A few questions for the Democrats

I’m confused. Big media constantly tells me that Democrats are
the party of the poor and downtrodden. So I guess it must be
true. Besides, the Democrats’ own commercials tell me so. And not
only that – but the Republicans as much as agree – or at least
they hardly ever argue about it.

So if the Democrats are the party of the poor, the downtrodden,
the little guy and gal struggling to make ends meet – maybe
those of you who amount to something in the party can clear a few
things up for me, Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Condit – by
answering a few questions.

I know Democrats are for the little guy when it comes to
taxation, because you keep saying so, real loudly. But I wonder
– why is it that the home mortgage interest you pay for your
house can be deducted from your income taxes – but the money I
pay for rent can’t be? Worse yet, my landlord gets the deduction
in his taxes!

The mortgage interest deduction is the key that opens up other
deductions, too, but then you know that, don’t you? Take the
deductions for contributions made to nonprofit organizations –
like my church or synagogue. Are you aware many churches teach
that 10 percent of one’s income should go to charity? But
without the itemized deductions provided by home mortgage
interest, I can only deduct $25 per year from my taxes for
charitable giving. When the Republicans tried to raise this
amount, you said $25 a year was enough. How is this mortgage
interest (rent to a bank) and $25 charitable deduction limit fair
to the poor? And if it’s not fair, then why haven’t you voted to
change it?

Another confusing thing for me is education. Many public schools
are awful; especially in poor areas of big cities. Even the
students who manage to survive until graduation – that is, who
don’t get beat up on the way to school or killed while they are
there – these students don’t seem to do very well on college
entrance examinations and other scholastic tests. Even so, you
keep voting for more money for these same bad schools. As a poor
person who can’t deduct my rent, I don’t have enough money to pay
taxes for public schools plus pay the tuition to send my children
to a private school. Why can’t I have a voucher for the amount
that the public school would be paid – so I can use it to send
my Johnny and Jeanette to the private school over on the other
side of town? You know – like the school you send your children
to?

Compassion is another thing I hear a lot about from many
prominent Democrats. But it doesn’t seem very compassionate to me
to crush the skull of a baby whose body is already out of the
birth canal – except for the head. Who, exactly, is your
compassion directed at when the abortionist murders that child? I
see that Congress tried to make this behavior illegal – but you
voted against it. It just makes me worry that when I’m too old to
defend myself – does that mean you will kill me, too?

Another thing that confuses me is that you Democrats seem to have
a constant push on to advance homosexuality in America. Are you
aware that many of us who are poor and downtrodden actually find
religion an important part of our life? I know, it probably seems
silly to you, what with all your power and money and all in this
life. But do you know that many major religious faiths teach that
homosexuality is a sin against God? The point about sin, you
know, is that it hurts God and eventually makes Him angry. Do you
think it will be good for us when God finally gets hurt enough to
become angry?

I’m just wondering – doesn’t it seem unfair to you that
religious people should be forced by their government, under
threat of violence, to accept behavior that roughly six thousand
years of religious teaching warns will eternally separate us from
God? If you really are compassionate and believe in equal
treatment under the law – then why are you always working to
pass laws that force my church or synagogue to accept
homosexuality – but ensure that homosexuals don’t have to
respect my religious values when they work or live around me? Why
should what they do in their bedroom be more important than what
I do in my church? Why should organizations like the Boy Scouts
and the Salvation Army, that do everybody a lot of good, be
forced to hire homosexuals – when these organizations’ teachings
and religious beliefs tell them homosexuality is wrong, and will
bring God’s wrath upon them?

And speaking of fairness, I wonder how committed you really are
to women and equality in the workplace? Gary Condit, one of your
own party representatives and a congressman – just like you, Mr.
Gephardt – used his power and influence to obtain a job for a
constituent family’s daughter, Chandra Levy, who came to
Washington as an intern. He then initiated a sexual affair with
her, trashing his marriage vows with his wife. When the worst
happened and Chandra went missing, Mr. Condit told the family
he’d do everything he could to help – then lied to the police
about his relationship, just like he lied to his staff and to us,
and I guess to you, too. Did you know that the House can expel
members who violate the public trust and abuse their position,
Mr. Gephardt? Did you know that as a leader in Congress you could
exercise authority over Mr. Condit’s destructive behavior –
behavior which may now have contributed to the death of a young
woman who thought Mr. Condit, well past the age of her father,
was going to marry her – in return for a sexual fling? Even the
police in Washington, D.C., who are crippled and afraid of you
folks in Congress, think Mr. Condit had something to do with Ms.
Levy’s disappearance – or they wouldn’t keep coming back and
asking him questions. Does your failure to begin House
proceedings to remove Mr. Condit mean that you Democrats approve
of his behavior?

My confusion, you see – and the reason I’m asking these
questions – is that your words sound so nice when I hear them on
TV and all. But then I look and I see that your actions don’t
have anything to do with what your words were saying. I guess if
I’d had the benefit of a private school education, like your
children, then I’d know what word to use to describe that
situation. Maybe you can help me?