[Grady Clay]

I sorta agree with a little bit of this that everyone says (and not just this thread.)

I had never been active in politics – too busy with school, life, Porsche, kids and life. I have voted for both Republican and Democratic candidates – mostly Republican.

It wasn’t until after the ’02 election and I saw the terrible result of my semi-apathy (yes, I voted for Gore because I could sorta see what Bush (The Shrub) could bring. I had no Idea how perverse and bad it could be. I don’t think we are even close to knowing how bad it actually was (is!)

Let me be clear, I’m not in favor of a 60%+ Democratic Congress and a very powerful (politically) Democratic President. The beauty of our imperfect democracy are the “checks and balances.” This something missing during the past six years.

[side note – this is also what prevented FDR form going overboard ’33-‘36.]

The problem I see is that The Shrub (a little bush) allowed and promoted a one-party-system to infuse normally independent systems of Government. It almost seems that they seemed to remain the Majority forever.

I see an equal reaction to the other pole.

Neither is good for our fragile democracy.


So, what did I do in ’05-‘06? Believe-it-or-not I joined MoveOn.org. I may be the most conservative member but I made a difference. I manned the phone banks, I sent money to critical races but, most important, I argued for our democracy in balance. As you can imagine there were some MoveOn members who disagreed but I convinced a lot.

I also convinced many of my Republican friends the worth (not value) of balance.


Given the Shrub’s incompetence and (IMHO) Cheney criminality, I don’t think it is possible for the next Congress and Administration to have balance. It will be unbalanced left with (again) too few checks.

I don’t have political influence. I don’t have lots of money. I’m still going to attempt to make a difference. We all should, regardless of our political views. We have a common cause – saving our Democracy in balance.

Best,
Grady