What Flagler County Democrats stand for

We are the party of inclusion. We are the party that believes in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

By Observer Staff
| 3:25 p.m. May 29, 2018

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Stephanie Capehart

Guest Writer

For too long, Democrats have allowed our opposition to control the narrative and the messaging of what the Democratic party stands for, who we are and who we aspire to become. I contend that we don’t need anyone but ourselves to speak to what it means to be a Democrat.

We are the party of inclusion. We hold space for everyone from every walk of life. Ethnicity, sexuality, disability, heritage and religion bring diversity, dissention and discussion, but we strive to do it all with respect.

We are the party that believes in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The enlightened wisdom of our Founding Fathers intended for all people to be treated equally under the law. They understood that the basic nature of humanity can be twisted and contorted into one greedy for power and aimed to protect the populous from this poison.

Our Democratic values

People are suffering. Living through our values can put an end to it. We value our health, safety, achievement, balance and security, so we pursue these goals:

Health care that is accessible and affordable to any person to end physical or mental suffering.
Gun laws that end the cycle of senseless murders yet still allow us to protect ourselves and loved ones when all else fails.
Providing our children with the highest quality education so they can continue to lead our communities and our nation into peace and prosperity.
Preserving the fragile ecosystem that gives us life and bounty of clean water and air.
Allowing all generations the ability to support themselves throughout all stages of life from earning a living wage to security in retirement.
Treating each other with respect, courtesy, compassion and be given an equal opportunity to provide for ourselves and our loved ones.

This is the Democratic message, and its strength is growing because the idea of individualism is outdated and dysfunctional. We may not market it well, but that is because we live it each and every day.

We are positive that creating a world of absolutes will only lead to our demise. The only guarantee in life is that each individual is unique and needs to be appreciated as such.

We know that by helping others, we are serving a divine purpose. We believe in servant leadership, not servitude.

We are strong in our convictions as we advocate for those among us who face daily struggles to simply have their voice heard. We hold our values high even when the road ahead is challenging, and they are not for sale.

We believe that when we as a community consider our shared values, that more often than not we will find ourselves closer than we are divided. It is our shared values that will lead us away from the divisive party lines and in-party fighting that has become so destructive.

With new leadership and expanded outreach, we are taking our message to the streets. Flagler County Democrats can be found protesting for more sensible gun legislation while still supporting the Second Amendment. Our progressive caucus advocates for the disabled and the homeless in our community. The women’s club lobbies the state Legislature for women’s rights, environmental protections, and continued access to quality public education. The Palm Coast Democratic Club meets weekly to discuss local and national issues and hosts candidates and subject matter experts to speak. All of our events are open for the public to attend because our “tent” has always had room for everyone.

There is a cautionary tale in claiming to be the “big tent” when the national Republican party is running more like The Big Top. The autocratic leadership is assaulting the Constitution and Bill of Rights driving both seasoned and sophomore Republicans into retirement. This president's approval rating has dropped further than any one prior. Corporations are using buy-back programs to profit their shareholders and still closing their plants here, leaving more workers stunned and scared. The negligible increase in the bottom 99% of working household paychecks due to temporary tax cuts are already being devoured by the 60-cent increase per gallon of gasoline. The number of people without health insurance is growing, Social Security and Medicaid are dwindling, and the trade deficit is calculating too quickly to report. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the average American is anything but optimistic.

But optimism is a personal perspective and even though the increase in registered voters here in Flagler County is growing for Democrats, Republicans, and NPAs, I am optimistic that if the current administration continues its assault on our civil liberties, a change is coming. We here in Flagler County will begin to move us forward together bound by our shared values. Our American people will vote their values and restore the respect we once held for each other and before the world.

Stephanie Capehart is the president of Flagler County Democratic Party. Visit www.flaglerdemocrats.com. Open house is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 7, at 2 Office Park Drive, Suite D.