By Sylvia Humes
Reader Contributor
Shout it from the rooftops: I am a proud Democrat. Why should I not be? We are not vermin, slime or radical leftists, as DJT claims. My party is the champion of the average American: Social Security, the eight-hour work day, unemployment insurance, the Civil Rights Act, Medicaid and eventually Medicaid expansion, Medicare, women’s voting rights, reproductive rights, overtime pay, minimum wage, child tax credits, voting rights, rural electrification, ending child labor, the G.I. Bill, student loans and many, many more.
Democrats also support scientific research, environmental health and public education.
Truth: Non-Americans are not included in any federal social programs, except in a medical emergency only. Medicaid picks up the cost at the emergency room. Stop believing the Republican lie.
There is no organization called Antifa — we should all be anti-fascist.
Tariffs are paid for by you and me, not the importer. In some cases they may absorb the cost to keep their edge, but that’s not the norm. Unrealistic tariffs and an unregulated banking system are credited with the worldwide depression from 1929-1939. Oh, and by the way, Democrats established the FDIC to protect the average citizens’ money if a bank goes under.
Democrats have little to no power right now in D.C. or in the Idaho Legislature. We have had a federal government shutdown because the Republicans refuse to negotiate on keeping the tax credits for Medicaid expansion. Anyone whose employer doesn’t provide health insurance is more than likely on the Affordable Care Act (Your Health Idaho). By discontinuing the federal tax credits, the government would no longer be subsidizing your health care.
It is yet to be seen if Senate Republicans will abide by the recent negotiation to open the government. They agreed that all federal workers would be rehired and receive all back pay. They also agreed to increase SNAP benefits and address continuing funding for the ACA. Let’s see what the Republican-held House does. The ball is in their court and the question is: “Can they be trusted?” I’ll withhold my opinion on that.
Don’t be cowed by many of those on the “right.” Get involved. The easiest thing you can do is email your representatives and let them know how you feel, and sign up for their newsletters so you can keep up with what they are doing and saying. Write letters to the editor, sign up to write postcards to encourage folks to vote and be sure you are registered to vote.
If you haven’t voted in two consecutive voting cycles, you are dropped from the rolls (for more information on all things election related, go to voteidaho.gov).
Honor your responsibility to maintain our constitutional republic and vote. If you do so by mail, you must reapply every year. This can be done online at the state website above.
Help us protect our public schools and women’s health. Sign up with the Bonner County Democrats, Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, Indivisible North Idaho and other progressive organizations. Collect signatures for the people’s initiative to restore reproductive health in Idaho, with more info at backtoidaho.com. Ask what you can do to help.
Be grateful for Democrats and their commitment to ordinary working Americans. Are they perfect? Of course not, but don’t let fear, lies and the ugliness of the most corrupt administration in our nation’s history deter you from protecting our democracy before it’s too late.
Sylvia Humes is a Sandpoint resident and past chair of the Bonner County Democrats.
