An Open Letter on What It Really Means to Be a Liberal Democrat
Friends, neighbors, and fellow Americans,
I want to take a moment to clarify where I stand, because I am tired of being misrepresented as a “radical leftist” simply for holding values that I believe are rooted in fairness, compassion, and the very ideals America was founded on. I am a liberal democrat, yes—but that doesn’t mean what some people assume it does.
Caring for People Is Not Radical
I believe that a country shows its true character in how it treats its most vulnerable: children, the elderly, the sick, and the disabled. No civilized nation should tolerate people going without food, freezing in the cold, or dying because they cannot afford healthcare. This is not about handouts; it’s about decency and human dignity.
Healthcare and Education Should Not Be Crushing Burdens
I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege reserved for the wealthy or the fortunate. That doesn’t mean I think the Affordable Care Act is flawless—it isn’t—but the alternative of letting people go without care is unacceptable.
Likewise, I believe education should be affordable. No one should be saddled with six-figure debt simply for trying to better themselves and contribute to society. Other nations make this work. Why can’t we?
Work Should Pay, and Wealth Should Be Shared Fairly
I do not believe in taking money from hard-working people and giving it away to those who refuse to work. What I do believe is that no one should work 40, 60, or 80 hours a week and still not be able to cover rent, food, and basic necessities. A minimum wage should be a livable wage. No worker for a multibillion-dollar corporation should need food stamps to survive.
We cannot ignore the reality that wealth in America is concentrated in the hands of very few while too many struggle to make ends meet. Fair wages, affordable housing, reasonable healthcare costs, and a tax system where the wealthy and corporations pay their share would go a long way toward correcting this imbalance.
Faith and Freedom
I am not anti-Christian. I have no interest in banning prayer, closing churches, or restricting anyone’s personal faith. What I oppose is when politicians attempt to legislate Christianity into civil law. That is not freedom—it is the opposite of religious liberty. Just as Christians would resist Sharia law being imposed in the U.S., I resist biblical law being forced upon everyone, regardless of their personal beliefs.
Equal Rights Are Not Special Rights
I do not believe that LGBT people should have “more rights” than anyone else—I believe they deserve the same rights as everyone else. The same applies to women, who should not be treated as a separate class of humans, but equal in pay, rights, and freedom from abuse.
Immigration and Regulation
The myth that undocumented immigrants live off government programs is just that—a myth. They are not eligible for the vast majority of benefits, and when they do take jobs, it is usually because employers knowingly hire them. We need humane, rational solutions to immigration that don’t involve caging children, separating families, or ending programs like DACA.
And yes, I believe regulation is necessary—not because I want government in everything, but because unchecked greed has proven time and again to lead to unsafe products, environmental destruction, and abuse of workers. Regulations exist to hold companies accountable and protect consumers.
Guns and Safety
I do not want to take away all guns. What I do support is enforcing the laws we already have and enacting common-sense measures to keep guns out of the wrong hands. That is not tyranny—it is responsibility.
The Present Moment
This is why I cannot stand with Donald Trump or with Pete Hegseth’s vision, expressed yesterday before hundreds of military leaders and generals. Suggesting that America’s democratic cities should be used as military training grounds is authoritarian, not democratic. It is an abuse of power.
History shows us the dangers of militarizing civic spaces—whether it was Mussolini’s Blackshirts marching through Italian cities, or Hitler’s paramilitaries using public squares as stages for shows of force. Once you normalize military presence in civilian life, you erode the boundary between democracy and authoritarianism.
And regarding the government shutdown that began at 12:01 a.m., I reject the narrative that it is the fault of Democrats. The truth is that Republicans wrote the bill to keep the government open while deliberately excluding Democrats from participating. You cannot lock one party out of the room, refuse to compromise, and then turn around and blame them for the consequences. Again, history reminds us: when one party starts dismantling the norms of shared governance, it undermines democracy itself. That is how authoritarian systems begin.
Disagreement Is Not Hatred
Like most liberals I know, I do not hate Donald Trump or the GOP. I strongly disagree with them, yes—especially their cruelty, their constant stream of insults, and their questionable tactics—but disagreement does not equal hatred.
The sad truth is that Trump and many within the GOP have frequently expressed outright hatred toward liberals and Democrats. That is documented. It’s not just political opposition—it’s a culture of hostility. I want to be clear: I do not return that hatred. I believe we can, and must, disagree without dehumanizing each other.
The Bottom Line
At the heart of it all, my beliefs come down to one simple principle: we should take care of each other. That does not mean people should work themselves into the ground while others live off their labor. It means that in a nation as wealthy and resourceful as ours, no one should suffer or die from preventable causes simply because it “costs too much” to help them.
That is not radical.
That is not extreme.
That is not anti-American.
That, to me, is democracy.
Sincerely,
A concerned liberal democrat and American citizen
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