REPUBLICANS IN DONKEY SUITS

[State Lawmakers Bolt Democratic Party After Election Day]

I had a Great Democratic friend named Chris who posted this on my FB letting me know he felt this would be a great topic for my blog. Chris did not realize just how intuitive he was, as my next post was about, “Republicans dressed in donkey suit,” at least that’s what my out spoken friend Jerry called them. The Republicans were infiltrating the Democratic Party in Utah. The story that Democrats were jumping over to the Republican side did not surprise me in the least. Could it be possible they were Republicans all along? I say this quite easily based on my own personal experience as an active Democrat in Utah, especially Utah County.

One day my husband decided to toss a card at me that said “WE WANT YOU.” The logo was the old Democratic logo of a workingwomen flexing her one arm. He said why don’t you run for office? I looked at him as if he was crazy and said, “What?” “It’s not that simple” any way I decided I would not run for office on that day or season, but what I would do is get involved. When I finally decided to step up to the plate and start learning about the political process, I found myself at my first caucus. I became chair for my precinct and a delegate. I had no clue what a caucus was, or what it meant to be a delegate. I then went to my first convention. This was a new exciting thing for me. I will elaborate more about my first convention on another post. Anyway it was nice to be among people whom I believed thought like me. Energy was in the air. I voted. Then I got to hear the results. I was in a huge place full of Democrats, and I thought, “This was awesome!” Where did they all come from? I new we had something in common. “Health Care for All Americans!” Yeah!!! Go TEAM!

Peter Caroon was running and people in the convention had made some comments that his running mate was a Republican women, and that they did not really trust this ticket. I thought, “what the heck?” Only in Utah could a Republican run on a Democratic ticket. They got the nomination. Why? Because some ding dong thought they could win Republican voters this way.

Well I made it through the convention, and the only Republican I knew of running as a Democrat, was Peter Caroons running mate. Had she crossed over as a believer? Where Republicans crossing over because they were tired of the radical right wing that gave no room for individual thought. Were these candidates tired of people who at the very mention of trying to bring Health care to all Americans would scream "Socialist?"

I started going to Democratic gatherings and demonstrations of citizens who wanted Health care. We met in parks and street corners asking for our legislators to support the Health Care Bill. The Legislator that surprised me most, was a Jim Matheson. With all our efforts, and he being the only Democrat in congress representing Utah, we hoped for his support. He proved to be a man lacking. Lacking the courage to read the bill. Lacking the courage to stand up and support a very important piece of legislation. He lacked the courage to help his constituents understand how it would help them directly. He voted no to health care to save his seat, so I am told, which lead him into a primary with Claudia Wright (more on this in another post)

Before This convention I had gotten a call from the Utah County Democrats asking me to serve on the research committee. I had done this kind of work in the legal field so I agreed. At my first meeting we nominated the chair, and I took co- chair. A few weeks later I got asked to serve as chair for the publicity committee. I went to my first chair meeting not sure if I would accept this post. I knew I wanted to help the Democratic Party grow but I wasn’t sure if I could commit to a job that would take more time than I was able to give. I accepted the post. My first task was to do a float for the Freedom fest( this story has it’s own post waiting.) Then I was told that we do not want our Candidates talking about Health Care or Obama (?). I suddenly felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, looking for Toto, so I could tell him “Toto I have a feeling we are not among Democrats” But they are standing as Democratic leaders directing the Democrats to keep silent about one of our core principles “Universal Health Care” and our amazing President “Obama.” Nooooo…Help Mr. Wizard, this can’t be happening “ You mean I still can’t feel comfortable talking about our President?” Well I could not be silenced, which I am sure did not sit to well. Why were they not directing people to take a firm stand? Have courage? Speak out on a very important principle? They had people believing this was the way to get your candidate elected. I disagree!!

This gets deeper my friends. I find out that Utah County Dems are having a dinner to honor a Republican. I thought that’s what the Republicans are supposed to do. It’s kind of like being on the 49 ers team, and going to the team banquet, using the teams money to honor Tom Brady, although a great quarter back, he is not on the 49ers team. This really didn’t bother me; I just thought it was peculiar. I enjoy celebrations for any good occasion.

I got to meet some of the candidates and found them all to be very nice people. One candidate in particular stood out. They had stated that they were running because Richard Davis the Utah County Chair had asked them too. They stated that they where not a registered Democrat and that they had been a Republican. I could get past that, as they seem to want to help Utahans. I talked about Health Care and they did not lead me to believe they were against it, so Republican or not, if they vote for what I believe I don’t have a problem, however, I have yet to find a republican leader that has voted for Health Care, something I believe in. Later after I volunteered 8 hours, and weeks of float work ,and my grandson sat next to this candidate, they spoke out in a debate that they would not have voted for the Health Care Bill. They gave no reason why? They never read it. Ask yourself could you vote for someone who did not support a huge piece of legislation that helped millions of Americans and would decrease our deficit in the process? Just because they are labeled a Democrat? I know I could not!

Now the more I knew, the more it appeared that we had Republicans, dressed in donkey suits. There was no support of our core value to bring Health Care to all Americans.

When doing the float I was told that putting people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Women suffrage in the parade was just too radical. Let me quote just a part of an email sent to me. “It is true that Utah celebrates MLK day, but it was one of the last states to do so. People here don’t see MLK as someone as important as Washington. That just isn’t true for them. It is true that Mormon women were suffragettes, but that is not part of LDS history most people are familiar with. So these things would be unfamiliar, strange, and even radical for the people watching.”

This is where I start hoping Glenda the good witch from the movie Wizard of Oz can help me get home to the Democrats, like she assisted Dorthy. Now I imagine that she replies, “ You have always had the power to go home to the Democrats.” I then ask her, "why did you not tell me this." She replies, “You would not have believed me my dear, you needed to find this out for yourself”( this is a true statement for many, they must find out "Truth" for themselves) Then she told me to click my ruby red slippers together and say there is no place like home, there is no place like home. I wake up and I am here typing on my TRUE BLUE PARTY BLOG!!!

I am reminded that I live in America the free, and I am free to be a voice for my president and my country.

AHHHH there is no place like home my fellow Democrats and it is good to see all of you here. Be that voice!!!