以下是民主黨大會主席 Tom Perez 發表的國慶日宣言：
“As we celebrate our nation’s independence, we recognize that America’s founding promise remains out of reach for too many families. Too many members of our society are still struggling to find a good-paying job or get the health care they need. Too many women, LGBTQ Americans, people of color, and people with disabilities still face inequality and injustice across our society.
“Everywhere we look, our most fundamental values are under attack. Thousands of children have been separated from their parents at our southern border. At our highest court, workers’ rights are being taken away, voting rights are under assault, Muslim Americans are being discriminated against for their faith, and women’s right to choose is under threat like never before."(“在我們慶祝國家獨立時，我們認識到美國的創始承諾對於太多家庭來說仍然遙不可及。我們社會中太多的成員仍在努力尋找高薪工作或獲得他們所需的醫療保健。太多的女性，LGBTQ美國人，有色人種和殘疾人在我們的社會中仍然面臨著不平等和不公正。
“無論我們在哪裡，我們最基本的價值都受到了攻擊。在我們的南部邊境，成千上萬的兒童與父母分離。在我們的最高法院，工人的權利被剝奪，投票權受到攻擊，穆斯林美國人因信仰受到歧視，婦女的選擇權受到前所未有的威脅。“)
大家可以看到他（代表民主黨）那種憤憤不平的受害者心態，再加上不少的無奈，USA TODAY報紙形容是reflects its long-standing tensions with President Donald Trump.（「反映了民主黨與特朗普總統長期的緊張關係」）
Perez的宣言中提到「社會中太多的成員仍在努力尋找高薪工作」，他們看不到近期經濟的成長和失業率不斷下降，黑人與西裔的失業率也創新低。至於高薪工作，就要看本事了。
Perez提到很多人未獲得「他們所需的醫療保健」，奧記健保不是他們推行的嗎？
至於他提到幾類人士（包括女性，同性戀者，少數族裔）「在我們的社會中仍然面臨著不平等和不公正」，唉，到今天還要打這章牌，委實太老套了。
Perez指責「南部邊境，成千上萬的兒童與父母分離」時，沒有提到這些是非法入境者的家庭，並且這些政策不是特朗普政府開始，而是奧巴馬政府開始的。他當然也不提6月20日特朗普已經發出行政指令將非法入境的家庭成員集中在一起。
他提到「在我們的最高法院，工人的權利被剝奪」，他是指前幾天最高法院判決公務員工會不得強迫非會員繳交會費，因為工會將大量會費捐給民主黨。Perez只提「工人的權利被剝奪」，極有fake news的風範。
Perez提到「穆斯林美國人因信仰受到歧視」，相信是指最高法院判決特朗普有權限制來自幾個極端回教國家進入美國，作用是防止恐怖份子滲入。民主黨一向都主張無邊境，誰都可以入境，美國人絕大部份都不贊同。
最後他提到「婦女的選擇權受到前所未有的威脅」，他說的是甚麼「選擇權」？當然就是墮胎。民主黨現今最怕特朗普提名保守和遵憲的法官代替行將退休的甘迺迪法官，將會千方百計阻撓。
在慶祝美國獨立之際，民主黨是滿肚怨氣，卻又無計可施，處處被特朗普迎頭痛擊，皆因他們逢特必反，竟然減稅都全票反對，因此給共和黨標籤他們為「加稅黨」。民主黨發出如此灰暗的訊息是可理解的。
共和黨方面，只是發表一句："On this Independence Day, we pledge to uphold America’s founding principles and continue to fight for our inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all."（“在這個獨立日，我們保證堅持美國的創始原則，繼續爭取我們不可剝奪的權利：生命，自由和追求所有人的幸福。”），言簡意賅，比民主黨正面得多。
最後，請看看以下民意調查的圖表，顯示對美國感到自豪者的比率。民主黨人從2013年至今由56％跌至32％的新低，反而共和黨人自從特朗普當總統後，比率由68％升升至74％新高。
今天的民主黨員真可憐！
附錄：
Democratic Party is Now Openly Embracing Socialism
July 5, 2018
Tom Perez, chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), appeared Tuesday on the Bill Press Show and, when asked about the party’s future, he replied:
I have three kids. Two of them are daughters — one just graduated college, one who is in college. And they were both texting me about their excitement over Alexandria (Ocasio-Cortez) because she really — she represents the future of our party.
