October 29, 2010 :: Permalink

Mahalo Senator Hooser for your wisdom!

We need to be honest -- politics is about money. There's nothing evil about this. It takes money to raise a family, go to college or start a new business. And, American democracy has been the envy of the world for centuries ... most watching us today shed tears. To them we have lost our way.

Democracy -- or participatory government -- is a wonderful experiment. Sure, at times it seems everyone is shouting at each other. The alternative would be to get our guns out and shoot at each other (or suffer under a dictator).

When we put our blessed system of government in perspective, we realize there is a kuleana (personal responsibility) associated with being a citizen in America. Let me list just three:

We must be tolerant of the opinions and positions of others. None of us have "truth."

We must recognize democracy generally means not getting exactly what one wants. We must accept compromise.

We must act civilly in the public arena and toward other participants.

Since we're human and politics evokes tremendous passion and emotion, participants from ALL parties have failed to meet these requirements and likely will fail in the future. Don't give up!

Everyone is seeking a simple way to explain the differences between the two major parties, and be assured, TEA members are primarily a subset of the Republican conservative right.

Here is an easy way to distinguish between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats believe in supporting democracy and building America from the ground up. This means ensuring your kids have access to affordable public schools and higher education; protecting clean and safe water supplies, air, food and access to medicine; and, standing up to predatory corporations, unfair business practices, unequal treatment and those who would harm our nation and families.

Those on the right advocate for policies that start at the top and, in theory, trickle down. They believe greater wealth in the hands of the few, the most wealthy, will lead to new investment and greater opportunities. They claim this will benefit all Americans and the world. While there is merit to these claims, the reality is these strategies have divided America and shrunk the Middle Class while increasing the ranks of the poor.

Election 2010 will likely be the most important in our life time. Trends are clear. The Middle Class continues to shrink; families across the nation are confused and struggling to survive. Democracy, which depends on a vibrant Middle Class, appears to be faltering.

In turbulent times, it is your duty to America and freedom to vote! How you vote remains your personal decision but your future depends on you voting wisely ...

A*L*O*H*A