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Mary MacElveen: As a Caucasian woman: I did not leave the GOP, they left me

Submitted by BuzzFlash on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 10:42am.

Guest Commentary

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Mary MacElveen

Dear Ms. Sophia A. Nelson:

After reading your article, It's My Party, But I Don't Feel Part of It in The Washington Post as it relates to African-Americans who have felt alienated by the Republican Party over the years, they are not the only ones. As a Caucasian woman who is now 50, I could highly relate to this article. The reason being is that I was once a member of the Republican Party and fled the party back in 1998 when the social conservatives grabbed the reins of a party I once was proud to be a member of. I look at it this way, I did not leave the party, they left me. As a woman, I felt I no longer had a say in the direction of the Republican Party.

Instead of governing on behalf of the people, their sole purpose was to bring down President Clinton during the impeachment proceedings that derailed the people's business. To roughly spend $70 million of taxpayers' money on this investigation whose own conclusion of it was unfounded showed they had no business in running the government. As they were focusing in on guttural, they put our national security at risk. Perhaps if these investigative forces were brought to bear in fighting terrorist cells, 9/11 could have been avoided.

Quite frankly, the evangelical's stranglehold over the Republican Party terrified me. Yes a person can have their own religious belief system (I am Catholic), but to impose that belief on a political party is completely wrong. Our founding fathers truly believed in the separation of church and state and let that be a lesson to the Republican Party.

The Republican Party claims to be one whose beliefs are of a limited role of government within people's lives: Their stance on abortion belies that belief system.

Also one must look at how the federal government interfered in a family matter in the Terri Schiavo case that should have been a personal family matter right from the start. Former Congressman Tom (I am the federal government) DeLay called Congress into special session to intercede on her parents' behest to keep her alive when even her autopsy proved correct her husband's assertions that she was brain dead.

Those splinter groups such as Operation Rescue whose members tend to be apart of the Republican Party even went to so far as to invade the privacy of other patients at the facility she was staying at. The family members of those other patients could not even visit their loved ones as these groups, the media, and curious others invaded the periphery of that hospice facility.

The Republican Party has always held the belief in smaller government, and these past eight years have only seen an expansion of our government.

They believe in fiscal conservatism and these past eight years have proved otherwise. Just look at the national debt that President Bush will be leaving for President-elect Barack Obama -- a staggering $1 trillion. I too believe in fiscal conservatism, and what I have found within the Democratic Party is a party that practices what they preach. One can look at the budget surplus left to our nation by former President Bill Clinton.

The Bush Administration lied us into the war in Iraq and it has cost the American taxpayer over $500 billion and rising each and every second. Imagine what could have been done on behalf of the American people with those funds? They have squandered America's blood and treasure.

Lastly the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minnesota conveyed to the viewers a party I no longer could identify with. It was mean-spirited and one whose sole theme was to lash out at liberals as evident in Mitt Romney's speech. Their convention was toxic where as the Democratic convention was filled with one of hope and promise for better days ahead. Do I wish them success in rebuilding their party? Not on your life since they betrayed my trust in them time-after-time.

I thank you for listening to my opinions since I felt the need to speak out.

Sincerely,
Mary MacElveen

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

Technorati Tags: Guest Commentary Mary McElveen

Not a Racial Problem, A Piracy Problem

Submitted by Freedem (not verified) on Tue, 11/25/2008 - 12:30am.

There is far more wrong than issues of race, though race baiting is a prime technique of scoundrelness. The real problem is the scoundrelness.

The fact is that totally unspun honest ideals of Conservatives generally, but Neocons and Theocrats specifically, are so fundamentally abhorrent to the vast majority of people of any sort, that the truth cannot be admitted or spoken openly.

Many politicians do not say what they are thinking or intend, but no other Ideology is so disingenuous at its heart, or so dismissive of common sensibilities to the point that only spinning the reality, or demagoguing minor issues will get them anywhere near a majority.

Within a Socialized Society (as in socialized child or dog) there are many possible ways of achieving a goal, and plenty of room for discussion of how best to achieve that, but to be the Antisocial party, opposed to socialization of anything is arguing for barbarism and placing yourself beyond any discussion.

In a world where communication can be controlled the deception worked remarkably well, but the rise of the Internet where communication is not even two way but infinite ways, there is no lie that can stand the spotlight, and at least while video exists, no possible claim of being misquoted. False logic drilled in and repeated for a lifetime can stand for a while against a hurricane of reality, but like a Flatearther on a space shuttle, it will break in eventually, if not the current generation than certainly the next.

The Republican Party stands at a crossroads. It can fight to go back to a unsocialized society of "innocent" ignorance and fantasy, and either destroy civilization or die in irrelevance, or it can grow up and join the fact based universe, and try and save civilization from its former self.

Unfortunately at the moment the former choice seems to be in the lead.

If the Gang Of Pirates think that the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat, only a fool would think it bipartisan to accommodate them.

Competence

Submitted by JoeBuddha on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 11:56pm.

