By Bill Armistead
President Obama has done his best to steer the Democrats in an increasingly socialistic direction, decrying businesses and corporations from the start. Now Democrat mainstays and rising stars are choosing to test other waters or to jump ship entirely rather than remain shackled to his radical, progressive, far left policies.
One of Obama’s previous supporters, former Alabama Congressman Artur Davis, has withdrawn his support entirely, not only from Obama, but from the entire Democrat Party. Davis cites Obama’s ineffective leadership and his failure to live up to “the promise of four years ago.”
In an interview with “The Root,” (an online magazine focusing on African American culture) dated June 6th, Davis elaborates on his evaluation of contemporary Democratic politics, “When it comes to the ranks of elected officials, people who have influence and a voice in the Democratic Party, in my mind the party has moved decisively and strongly to the left.”
If Davis, a former Democrat “rising star” balks at hard-line leftist policies dominating the Democrats’ agenda, surely other local Democrats in Alabama would do well to retreat to the Democrat Party’s one-time conservative roots. It is clear that Barack Obama and the Democrat Party have left them.
They would be much better off by choosing to unite as Republicans and support candidates who truly care about them and are working to make life better for all. Those conservative Democrats cited by Davis should also take his lead and choose to abandon the radicalism that’s damaging the future of our children and grandchildren.
Davis appeared on the Fox News show, “On the Record” to further criticize Obama and how his Presidency has not lifted people up to a better life. Instead, Obama has chosen to move further and further left to re-establish the Democrat Party as the most radical political party ever to govern this country. Speaking solely about his home state, Davis stated that the “Alabama Democratic Party has weakened and lost faith with more and more Alabamians every year.”
Obama has not fared well nationally either, with Democrat heavyweights countering his policies and his campaign strategies in the recent months. Bill Clinton praised Gov. Romney for his work in the private sector and said his record was “sterling”. Any high profile Democrat praising an aspect of a Republican candidate would be a major blow to Obama’s credibility; but when it’s former President Bill Clinton, the damage is crushing.
Newark mayor Cory Booker also added to the growing Democrat anti-Obama sentiment with his appearance on “Meet the Press.” He said that he was “nauseated” by the attacks, perpetuated by the Obama campaign, on Gov. Romney’s successful business career. His comments prove the Democratic Party is in real danger of splintering and factionalizing under Obama’s lackluster leadership.
Another sign that Obama has move too far left for most mainline Democrats is the ever increasing number of Democratic elected officials who have announced that they will not attend the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. in September.
Some of the Democrats who have announced that they will not attend the convention include: Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO); Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT); Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV); Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D-WV); Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV); Rep. Mark Crirtz (D-PA); Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY); Rep. Kathy Hochul (D-NY); and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT). All of these elected officials strongly supported Obama in 2008 and Sen. McCaskill was one of his strongest supporters, campaigning for Obama against Democrat Presidential candidate and fellow Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) .
The inner turmoil within the Democrat Party illustrates just how radical Obama’s policies have become. Republicans, now more than ever, must rally together to promote our candidates, our policies, and our platform. If we stand together on our traditional values, then our Party will have the strength to make Obama an outcast of both his party and the White House.
Bill Armistead, a former state senator from Columbiana, is Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.
