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The Downside of Being a Liberal Democrat
Published Saturday, November 8, 1997

After all these months, you’ve probably figured out that I’m the liberal side of this Both Sides Now team.  To be more precise, I’m a registered Democrat of the liberal persuasion.  I’m often accused of favoring day care centers over Trident submarines.  I like the First and Second Amendments and I think Thomas Jefferson would approve.  And I don’t think “what’s good for General Motors is good for the country.”
 
When I write this column, I have to assume that my liberal views are as “right as rain” (you should pardon the expression) and that Scott, over there in the column next to me, is terribly misguided and deluded.  I continue to believe that the Democratic party best represents the interests of the people.  Many of its programs and premises and have been great for this country.
 
Here’s my problem.  There’s plenty about the Democratic party I don’t like (more than one column’s worth), and I’ll be candid enough to share this with you.
 
For one thing, the Democratic party (and by that I also mean elected Democratic politicians and registered Democratic voters) isn’t liberal enough.  If being liberal suggests an open mind and an aggressive concern for people’s well-being, then we are surely not liberal enough.  Instead, the party is often hidebound, backwards-thinking, plain stupid, and pushing old ideas about government that don’t work anymore.  And it’s no bonus that the party, elected officials, and appointed officials look corrupt.
 
A Democratic Presidency is no fun for a liberal Democrat when:

  1. The White House is regularly serving up Scandal du Jour.

    2.  
  2. Stupidity is the White House’s first line of defense.

    3.  
  3. Ignorance is the White House’s second line of defense.

    4.  
  4. The White House’s statement of ethics is “To my knowledge, no laws were broken.”

    5.  
  5. Clinton’s first goal in life is to get Al Gore elected president.

    6.  
  6. Clinton’s second goal in life is to stay out of court.

    7.  
  7. Clinton charges $400,000 for a cup of coffee.

    8.  
  8. Clinton opposes outside control of the IRS.
How am I doing to explain all this to my mom and dad, who are very serious Republicans?
 
Democratic representatives are no fun, either:
  1. Vic Fazio and others like him take in more PAC money than conventional contributions.

    2.  
  2. Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia is the PorkMaster of the nation.

    3.  
  3. Jim Wright and Dan Rostenkowski... oh, well.
So there’s room for a little disappointment here.  However, to make sure the Republicans don’t go unbashed in this column, I’ll remind you that both Republican and Democratic politicians share these virtues:
  1. Economics.  Both sides take credit for a healthy economy, even though neither side made it happen.

    2.  
  2. Tax reform.  Despite their posturing, neither side is interested.

    3.  
  3. Spending.  Both sides tax or borrow and SPEND SPEND SPEND when the mood strikes them.

    4.  
  4. Campaign reform.  Despite their posturing, neither side is interested.

    5.  
  5. Regulation.  Both sides will take away your freedom in an instant, whether you’re an individual or a business.

    6.  
  6. Pork.  The federal government is an equal-opportunity distributor.

    7.  
  7. Special interests.  Democrats suck up to unions like Republicans suck up to corporations.

    8.  
  8. Self-perpetuation.  Both sides lust for money and power.

    9.  
  9. Credit and blame.  Our side only does right; the other side only does wrong.
The Democratic party is supposed to be the bolder party, while the Republicans traditionally keep the country from going off the deep end.  So where’s our Democratic boldness?  What we have here is either a loss of vision, or the perpetuation of a vision long since out-of-date.  And that’s no good.  We should expect more from the party well known for Social Security and civil rights.  We have every right to expect a highly-principled party with a liberal vision for the future.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud to be a Democrat, but I want to be prouder.  I have every hope for a more vital Democratic party.  I’ll continue to caution people to be wary of Republican rhetoric, too often seductive but empty.  I’ll encourage people to align with a party that is traditionally known for liberal thinking and introducing change.  But I seriously want it to improve.
 
The Democratic party is at its best when it exhibits a fine chaotic quality, a precarious merger of all kinds of troublemakers.  I want to be able to say, as Will Rogers once did, “I’m not a member of any organized political party -- I’m a Democrat!”
 
Barry Schoenborn is a technical writer, and a ten-year resident of Nevada County. You can write to him at barry@wvswrite.com. The opinions of columnists are not necessarily those of The Union.
 

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