Yes, I’m a Democrat and proud of it. You don’t hear those words much these days, and to be affiliated with the party of JFK, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden is not popular in West Virginia right now. I’ve been called a “lib,” a “bleeding heart,” and other names I will not mention, but that’s OK. Ultimately, I know I’m on the right side of history.

In case you’ve forgotten, the afore-mentioned former Presidents have been responsible for such transformative measures as the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, The Social Security Act of 1965 which created Medicare and Medicaid, the National Endowment of the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, Public Broad Casting, NPR, and the Affordable Care Act just to name a few. FDR was responsible for The New Deal which addressed the greatest economic crisis in US history. The Elementary and Secondary Education program under President Johnson gave aid to public schools and established Head Start.

I mention all these because I think many Americans have forgotten our history and have chosen to follow a charlatan who wants our government to work for the wealthy few and will trample the Constitution to get his way. I have been a Republican, an Independent, and have chosen now to be part of the Democratic party because Democrats work for the many, not the few. Here are the Democratic ideals I believe in:

* Democrats believe in growing the economy from the bottom up and middle out by investing in good jobs, small businesses, agriculture, by fighting poverty, and by giving people a hand up, not a hand out.

* Democrats believe in tax cuts for working families, not the top 1% and large corporations. They should pay their fair share.

* Democrats believe in lowering costs on healthcare, childcare, home care, groceries, gas, and housing.

* Democrats believe in tackling the climate crisis by producing more affordable energy, creating clean energy jobs, reducing pollution, and through sensible conservation.

* Democrats believe in protecting communities through sensible gun legislation, public safety and policing policies.

* Democrats believe in strengthening democracy through fair and equitable voting rights legislation, reproductive freedom, racial equity, freedom of the press, and by strengthening the arts and humanities.

* Democrats believe in securing the border and fixing our broken immigration system. President Biden and the Senate developed the strongest border security bill in recent memory, but the House was never able to vote on it because then citizen Trump didn’t want the border problem fixed under Biden.

* Democrats believe in strengthening American leadership worldwide by leading with diplomacy, a strong military, and American values.

Do political parties have problems? Yes, but what’s happening right now to our country under the current administration is untenable. America is always a “work in progress”, but we must do everything we can to save this Democratic Republic we love. Right now, we are faced with powerful individuals who don’t want freedom and justice for all. Consider this another warning.

Cindy Stemple

Elkins