough asking what people really feel." Oregon Democratic Party executive director Neel Pender said he thought the resolution sounded "pretty reasonable." http://www.neobserver.com
RightDemocrat thinks that it is "pretty reasonable" for the Democratic Party to go on record as supporting Second Amendment rights. Let's hope that this is just the beginning of a movement among grassroots Democrats that will bring our party back to the mainstream on this issue.
The adoption came after a spirited debate over the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Chuck Butcher of Baker City crafted the county party's resolution which states, in part, "The Democratic Party of Oregon resolves as follows: To recognize and support the right to keep and bear arms in Section 207 of the Oregon State Constitution and the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as an individual right not granted by the government but rather guaranteed by the government. In recognition of the tremendous personal responsibility engendered by the right to keep and bear arms, the Democratic Party of Oregon further advocates severe penalties and their enforcement for criminal use or misuse of this right."
Butcher said he wanted to submit "a clear resolution without a lot of hedging, and frame it in language that could pass overwhelmingly, if the argument is presented correctly."
Adopting the resolution into the state party platform "might win us some votes, but it's more about principles," Butcher said. "Platform planks are mostly ignored by candidates, who say what they want to say. If a candidate pummels the Second Amendment out here, he wouldn't go anywhere. "This plank at least says the Democrats are paying attention" to the Second Amendment, Butcher said.
Bruce Rafferty, the Democratic party's county chair stated that the party has lost support in his area due to the perceived support of gun control by Democrats."A lot of people have told us that if the Democrats would shift on the Second Amendment, they'd rejoin the party," Rafferty said. "I think our party needs to take a look at what the grassroots people want. There's too much direction from Washington, D.C., and not enough asking what people really feel." Oregon Democratic Party executive director Neel Pender said he thought the resolution sounded "pretty reasonable." http://www.neobserver.com
RightDemocrat thinks that it is "pretty reasonable" for the Democratic Party to go on record as supporting Second Amendment rights. Let's hope that this is just the beginning of a movement among grassroots Democrats that will bring our party back to the mainstream on this issue.
What is a Blue Dog Democrat ?
An article from www.bluedogdemocrats.com explains what is a Blue Dog Democrat.
The Blue Dog Coalition has built a reputation as a serious player in the policy arena, promoting positions which bridge the gap between ideological extremes. Many of the group's policy proposals have been praised as fair, responsible, and positive additions to a Congressional environment too often marked as partisan and antagonistic. The 38 conservative and moderate Democrats in the group hail from every region of the country, although the group acknowledges some southern ancestry which accounts for the group's nickname. Taken from the South's longtime description of a party loyalist as one who would vote for a yellow dog if it were on the ballot as a Democrat, the "Blue Dog" moniker was taken by members of The Coalition because their moderate-to-conservative-views had been "choked blue" by their party in the years leading up to the 1994 election. The Coalition was formed in the 104th Congress as a policy-oriented group to give moderate and conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives a common sense, bridge-building voice within the institution. Most agree that, since then, the Blue Dogs have successfully injected a moderate viewpoint into the Democratic Caucus, where group members now find greater receptiveness to their opinions. The Coalition has been particularly active on fiscal issues, relentlessly pursuing a balanced budget and then protecting that achievement from politically popular "raids" on the budget. Past Coalition budgets have won the endorsement of the nonpartisan Concord Coalition and multiple newspaper and magazine editorials. As one column pointed out, the Blue Dogs have proven that "common sense, conservative economics and compassion aren't necessarily mutually exclusive." The Coalition also played a significant role in welfare reforms signed into law in recent years. Their proposals served as middle-ground markers which laid the foundation for the bipartisanship necessary to bring about fundamental reforms, and helped set into law policies reflecting the "common sense, conservative compassion" so often attached to the group's efforts. The Coalition has also worked on common sense solutions to our energy, health care, and homeland security problems. In the 108th Congress, the Coalition intends to continue to make a difference in Congress by forging middle-ground, bipartisan answers to the current challenges facing the Country. A top priority will be to refocus Congress on truly balancing the budget and ridding taxpayers of the burden the national debt places on them. The group also expects to be involved in education, regulatory reform, taxes, defense and veterans affairs.
The above article is from www.bluedogdemocrats.com
The Blue Dog Democrats 12 point plan for fiscal sanity is gaining applause from the deficit hawks at the Concord Coalition and conservative columnists like Paul Weyrich. See the links below to read more.
http://tinyurl.com/cturw
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/weyrich/050406
The Blue Dog Coalition has built a reputation as a serious player in the policy arena, promoting positions which bridge the gap between ideological extremes. Many of the group's policy proposals have been praised as fair, responsible, and positive additions to a Congressional environment too often marked as partisan and antagonistic. The 38 conservative and moderate Democrats in the group hail from every region of the country, although the group acknowledges some southern ancestry which accounts for the group's nickname. Taken from the South's longtime description of a party loyalist as one who would vote for a yellow dog if it were on the ballot as a Democrat, the "Blue Dog" moniker was taken by members of The Coalition because their moderate-to-conservative-views had been "choked blue" by their party in the years leading up to the 1994 election. The Coalition was formed in the 104th Congress as a policy-oriented group to give moderate and conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives a common sense, bridge-building voice within the institution. Most agree that, since then, the Blue Dogs have successfully injected a moderate viewpoint into the Democratic Caucus, where group members now find greater receptiveness to their opinions. The Coalition has been particularly active on fiscal issues, relentlessly pursuing a balanced budget and then protecting that achievement from politically popular "raids" on the budget. Past Coalition budgets have won the endorsement of the nonpartisan Concord Coalition and multiple newspaper and magazine editorials. As one column pointed out, the Blue Dogs have proven that "common sense, conservative economics and compassion aren't necessarily mutually exclusive." The Coalition also played a significant role in welfare reforms signed into law in recent years. Their proposals served as middle-ground markers which laid the foundation for the bipartisanship necessary to bring about fundamental reforms, and helped set into law policies reflecting the "common sense, conservative compassion" so often attached to the group's efforts. The Coalition has also worked on common sense solutions to our energy, health care, and homeland security problems. In the 108th Congress, the Coalition intends to continue to make a difference in Congress by forging middle-ground, bipartisan answers to the current challenges facing the Country. A top priority will be to refocus Congress on truly balancing the budget and ridding taxpayers of the burden the national debt places on them. The group also expects to be involved in education, regulatory reform, taxes, defense and veterans affairs.