If a self-declared socialist represents the party’s future, Democrats may find themselves becoming more and more irrelevant. Is that what all Democrats really aspire to? Do 31% of citizens from the land of the free and the home of the brave really hope to live in a socialist nation?
Let’s take a look at Ocasio-Cortez’s platform:
- Medicare For All
- Housing As A Basic Right
- A Peace Economy
- Federal Jobs Guarantee
- Gun Control/Assault Weapons Ban
- Criminal Justice Reform, End Private Prisons
- Immigration Justice/Abolish ICE
- Solidarity with Puerto Rico
- Mobilizing Against Climate Change
- Clean Campaign Finance
- Higher Education, Free Trade School For All
- Women’s Rights
- Support LGBTQIA+ (What does the “+” represent? Are there some genders we’ve left out?)
- Support Seniors
- Curb Wall Street Gambling: Restore Glass Steagall
At the end of her socialist wish list, she invites supporters to become campaign volunteers:
“Democracy is Powered by Volunteers Like You”
Why doesn’t it say, “Socialism is powered by volunteers like you?”
Ocasio-Cortez’s naïveté is unmistakable. Her age and inexperience are glaring. Her platform reads like a Miss America contestant’s description of a perfect world. For starters, its implementation would bankrupt our country.
With a U.S. national debt of over $21 trillion, which climbs a little higher every day, our debt stood at approximately 105.4% (other estimates put the number as high as 107.2%) of gross national product (GDP) at the end of 2017, one of the highest in the world.
There are a few countries with a greater ratios of debt to GDP.
Japan, at slightly over 234%, has financed many stimulus projects to “jump-start” their economy over the last several decades. However, since Japanese citizens hold over 90% of the debt, at low rates of interest, it is very sustainable for the country.
Other countries with ratios higher than ours (at the end of 2017) include: Greece: 181.9%, Portugal: 125.6%, Italy: 131.45%, Lebanon: 152.85%, Yemen: 141.01%, along with many African nations such as The Gambia: 123.24%, Cape Verde: 126.03%, The Republic of the Congo: 119.07%, Eritrea: 131.24%, Sudan, 126.02% and several others. We are not in good company.
The top holders of US debt are China (5.3%) and Japan (4.8%). Although 5.3% is not a large portion, and the US Treasury has never had difficulty finding buyers for our debt (even with a rating downgrade), 5.3% of $21 trillion still represents over $1 trillion of debt owed to an unfriendly nation.
Even the partial implementation of Ocasio-Cortez’s platform items would put the US in a precarious financial situation that would ultimately threaten our national security.
But, long before that would happen, her idealistic initiatives for a “peace economy” – “bring our troops home, heal our wounds, repair our image in the world” – would probably see our mainland invaded by foreign enemies.
A thorough rebuttal of each of Ocasio-Cortez’s poorly thought out objectives could result in as many posts. Suffice it to say that it is an unworkable agenda. We can’t afford it. It’s not who we are as Americans. And I find it hard to believe that the majority of Democrats would support this platform.
The party’s “lurch to the left” is giving many Democrats pause, especially those who understand a thing or two about the US economy and national security. For example, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) appeared on ABC’s “The Week” on Sunday and said, “We are always going to need immigration enforcement, I think we know that. We are a major country with major borders.”
Another sign of push-back from within the Democratic party is the growing traction of the “#WalkAway Campaign.” Hair stylist “Brandon Straka started this movement, which shares video stories of people who decide to dissociate themselves from liberalism.”
And finally, many more centrist Democrats will retreat from Maxine Waters’ brand of “in your face” activism. There’s a reason why President Trump wants to position her as “the face” of the Democratic party, along with Nancy Pelosi. The credibility of both women has fallen.
So, if Tom Perez envisions a socialist future for Democrats, and chooses to believe that candidates such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represent the party’s future, it is a gift to the Republican party.
林修榮談天說地 