I am writing this article to the above mentioned disgruntled Republicans urging them to consider joining the Democratic Party.

Fiscal Responsibility

On the issue of fiscal responsibility the historical record clearly indicates which party has balanced the budget through solid fiscal policies -- and it isn't the Republicans. The real key to this discussion is total debt outstanding. If the government's books are actually balanced, the government won't have to issue mountains of debt. Note that in the last 4 years of the Clinton presidency the total amount of debt outstanding started to substantially decrease. The reason is simple: Democrats pay for things as we go instead of burdening the next generation with a mammoth amount of debt.

Here is a chart for total federal government outstanding.

The Republicans on the other hand do nothing but increase the total amount of US debt outstanding by an alarming proportion. If you believe in in responsible fiscal management, the party that best represents you is the Democratic Party. I don't say this based on the idea "we will balance the budget" but instead on the historical record -- as in, "we've already done this and can therefore do it again."

Social Issues

I have two words regarding social issues: Terry Schiavo. For those of you who don't remember this national drama, let me refresh your memory. One party (which wasn't the Democratic Party) decided that six years of state level court actions were wrong. One party (which wasn't the Democratic Party) decided that a person's personal choice about the end of her life (as adjudicated by a Republican judge) was not her own business. One party (which wasn't the Democratic Party) decided to perform a medical analysis through video tape and announce the conclusions of that analysis on the floor of the Senate. One party (which wasn't the Democratic Party) decided that special legislation was required to address this situation. One party (which wasn't the Democratic Party) decided to make an extremely personal situation a national political issue.

Is this really the party a moderate Republican wants -- a party who slavishly adheres to the far-rights religious agenda at the expense of personal privacy? Or do you think these types of decisions are actually within the individual's sphere? Over the last 6 years, you have seen the far-right religious zealots take control of the Republican party's domestic agenda. Is this really what you want?

Health Care

This is directed especially at business owners and managers. Over the last 10 years, your biggest problem is health care. At least once every few years you and your human resources people spend far too much time looking at new policies because the old policy's premiums have gone through the roof. You spend way too much time thinking about how to lower the cost of health care without jeopardizing your employees personal situation -- and have found nothing but inadequate answers. Finally, your international competitors don't have to worry about this issue because the US is one of only three OECD members that don't have national health care.

The bottom line is you see a huge problem here. Which party has actually tried to offer a solution? The Republicans have done everything they can to make sure the current system stands. Is that really in your personal interest? Is the current system the best possible answer to your health care problems? My guess is the current situation isn't the way you want to deal with this situation.

The bottom line is the Republican party left most Republicans a long time ago. The idea of fiscal responsibility went out the window with Reagan who increased total federal debt outstanding from a little over 30% of GDP to a little over 60% of GDP. Bush continued this legacy of reckless fiscal policies as he turned a record surplus into $3 trillion dollars of net new federal debt. But Bush added the religious right's social agenda which interferes and intrudes into any private life it wants. The idea of "personal liberty" stands -- so long as it is the religious right's view of personal liberty. Everyone else is told how and when to live.

As a moderate Republican who believes in fiscal responsibility and the individual's autonomy you have seen these changes and looked on with horror. As the Republican's have slowly moved away from you you kept hoping for them to return. But they have not.

I now ask you to seriously consider the party that truly represents your values of fiscal responsibility and personal liberty -- The Democratic Party.