October 20, 2010 10:30 PM UTC

Why This Democrat Is Sitting Out All Federal Races This Year

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• by: Arvadonian

(Some really fine commentary from some of our respected polsters on this diary.  How wrongheaded Arvadonians actions are, he has prompted deep thought from our community. – promoted by Voyageur)

I am a democrat.  I’ve been an active democrat ever since I reached eligiblity to vote in 1983.  This year, however, I will not be voting in the congressional or senatoral races.  

The following is a copy of the letter that I sent to Ed Perlmutter’s campaign last Thursday…I also sent the same letter (with some obvious changes as appropriate) to Michael Bennet.

Representative Perlmutter,

I am outraged.  Democrats have 59 votes in the Senate, a sizable majority in the House and we have the White House.  President Obama campaigned as a “fierce defender” of rights for gays and lesbians.  The only progress that has been made in equal rights for gays and lesbians over the last two years has come from the courts.  And then today we have Obama’s justice department fighting not one, but two rulings advancing the cause of equality.

I’ve spent my entire adult life as a proud, fighting democrat.  As a college student, I was President of College Democrats at Illinois State University; I had a paid staff position on Senator Paul Simon’s 1988 Presidential Campaign; I ran to be a delegate for Tom Harkin for the 1992 Democratic National Convention; I served as a downstate coordinator on the 1992 Illinois Senate Campaign for Senator Carol Mosely-Braun; I’ve given more time, money and effort to elect democrats than I care to remember.  In short, I’d put my democratic party bona-fides up against virtually anyones’.

But I’m angry.  Men and women who are willing to give their lives in service to country are being kicked out of the military for no reason other than who they are.  And this Administration is suing to continue the practice.

Which brings me to the point of this letter:  I cannot, in good consience, support you with my vote in this election.  It may not seem fair to you given that you have been a supporter of gay rights, but there are men and women in the military who have served ably and honorably who are being kicked out based on no other reason than who they are.  You will not be getting my vote based on who you are…a Democrat.  I hope you win, (I am certainly under no illusions that Ryan Frazier is a friend of gay rights) but I’m sitting this one out and you will have to do it without my vote.  I’m at a loss as to any other way to relay my frustration and anger (the letters and phone calls have fallen on deaf ears) to this administration short of being silent on election day.  This is not a decision I’ve made lightly.  I’ve never sat out an election since I became eligible to vote in 1983.

Should you survive this election year, I hope that you will let the President know the position he has left your party in with his continued ignoring of the gay and lesbian community.  

“Arvadonian”