It is about time I laid my core values out, clearly and concisely, for my friends. It may appear odd to many that I am able to revere both my religion, with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints (Mormon), and believe so passionately in the Democratic party. Many times, I have been asked, "How can you be a Mormon, and vote liberally?"...and, "How can you be a registered Democrat, and preach Christianity?". I will answer these questions once and for all.
1. As a Democrat, I believe that it is necessary to care for the downtrodden, the poor, and the weary, the sickly, the elderly, and the mentally incapacitated. I believe with all of my heart, mind and soul that issues such as health care, social security, welfare, and education should have proper funding from the government. It literally sickens me to see Republican after Republican leave these programs in their wake of destruction, simply because the people using these programs do not have a voice. If one has properly followed the teachings found in the New Testament, one will discern for himself that Jesus Christ Himself spent His time with the poor, the weary, the down trodden, and the helpless. He gave His time, and His miracles to the people who needed a voice, because their government turned a deaf ear upon them in their time.
a. On Health care in America- what Democrats propose is a socialist approach to reforming the system, making health care available to all...and allowing the federal government to dissolve the bands which have held back nearly two-thirds of Americans from feeling the benefits of health insurance.
b. On Education in America- "You may give a man a fish, and feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you can feed him for his lifetime." Education is key. It is the only thing that will save us in the end. Public schools are in desperate need of money for teachers salaries, school supplies, and books. College students are in desperate need of more funds available with federal grants and student loans. The only way to ensure a brighter tomorrow for America is by ensuring a good education for that next generation.
2. As a Democrat, I believe that the We, the American people, should pay taxes, and see the benefit of using a portion of our money for the greater good of our country. Yes...we work hard. Yes...people give money to charitable organizations. But it is not enough. It is not enough to count on the wealthy to give to the poor, because in all reality, there are not enough good people in the world. There are too many sick, afflicted, and over worked people...many of which will never see the benefit of these wonderful, yet few and far between charitable acts.
3. As a Democrat, I believe that abortion is a woman's choice. I stand firmly behind the Supreme Court Decision for Roe Vs. Wade. I think that victims of rape, victims of incest, and mothers whose health is endangered should be able to obtain legal abortions. I do not want to ever see the country fall into a time again when there are back-alley abortions, and black market doctors. While my personal religious convictions do not condone using abortion as a birth control, I do not believe there will ever be an acceptable way to regulate those that are using the right to abortion as a means of foregoing trauma after a rape or incest, and those that choose to use abortion as a means of birth control. I am Pro- Choice, because with all of my heart, I know and believe that the God that I worship would not take away agency from His people.
4. As a Democrat, I believe in the middle class. Having studied our history and the history of many nations, it became undeniably clear to me that without a strong middle class, a country will eminently collapse on itself. I align my views with the Democratic party in that we MUST strengthen our middle class in order to preserve our glorious Country, and prevent a revolution and uprising of the lower class citizens against the wealthy highest class. Look at any point in history, whether it be the fall of the Roman Empire in 630, or the French Revolution of 1789...and see that when the middle class jobs were eliminated, the country ceased to be successful economically.
5. As a Democrat, I believe that we must end the war in Iraq as quickly as we can, and as responsibly as is humanly possible. Bottom Line- This war was brought upon us under the false pretenses that we were fighting for something that happened on September 11, 2001 in New York City. Bin Laden was not, and has not been in Iraq...and anyone who may believe that there is any tie whatsoever to our troops in Iraq and Sept. 11 is a fool. I support the troops we have there; and I want them to stop losing their lives for a dead cause...for we will never win a religious battle with a country that has held onto the same principles, may they be for good or for bad, for thousands of years. I want my friends, my neighbors, and my family to come home safely, and with as little battle scars as possible. Too many have already laid down their lives.
6. As a Democrat, (and many of my Christian constituates will disagree with me), I see no problem with people that have chosen a homosexual lifestyle receiving the same benefits that I will receive as a heterosexual. Again, I have a really hard time taking away rights from my fellow Americans, regardless of my religious belief system. While I was raised that "Marriage should be between a man and a woman", and under the eyes of God, I do not believe that my homosexual friends should not be allowed at the death bed of a loved one, to share tax breaks with their life partner, or to share a civil union with the person they have chosen to spend the rest of their life with.
7. Lastly, I am a Democrat, because being registered as so, I am able to get up every morning, look myself in the eye, and declare to myself, "Tiffany, you've done your best, and you've given you're all." For me, The Democratic Party stands for honesty, for change, and for the integrity we need to get this wonderful and glorious country back on track.
In God We Trust.
