A Progressive Declaration

Written on February 20th, 2004, just after Howard Dean dropped out of the Democratic Primary race.

When in the course of political events, it becomes necessary to rise up against agendas that will cause more long-term harm than good, and to assume among the powers granted to us by our Constitution, a deeper understanding of the needs of humankind requires that we should declare the causes which impel us to the uprising.

We still hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. We additionally recognize that the rights defined by the original Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies have been reinterpreted as time has passed, and that rights that were not obvious in 1776 exist and need to be addressed. These rights include the right to educational opportunities, the right to health care, and the right to be treated the same regardless of economic standing. We additionally recognize that the United States of America is only one country in a large world, and that the citizens of the rest of the world have the right to demand these as human rights. The responsibility to secure these rights for us belongs to our government, and we have the right to make demands that our needs be addressed. As it was the right of our Founding Fathers to abolish the Form of Government that became destructive to their rights and their needs, so it is still the right of the people to choose new leadership that will listen to our needs and protect our rights.

We have stood by and watched with shock and awe as the Current Administration has attempted to spread the freedoms that we enjoy to other countries. We have also been appalled by the lack of competence that has been shown by our Government to protect us from external harm, and when the light of truth has shined upon the source of the ill-feeling that predominates much of the world outside of our borders, the source of the troubles turns out to be our own Administration's History and Current Efforts. The history of the present President of the United States [George W. Bush] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of a virtual Tyranny over these States and the rest of the world. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid voting public.

He has refused his Assent to International Law, while the lawyers may argue about that until the cows come home. The spirit of International Law is to reduce the use of arms in the world, and he has increased their use. The spirit of International Cooperation is to make the world a better place for all of our children, and he has refused to follow the lead of the Administration that he replaced.

He has misused and manipulated facts and guesswork to support his own agenda, causing the loss of thousands of lives and livelihoods on all sides of the various conflicts that he has involved us in.

His Party leadership in the House of Representatives (Tom DeLay) has purposefully guided a redistricting of his own home state (Texas) for the sole and stated purpose of maintaining his grip of power in that government body, regardless of the true wishes of the voting public. This is nothing but tyranny.

He has denied the Free Press and the US Congress access to information that should be in the Public Record, including information about the greatest tragedy ever to occur on US soil (911).

He has (twice now) made recess appointments to Federal Judicial offices that would have no chance of passing the normal procedures in the US Senate, thereby pushing his own agenda above and beyond the set limitations in the Constitution that he swore to defend.

He has stated support for an Amendment to that document that would increase the discrimination felt by the citizens of this country, in direct violation of his oath.

He has pushed bad policies and poorly designed measures for economic growth in our country, causing the loss of 2.6 million jobs, and has specifically stated through his henchmen that this loss of jobs is good for the long term well being of our nation.

Let others fill in additional charges, for there are many others.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A President whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the leader of a free people, nor are his followers in their Party.

We, therefore, the citizens of the United States of America inspired by Governor Howard Dean, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Senator Paul Wellstone, in General agreement, Assembled in many places, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of this Party, solemnly publish and declare, That the Democratic Party is, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent of Special Interests beyond those of the citizens themselves; that we are Absolved from all Allegiance to the Corporations, and that all financial connections between us and the lobbyists in the District of Columbia and beyond, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as a Free and Democratic Party, we have full Power to voice our opinions, plan strategy, contract Alliances with like minded groups, and to do all other Acts and Things which Political Parties may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence and the people we represent, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

We are from the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party. We've gotten a taste of making a difference in our Party and our Country. We're not going to quit, and we're not going to give up or get scared off. We're here to stay.