Why I’m a Democrat

I’m a Democrat because our party is committed to ensuring fairness in our society.  Democrats understand that social and historical forces channel wealth, influence, and opportunity into the hands of some, and out of the hands of others.  Our nation was born from the hope that one’s lot in life be determined by character and not caste.  Democrats know that we must be vigilant to ensure all Americans have an equal opportunity to pursue success and happiness.

I’m a Democrat because our party understands that the primary job of government is to protect citizens – from foreign and domestic threats – as well as from imbalances of power that destabilize the country.  Democrats understand the limits of unregulated markets and the dangers of allowing companies to become “too big to fail.”  Democrats understand that basic healthcare is a right, and not simply a commodity distributed by the economic laws of supply and demand.

I’m a Democrat because our party realizes that America’s moral influence over the rest of the world depends solely on our nation’s actions rather than our words.  We believe democracy is the fairest and most effective system of self-governance, but we also respect the autonomy of nations to choose their own political course.  If our nation’s foreign policy betrays our own principles, our influence and our nation’s safety are compromised.

I’m a Democrat because our party recognizes that the moral and physical health of individuals is directly tied to the moral and physical health of the society as a whole.  A country held together strictly by a philosophical commitment to radical individualism is destined to fail.  The social glue that bonds societies together comes from shared experience and a common culture. Democrats realize that promoting diversity is the only way a common culture is formed among a nation of immigrants. Democrats recognize that maintaining and perpetuating an ethic of compassion toward our nation’s most vulnerable, including the environment, is the answer to our highest calling, and crucial to building a strong and enduring nation of the “we” instead of the “me.”