I BELIEVE
I am not a Liberal, and I am not a Conservative. I am not a Progressive, or a Moderate, or any other label that people use. I am an American. I believe in Democracy, and the Golden Rule. I believe that human rights are just that: human, neither Left nor Right, not given to politics at all.
I believe that all people are created equal is the founding principle of American democracy. I believe in the opening words of the Declaration of Independence, the spirit that has served our nation as a North Star for 250 years: that every American, regardless of who they are, where they live, or what they believe, is entitled to Freedom, Justice, and Opportunity in equal measure.
I believe this is the real purpose of government, to bring these things about. And so I will forever vote for the candidate that best serves these interests, regardless of party, for these interests are America’s interests. They are, indeed, America’s future.
An ohio story
In December, 2021, the Huron County Democratic Party .. a rural county in northern Ohio .. gathered for their annual holiday party and meeting. During the event, several persons spoke. The last person, the chairwoman announced, would speak about a book, Democrats 101, by J. M. Purvis. What follows are the words that Tim used:
“In 1776, American patriots gathered in taverns to hear the reading of “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine. “Common Sense” was, and still is, the most widely circulated publication in American history. It laid down all the facts and reasoning for overthrowing the British monarchy and gaining independence and self rule.
Like the patriots in 1776, we are gathered here tonight at a time of peril. Where their fight was to overthrow monarchy, ours is to save democracy. And the way we do that is by getting more people to identify as Democrats, and more to vote Democratic. And to do that we must state our identity. What is a Democrat? What do we all agree with?
politics versus identity
Politics is how you make things happen.
Politics is about getting people elected, the endless campaign work, the messaging and meetings and rounding up volunteers and getting out the vote. And money. Politics is about endless amounts of money, and all the problems that brings.
Politics is also the art of governing. It’s about the mechanics of passing legislation, deciding on which issues to take on, fighting over policy and fending off (or giving into) the endless interest groups that overrun everything. Above all, politics is about compromise. Be it be it a local campaign for city council or passing a budget in the House of Representatives, politics is very, very much the art of the possible. It’s not about perfect, or even desirable, it’s about possible.
Identity is something else entirely. It’s permanent. It’s who we are. It’s why we got into this in the first place. Identity is our core values, the unchanging truth that makes us Democrats. Unchanging, and universal. As true twenty years from now as it is today. As true for all of us as it is for any of us. It means we are Democrats first and foremost, no matter who we are or where we live, or what else we believe.
We need both.
Why we need a Democratic Creed
We need to stand for something. Our identity needs to be bigger than the next election, bigger than policy, bigger than all the events crashing around us. As Democrats, we need to stand for something so basic and so true that it inspires each and every one of us, something that unites and gives meaning to everything we do.
We have existed too long as a machine to win the next election. Of course we need to win the next election. We need to win the next ten elections, and we have to work our butts off to do it. And that's exactly why we need purpose, and vision. It's why we need to inspire. A party official recently said, “We need to find another Obama to inspire us.” No, we need our party to inspire us. We need to inspire us.
MOVING UP in the U.P.
Democrats 101 author J.M. Purvis was the first person the Democratic organizers thought of as they planned their first annual Rural Summit in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, April 14th and 15th. Purvis opened the conference in front of 140 Democrats from rural counties across Michigan. See Jim’s opening remarks here.
The summit was the brainchild of the Rural Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party, chaired by Cathy Albro. Special thanks to the Chippewa County Democratic Party for purchasing 140 copies of Democrats 101 so every attendee would have the book. We made additional copies available at our information table in the conference lobby, and several Democrats made donations to help us cover the costs (Thank you!!)
Memorial day a time to reflect
Memorial Day is a time to reflect, not just about those that have died, but about why.
The original Memorial Day was born out of a terrible inferno that was fought to resolve that other terrible inferno: slavery. Slavery died, but of course it was replaced with Jim Crow, which yielded yet another national struggle, the Civil Rights Movement.
All of this, every bit of every struggle back through our entire history has been part of America’s endless quest to match the ideals of the Declaration of Independence with the realities of our lives.
We sit at a fork in the road here in America, a moment as historic as 1860. One path leads forward toward a just society, a time when all Americans share equally in Freedom, Justice, and Opportunity. The other path leads off to division, chaos, and pain.
The latest from OH, PA and CA!
CALIFORNIA: Author J.M. Purvis delivered our ideas to a joint meeting of Indivisible Napa County and Indivisible Sonoma County. These folks are sensational.
Over in in Bear Valley, the Bear Valley Democratic Club has embraced the Creed and the book, and is moving to spread the message. Dems101 will be presenting to the membership on March 2nd.
PENNSYLVANIA: At the recent statewide PennAG meeting, Former Rural Caucus Director Terry Noble was honored and spoke up loud and clear: “Democrats 101 brings into focus opportunities not only for the rural issues of our party, but what we as a Commonwealth and Nation currently confront. It is well past time that We Democrats start branding our own identity rather than allowing others to do so…”
OHIO: Ashland County has joined the growing list of counties that officially adopted the Creed.
Presentations and outreach are scheduled in a variety of counties in the coming weeks.
a sixth organization adopts the creed
The Ashland County Democratic Party in Ohio is the 6th organization that has adopted The Creed from the book Democrats 101. Find out here why counties are adopting The Creed.
vision and values
Democrats 101 is excited to partner with the Lorain County Democratic Women’s Club (OH) and State Representative Joe Miller (OH) for this tri-state major event.
Why counties in ohio are adopting The Creed?
Why counties in Ohio are adopting The Creed?
"It is just concise, it's our and we are first" said Sharon Sweda, Vice-Chair of Lorain County in Ohio about The Creed from "Democrats 101" by J.M. Purvis. She added "What I like for once, we are on the offense".
Karen Prelipp, Chair of Huron County in Ohio felt that "this [The Creed] should be every American's ethos" and that "it is something that Democrats are hungry for."