Our Party, America's Party

Andrew Simon

Oregon locals Jefferson Smith and Adam Klugman submitted a video to the Democratic National Committee video contest where the winning video would be shown in front of the Democratic National Convention in Boston, where I was lucky enough to spend a few of the past days. Maybe because of the incredible production quality or maybe because of some get out the vote efforts by one of the locals the video won the contest.

It played today on the big screen of the Fleet Center in Boston. I suggest you to watch it if you haven't seen it already. My favorite scene of the video is a the very end when the caption chances from "The Democrat Party" to "America's Party".

The notion of the political party being the "exclusive" party of the country is fascinating. For the past couple of years it has seemed like the Republican Party has hijacked this exclusive label. They have made it a point to appear "patriotic" to an almost absurd point. They claim to always do what is in the best interest of America, thus they assume, America will do what is in the best interest of the Republican Party.

During John Kerry's speech tonight accepting the nomination of the Democratic Party, Senator Kerry spoke of the Republican control of the American label. He stressed that the American label belongs to everyone, including members of both political parties. He stated that after September 11, 2001, we were all united, patriotic, and stood by the President. Kerry suggested that Bush, through his destructive policies, has lost the right to hold the coveted American label.

And why is that label so coveted? The American public want the elected official whose values and plans fit in with the best interest of America, It's that simple. Kerry's speech was so remarkable because it helped define what was in the best interest of America. Although some folks find abortion and gay marriage blasphemy they still deserve a well-paying job, healthcare, and education for their kids. Although some folks support the war, their sons and daughters serving overseas deserve all of the additional help they can get from Congress and the President. Those are true American values. Policy should and always had seperated Democrats and Republicans. The parties respective values should be the same. Bush thinks that if you disagree with him you are anti-American and unpatriotic. This has been proven, time and time again, by conservatives and Republicans leaving from Bush's new GOP.

Under a Kerry administration, Bush can no longer divide America into thinking that they are more patriotic and hold more traditional American family values than the Democrats. John Kerry knows what it takes to be a patriotic American and he will not let a chickenhawk like George W. Bush tell him what it takes to fly the flag high.

It is a good sign that people such as Smith and Klugman are sharing the same mindset about the future of the party as Senator Kerry and his advisors. Great minds think alike.

By Andrew Simon July 29, 2004