Before you dismiss the title, please read this paragraph. It’s enlightening and of course about me. What I believe in. What’s important. Contained within the following paragraphs are an inside/out look at my psyche. Yes, all that and more. First, when I say Democrat, I don’t mean the democrats of today, the liberals, those individuals who claim to be “woke” etc. In fact, almost a 180 degrees from that.

As a teenager, whenever that was (sooo long ago…smile) when I became of legal age to vote, I, of course, registered to participate in electing the leaders of our amazing nation. HOWEVER, at the time I didn’t realize how truly amazing America was/is. Self-importance was key at the age of 18, along with girls, partying, cars and part time work, along with gas prices of 35 cents. Of course college was somewhere in the shadows as well. There was very little money in my family for furthering my education, which led me to alternative methods of gaining an education, which did include some college. I managed to obtain a small grant to pay for books etc. I believe it was around $800 or so. WOW! Big money. (grin)

Well, it just so happened that there were vote registration tables in my high school. I approached one cautiously, waiting for a hard sell to a recently released prisoner of higher education (Laughing till I stop). School had not prepared me to fill out this complicated document describing how I felt about politics, politicians, our country, our government.

What to do?

Being invincible as most teenagers are, at least in our own minds, I attacked the form with a gusto I had no idea had been holed up inside of my immature brain.

Then came the first question (after filling in the mundane like name, birth etc).

3. What party do you associate with?

In truth, it may have been a multiple choice question. At the time there were very few parties to choose from. Since I had never voted in any election, the respective government parties meant absolutely nothing to me.

So, in a Mr. Know-it-all fashion I said to the voter registrar: “What party are you? And what is the best one?” For the moment, I was stymied, not knowing which party to pick. Once again, the registrar came to the rescue. “You believe in Democracy, right?” she said. I replied, “Of course I do, RED WHITE and BLUE!”

“Then check the box marked ‘Democratic Party’ and continue filling out the rest of the form.” she replied.

Unknown to me, this was my indoctrination into what would later become a national plot to teach teenagers and young adults to hate their country. But wait a minute! I don’t hate my country. I didn’t then, I don’t now. To be clear, the beginnings of our education system indoctrinating children started way before that day in time. I was just clueless.

So, from that day forward I was a good democrat. I voted in the elections, looking for people that had the same affiliation as I did. The “D” next to their name. For years I followed the party lines until one day, the clouds and fog before me lifted. I heard a rumor there was another party. A party that stood for our country and what it was founded on. The very principals I personally believed. I had always wondered what the “R” was next to other names on ballots. In the beginning, the “D” had multiple ideas, platforms that I identified with. Until they didn’t. Strangely, the ideas and beliefs had moved to the “R” platform.

How could this happen? Was I tricked into signing a voter agreement registration form by check marking the “D”? Or was it my teenager lack of knowledge regarding the issues before our great nation. As time went by, I understood that my core beliefs were not aligned with the Democratic party. To be clear, I instinctively understood I was somewhat conservative.

I believe in the USA. Our history is who we are as a nation. God has been a part of this for as long as I can remember. I was baptized, confirmed and completed Sunday school with honors! As a nation, we haven’t been perfect, but there used to be a time when we helped the underdog, lifted the trodden, educated the poor and slowly led the people out of the past growing pains and mistakes that this country has endured.

With the current examples of the “D” such as our Icontrolufornia governor using a crisis to further his quest for power over the people of this great state, the adoption of the top-two candidate voting platform (destroyed the integrity of our elections) the continued erosion of our freedoms including free speech, guns and our homes, I have been saddened by the young of this decade being bamboozled by peer pressure into believing the doctrines of the far Left. Say it enough times, it becomes true, which is the motto of the Left’s education mantra.

Well, where does that leave me? I still have the “D” beside my name. In truth, I vote my inner beliefs, core values and what I think makes our nation stronger. I am a New Democrat. No longer am I represented by the nation destroying rhetoric of the “woke”. I use to be a tolerant person. But I now realize, I can be intolerant and still exist. What’s stopping me from changing my voter affiliation then, hmm? Because most people whom I call friends, know me pretty well. They would say I’m conservative. But for years I have voted and lived with my “D” designation. I am proud to represent America. To be a citizen of a great country, where everyone can start a business, succeed in life through hard work, perseverance and honest hard work. I don’t associate or believe in the “D’s” of today – not in the least.

In conclusion:

I am a New Democrat.