After 2016 election, I decided I needed to become politically active
Published in the TCPalm on September 7, 2019
I was a happy Independent until the 2016 race for the presidency. What I saw and heard convinced me that I needed to pick a party and become politically active. I decided that I should investigate to see which party helped me, my family and those I care about.
Let’s see, I receive Social Security; that affects me, my family and probably you. That program was conceived and implemented by the Democratic administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I collected unemployment benefits once. That’s also from the Democratic Party. I’m older and receive Medicare benefits; that was President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Democratic administration.
What else? All these Democratic initiatives either benefited me or someone I care about. The G.I. Bill (my dad, my brother); 40-hour work week; overtime pay; School Lunch Program (my family, yours). The Civil Rights Act (neighbors); Voting Rights Act of 1965; Guaranteed Student Loan Program (me, my family); Family & Medical Leave Act 1993 (job protection for me, you); $15/hr wage; Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act 2009 (me).
The Democratic Party supports environmental protection (me, you), labor unions, social programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security (are these socialist programs you benefit from?), college tuition, universal health care, equal opportunity, consumer protection, campaign finance reform, LGBTQ rights, police and immigration reform, and stricter gun laws.
OK, I’ve made up my mind.
