Once everyone figures out that there is no right or wrong party, just different opinions, more people can focus their time on what good things they and their party have done, not just the negatives.

I am afraid I would have to disagree. There are right people for jobs and wrong people for jobs. There are right philosophies and wrong philosophies. There are right actions and wrong actions. There is good and there is bad.

Not everything the Democratic Party or Democratic politicians do is applauded by the angles. By a large degree, however, Democrats adhere more closely to their professed goals of equal rights and equal justice for all citizens.

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own set of facts
- Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, (D - New York, 1977-2001)

Where do I start? First it is important to note that modern day Progressives are in the Democratic Party. I note that because in the first of last century, the Progressives which included Teddy Roosevelt (who was a Republican at the time) and Woodrow Wilson (a Democrat) brought us such things as secret ballots, lower utility rates, cheaper transportation, recall of corrupt politicians, the referendum, the initiative, and the breaking up of political machines. Progressives such as Jane Adams championed helping the poor to keep them from falling prey to political machines in big cities. They strongly believed in regulation of the corrupt railroad and other industries. They set aside lands that have become our national parks. They created standards for pure foods and drugs. Woodrow Wilson created the Federal Reserve to overhaul our banking system. He also enacted the first child labor law, and the first eight hour day law for railroad workers. He also created the Income Tax on the rich. I might also mention about Wilson, if his fourteen points plan for peace would have been adopted by all the Allies of WWI, including our own country, WWII might very well have been avoided.

Still with me? Well, after the Progressive era at the first of last century ended in the "roaring 20s" Americans elected several Conservative Presidents. They engaged heavily in a new practice at the time called credit buying. That, coupled with the Conservative de-regulation of business which encouraged reckless speculation, and the Secretary of the Treasury at the time, Andrew Mellon's policies which enabled the wealthy to speculate on inflation-ridden stocks, caused the stock market to crash and America fell into the Great Depression.

Are you still here? Now is where it really starts getting good. After the Depression kicked in Americans turned to the Father of our modern party and in my view the greatest President in our history for change. That man was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He immediately closed all banks pending a federal inspection. Only the sound ones were allowed to reopen. He decided to use the government to put people to work so they would not starve to death. These programs included the CCC, CWA, and the NRA (not the gun people). He helped farmers by putting up price supports and subsidies. He created things like the TVA which built dams in KY and TN and provided cheap electricity. I know about this, my electric bill is among the lowest in the nation to this day. Some other accomplishments of Franklin Roosevelt, besides steady leadership until almost the end of WWII were: He created Social Security, which we are having to fight over in our time, He signed the Wagner Act which abolished unfair tacticts by employers against workers forming unions, which we are desprerately fighting for again now, and further regulated industry and busted trusts.

Roosevelt died in office and his Vice-President Harry Truman made the decision to try and save millions of lives invading Japan and dropped the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end WWII.

Then we have John and Robert Kennedy, who were both killed under extremely suspicious circumstances if you ask me. With John as Pres. and Robert as his Attorney General they were the first ones who made states enforce the Civil Rights laws on the book and began the painful and much needed process of integration. Their strength, and common sense most likely averted a nuclear war with Russia. Many people were advising JFK to go to War, but Robert talked him into reaching an agreement instead during the Cuban Missle Crises. This probably averted Nuclear Holocaust. During the JFK administration Robert did much to prosecute organized crime. JFK offered a strong, compassionate vision of the world for us to aspire to and his time in office is lovingly referred to as "Camelot" nowadays. After his untimely death Robert would become Senator from New York and fight for many oppressed groups. He would come to oppose the War in Vietnam, and wanted us to come home. He was the first ever Presidential candidate to go into the slums and walk into the roach infested hovels people were forced to live in. He wanted very much to help the poor everywhere and he inspired many people. When he was murdered huge crowds gathered by the tracks the train was on that was taking him to Washington just to watch it go by. He should have been President the year I was born, instead his story and his brother's are two of the most heartbreaking in American History.

Democrats since the Kennedy's have generally fought for the working class, and trying to have cleaner government. We believe that government can be used wisely for the betterment of all of the nation and the world. We believe war should be resorted to only as a final solution. We believe that all Americans are equal regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. We believe in fair wages for workers. We generally try to fight for the weakest in society.

Well, I know this was a really long reply but you asked why I am proud to be a Democrat. All the things listed here make me proud of my party and what we have stood for in history. It is good that a seventeen year old wants to make an informed decision on which party if any they should belong to. I hope this has helped you and I hope you will proudly join our party and help us fight for a better world. We need you!!!

Best wishes!!

Thanks for your post!