Vote Only for the Righteous

By John Arcaro

This is a small history lesson for those of you who think “Republican=Good, Democrat=Bad.” Up until the 1960’s, the Democrat Party was the party of the working class. From the time of the very first Democrat U.S. President - Andrew Jackson, the face on the twenty dollar bill - the party of the donkey fought for the rights of average Americans. Indeed, Jackson was the very first President who came from poverty to attain the highest office in the land. Through the 1950’s and the early 1960’s, some of the strongest groups of Democrats were Catholics, conservative union workers, and rural women. Many - if not most - Democrats were responsible and religiously observant. In fact, it was scandalous for a good Catholic to be anything but a good Democrat.

Unfortunately, the party was infiltrated in the Sixties by some very active and wealthy secularists: extremist feminists, Hollywood, and the abortion lobby. These cultural liberals were strongly hostile to traditional Christianity and its moral code, especially its emphasis on sexual morality. Thus, the Democrat Party was hijacked by a small but very influential minority, and the face of the party has been drastically changed ever since.

This metamorphosis hit its disgraceful height in 1992 when Bob Casey, then governor of Pennsylvania, was not allowed to express his pro-life views on live television during the Democratic National Convention. The Bill and Hillary years brought the Democrat Party even further into the abyss of abortion-on-demand.

Tragedy often brings positive action, however. It was during the Clinton regime that Democrats For Life was founded. This is a group of party loyalists who are opposed to abortion and euthanasia, and wish to shift the party back to its traditional value roots in the life arena. They advocate for life, from fertilization to natural death. You can locate your state’s chapter and get other key information at www.DemocratsForLife.org . There you will find DFL’s Federal Advisory Board, comprised of a U.S. Senator and seven Congressmen, including Rhode Island’s own Jim Langevin.

Perhaps sparked by the re-emergence of sanity to the Democrat Party, another group harkening the party back to its common man past was formed in 1995. Instead of voters or party activists, though, this group is comprised solely of sitting U.S. Congressmen: the Blue Dog Democrats.

The Blue Dogs are conservative and moderate Democrats from every area of the country. Their core belief is that common sense, conservative economics, and compassion are not mutually exclusive. They believe in being good stewards, as their top priority is a balanced budget. Their goal is to reduce the $9.4 trillion federal debt so that average, hardworking Americans will not be burdened by the interest payments from this fiscal behemoth for generations to come. To research their positions further, catch them on the web at www.house.gov/ross/BlueDogs/ .

The convergence of these two branches of the Democrat Party would create a force powerful enough to bring the party back to its true heritage, back to the days when the party had a majority of Reagan Democrats ? back before that term even existed. This hope is well-founded, as nearly the vast majority of Americans are fiscally conservative, and only 25% of the country believes in abortion-on-demand. The false notions of “two-to-one” (i.e., the idea that two-thirds of voters are pro-abortion) and “reproductive rights” will not be able to withstand the light of scrutiny, as more and more Americans begin to have second thoughts about the extremist liberal factions of the Democrat Party.

The bottom line for this election season? Don’t be tricked into the “Republican versus Democrat” trap, because the Republicans have also become a “big tent” party where there is “plenty of room for ALL points of view.” (??!!!) Instead, make informed choices in the voting booth by actually taking the time to research the positions of the candidates. If you don’t know where someone stands on the issues that are important to you, DON’T VOTE FOR THEM. Go ahead, leave some races blank if you have to, if you’re not sure what the candidates’ core beliefs are. ONLY vote for the righteous, for God wants us to be good stewards not only of our money, but of our votes as well.

The writer - a Blue Dog, Pro-Life Christian - is a candidate for Representative District 59 (Pawtucket) for the Rhode Island General Assembly in the Democrat Primary on Tuesday, September 9th. Be an informed voter by going to www.Arcaro59.com , volunteering, and spreading the word.