American Democratic Party in Operation
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 19 Jun 2012
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D. – TRANSCEND Media Service
For all practical purposes, the United States is based merely on two major political systems, the Democratic and the Republican parties, each of which may be viewed as autocratic with a façade or garb of democracy. Regardless of what they choose to say, the American people end up being exploited as revealed periodically in the frustrations and disappointments of their daily lives. In this presentation we will concentrate only on the Democratic Party.
Positive and Constructive Qualities
Needless to say, in spite of its defects, the Democratic Party has plenty of positive and constructive things to offer that have been found to be beneficial to millions of Americans. It is often referred to as the political party of the people, or the average American, because in most of its political endeavors it tends to put top priority on the vital needs of the middle class and the poor people. Due to the policies of such a party many Americans have been provided with proper health care, good education and adequate home facilities.
Millions of Americans today are enabled to have food on table because of the social security element that was devised by the Democratic Party during the time of President of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the decade of the thirties. This may be due to the fact that Democrats view the ordinary people as the backbone of the entire nation. Besides, democrats want to give all people, from every walk of life and profession, the opportunity to grow and develop to the maximum of their individual and collective capability.
We need to keep in mind here the words of President John F. Kennedy who described the American people as a “conglomeration of nations.” This is due to the fact that they all happen to come from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. It explains why it is somewhat difficult to describe what may constitute the real and genuine American. In fact, those who travel all over the USA notice numerous different accents. However, when we come to the national news media, they try to restrict the accent to the so called mid-western lingo.
On the whole, democrats tend to view money not as an end in itself but rather more as a means to an end. Usually such an end constitutes the vital necessities of life. Although many democrats did seek in the past to solve global conflicts through wars, on the whole they would rather use strong diplomatic means. This was one of the main reasons by Democratic President Barack Obama won the Noble Peace Prize shortly after his election. He vouched that he would seek to solve all political problems “through healthy dialogues and a strong diplomacy.” This statement also gave a sigh of relief to people everywhere.
Respecting Human Rights
We may also clearly comprehend why the Democratic Party reveals itself to be more sympathetic toward those who came to settle in the United States many years ago without proper paper documents. A few millions of these were brought by their parents when they were merely a few years old. In fact, such children grew up viewing the United States as their very own country, as the only country they ever knew. To this end, President Barack Obama has taken positive and constructive steps in this direction.
Besides, the vast majority of churches in the United States have often defended in the open the sacrosanct right these children of undocumented immigrants have to continue to view this nation as their own country. After all, English has been their dominant language and the American modus operandi has become an intrinsic part of their very own life. Moreover, they developed and grew up very faithful to the American nation. Several have served in the military and risked their lives as a result.
Others grew up to become successful businessmen and proved to be good scholars in the various academic areas they pursued. In addition, thousands helped make the lives of many Americans easier by working in their houses doing all kind of useful and needed work for a minimal charge. Moreover, we observe from history that wars have always led to the economic collapse of nations. When George W. Bush took office he inherited from his predecessor Bill Clinton $800 billion surplus.
On the other hand, when Barack Obama took office he inherited from his predecessor, George W. Bush, $2 trillion dollars in debt due to two needless and disastrous wars that were waged in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Although we notice throughout the US history that both democrats and republicans became involved in a number of wars, the waging of wars by republicans developed more as one of their characteristics in foreign policy. It also explains that while republicans tend to increase the military budget, the democrats tend to shrink it.
In principle, democrats tend to attach high priority on the vital needs of people over the manufacture of further weapons and the promotion of more wars. Besides, democrats seem to be more ready to adhere to the warning Pope Pius XII gave to both the British and the Germans on the eve of World War II when he asked them to keep in mind that in “a war everyone is a loser and no one is a winner.” In fact, Germany lost the war and its economy collapsed while people were poor everywhere. On the other hand, England won the war and its economy collapsed and people were equally poor everywhere.
Defense of Higher Laws
In addition, England witnessed also soon after the collapse of the British Empire. Surely the United States has plenty to learn from the lessons of World War II and this applies to both republicans and democrats. In the political sphere the democrats seem to have a healthier philosophy in the area of governmental priorities. However, when it comes to basic social needs in human relations the democrats have still plenty to learn. So far we tried to concentrate, to the best we could, on the positive and constructive elements of the Democratic Party.
Let us now examine some of the leading negative elements observed in the Democratic Party, which have created confusion, tension, and needless divisions. In the sphere of legality we are faced with four different types of hierarchical laws that run in this order: divine, natural, ecclesiastic and civic. In case we have conflict between them we are morally obligated to retain the higher law while disregarding the lower one. The democrats, on the whole, do not seem to subscribe to the three higher laws just mentioned.
To illustrate this by some example, in accordance with the Natural Law marriage is by nature geared to take place between a male and a female. When democrats advocate the right for same sex individuals to perform “marriage” with each other, they are violating the Natural Law over which they have absolutely no jurisdiction. Ironically, when some time ago statistical studies were made as to find out what prompts people to marry same sex individuals, not one of them gave “sex” as a reason.
If that is the case, then we may simply call same-sex couples by the term “civil union.” It is that simple. However, the weakness of democrats in this case lies in the fact that they continue by all means to refuse using “civil union” instead of “marriage.” Unfortunately, this social philosophy of democrats tends to lead to confusion. Besides, democrats continue to insist that every woman has the right to decide as to whether or not she should terminate her pregnancy and that no one else should interfere.
