To the Editor:

For most registered democrats, Election 2004 began the day the U.S. Supreme Court elected the 43rd president of the United States. It was also the first time some democrats recognized the fanaticism of the new Republican Party and its desire to snatch power from the non-believers and ultimately -- to exile them.

Some results of that election are increases in worldwide conflict, poverty, homelessness and health care and education costs, leaving many democrats to answer two simple questions: What is a democrat? Why are democrats not voting?

Frankly, the answers are more complex than the questions. Nonetheless, the path for non-believers is clear: Declare yourselves democrats and VOTE in 2004.

Until former President Reagan, I was a fierce independent. During his first campaign, as a small town educator on the dangers on destructive cultism, I recognized some of that same destructive cultic behavior in the Republican Party – primarily the insatiable drive for power at the expense of the non-believers.

As a result, I did my required soul searching and concluded that it was my democratic responsibility to make a full commitment to my belief in the common good, as opposed to the self, and I registered as a democrat.

Many democrats are not voting for two primary reasons: One, they have become convinced their votes cannot overcome the obscene amount of money spent by candidates to win elections. Two, they have become convinced their voices cannot be heard.

Personally, I believe neither. As we saw in the last presidential election our votes do indeed count. And as we’ve seen via new advocacy organizations like MoveOn.org our voices can indeed be heard. But, it is up to us to come to the table. In fact, it is our civic duty to do so.

The time has come to do your own soul searching and if you believe in the common good register as a democrat and cast your vote in support of that common good. If you don’t, then you will have effectively cut yourself out of the democratic process and we will all have President George W. Bush for four more years.