COLUMN: Democrats face tough opposition
Mitt Romney has decided to forego a third attempt at being elected The White House.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush now appears to be the GOP's front-runner, but this is a difficult and unsettling time for the party as various factions have emerged, causing war within the party.
"It’s a great day for Jeb Bush,” said Brian Ballard in a Washington Post article, a lobbyist who led Romney’s 2012 fundraising effort in Florida and switched to Bush this time around. "I think Jeb had 75 percent of the money folks here. This brings in the other 25 percent."
Clearly, the GOP is facing the 2016 election head-on. Can Democrats say the same?
Following the midterm elections on Nov. 4, 2014, in which Republicans gained control of both the House and the Senate for the first time since 2006, things are looking pretty grim for the Democratic party.
In a Politico article, some Democrats were fearing party favorite Hillary Clinton will leave them high and dry as campaign season heats up.
The Republicans have multiple prospective candidates, such as Sen. Rand Paul R-Ky. and tea party favorite Sen. Ted Cruz R-Tex., but the Democrats are lacking in that department and that could hurt them as the caucuses near and the campaigning starts.
If Democrats are going to win the White House in 2016, they need someone strong and willing to lead.
I am not saying Clinton couldn't be that person, given her successful terms as Senator and Secretary of State, but we need a fresh face in the White House.
Democrats need someone vivacious, ambitious, young and vibrant, the way President Barack Obama appeared when he first ran. They need to stop dodging the issues.
They need a candidate who is not just another status quo liberal. They don't need another ultra-conservative democratic politician like Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, but someone who isn't afraid to stand up for the left wing in this country.
For everyone who didn't vote on Nov. 4, shame on you. It's one of the simplest and most basic rights every citizen is supposed to have in this country. When it is not exercised, I can't help but feel annoyed, sad and angered.
Do we want people like Paul, who, on Jan. 14 at a meeting with New Hampshire legislators, stirred controversy when he inaccurately asserted the social security benefits program is drawn primarily by those who suffer from nothing more crippling than anxiety or back pain?
Do we want these kinds of people running our country?
I certainly do not. It is up to Democrats to become informed and empowered.
Don't be a majority. As citizens, it is vital to stand up for one another and what you believe in.
You can make a difference.
