Why am I a Democrat?

When I was asked to give a speech at the caucuses, I agreed when I heard the topic was “Why am I a Democrat?” I mean, that’s an easy question to answer, isn’t it?

I sat down to brainstorm and write out my reasons and realized maybe it was more complicated than I thought.

I’m a Democrat because I grew up in a Union household. It shouldn’t be any surprise that oftentimes children take on the opinions and political beliefs of their parents. My dad was a UAW member and my mom was elected a local official running as a Democrat.

However, my three older brothers didn’t turn out to be Democrats, so maybe that wasn’t it.

I’m a Democrat because I believe in science. I majored in a science field and worked in medical research labs for five years after graduation.

I understand the efficacy of vaccines and the threat of global climate change. I can’t abide by policies that other parties put forth that deny science and ignore the destruction of our planet.

I’m a Democrat because I am an educator (or at least I used to be an educator). I spent 17 years as a high school science teacher, in both private and public schools.

I watched, helplessly, as the state of our education system in Iowa deteriorated thanks to policies enacted by the Republican majority and governor.

Stripping teachers of bargaining rights, slashing funding, banning of books and now the attack on the Area Education Agencies are keeping our students from getting the education they need to thrive in the world.

That doesn’t even begin to touch on all of the other issues with the decisions to dismantle public schools and the always lingering threat of school shootings. I left teaching because no matter how hard I tried to fight for my students, my mental and physical exhaustion could no longer be ignored.

I’m a Democrat because I’m a woman. The stacking of the Supreme Court with ultraconservative justices that are stripping Americans of basic rights, and the political games that put them there, are astounding.

I do not want a stuffed shirt bureaucrat telling me what I can and cannot do with my own body. Whether or not to have an abortion is not a decision for anyone but a pregnant person and their doctor.

I’m a Democrat because I fully believe health care and food security should be a right and not a privilege. My niece was born with a life-threatening disorder. If it weren’t for Medicaid paying her hospital bills, she wouldn’t still be here 32 years later.

I have also seen kids at school who only get the meals provided there and go hungry when there is no school. I am absolutely ashamed that our governor would deny those kids the extra help they need so they don’t go hungry to make a political point.

These are just a few of the reasons I’m a Democrat. It seems like it is a pretty complicated answer after all, but really it all boils down to one thing — I care about other people and think we are all created equal (and all means all).

Race, gender, sexual orientation, religion (or lack thereof), socioeconomic status, geographic location and more should not make basic rights and help conditional. So it really is an easy question for me to answer.

If we care, we need to keep fighting, and keep voting for Democrats.