Pregnancy, whether willful or not, marks the initiation of a new human life, which is viewed by the Divine Law as sacred from the very first moment of conception. This explains why in this law we find it explicitly stated: You should not kill. If for any reason a woman would not want the child then such a woman could provide this sacred innocent creature for adoption. The democratic slogan “pro-choice” is rather presumptive and embarrassing because the woman assumes the power to by-pass or to ignore the Divine Law whose author happens to be God Himself.
Weakness of Pro-Choice Philosophy
Every movement that continues to justify abortion through statistics made up of supporters has completely missed the boat. Morality is imbued in us not by a popular vote but by the Divine Law and by the Natural Law. If, say, two plus two make four, even if the vast majority were to say that two plus two make nine, it still remains a concrete evidence that two plus two always continue to make up four. The tragedy lies in the fact when members of the government and the judicial system dare to maintain that two plus two make up nine!
The Democratic outlook of life relative to the unborn is certainly defective and it needs to be corrected. Unfortunately, many Americans who support so many good things the Democrats have to offer to the nation find themselves torn asunder when they go to the voting booth. The time for these social defects to be brought under control is now and not the next time we sit under a tree watching the stars! Also, at times the notion of the constitutional statement that advocates separation of church and state has been quite misunderstood.
This constitutional statement does not mean that the state can do what it likes and the church, at the same time, can also do what it likes by all means. It simply means that no laws could be enacted that are mutually offensive and morally unacceptable. On the contrary, all new laws made by either side must prove to be mutually beneficial. Maybe, those who are for same-sex marriage and for the right of women to “choose” abortion need desperately to make serious studies in both the Divine Law and the Natural Law.
Needless to say, the changing of one’s mind-set has often proved to be one of the most difficult tasks human beings may eventually face on earth. Once human beings are bent on seeing things from a certain way, it may prove to be short of a phenomenal miracle for the same human beings to see things from different perspectives. However, as the French proverb says: Avec la patience on s’arrive a touts – with patience one arrives everywhere. We really need to develop a strong will power – When there is a will there is a way.
In conclusion, we need to make sure we have formed a clear concept of the strengths and weakness of the American Democratic Party. Maybe we should summarize them briefly here below. Our wisdom could be traced to our ability to retain and safeguard the good points we have as to contribute toward a better and a much safer society. At the same time, we need to learn how to change and modify any points to which we adhere almost blindly that are detrimental to our welfare in a number of ways. However, when we come across actions that are beneficial we should retain them, regardless of their source.
Strengths versus Weaknesses
We may enlist the strengths of the American Democratic Party as follows:
Problems in foreign policies are sought to be solved primarily through healthy dialogues and strong diplomacy and not through weapons and wars. Besides, people’s dire needs such as health care, education and adequate home facilities become the nation’s focus rather than conflicts that may lead to endless suffering. Also, social security for the elderly in particular has been going on successfully for many decades and should continue.
Amnesty for undocumented immigrants who served this nation very well for many years should continue to be granted in the best interest of the nation. Above all, adequate health care for all Americans whose health is very important for the welfare of the entire nation must be carried on. Providing good education for all Americans as to enable them to develop the maximum of their potential cannot be taken lightly. Last but not least, equipping with good home facilities all those in dire need proves to be a good humanitarian policy.
We may now enlist the weaknesses of the American Democratic Party as follows: Same-sex marriage concept needs to be replaced by the civil union idea without missing anything. Besides, we need to replace abortion with adoption, thus showing respect for the sacredness of life from the very first moment of conception. In addition, we need to respect people’s right to express their religious beliefs openly as long as they do not try to impose them on others. In the social sphere of society these defects cannot be taken lightly.
In spite of the fact that the American Democratic Party has plenty of positive and constructive things to offer, such outlined defects or weaknesses would need to be eliminated for this political party to render an ideally good political service to the nation. The inner conflicts which exist within us need to be whipped into order as to help create national harmony and world peace. After all, our objective, both nationally and internationally, should reveal complete dedication to each other as to make everyone a winner and no one a loser.
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Charles Mercieca, Ph.D. – President, International Association of Educators for World Peace, Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education, Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament.
-Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University.
-Hon President & Professor, SBS Swiss Business School, Zurich.
-Member, TRANSCEND-A Network for Peace, Development and Environment.
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 19 Jun 2012.
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I have to agree with Dr. Mercieca with regard to the sanctity of marriage (between a man and a woman), and with regard to the sanctity of human life. However, only the naive believe other than that the Republican Party will strive mightily to generate another violent conflict somewhere on the globe, should they be given the opportunity. This reality cancels out Dr. Mercieca’s argument against the Democrats’ pro-abortion stance. If either party were seriously concerned about human life, then they would be able to see that a 40% increase in the population of the planet during the last twenty-five years is a direct cause of demographic pressures against limited resources – leading to warfare and disease and suffering. Neither party has acted responsibly as stewards of the planet – observing this demographic reality gone off the deep end. Dr. Mercieca pulls up the reins just before getting to the topic of a personal God. He doesn’t lead us to the question: “Where is God?” When our leaders get that far, then there will be constructive change, rather than the current pattern of just going around the political circle, in an attempt to prop up the status quo. Another intellectual who fails to mention the importance of metaphysics to the theological foundation of the Christian Church – the expected, usual political discussion.