Thinking about my Democratic Roots on the first primary Tuesday

You know, I've often wondered how it is that the Democratic Party, which started out, only a few short generations ago, as the party of slaveholders, is now the party with a black man leading in the polls.

And then, about a week ago, I saw a bio-documentary on Andrew Jackson, America's seventh president, who founded the party. And toward the end, when they started talking about his second term in office, it all clicked in my head.

I found much about Jackson to be horrible. He was petty, violent, and could hold on to a grudge like a street dog holds on to a ham-bone. Really. Not only that, he completely discounted the humanity of Native Americans and African Americans -- he could commit genocide without so much batting an eye.

The documentary made the point that (when South Caralina was making noise about seceeding from the Union) Andrew Jackson argued that neither State governments, nor the Federal government had the ultimate authority, but that this was a union of individual citizens. Then the documentary moved rather quickly on to his battle with the banks and big money corporations.

But I found that one line, just now, in Jackson's proclaimation to South Carolina:

And whereas the said ordinance prescribes to the people of South Carolina a course of conduct in direct violation of their duty as citizens of the United States, contrary to the laws of their country, subversive of its Constitution [...]

In other words, the state government was doing wrong because it was limiting the rights of individual citizens. And that is a sentiment that I remember learning (and keeping) from my very liberal, bleedy-hearty, parents.

And the same thing with Democrats and government regulation of industry. Jackson wrote this, on that:

In the full enjoyment of the gifts of Heaven and the fruits of superior industry, economy, and virtue, every man is equally entitled to protection by law; but when the laws undertake to add to these natural and just advantages artificial distinctions [...] to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society — the farmers, mechanics, and laborers — who have neither the time nor the means of securing like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their government. (Emphasis mine)

Anyway, yes. I grew up taking for granted that this country should defend the rights of the individual, not the rights of the state.

So those are the links between A. Jackson and B. Obama: the difference is that Obama has the audacity to claim to be a citizen, too. And so do I.

Warning: as we get closer to election day, you'll probably see an increasing amount of politics posts.