Democrats Who Don't Know What's Going On

Some weeks ago I read an interview with Robert Kennedy Jr. who was quoted as saying, “Eighty percent of Republicans are just Democrats who don't know what's going on."

I think he's right. Many of the voters who voted for Bush are really former Democrats or at least are conservatives who are more philosophically aligned with Democrats than with the Republican Party.

So, what made them desert their former convictions and vote for a party that does not represent average American citizens but instead mainly represents corporate and special interests? Why do they align themselves with those who are sending our jobs offshore, profit from illegal immigrants, oppose universal healthcare, social security, public schools and worker’s rights and safety? Why do they ride shotgun for big polluters, corrupt corporatists, bigots, religious fanatics, and those who preach hate and war? Why do they vote against their own interests?

The simple answer is - they know not what they do.

At first glance it's hard to explain why so many people who were once Democrats have left the party in recent years and voted for Bush, or voted for his father before him and perhaps Reagan. These good folks who grew up in Democratic Party families now label themselves as Republicans - but they really aren't sure why. It's not so much what they are for but more about what they're against that leads them to vote with Republicans. Most of what they are against they attribute to Democrats. Democrats have become the whipping boy for all the problems wrought by greed-gone-wild, corporate corruption, and all other societal ills.

Here are some of the reasons as I see it.

Many of these used-to-be Democrats remain bigots and racists although they pretend they aren't. They grew up under racist parents who still use the "N" word and when they get together privately they talk about how the black element has ruined society, are responsible for most crime, and believe in general that black people are stupid, lazy, irresponsible and worthless. They abhor the hip-hop culture, the music, the lyrics, the clothing styles and the bling, the foul language and the association of that culture with violence and crime. They view too many black Americans as a burden on society; as the main recipients of welfare and one of the major reasons taxes are so high.

These Democrats turned Republicans are also people who have a low tolerance for gays and those with alternative lifestyles. They see these people as products of liberalism gone wild. Too much freedom and tolerance. They liked it much better when gays were in the closet and they see the open gay lifestyle as a threat to their children and grandchildren who they think might become attracted to that lifestyle and become gay as a result.

These Democratic Party defectors, even though they themselves are descendents of European ancestors have a problem with most foreigners, they're uncomfortable with most immigrants, illegal or not, who they see as interlopers and invaders who are not welcome in our society and should go back where they came from. These new Republicans are tired of our nation being the nation that takes in the world's poor and oppressed. They feel we have enough social problems without adding more.

They view themselves as Christians whether they attend church or not and are mostly intolerant of any other religion. They tolerate those of the Jewish faith but only barely. Although they pretend not, they remain anti-Semitic and after 9/11 they consider all Muslims evil.

These Democrats turned Republicans have a fear of becoming social outcasts if they support a woman's right to choose because abortion is considered "murder" by the far right and any good Christian should oppose it. Many of these same people are hypocrites who publicly disapprove of abortion but when faced with a pregnant teenager or a victim of a rape in their own family will quickly and secretly have the fetus aborted.

The average "Christian church" has increasingly become a powerful political institution that serves the Republican Party and shames members to become Republicans. Those who admit they are Democrats are treated as sinners that have lost their way. The pressure to convert to "Christian Republicanism" is cult-like, strong and pervasive. Many life-long church-going Democrats fear any discussion of or disclosure of their party affiliation.

So, how can these people remain Democrats when they see the Democratic Party as the representative party of over-the-top liberals, arrogant intellectuals, Blacks, Latinos, gays, poor minorities, fallen sinners and most other kooks or minority factions that exist? They don't see themselves as part of that mix. They don't want to be associated with a party that is the party of blacks and gays, Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, criminals, environmentalists, Devil worshippers, geeks, arrogant intellectuals and wimpy liberals.

They want to belong to the white Christian party. Many of these one time Democrats see the Republican Party as the party that best represents not American values, but "white" values.

They think that Democrats are all pacifists, unpatriotic, and are weak on national defense. Since 9/11 they trust the more authoritarian, father-figure Republicans with their safety. They fear anyone viewing them as unpatriotic and are led to believe that any criticism of the president or the government when we are "at war" borders on an act of treason.

These people are not mostly wealthy people like so many Republican leaders are; those that set the Republican agenda to aid and support their own interests. They aren't all small business owners and not that many of them are what might be considered professionals. Whether they live in cities or rural areas, they are mostly ordinary, hard working, middle income to low income citizens who are very fearful and confused about what or who they should support.

If you engage them regarding the issues, they are against the corporations screwing over ordinary folks, but they unwittingly support the party of corporatists.

They are against big healthcare and pharmaceuticals and skyrocketing health and insurance costs but they unwittingly support those who scheme against them.

They are against illegal immigrants swarming over our borders but they ignorantly support the party whose elite and most influential members profit from cheap labor and don’t want to see our borders closed. They fail to see that the Republican corporatists practically engineered the invasion by over 20 million unskilled, uneducated immigrants and that the wealthy are the ones who profit from it.

They fear terrorism and are for strong national security but they side with the Republican corporatists that fought airline security measures that could have prevented 9/11 and a Republican administration and congress that for six years have failed to protect our ports and our borders.

They are for fiscal responsibility and smaller government but they support a party that gave tax breaks to the wealthy and to corporations, an act which shifts the burden to individuals by increasing the cost to individuals for all social services and takes money away from states and from other social programs.

They vote with a party that has grown the federal government to its largest size ever and spends money like a drunken sailor. They don't seem to realize that the record deficit is the result of money borrowed to run this country, to finance the war, and for huge giveaways to corporations and war profiteers. They are members of a party that has nurtured corruption and theft of our national treasury while the debt grows to bankruptcy levels.

These good people are simple victims of a well planned and executed takeover of our country – and as Robert Kennedy Jr. says, most of them are not really Republicans – they’re just confused “Democrats who don’t know what’s going on”. The Democratic Party has a huge tent that welcomes diversity of race, religion, lifestyles and ideas. Remaining a Democrat requires a lot of understanding, soul searching, reasoning and critical thought. Becoming a Republican requires very little thought and carries no risk as most neoconservatives see it. Our country right or wrong, support our troops, one nation under God, wave the flag and follow the leader.

May God awaken these strayed sheep, these prodigal sons and daughters, and return them to the fold in time to save our nation and our world.