Americans right to elect the party of the people

Editor,

In the days since the midterm elections, the Republican Party has been doing its best to come to terms with the American people's rather sensible decision that their interests would be better served by the Democratic Party. With this country's government again being in part controlled by liberals - the people who founded the U.S. in the first place - there is finally a bright light on the horizon. To say that it was merely a vote against Republicans and not for Democrats simply proves that Washington Post columnist Harold Meyerson is correct when he states that the GOP's journey through the five stages of grief has yet to get past denial.

The past six years have been marked by sweeping tax cuts for the top 1.2 percent of Americans, while a $585.5 billion tax cut for the middle class was soundly rejected by the GOP. The minimum wage under Republicans is now worth less than it has been since 1951. Americans are dying in a war that makes no logical sense, while people who actually did attack the U.S. are allowed to go unpunished. Meanwhile, a false specter of illegal immigration is being offered as the sacrificial lamb, and a 700-mile fence along a border three times that length is being offered as the solution to all of our woes.

Nearly 50 million Americans are being denied health care, and seniors are actually paying more for their prescriptions than ever before. When the Democratic Party offers a solution, all the GOP can do is blame Canada. At the same time, it is attacking the rights of women and trying to force abortions back into dangerous back alleys.

It's no wonder that the Republican Party was soundly defeated in an election that, to be honest, exceeded even our wildest dreams. Speaking as a Democrat, I can say that we were not expecting to win this big, and we thank the American people for their vote of confidence. Speaking directly to my own party, I say only this - the people have placed their faith in what has always been the party of the people, and we would do well not to let them down. It is time to show people that making the wealthy pay their fair share, supporting pro-labor legislation, secure borders, human dignity and respecting personal choice does represent us.

Juan Carlos Holmes

Co-chairman,

UNM College Democrats