The late Ron Brown, former Chairman of the Democratic Party, once said, "The common thread of Democratic history, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill Clinton, has been an abiding faith in the judgment of hardworking American families, and a commitment to helping the excluded, the disenfranchised and the poor strengthen our nation by earning themselves a piece of the American Dream. We remember that this great land was sculpted by immigrants and slaves, their children and grandchildren."
The Democratic Party is the oldest of the US political parties, but hardly the most conservative. It is a very big tent that contains loyal Yellow dog Democrats, conservative Blue Dog Democrats progressives and moderates. It politics are based upon pragmatism, not ideology. It's focus is the Middle Class and wants to give every American the opportunity to achieve the American dream regardless of race, creed. color or cultural heritage.
Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic Party in 1792 as a congressional caucus to fight for the Bill of Rights and against the elitist Federalist Party. In 1798, the "party of the common man" was officially named the Democratic-Republican Party and in 1800 elected Jefferson as the first Democratic President of the United States. Jefferson served two distinguished terms.
Democrats are still fighting against elites and other elements in our society that would prefer that America function as an oligarchy rather than as a democracy. You have probably run into some of these folks. They will tell you America is a republic, not a democracy. Actually the US is an indirect constitutional democracy. Our country elects Representatives and Senators to represent us in Washington DC.
When the US is in crises, the Democratic party is called upon. In 1912, Woodrow Wilson became the first Democratic president of the 20th Century. Wilson led the country through World War I, fought for the League of Nations, and established the Federal Reserve Board. He also passed the first labor and child welfare laws. The Democratic Party also supported women's suffrage. culminating in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Woodrow Wilson was instrumental in getting the 19th Amendment through the House and Senate.
A generation later, Franklin Roosevelt was elected president running on the promise of a New Deal. Roosevelt pulled America out of the Depression by looking beyond the Democratic base and energizing citizens around the belief that their government could actively assist them in times of need. Roosevelt's New Deal brought water to California's Central Valley, electrified Appalachia and saved farms across the Midwest.
The Civilian Conservation Corps, the WPA and Social Security all brought Americans into the system, freeing us from fear and making the nation stronger. Franklin also brought black Americans into the Democratic Party during the Great Depression.
With the election of Harry Truman, Democrats began the fight to bring down the final barriers of race and gender. Truman integrated the military and oversaw the reconstruction of Europe by establishing the Marshall Plan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Truman's leadership paved the way for civil rights leaders who followed.
Lyndon Johnson followed John Kennedy's lead and worked to pass the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. Kennedy and Johnson worked together to end the practice of segregation in many southern states. Following Kennedy's assassination, Johnson declared a War on Poverty and formed a series of Great Society programs, including the creation of Medicare — ensuring that older Americans would receive quality health care.
In 1992, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd President of the United States. After twelve years of Republican presidents, America faced record budget deficits, high unemployment, and increasing crime. President Clinton's policies put people first and resulted in the longest period of economic expansion in peacetime history.
The Deficit Reduction Act of 1993 — passed by both the House and Senate without a single Republican vote — put America on the road to fiscal responsibility and ended perennial budget deficits. Having inherited a $290 billion deficit in 1992, President Clinton's last budget was more than $200 billion in surplus.
The Clinton/Gore Administration was responsible for reducing unemployment to its lowest level in decades and reducing crime to its lowest levels in a generation.
After eight years of dismal Republican failure, America elected a brilliant man as President. It was personally rewarding for me to have worked on his presidential campaign. Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story: values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.
In his first five months in office, he worked with the House and Senate to pass 11 major laws including HR1: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. President Obama is a young dynamic man who will lead this country into the 21st century. He is a diplomat who has improved international relations in a very short time.
America is on the road to recovery. You can count on it. There are many people like myself who now see a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Get ready for the ride of your life, America!
The cavalry arrived on November 5 when the Democrats stormed the presidency, the House, the Senate, the governor's mansions and the state houses across America. The party has stated.
Get on the Democratic train or get out of the way! We're moving On.
Sources: www.democrats.org/a/party/history.htmlwww.whitehouse.govContact Rightardia: eelder1@gmail.com
