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In scores of emails over the election results, some Democrats are saying that we need to listen more and talk less. We need to be asking our friends and relatives why they voted the way they voted and listen to their answers seriously and thoughtfully. What did they see in the candidates and how could they support the one state question that so many of us found repulsive and mean (definition of marriage).

Our country is headed in the wrong direction. We voted on values like so many others, but our values brought us to different conclusions than those of some. We still believe our choices support solid values of trust, fairness, equality and economic opportunities. We still want access to health care for everyone, supporting values such as reducing teenage pregnancies, reducing the need for abortions and reducing crimes of desperation.

We still want our businesses responsible for causing less harm to our environment and for creating better working conditions, pay and security for their employees. We still want businesses run morally and we want to stop rewarding them for chasing cheap labor around the globe or seeking tax-free status offshore.

If we err we want to err on the side of tolerance rather than intolerance, because accommodating different behaviors, cultures or practices doesn't threaten our culture and values. In fact, it strengthens them.

These and so many other policies of progressives are rooted in core American values. We obviously have failed to express that value-centric core to our friends, neighbors and family members. We will double our efforts to deserve their support.

Carter Merkle
Democracy for America Cleveland County
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DFAClevelandCounty/

posted by Unknown at 1:32 AM