The above article is from www.bluedogdemocrats.com
The Blue Dog Democrats 12 point plan for fiscal sanity is gaining applause from the deficit hawks at the Concord Coalition and conservative columnists like Paul Weyrich. See the links below to read more.
http://tinyurl.com/cturw
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/weyrich/050406
Pro-Life Democrats honor Tim Roemer
Pro-life Democrats honored former Congressman and 911 Commission memberTim Roemer (D-Indiana) at their 4th Annual Hall of Fame dinner in Washington,DC earlier this week. Word has it that Roemer is considering a run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Republican Richard Lugar.
WASHINGTON, June 30 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Democrats For Life of America (DFLA) held their 4th Annual Hall of Fame Dinner yesterday They were joined by Democratic Party members from 25 states who gathered to honor former Indiana Congressman and 9-11 Commissioner, Tim Roemer, as he received DFLA's "Hall of Fame Award" for his leadership on behalf of pro-life Democrats.
"We have made more progress on abortion in the last six months than the last 30 years. The Republican Party's policy on abortion over the past five years is like having a bunch of tin cans tied to your back bumper -- It sure makes a lot of noise but is not very pretty and certainly doesn't accomplish much. Democrats have a plan that does, The 95-10 Initiative." said former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer
Earlier in the day, Democrats For Life of America held their annual conference where speakers addressed pro-life Democrats who traveled to the conference from as far away as Olympia, Washington. Syndicated columnist Mark Shields addressed the convention analyzing the current status of pro-life Democrats within the Party.
Despite the star-power attending the event, the most popular topic covered at the conference was DFLA's 95-10 Initiative.
The 95-10 Initiative is a comprehensive proposal of 17 different policy programs that, when fully funded and implemented in coordination with each other, will reduce the number of abortions in America by 95 percent over the next 10 years.
Among the speakers was Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, who will be introducing the 95-10 Initiative in Congress in the coming weeks. "Young women who find themselves with crisis pregnancies have few resources to turn to. The 95-10 Initiative says to women, we are with you," said Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan.
"Momentum is clearly on our side. In 2004, we endorsed and campaigned for pro-life Democrat Charlie Melancon in Louisiana; he won and he's now in Congress. We were a leading voice in this year's March For Life here, where thousands of pro-life advocates converged on the streets of Washington to bring attention to the need to create a culture of life in America. And in Pennsylvania, pro-life Democrat Bob Casey is the frontrunner in one of the most coveted US Senate races next year. Pro-life Democrats are speaking out, and America is listening," said Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America.
http://www.democratsforlife.org
WASHINGTON, June 30 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Democrats For Life of America (DFLA) held their 4th Annual Hall of Fame Dinner yesterday They were joined by Democratic Party members from 25 states who gathered to honor former Indiana Congressman and 9-11 Commissioner, Tim Roemer, as he received DFLA's "Hall of Fame Award" for his leadership on behalf of pro-life Democrats.
"We have made more progress on abortion in the last six months than the last 30 years. The Republican Party's policy on abortion over the past five years is like having a bunch of tin cans tied to your back bumper -- It sure makes a lot of noise but is not very pretty and certainly doesn't accomplish much. Democrats have a plan that does, The 95-10 Initiative." said former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer
Earlier in the day, Democrats For Life of America held their annual conference where speakers addressed pro-life Democrats who traveled to the conference from as far away as Olympia, Washington. Syndicated columnist Mark Shields addressed the convention analyzing the current status of pro-life Democrats within the Party.
Despite the star-power attending the event, the most popular topic covered at the conference was DFLA's 95-10 Initiative.
The 95-10 Initiative is a comprehensive proposal of 17 different policy programs that, when fully funded and implemented in coordination with each other, will reduce the number of abortions in America by 95 percent over the next 10 years.
Among the speakers was Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, who will be introducing the 95-10 Initiative in Congress in the coming weeks. "Young women who find themselves with crisis pregnancies have few resources to turn to. The 95-10 Initiative says to women, we are with you," said Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan.
"Momentum is clearly on our side. In 2004, we endorsed and campaigned for pro-life Democrat Charlie Melancon in Louisiana; he won and he's now in Congress. We were a leading voice in this year's March For Life here, where thousands of pro-life advocates converged on the streets of Washington to bring attention to the need to create a culture of life in America. And in Pennsylvania, pro-life Democrat Bob Casey is the frontrunner in one of the most coveted US Senate races next year. Pro-life Democrats are speaking out, and America is listening," said Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America.
http://www.democratsforlife.org
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