Apparently, it is not enough for Kerry supporters to ask people of conscience (a.k.a. Nader supporters) to vote for Kerry if they happen to reside in "swing" states or "battleground" states. It is not enough for Democrats to tell people whom they should vote for. The Democrats have decided to go a big step farther and attempt to suppress democracy itself by asking candidate Ralph Nader to withdraw from the race in order to improve their candidate’s chances to win.
Could there be a greater travesty for Democrats than to openly and brazenly attempt to suppress democracy in America by coercing candidates to resign?
The shameful actions of the Democrats leave them together with the Republicans far, far below the high ground, and down in the quagmire of mud, from which all their mudslinging originates. Imagine the Democrats complaining about Nader’s acceptance of money from Republicans, when John Kerry’s first choice for a vice-presidential candidate was John McCain, a Republican who not only refused the offer, but who actively campaigns for Bush and against Kerry! Which is worse, taking money from Republicans or attempting to take partners in governance? And does anyone believe that Kerry turns down money from Republicans who wish to hedge their bets by voting for both sides in a hotly disputed election?
The war on democracy by the Democratic Party has not been limited to asking Nader to resign. The Democrats have paid big bucks to corporate lawyers to go to the courts to attempt removal of Nader from the ballot in state after state. The lust for power by Democrats is much more intense than the lust for democracy; of that there is no doubt.
The suppression of democracy within the Democratic Party became of serious concern at the time of the Democratic National Convention in Boston. Despite having a large percentage of party members and convention attendees who were and are anti-war in Iraq, the matter was forcibly dropped. Activist Medea Benjamin was literally dragged off the floor of the convention for expressing herself on this issue, during the Democratic Convention! Speaker after speaker were intimidated into suppressing their heartfelt sentiments and views in order to promote party "unity" at the expense of the democratic process. This trend has continued in the Democratic Party right up till Election Day.
If the Democrats win this election, it will not be because democracy has been served. It will be ONLY because of fear — fear of another four years of George W. Bush’ administration. Perhaps fear of another Bush term will win the election for the Democrats, but that fear will certainly not motivate a Kerry/Edwards administration to govern democratically. They have already rejected democracy in favor of "unity" (or uniformity) which is a tactic and characteristic of governance that Americans instinctively distrust and ultimately reject. The said reality is that even if Kerry wins, America will lose. This is another one of those years in which the election offers a lose-lose prospect to the American people. Skulls (Bush) you lose, Bones (Kerry) you lose.
Until American wakes up and demands democracy, the same pattern will continue. Unfortunately, democracy cannot be found within either of the major political parties in today’s America.
