A look at 'real Democrats'

This letter is in response to “No surprise” dated Tuesday, Feb. 24, from Linda Wilsman, a former Portland resident who now lives in Sacramento, Calif.

She asked the question, “Are you sure you want to vote for a Democrat this year?”

First of all, her premise that what happens in California by any group of individuals translates to the beliefs of Democrats there or in other parts of the country — especially the Midwest and Jay County — is not even valid. Second, throughout the entire U.S. there are extremist groups that are a minority that get a lot of attention, and do associate themselves with one party or another, but does not represent the majority of the beliefs and views of the mainstream.

So who are the real Jay County Democrats? It just so happens that the letter to the editor was printed the same day that we were having our regular monthly Jay County Democrat meeting. At the meeting were retirees, factory workers, farmers, housewives, people from the banking industry, a school administrator, a salesperson, a police officer, a company management person, a retired postal worker, and a person that had just moved to Portland.

In fact, the Democrats I know from Pennville, Redkey, Dunkirk, Bryant, Portland and the rest of Jay County are the same kind of people — the working class people from all walks of life.

So what are some of the things that Jay County Democrats stand for?

I can tell you that we are God-fearing people that go to church on Sunday. We do believe in upholding the constitution of our founding fathers. We do believe in a strong military, are 100 percent behind the troops, and know we need to stop terrorism against our country.

However, I can also tell you some of the things that concern us that have happened in the last three years.

Isn’t it very interesting that since the Republicans have gained control of the House and Senate as well as the White House that, as one of their own Senators John McCain put it, “we are spending taxpayer’s money like a bunch of drunken sailors.”

We have record deficits like we have never seen in our lifetime, yet working class people have to manage our check book every month. President Bush recommends giving illegal immigrants all kinds of benefits, and Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan recommends cutting Social Security benefits and making working class people work longer.

I can tell you that all Jay County Democrats young and old about had a heart attack over this one.

How about the two and a half million good-paying jobs that have been lost in the last three years? Oh yes, there are jobs out there flipping hamburgers, washing dishes and making pizzas, but try to raise a family and live in a home on those wages.

I can go on with many other issues but the point is the former Portland lady does not know the real Jay County Democrats that live here.

The only problem with real Democrats nationwide is that too often we become the silent majority.

Randy Geesaman

Portland[[In-content Ad]]