I attended a meeting of the Carbon County Democratic Party Executive Board in Jim Thorpe this evening. The only people in the room were Democrats; no press was present. Five candidates or their representatives spoke. We heard from congressional candidates and candidates for state senate and state house of representatives.
What struck me was how positive the five speakers were. There were no personal attacks on Republican opponents, no meanness, no bigotry, no sneaky attacks on religious or racial or gender minorities. Immigrants weren’t scapegoated, poor people weren’t berated, Planned Parenthood wasn’t condemned, restrictions on voting weren’t called for, the environment wasn’t trashed, global warming wasn’t denied, gays weren’t denigrated, and sonograms weren’t demanded of women having abortions.
The candidates discussed a number of issues, including a severance tax on natural gas, funding for education, the Clean Air Act, constituent services, and property tax reform. Everyone was reasonable, rational, and intelligent. I don’t know why we aren’t in the majority. Perhaps it’s because Republicans have more money; perhaps it is because they make voters afraid and appeal to their worst instincts. In any case, I’m very proud that I am a Democrat.
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