Democratic Weakness: Letter to Harry Reid

I don't know how effective e-mailing our governmental leaders is, or, for that matter, whether blogging about my reactions to life and politics has any real effect on anyone but myself. I often feel as I feel about prayer, that the words coalescing in my mind and issuing out of my mouth really have an audience of one--myself. However, I guess that--despite my sometimes cynical exterior--I am an optimist. Just in case someone might be listening, for the past few years, I have made a habit of writing letters to our political leaders when I really want to register my reaction to something they have said or done. On May 20th, I sent the following e-mail to Senator Reid:

Dear Senator Reid,
As Senate Majority Leader, you also represent me, even though I live in another state. And I want you to know how seriously disappointed I am with the Democratic Senators who have failed our president by whining about moving prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to prisons in the United States. When Barack Obama won the presidential election, I was so proud and happy, knowing that many of the bad decisions made by the Bush administration would now be rectified. I had not, however, thought that the Democrats themselves would stand in the way of rectifying bad policy.

Your recent stand on not allowing those enemy combatants to be moved from Guantanamo Bay is faithless and cowardly. It reminds too many independents why they hesitate to vote for Democrats. If Democrats can't show courage now, when they have a popular president to lead the way, they certainly can't be trusted to do the right thing when the going is tough.

Will you and the other Democratic senators please fight for what is RIGHT, not for what is expedient? I live in a state that's Republican, but there was a lot of support for Barack Obama here--and a possibility of gaining ground for the Democratic Party. But not if the Democrats refuse to stand firm and offer a real, substantial, alternative choice over Republicans.

Sincerely...

Now, today's Washington Post has an article on the growing number of political independents in the United States: "Pew Values Poll: Independents Upper Hand," Jennifer Agiesta, Washington Post, posted May 21, 2009. The "independent" voters that I know seem to fall in line with the description of this poll:

On questions of the social safety net and equal opportunities and rights, independents have shifted toward traditional Republican positions, while on broader role of government questions, independents hew more closely to the Democratic point of view. Independents also tend to lean closer to Democrats on issues including regulation of the free market, social values, religiosity and national security, but are more apt to agree with Republicans on government responsiveness.

Those independents that I know are family members who, I suspect, usually vote Republican, but they hope for the Democratic Party to offer some real solutions and leadership. When that leadership fails, they turn to the party they have traditionally trusted, while complaining that the two-party system is inadequate. Obama's presidency offers a chance to find more support among independents for Democratic policy--but that chance will disappear if independents perceive Democratic leaders as waffling and indecisive.