Some people say that the Democratic Party presidential nomination is already wrapped up. That’s a rather undemocratic attitude, though. It suggests that an actual vote isn’t needed for Democrats to choose their own party’s presidential candidate.
The fact is that many Democrats are downright furious at their party’s presidential incumbent. Barack Obama has broken more promises than progressive Democrats can remember. He has abandoned environmentalists, supporting expanded offshore drilling, lowering standards to protect us from smog, and walking away from climate legislation without putting forth an effort to push it through a Congress controlled by his own party.
Barack Obama has also forgotten about his promise to restore the rule of law. Instead of ending George W. Bush’s attacks on the Constitution, Obama has expanded those attacks. He’s signed an extension of the Patriot Act into law without any of the reforms he promised. Instead of closing Guantanamo as promised, Obama has signed legislation that allows the federal government to seize people from within U.S. borders, citizen and non-citizen, and put them into prison for the rest of their lives without any criminal charge or fair trial. Obama promised to reform the unconstitutional Office of Faith Based Initiatives, but instead, he just made it larger without reform.
But what can progressive Democrats do?
We’re told that there isn’t any challenger to Barack Obama in the presidential primary, but that’s not the truth. Darcy Richardson is running a sincere, honest campaign for the Democratic presdiential nomination, and he’s a true progressive.
What would a progressive Darcy Richardson look like as President? Here’s a sample, from the Richardson for President campaign:
“…calling for a new Works Progress Administration (WPA), similar to the massive jobs program implemented by Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression…
A Richardson Administration will also bring an immediate end to the war in Afghanistan while fighting for a drastic 33% to 50% reduction in military spending.
I will also put the full weight of the White House behind Sen. Bernie Sanders’ proposed constitutional amendment to overturn the narrow 5-to-4 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United vs. the Federal Elections Commission giving corporations the same First Amendment free-speech rights as individuals while recklessly allowing for unrestricted and undisclosed spending by corporations in U.S. elections.
A Richardson Presidency will also vigorously defend the environment, beginning with doing everything in its power to block the Keystone XL project.”
Democrats don’t have to meekly accept the re-election of Barack Obama. Democrats with a conscience will vote for Darcy Richardson instead, and wear this Darcy Richardson for President campaign button as a show that a flicker of democracy remains alive within the Democratic Party.
