BY KENNETH WELLS

We need Democrats, both progressive and moderate, to come back to the party and participate at all party levels. For too long, Democrats in solid blue states, as well as those states that were almost equally divided between progressives and conservatives, have become apathetic.

We have now reached a point of near self-annihilation. No longer do we have the privilege of staying at home while expecting our neighbor to “carry the flag.” If we are to prevent the dismantling of our social structure and personal freedoms, we are going to be required to become involved.

The conservative opposition, both in the state of Oklahoma and other locations throughout the United States, has spent a good deal of time and money furthering its ideals of “no government.” The only government wanted, or deemed necessary, is for the defense of the United States against foreign forces.

At the same time, it has had no qualms whatsoever climbing into our individual private lives, homes and health. This is shown in their 2013, 100-page manifesto, Growth and Opportunity Project, which “teaches” how to take back the White House and U. S. Senate.

Combating this flawed theory will require all peoples of moderate and progressive ideology to become deeply involved in maintaining our social views. Accomplishing this task necessitates workers and monetary assistance to keep the Democratic Party alive. The time for only supporting our local candidates is past!

We need candidates, on both sides of the aisle, to be truthful and conscientiously campaign on what they believe, not what they think we would like to hear. They can then let us make up our minds whether we wish to vote for them or not. All too often, that candidate we vote for is not of our political persuasion.

Before choosing, remember, it is seldom that any candidate fits every niche in your vision. However, that is when you will need to consider carefully before choosing and marking your voter’s ballot.

All too often, I hear the comment, “I vote Democratic in the local elections but Republican for national elections.” In essence, what you are saying is that your vision is only for your immediate area.

You forgot about the consequences of sending the person who does not share that vision to the United States Congress or White House where the most damage can be done to our way of life.

We need to remember, “The only thing that does not run downhill is money.”

Living in a state where our right-to-work laws offer no employment rights whatsoever, a person has little leeway to show their political views. Sadly, in our county, some employees fear for their jobs if their political views are not shown to match their employer!

This is first compounded by a close-knit, one-product economy. The second part of our economy – low wage service jobs offered by politically perverse employers – leaves a person extremely limited avenues in which to earn a wage.

The ability of an employer to chain an employee’s political beliefs is the equivalent of our state or national legislators mandating what one can or cannot do in one’s bedroom!

Therefore, Oklahomans, if you cannot visibly or orally proclaim your progressive or moderate social views, you can still participate by supporting your local party behind the scenes.

To vote for or against an individual purely because of race or religion is a shameful, cowardly act. The outdated phrase – “I would vote for a yellow dog before I would vote for a Republican” – is ancient rhetoric. The last two elections were perfect examples of this.

If the people in Oklahoma – living at or below the poverty line – had not believed candidate Mitt Romney’s failed economic theories and had not agreed with his belittling remarks about that segment of our population as “the 47%,” Republicans could not claim Oklahoma as the “reddest of red states!”

– Kenneth Wells lives in Duncan and is an occasional contributor to The Oklahoma Observer