Last week the Democrats held their first debate, and the contrast was strikingly different from the Republicans’ debate, as day and night. America is divided, and the two parties have a different ideology on the future of the country. The Republicans are a party, which glorifies the past, and their focus is gun rights and border security. They are conservatives, and they believe everyone in the country should speak English, and carry a gun.The two parties are engaged in different conversations, and that is evident based on what the Republicans think is important. The Republican candidates really believe that the federal government must spend money to build a fence around the country. They also think Donald Trump is correct, when he says that he wants to deport all the Hispanics who entered the country illegally.
The difference, from the very beginning of the Democratic debate, the candidates were respectful, and there were no personal attacks on each other. Here’s what a tweet said, “Democratic presidential candidates clearly laid out their visions to keep America moving forward – all done with policy, dignity and plenty of substance. This debate from the beginning to the end was mature, articulate, with an exchange of progressive ideas, policies, and issues.”
The Democrats are offering a clear distinction from the Republicans, and their vision is inclusive. They are talking about different challenges such as economic inequality, climate change, paid leave for mothers, and controlling and stopping Wall Street fraud. At the debate no one appeared to have all the answers, and all five candidates listened intensely as information was shared and discussed.
This debate was refreshing, because the information was knowledge based and the answers made sense. When the candidates were asked “Do Black Lives Matter, or Do all Lives Matter,” four out five said “Black Lives Matter.” If the Democratic Party is going to live up to its inclusive minority principles, the candidates must understand why Black Lives Matter to African Americans and the country.
On the other hand Republican presidential candidate Gov. Huckabee says, “Racism exists because we have a sin problem in American, not a skin problem.” This thinking is antiquated, because Blacks die every 28 hours at the hands of an authority figure with a weapon, and the governor has no idea that racism is systemic and exists in every aspect of the country.
The Democratic Party debate was not a circus and everyone involved with the production should be very proud of a class act. Many Republicans are claiming that the debate was boring, but I never understood that a debate was supposed to be a circus, where the frontrunner was the head clown. At the Republicans’ debate, it appeared that the head clown’s job was to call the other candidates, ugly, stupid and dumb, and the audience was supposed to laugh.
But the Democrats were thoughtful, and they understood the challenges facing hardworking Americans and their families. Democratic policies under President Obama have led to 13 million new jobs, and 67 consecutive months of private sector job growth. The ACA has provided 15 million Americans with health insurance, and expanded opportunities to millions of young people by staying on their parents’ health care insurance.
Ex-Governor Jeb Bush says, “The Democrats on stage are running for Obama’s third term.” But, the president is a fantastic model, and there is no reason to run from his record. President Obama has never stopped from his first day in office improving the quality of life for all Americans.
President Obama has been a great president, and is leaving the next president with some big shoes to fill. The Democratic candidates at the debate showed that they are ready to lead, and will continue to expand on the president’s successes, with progressive policies for the future.