"I belong to no organized political party. I'm a Democrat." I've been disappointed, disgusted, surprised, and frustrated over and over by the Democratic party. The only thing I can say about it is that the Dems are a lot more interested about actual governing than the Rethugs. Rethugs seem mostly to be in it for power, while the Dems tend to be in it for the public service. I'm looking forward to actual competence in an Obama administration. I don't care if he's towing the liberal line, being a centrist, or whatever. If he can appoint competent folx and run a good, tight ship for the next 4 to 8 years, then we can talk orthodoxy. Shrub and the Dancing Rethugs have done such a number on our beloved country that I'd be surprised if we make much progress before then. All I know is that with McCain and his crew, we'd be lost without a trace. With Obama, at least, we can have a modicum of, dare I say, "Hope".

Sorry Lady

Submitted by VettaKing on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 11:05pm.

The Repukelican party has been rotten from the start, not post 1998. You were a member of a racist, corporatist, homophobic, war mongering cabal before the so called evangelicals "took over" the party. You're still a hypocritical loser. Who cares if you had a "come to Jesus moment".

That Was Uncalled For

Submitted by Carol Burns on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 11:34pm.

What's hypocritical about saying you made a mistake? Let's hope for more epiphanies among former Republicans. They know they've been sold out. Is there really a reason for you to insult Mary?

I don't know what to say

Submitted by anagitator on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 8:31pm.

I'm an independent who was Republican for many years (fiscal conservative at heart), and became Democrat and now is an "I". I've had it up to here with both parties as neither one has any real conscientious interest in making the USA better for those 300 million American citizens who have a real stake in our country. The politicians interests are in the rich, the elite, the bankers, Wall Streeters, Israel, AIPAC, neocons, military industrial, Saudi Arabia, China, Mexico and just about everyone but real Americans...anyone who can provide them with perks and campaign kickbacks . We do need multiple political Parties that can result in moving political opinions in the direction of the public, instead of only 2 Parties that provide only two opinions where the public must select the lesser of two evils.

Mary, I feel the same about the Democratic Party

Submitted by Mary Wollstonecraft on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 8:16pm.

I have watched the Democrats scramble like rats in a cage as the Neocons -- don't call them Republicans-- took control of every aspect of our public life. I concur with your remarks, yet Democrats have done little and often look pathetic when they try to stand up against Neocons. They eagerly assisted Neocons in their gutting of our economy making Americans slaves to International Corporations who have no loyalty to any country. Sadly, now Obama appears to be a Republican rather than a Democrat. I had hopes but now I have none. I was laid off in 2006 and found a temporary job in 2007. I have held three temporary jobs with this company -- with no benefits, and no hope of permanent employment. I had to sell my home and rent a room. All my working years, companies made money off my labor. Now, I make less than my young nieces who can afford to buy homes and cars, and rent apartments. I have to work until I am 70 just to survive. I am tired of just surviving. Obama will do nothing to help me and I do not see anything that will help me for the remainder of my lifetime. I am so unhappy. I am not proud to be an American, a land of so many greedy, amoral people. I am not even proud to be human.

Another lying (or racist) Republican...

Submitted by mcthfg on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 1:16pm.

"The reason being is that I was once a member of the Republican Party and fled the party back in 1998 when the social conservatives grabbed the reins of a party I once was proud to be a member of." So it was OK when the party was actively trying to deny voting rights to minorities, attacking gays and lesbians, and trying to take from the poor and give to the rich, but for some magical reason in 1998, the party "changed?" No Mary, that's not the case. You are being revisionist, and it is sad. Me? If I ever belonged, I would have left when Cheney fought against a holiday for MLK. That was YEARS AGO, Mary. Or maybe after Iran Contra. But not you, Mary. I call BS.

Republican Party, etc.

Submitted by Doug Roberts on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 11:19am.

It is important that everyone realize something about the money that has been squandered over the last eight years. It wasn't just wasted; it was stolen! Money that was spent (and is being spent) on the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and on the so-called war on terror goes to a limited number of organizations. These organizations include arms manufacturers, aircraft suppliers and private military contractors. You can be assured that these organizations have strong ties to the Republican party. And where does the money come from? From the American taxpayer. The simple story is that a large portion of the wealth of America is being transferred from the millions of average joes in the country to a few friends of the Republican party. D. Roberts, Thunder Bay, ON

Doug, I Wholeheartedly Agree With You

Submitted by Carol Burns on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 11:43pm.

It began with money that went missing from the Twin Towers. It has never stopped. Bush and Cheney have been on a steady course of selling out the US since they were "elected". We've had 8 years of sham government that has almost succeeded in bringing our country to its knees. "The simple story..." is the absolute truth; these criminals, and criminals they have been throughout, are just simply stealing our money, our jobs, our savings, and our peace of mind. We need impeachment and prosecution.

Part of the truth...

Submitted by alankdkd on Wed, 11/26/2008 - 1:28pm.

What you say is absolutely correct. But there are some essential facts you're leaving out:

1. The Democrats let it all happen, and 2. With control of the government next year, they're still not going to do anything to bring these criminals to justice.

This other corporate-financed party is not going to save us. We need to start supporting alternatives, like the Green Party, which is not corporate-financed.

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