I was checking comments earlier this evening and saw a comment from a guy named Frank. He decided to tell me that my being a moderate Republican is a lost cause:
Mr. Sanders,
I just found your site and I wanted to make a general comment to you, so I picked any forum. I hope this is okay. I find it admirable that you're trying to take the Republican party back from the nutcase right wing theocrats. But I also think it's lost cause. Your party has left you. It's just a matter of time until you realize it.
The GOP was once a reasonable party. It this were the 1950's, I would be an Eisenhower Republican. However, this being 2004, I don't have that choice; I can either be a Pat Robertson Republican or a Democrat. I've chosen the latter. The party is in the hands of the Christian Coalition now, and they want nothing less than a theocracy.
There is a new name for moderate Republicans like you: they're called "Democrats." Come on, Bill Clinton was pro-death penalty, pro-welfare reform and pro-balenced budgets. He'd be a Republican in the pre-Reagan days. Come on over, and bring John McCain, too!
Sincerely, Frank
Well Frank, I have to admit that there are times that I wonder if the cause is worth it. I sometimes wonder about leaving and becoming and independent. However, I stay because I think the cause is just and it must be done. Let's say people like myself leave the party and the far right is left in control. Democrats think that it means that they will win since they are the pro-gay, pro-environment, pro-all good things party.
What Frank and others forget is that the voting public is fickle and those in power become lazy. All it takes is an ecomomic downturn or a scandal or poor leadership and voters will choose another party. And what party will they choose? Well, in a two party system they are going to choose the GOP that is controlled by the far right, the anti-choice, anti-gay, theocratic party.
As a friend once said, leaving the party will still leave the far-right in power and will be a victory for them since they want me gone anyway. I don't want people who view me as evil to have power in government or in a major politcal party. I want them marginalized and that will not happen if I leave the party over to them.
I also stay for another reason. Parties change. Unlike European parties, American parties are really just vehicles for various ideologies and philosohpies. Contrary to what Frank might think, the Democrats were not always pro-civil rights. It was because of people like Hubert Humphrey who decided to go toe-to-toe with the southern segrationists who controlled the party. Frank is right that the GOP is no longer the moderate party it once was, but that was because many of the southern segregationists who left the Dems went over to the GOP and remade it into their image. The GOP doesn't have to be the right wing party that it is. If moderates and principled conservatives were able to gain power again, the Republicans could be the party of moderation. I believe they can in time.
I don't know about you, but I'd rather have two parties of the center than one center-left party and one far-right party that will only perputate the tone of politics we see today.
So, thanks for the invite Frank, but I'm staying. I have work to do and a party to reform.
Posted by Dennis at June 16, 2004 12:10 AMacrobat - acura - ad-aware - adobe - alfaromeo - antipasto - antivirus - ariete - astonmartin - astrologia - automobile - automobili - avatar - avg - barzelletta - barzellette - bevanda - bit-defender - bmw - canzoni - cartolina - cartoline - chrysler - citroen - clonecd - cocktail - comici - cucina - curiosita - cursori - desktop - dessert -
Posted by: acrobat at October 19, 2005 11:00 AMroms - sagittaire - salade - salades - saumon - scorpion - skin - skype - smiley - soluce - soluces - solution
Posted by: roms at September 28, 2005 08:20 AMDennis,
Ok, I'm a Democrat. But I am not so blindedly partisan that I cannot see that--along with its Delays, Lotts, and Hatchs--the Republican party also has its McCains, Hagels, and Leachs. (Et al.) I forget who said it, but it was something along the lines of that the goal of any political party is not only to become the ruling party, but also to moderate the positions of the opposition party(ies), as no one party (in a fair democracy) can stay in power indefinitely. This is what I hope a strong Democratic showing at the polls in November will do for the Republican party.
Good luck.
Robert
Hi, Dennis. I found your site by accident and could really relate to Frank's letter but you made some excellent counterpoints. I was a Republican in 1988 and voted for the first George Bush, but when he said that he didn't think atheists should be citizens and it was clear that the Christian Coalition had taken over, I bolted for the Democrat party. For a while I joined the Reform party but then Bucanan took it over so I left and joined the Green party and voted for Nadar (big mistake), and now I'm a Democrat again (though I would have preferred Dean over Kerry). But my point is, I would much prefer races where the two parties are moderate and I don't have to hold my ballot with white knuckles because the opposing Republican is such a right-wing extremist. You know I used to take time to research all candidates and vote for who I liked best regardless of party, but the Republican party has me so frightened I usually just vote straight Democrat! So although I'm the "opposition" I still sincerely wish you lots of luck.
Posted by: Lynne H. Schultz at June 19, 2004 03:16 PMIt's hard to tell how many, but there are others like us. Look at how many similar web sites there are, like Republicans for Kerry.
Posted by: Howie at June 18, 2004 09:52 AMWe cannot give up on the republican party. Being a candidate for the 4th Congressional District in Colorado, I refuse to allow the religious right to take my party. There are more moderate republicans out here. The problem is, we work for a living and do not have time to defend our party. However, I have decided to defend my party and decided to run for Congress opposite Marilyn Musgrave. We must not give up. We must stick together.
Sincerely,
Bob Faust
4th Congressional District Candidate
Mr. Sanders,
I enjoyed your response. All I can say is, Good luck! Honestly, I would love to see the Republican party reformed. Perhaps you can derail the coming theocracy.
--Always optimistic,
Frank
Well, Dennis - you're a better person than I am.
I was a Goldwater republican in my youth - electrified by the things he said in 1962 and 1963 leading up to the 1964 election. By the time of the 1968 election I had drifted leftward - I certainly didn't like Nixon, and I liked what Hubert Humphrey had to say about human rights. (I liked that he had stood toe to toe with the segregationists and helped take over the democratic party. I liked that Lyndon Johnson did that too, although I hated his position on Vietnam.)
By 1976 I could vote for Ford because, between two slightly right of center candidates I picked the one with experience, and the courage to choose Nelson Rockefeller for VP, a man I deeply admired.
In 1980, I actually became a republican, drawn into the party by John Anderson. And I stayed, was a state delegate alternate in 1982. By 1984 the right-wingnut conspiracy washed over the party, I had come out, and in disgust I joined the Democratic party.
But I wrote in Arnie Carlson in 1990, and voted for him again in 1994.
After moving to Oklahoma in 2002, I find that MN log cabins are more liberal (more centrist I guess I should say) than most Oklahoma Democrats. The Republicans here are outright nuts and bigots - of the Texas variety - so close minded that they don't want their platform publicized because it will turn people off (it will - don't worry!)
I can't be a Republican here - keeping the Democratic party moderate and in control is difficult enough.
But you are right on target in believing that moderates have to have representation in both parties, and have to continue to fight for control.
Keep up the good work.
Rob in OKC
Posted by: Rob Howard at June 16, 2004 08:54 AM