The Democratic National Convention may just be the spark the Mississippi Republican Party needs to capture even more party switchers in the weeks and months ahead.
Perhaps it will be the blatant, enthusiastic attack on the unborn and traditional family values.
Perhaps it will be the attempt to exorcise God from their platform but use His word to justify their actions.
Perhaps it will be the audacity to hope that doing the same progressive, socialistic plan for four more years will get a different result.
Whatever the justification, Democrats in Mississippi have come to a fork in the road and they must choose whether they will continue down the path of Obama and the DNC or if they will open their eyes to the hard truth that this Democratic Party isn’t the Democratic Party of their grandfathers. This Democratic Party simply does not represent the beliefs and values of a vast majority of Mississippians.
Sam Hall, former Democratic operative turned Clarion Ledger writer, summed it up this way:
“After what happened Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention, I would find it impossible to stand as a member of the Democratic Party if I were still in politics today. Not including God and Israel in the party platform in the first place was a tremendously stupid omission. However, when likely half the delegates voted not to put the language back in the platform, that would have been the line for me…
“…But in every case, most political operatives believe in the core message of their party. They believe in the soul of their party and that, all things considered, their party has the best chance for providing prosperity and strength to the people they serve.
“Were I still a political operative, I would have serious trouble saying that about the core of the Democratic Party today after witnessing what happened Wednesday.”
Hall is to be commended for putting that in words however difficult it must have been to submit. But it expressed exactly what I am saying here in this piece – Democrats in Mississippi are rightfully floundering and will soon see their ranks drop even lower.
Now, the overwhelming majority of the Democrats left in the legislature are yellow dogs and will not think twice about what transpired at the DNC. They will love it.
But it is the Democrats in local elected offices around Mississippi, in the City Halls and County Courthouses, that very well may reconsider their party allegiance and move away. It is these Democrats – supervisors, mayors, councilmen – that are more connected to their constituents and thus more blue (with a hint of red) given the conservative tilt of the average Mississippian.
It will be increasingly difficult for local elected officials to remain chained to a party that only weighs them down. For many local Democrats, it will be a decision of whether they sink under the weight of their national liberal counterparts or swim by separating themselves.
Mississippi Republicans should thank the DNC for painting a clear picture of what’s at stake. And conservative minded Mississippians should take this opportunity to press their local elected Democrats on just where they align.
Thanks to the DNC, there will be no shame for Democrats in Mississippi who want to switch parties – it should be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
So, who’s next?
Magnolia Tribune
