No. 24 10/5/15
Strange the conversations a person gets into while watching a high school ball game! Some time ago, an old friend of mine interrupted our casual conversation by asking me a single question: "Why would anyone want to be a Democrat?"
I pondered the question for a moment, thinking that the answer given would certainly depend on the area you are in, and the circumstances surrounding you and that area. But then the questioner added: "Especially if you live around here!" But that triggered an additional thought crossing my mind! Why? Because when I first came to the Prairie to teach in the fall of 1959, this entire area was almost totally DEMOCRAT! In fact, as I started a letter to the editor some 15 years ago, I asserted: "My grandfather was a democrat, my father was a democrat, and I voted for Kennedy enthusiastically in 1960." I also voted for most of the democratic candidates for lower offices at the time.
Then, the only real battles that occurred, were during primaries, among the candidates in the Democratic party. The victor there was almost assured of victory later over any hopeful Republican in the general election. My! How times have changed! But WHY?
Obviously, positions have changed during the 60 Plus years. And a little thought will tell you that it is the party which has changed, slowly but surely leaving behind a bunch of very dedicated followers who years ago would vote democrat always, no matter what names were associated with the candidates running!
Both my granddad and my father for example would never have considered voting for any person not wearing the DEMOCRAT label! I was brought up to feel much the same! But...
As time as passed, positions have changed. No one 60 years ago would have even dreamed that their beloved party would stand firmly on a platform today which nationally pushes for more gun control; that accepts or at least tolerates abortion on demand; that is comfortable with the new definition of marriage, allowing two men or two women "to wed," and receive all of the economic and political blessings that traditionally have been reserved for a man and a woman and the children they conceive and raise. Or to require that an individual be assessed a fine for not buying a medical policy not of his choice!
Democrats today seem to be comfortable with the exploding debt, and with a president who rules much like a dictator, issuing one executive order after another without the consent of Congress. He makes deals with an enemy who brazenly brags they will destroy first Israel, and then us, offering them $150 billion of aid on the one hand while dropping our role in the economic sanctions, which have had Iran reeling economically. In return, we did not even  insist on the release of the four or so American citizens they are holding as prisoners, and evidently are allowing the team of inspectors who are to monitor whether they stick to their no "nuclear bomb" pledge, to be selected from their own ranks!
Unbelievable!! I know my grand pappy and father would have recoiled in horror, were they asked to vote for someone who held these views, or even tolerated them in a less enthusiastic way! And I certainly feel the same way today! So, the bottom line is, the DEMOCRATIC PARTY has left old supporters far behind, and especially in an area like this, one does truly ask WHY!! WHY would anyone want to be a DEMOCRAT today?
Jake Wren 

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