I'm New to the Democratic Party

Let's Explore Democrats 101 - A Primer for Us by J.M. Purvis

June 6, 2025

I grew up as a Republican. I told myself I would never vote until I knew what I was voting for because I didn't want to vote blindly. I never took the time to understand how our political system worked. In 2020 I sadly watched over 100 people die from COVID as a COVID nurse and saw firsthand that Donald Trump fumbled the COVID response and convinced a lot of people that COVID was a hoax. 5 years later I realize that was all done through propaganda. At the time, I was so distraught from watching so many people die and living in a dystopian where I was living in reality, in the hospital, and on the outside many Americans were denying what was happening. It was a hate-filled vitriol time that severely impacted my mental health. I hadn't ever voted before, but in 2020 I voted for the first time with the Democratic party in response to Donald Trump destroying public trust in health officials. I now know that this is a part of fascist politics, but at the time I was not aware of that.

During Biden's presidency, I spent time recuperating mentally from working the pandemic. I also got a new job, moved to a new town, and became a stay-at-home mom. In February 2025 I took a more active role in following politics. I attended various educational webinars by multiple activist groups. One event suggested a book called Democrats 101. It was a quick read and reassured me that this is exactly the party I want to be a part of. I'm perplexed that others in the United States wouldn't want the same. From a young age, I was indoctrinated to believe Democrats stood for Dummy, which now I understand to be Democrats for Democracy. This rhetoric was taught primarily because of the "Pro-Life" Movement, which I will refer to as the Anti-Choice Movement now. The Republican Party also gleams itself on being the party of "Christians" and Democrats as "Devils". They however follow Christian Nationalist ideology, which isn't even Christianity. I didn't know that in 2020. I couldn't believe the vitriol and hatred that was coming from the Republican party in 2020 and from many of the "Christians" I knew. I had a crisis of faith and ended up leaving the Catholic Church. It was too overwhelming to watch so many patients die from COVID and hear the conspiracy theories and COVID deniers coming from the church. Leaving the church has certainly made some close family members of mine claim that I am no longer Christian, but I have certainly remained Christian. My faith journey has just taken a different journey. The Republican Party also utilizes a huge far-right media ecosphere of propaganda not based on factual information ran primarily through Fox "News". This was also something new I learned in 2025. I grew up with my parents watching Fox "News". After leaving the house I never watched it again. This year I tried watching it to see the other side, but I could only watch it for a few minutes. It was so hate-filled and vial that I'm not sure how so many people could spend their time watching it.

The book Democrats 101 quickly went through the history of the Democratic and Republican parties. Essentially, the Democratic party has been the party that has ensured all of the rights we have today while convincing the working class that the Republican party was for them through fear-based tactics, cultural politics, and massive amounts of dark money spent on far-right echo chamber messaging, while in fact, they have been lining the pockets of billionaires. Donald Trump wasn't an accident. His presidency was designed over decades of this nefarious messaging. Republicans base all their "conservative" values around guns, anti-choice, homophobia, Christianity being under attack, fearing immigrants and people of color. They want to control other people and use "Christianity" to do it. Democrats are for Democracy and Democracy is for everyone!

The Democratic Creed

We believe all people are created equal, that this is America's fundamental ideal.
We believe that America is a democracy, by and for the people: ruled by the Constitution and its interpretations, protected by the Bill of Rights, and inspired by the Declaration of Independence.
We believe these founding documents demand Freedom, Justice, and Opportunity for all Americans, in full and equal measure...regardless of who you are, what you believe, or where you live.
We believe that the Duty of government is to strive endlessly to make the ideals of Freedom, Justice, and Opportunity a reality for all.
We believe that the Purpose of government is to protect our nation, defend our democracy, and to endlessly promote the welfare of each and every one of us.
We believe that fighting for these ideals is our purpose as a political party.

WE HOLD THESE THINGS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT:

Freedom means...

The right of every citizen to shape their own life, and their beliefs...so long as it does not infringe on the rights or safety of others.
The free flow of information and movement.
The right to privacy.
Free and fair elections, at every level, in every place in America:
Elections that are fully transparent.
Elections that are free of the role of wealth and the wealthy.
Elections that guarantee unlimited and easy access to voting for every citizen.

Justice means...

A society where every citizen is safe in their person and their home, and their day-to-day lives.
A society where every citizen is treated with dignity, regardless of race, creed, or personal difference of any kind.
A society where every citizen is treated equally before the law, and by the law.
A society where racism is wrong, where discrimination is wrong, where the government intervenes when racism or discrimination threatens a person's basic rights.

Opportunity means...

Every American deserves an equal chance to pursue their dreams, to be judged on their ability and their effort alone.
Every American, child and adult aline, deserves the education that gives them that chance.
Every American adult deserves the chance to earn a living wage, and to work with dignity...a job where pay, working conditions, and treatment are suitable reward for the effort and skill put in.
Every American deserves to live without fear of hunger or homelessness or lack of medical care. These things are not only rights, they are America's moral duty to provide.
Every American deserves to live in a healthy environment that includes clean air, clean water, and safe food.
Every American deserves the chance to move forward: no one left out by change, and no one left behind...no matter who they are or where they live.

We further believe that American democracy depends on...

A free and independent press, dedicated to truth and objectivity.
An educated citizenry with free and easy access to information.
A nation that accepts and embraces diversity.
Full financial transparency in election campaigns, in political office, and in government transactions.
An American economy based on Free Enterprise, and protected by the government from the baser instincts of large corporations and the financially powerful.
The continued existence of a strong military, free of political involvement and financial corruption, and dedicated to protecting us against all enemies foreign and domestic.
Educators and law enforcement officers being treated as among the most important parts of society, highly paid and stringently selected, and meeting exacting national standards of professionalism, ethics, and psychological motivation.
American citizens who care. Without this, nothing is possible.

This is what we believe.

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