This article is a must read for every Democratic politician. I am an Independent, and I have served your party for the last 17 years, but I’m losing interest. I have watched as you have attempted to appease Republican voters, and left your own behind. I was a senior in high school when JFK was assassinated. I had the courage to support Michael Dukakis because his ideas were the ideas of a liberal. In 2016 I supported Bernie Sanders because he is a real liberal. Today Democrats are such a group of wusses that they want to call themselves ‘progressives’ because FOX Noise, Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones, and others begin their attacks by using the label ‘liberal.’ We should be proud of that label. Nothing good has been accomplished for the majority by anyone other than a liberal. The greatest president in history was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and he was a liberal. No president in history has fought with the energy and resolve of FDR. He was unafraid to wage war against the wealthy and Republicans who supported them.

After the greatest failure in the history of America on November 8^th, 2016, I find it difficult to support most Democrats. With the exception of a few, including Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and of course Elizabeth Warren, I cannot even listen to Democrats who rage on television interviews but remain far to cowardly to stand up and take pride that they support minorities, the working class, freedom from religious persecution, same-sex marriage, women’s rights, fair taxation, and free healthcare for everyone. These are Democratic values and why the term ‘liberal’ is a badge of courage.

In addition, Bernie Sanders was 100 percent correct. Capitalism has failed the great majority of the American people. Only democratic socialism can save the United States. The entire Republican Party is owned by the wealthiest one-percent of Americans. The working class does not have lobbyists who pay Republican congressmen tens of thousands of dollars to support their bosses.

If you want to win elections, you must fight for the rights of the majority and celebrate your left wing principles. Stop defending yourselves against right wing attacks by idiots; celebrate the fact that you are fighting for the America of our founding fathers. Being a rebel is being American; protesting is patriotic.

The truth is that Democrats must cease moving to the right and bravely march back to the left. It’s time to become America again and deny the regressive policies of Trump and his anti-American party.

If you are sincere about serving the American people, stand up and shout: “I am proud to be a liberal!”

Please re-post and forward to your Congressmen and Senators; thank you.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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