My apologies to my readers, who, through no fault of their own, have lost faith and confidence in their Democrat party.
My father raised me as a Democrat. This was the time of President Harry S Truman, John F. Kennedy, and even into the time of Jimmy Carter.
But something changed in the Democrat party. By the time my age allowed me to vote, I was torn between tradition and direction.
At first, it was a few subtle events, but I still recall the strength and skills of JFK. That man had tolerance, tenacity and tenderness.
His unfortunate and premature death was devastating to America, and political party affiliation didn’t matter. It was Kennedy’s ability to communicate, commit, complete and care that got my attention. When he was shot to death in that Dallas parade, I cried.
When Lyndon Johnson assumed the Oval Office, it soon became apparent that his focus was not the same as JFK’s.
Johnson was a longtime politician. Decisions were made from a political position and not always positive, practical or productive for America. The final straw to be pulled out of his drawer of tricks was his decision to go all out to “save” Vietnam.
That was a political power play to prop up the US economy. It was also a time I was in college. It was time for a change. I became a Republican and voted, for the first time, in favor of Richard Nixon. While Nixon turned out to be a paranoid president, he did want America out of Vietnam.
Recent history of American presidents might be another “The Grapes of Wrath Again,” a successful title for an in-depth author’s review of impractical power plays protected by politics.
Are Republicans any better than Democrats? Nope. It’s what “who’s doing what to whom at the moment.” Power and position is loaded with possibilities for excess, abuse and corruption in any political party.
Ultimately, the Democratic Party today lacks the goals, policies and vision that I remember from my youth. They have become a club of misdirected politicians with off-the-chart objectives. They are promoting preposterous plans.
The Democrats of my father have not just lost their way, they have lost their love for law, common sense and the practical application of productive ideas.
The Democrat party leaders are so far out of touch with Mom and Pop America that they sound like Grimm’s Fairy Tales gone sideways.
Democrats overlooking fourteen years of Congressman Eric Swalwell’s sexual abuse is just one example of their politics going off the rails. Knowledge may be power, and lack of knowledge would therefore distort objective decisions.
Residents, step back, get in the moment, grab hold of your objectivity, and cast your vote for those who are building, not breaking, the rule of common sense.
Previous Milestones:
Milestones – The Missing Tracks – Opinion
Milestones – More Opportunity – Opinion
Repub: Mission City Voices – Halfway Around the World
Republicans are not the only voters who care about lowering taxes, reducing energy costs, and avoiding unnecessary wars. Many Democrats share those same priorities, even if they differ on how to achieve them.
Local voting trends suggest the electorate is more fluid than a strict party-line narrative implies. In Santa Clara County, total votes dropped from 850,741 in 2020 to 750,606 in 2024, a decline of 13 percent. Democratic votes fell by 17.4 percent, while Republican votes declined by just 1.7 percent. Population shifts during and after the pandemic likely played a role, but there is no clear evidence tying those changes to party affiliation. What the numbers do show is a meaningful drop in Democratic turnout that cannot be dismissed as simple migration.
Miles Barber points to his support for Richard Nixon and notes Nixon’s intent to end the Vietnam War. That is true, but Nixon also resigned from office following serious ethical violations. History is more complicated than selective memory allows. Drawing comparisons between past and present requires consistency, not convenience.
Barber’s claim that the Democratic Party lacks goals, policies, and vision does not hold up to scrutiny. Major policy frameworks exist across the political spectrum, including conservative efforts like Project 2025 and global initiatives such as Agenda 2030. Voters may agree or disagree with these agendas, but they reflect structured and far-reaching policy visions, not an absence of ideas.
More importantly, concerns about these agendas are not confined to partisan debate. A range of civil liberties organizations and legal policy groups have raised substantive concerns about the potential impact of proposals like Project 2025 on civil rights and democratic norms. Analysts have pointed to risks such as weakening civil service protections, expanding executive authority, and limiting the enforcement of existing civil rights laws. Similar concerns have been raised in broader discussions around Agenda 2030, particularly regarding government overreach and regulatory scope. These critiques come from institutions focused on constitutional governance and civil liberties, not just party politics.
The accusation that Democrats have abandoned law and common sense is equally overstated. Legal violations and ethical failures are not confined to one party. Public records show misconduct across the political spectrum. Focusing criticism on only one side weakens the argument’s credibility and turns a serious issue into a partisan talking point.
Accountability must be applied evenly. High-profile cases involving figures from both parties highlight this reality. Donald Trump has been found liable for defamation and sexual abuse in civil court, while other political figures and associates across party lines have faced criminal convictions. These facts point to a broader issue of accountability in politics, not a problem unique to one party.
On one point, there is agreement. Voters in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale should support candidates who demonstrate sound judgment and respect for the rule of law. A single party will not uphold that standard. It requires voters of all affiliations to demand consistency, reject hypocrisy, and hold every candidate to the same expectations.
You mean like upstanding local democrats like Swalwell?
Since 2000, several members of Congress have been accused of sex crimes.
Republicans: Dennis Hastert, Mark Foley, George Santos, Tony Gonzales
Democrats: Mel Reynolds, Al Franken, Eric Swalwell
Only one has been convicted of sex crimes: Anthony Weiner (D).
Accusations against Swalwell are disturbing, and all sides of the political aisle are satisfied that he resigned; however, only one Republican and one Democrat holding federal office have been convicted or found civilly liable for crimes: Weiner and Trump.