Creeping Conservatism Of Democratic Party Is Pushing Me Left
Ten years ago I was an Obama supporting democrat. I thought we were the only party who cared about the average person, and knew the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was the greatest political accomplishment of my lifetime.
Now, I could make the case Obama was the best president of my lifetime, or just another corrupt war-monger who was the ultimate disappointment. I understand both parties serve corporations and the wealthy over normal people, and agree that the ACA has both insured more Americans, but also left others to die because they’re uninsured or under-insured.
What pushed me here? The creeping conservatism of the Democratic Party.
Ask any moderate democrat and they’ll point to the social accomplishments of the party, such as gay rights. Something I would classify as simply being a decent and moral human they’re propping up as why they’re better than their counterpart republicans.
I’m not saying they’re wrong, but am saying that being a decent human simply isn’t enough. Not when people are dying of poverty in the world’s richest country, not when 1 in 7 kids is food insecure, and not when we pretend to care about the environment while at the same time voting for politicians who act like global warming is a problem for future generations.
What democratic voters are really admitting, unknowingly, is that the parties are similar when it comes to non-social issues. Both parties are pro-war, pro-corporation, and pro-corruption.
Both parties torture people and drop bombs on civilians. Both are filled with politicians worth tens of millions of dollars. Both allow for tax loopholes to exist and make sure their high-dollar donors are happy.
The unwillingness, or ignorance, of democratic voters towards acknowledging these truths only pushes me further left. And further out of the Democratic Party. We need to be honest with each other about what’s going on right in front of us. It’s hypocritical for us to complain that republican voters don’t hold Trump accountable when we refuse to do the same to our own.
The things I want to vote for, and think the Democratic Party should stand for, includes saving human lives through Universal Healthcare. Not invading other countries because it’s a good Geo-political move and an opportunity to place a USA-friendly leader in control. It’s focusing on helping the most desperate among us and tackling systemic issues. It’s about getting money out of politics and making an effort to actually be a democracy.
When people talk about gradual progress, it tells me they don’t realize the severity of these problems. When they say they care about the environment, and then vote for a candidate who supports fracking, it tells me they actually don’t. I’ve learned to care more about actions than words.
The actions of the Democratic Party tell me they care more about money and power than their voters.
This is why they haven’t tried making a case as to why I should support them for years. Instead, they’ve been making a case as to why I should vote against the Republican Party. Both parties are engaging in a race to the bottom where they just have to pretend they’re not as bad as the other.
I’m done being part of the problem.
