Why I am a Democrat:

Well... I'm more of a moderate Democrat, but that's beside the point. I think that conservative Republicans are hardly that... conserving, I mean. The Republican government has far outspent Democratic governments, but it's what they spend their money on. They spend more on defense and big business rather than domestic and social programs. They give more breaks to the rich and raise taxes that effect the poor. The middle class? There are varying degrees of middle class, and it seems like the only ones that get benefits from Republican government are upper-middle class.

So what if there isn't enough money for police and hospitals and the homeless (despite my last rant about them... and I have issues with the homeless that I'll discuss later), as long as the affluent in their gated neighborhoods have enough security and health care and "clean" streets, they could care less. I don't like bond measures, even though we need them for major improvements to infrastructure, etc, because who buys bonds? I don't know many poor people that have a retirement plan, much less an investment portfolio. Yet to pay off those bonds, the government has to raise taxes, income or sales or property or whatnot, which the rich can shrug off a lot easily than the poor.

So in general, I don't like Republicans being hypocritical about how they cut taxes and spending and fiscal policy or whatnot. Past history says they haven't done so, so they shouldn't keep saying their's is the party that does. And the trickle-down theory? Hey, that muck must be really thick cuz so far I haven't seen any of that trickle. So far I think it's just sitting on top of the topsoil and the deep roots aren't getting any water. Maybe the lower classes haven't been active enough. Hey I know so. So because it's the rich that's involved in politics, it's the rich that benefit. Sigh.

It boggles my mind when people in the affected demographic call themselves conservatives. I think part of that stems from "the American Dream." Everyone dreams of becoming rich enough to be rightfully called conservative. Meanwhile, the rest of us down in the bottom are in denial that we are.

When it comes to public policy, I tend to be pragmatic. Anyone that knows me knows that describes my personality. So I vote with my conscience, not with my party views. For example, I'm actually for English-only education, though not in the Nazi-esque way that Prop 227 was. I've heard of far too many Latinos who grew up here and can't speak decent English which limits their job and education prospects. But I also know that it's hard to learn a subject in a language you don't know, so yeah, English-only should be limited to math and science and more lenient in high school as opposed to elementary school, and the ultimate goal is to integrate those students into English-taught classrooms. Cuz if you can't speak proper English or Spanish... well then you're screwed.

And I don't think we should have a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, because a constitution is for outlining the limits of government, not to take away rights/privileges of a group of people.

I can go on and on, but I'm don't have the time.

So it does boggle my mind that we have re-elected Bush. Hey, I'm pragmatic. If I thought that the war in Iraq (along with a thousand other public policies that make me shudder) was actually making the world better, I'd be all for it. Even if Bush (and his cronies) admitted that the war was a mistake but it's too late too back out now and they ask us to hang in there while they fix their mistake, I'd totally support them for being honest. But what I don't like is the eagerness for war and the self-righteousness that Bush has, as if he can't do anything wrong and he's forever covering up his ass. Even presidents can make mistakes. But damn it, don't pretend that he can't!

I don't think we should give in to terrorist threats, but damn it, there's a reason why terrorists and half the world hates America. I'd much rather have a President that hates war declare it, then one that wants it a little too badly do it. Hey war sucks, I hope we never have another, but there is such thing as a just war. But so far, this one in Iraq hardly seems to qualify. We used to be the benevolent bully. Now we're just a bully.

Thanks for reading my essay. I'll return to fluff entries now.