The Liberal Left is the Base of the Party

[spin]

117. That's a fair question. ...

Of course I can support a candidate who may be far more liberal than I am and have in the past.

On some policies Obama is far more liberal than I am and in some areas I am more liberal than he is. I voted for him.

There was a recent test on DU that supposedly determined how liberal or conservative you are. I scored to the left of a moderate Democrat and to the right of a very liberal Democrat, right in the middle between moderate and very liberal.

I'm not opposed to all socialist programs. Social Security and Medicare are socialist programs. I currently benefit from both and I'm damn glad they exist. I was actually hoping for a socialized healthcare system such as exists in many nations as I feel "for profit" healthcare is inherently evil. I have seen far too many people with serious healthcare issues who were unable to afford medical treatment or even sometimes the cost of an office visit to a doctor because their employer provided health insurance had a high deductible. If we do indeed live in the "Greatest Nation in the World" I can see no reason why the citizens who work to make this country as "great" as it is can not afford treatment for their medical and mental issues. I favor a single payer healthcare system or Medicare for all.

I also feel that the government should finance the higher education of qualified students and also job training for those who do not wish to obtain a college degree. The taxes paid by well educated people and those who hold good paying jobs would offset the initial cost. Our nation would greatly benefit in the long run. I know several people who are burdened with educational loans and find them almost impossible to pay off. If the cost of higher education is allowed to continue to sky rocket only the well off will be able to send their children to college. "For profit" higher education is hindering our nation and negatively impacting our economic future.

I support unions and since the Reagan years, union power has declined. Perhaps that's why the middle class is shrinking and the greedy 1% are growing richer and richer. If our nation hopes to continue to lead the world, we need a large and strong middle class. Ronald Reagan's trickle down economic policy has greatly benefit the wealthy but many in our society are growing tired of being pissed on. I'm one of them.

I am also a strong supporter of a total overhaul of our immigration laws. We should welcome immigrants from all over the world because if our nation is the "great melting pot" of the world it will once again benefit in the long run.

Our current immigration system has allowed businesses to benefit from a new slave class that they can underpay and mistreat. "Illegal" immigrants from Mexico and South America often face danger and even death crossing our southern border. We often rely on such people to work in jobs that we are unwilling to do and their work is critical to many industries and farms. They greatly enhance our lives and they deserve to receive a fair wage, full protection under our laws, healthcare when necessary and the opportunity to become citizens of our nation.

But many very liberal people who post here most likely would not view me as a "good" Democrat because I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. While I do not support another assault weapons ban and feel it would do little good to reduce gun violence in our nation, I have no problem supporting some major changes to our national gun laws. I support universal background checks and proof of firearm safety training for anyone who wishes to purchase a firearm or ammunition. I also support law enforcement efforts to curtail the smuggling of stolen firearms into the inner streets of our cities and feel that anyone convicted of "straw purchasing" a firearm for a felon or a smuggler should face a LONG prison term. In fact I feel they should be charged as an accessory to any crime committed with the weapon they purchased.

The Founding Fathers set up our government so rapid change is almost impossible. Over the years Democrats have gradually moved our nation in a liberal direction. This will continue as long as our party has power.

I understand why liberal Democrats are often unsatisfied with the rate of progress that they are able to make but expecting major chances overnight is unrealistic at best under our form of government.

What I fear is that we may split like the Republican Party. If the minority of the very liberal members of our party attempt to take over and run the party, we may find ourselves in the same quandary the GOP is currently facing. If the Tea Party had simply broke away from the parent Republican Party they would not pose any more threat than the Libertarian or the Green Party. Instead they are trying to gain full control of the Republican Party and are having some success. That will most likely work to our advantage in the upcoming midterm elections and possibly in the next Presidential race. A party that is fractured down the middle is a weak party and eventually the Republicans will learn this lesson.

Of course I might be wrong and you might be right. Perhaps pushing a very liberal agenda is the best approach. I personally feel it's a noble effort but will probably prove as futile as Don Quixote tilting at windmills. I favor a more slow and steady approach. Our nation today is far more liberal than in the 1950s and 1960s when I was growing up. If our party remains strong our nation will be even more liberal over the next 50 years.

Time will tell.