Recovery From Politics

The Democratic National Committee told us over the weekend of May 31, 2008 that our votes do not matter. People were stripped of their votes by half in Florida and four delegates were stolen from Hillary and given to Barak Obama in Michican.

When Jimmy Carter stepped in recently and flatly proposed that the delegates from both Florida and Michican should remain unseated: This from a former President who goes to third world countries and oversees elections to make sure they are fair, was the red flag that was raised in my consciousness, telling me to get out of the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party was a party that used to uphold equality and a level playing field, but now supports misogyny, has annoited an unvetted candidate, and now is telling us that our votes not only are irrelevant, but can be taken away and given to the candidate we had no interest in voting for.

So for my own sanity, I am leaving the Democratic party.

I am a life long Democratic in a family of active Democrats for several generations.

Leaving the party is like giving up a family tradition.

And it's like giving up an addiction, because I'm a political junky.

So I turn to the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for complete release and surrender.

Step One: We admitted we were powerless over the Democratic party, that our lives had become unmanageable.

Since the Democratic party has attempted to morally bankrupt its members, it is time to admit total defeat.

Yet as this step illustrates, admitting complete defeat allows the door of freedom to spring wide open.

When we admit personal powerlessness, a rock foundation is created upon which happiness can be achieved and sustained. Watching the news, observing pundits marginalizing and insulting the best candidate to ever run for President, means we are powerless over news programs and our lives have become unmanageable because of watching them.

Step Two: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Many of us have become angry and resentful at the Democratic Party for stealing Hillary's great opportunity to serve our country. We are saddened, dejected and now doubt the integrity of the democratic process.

We fail to touch base with the great inner strength of our own Higher Power, and have allowed depression and demoralization to simmer in our psyches.

Yet by tapping the quiet meditative living well inside our hearts, we will triumph and persevere, just as Hillary has shown us to do by her demonstrated "Grace Under Fire."

Step Three: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives to the care of God as we understand Him.

The willingness to turn to a spiritual perspective in these and all other matters is the one solacing act that can be repeated again and again, moment by moment, one day at a time.

This is an action step: Severing the knot of self-will and alligning our spirit to God's will.

The Democratic Party no longer serves me. I now gain my strength from a Higher Power which does.

Step Four: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

How am I responsible for my own feelings of dejection at the hands of the Democratic Party?

Certainly the Democratic Party is a non-entity, but my attitude towards the party and my life are mine to own.

Step Five: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

And that chosen human being will be hand picked with great care.

Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all of these defects of character.

One by one, we excise a fault without reservation and give these over in an act of surrender, and as we do this, the obsession to watch the news, and engage in political drama--vanishes.

And we continue to make progress in the character building arena thus not expecting the character defects to be removed immediately.

We do not expect that forgiveness and unity will happen immediately in the Democratic party and in fact, this can first only happen in my own heart.

Step Seven: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

The key to this step is humility VS self-reliance or a gentle kindliness VS arrogance and having to be right.

Yes the Democratic Party has let us all down, not only Democrats, but the whole world is also watching us and deploring the recent decision of the Democratric Rules Committee of the Democratic National Convention.

Yet holding on to these resentments is only harming us.

So I humbly ask my Higher Power to remove the judgments and move on.

Step Eight: Made a list of all the persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

Yes, I must forgive all of the hateful Hillary Bashers, and make amends wherever appropriate.

Step Nine: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

I have been amazingly self-controlled during this election season. The only one I need to make amends with is myself!

Step Ten: Continued to take a personal inventory and when we were wrong, promply admitted it.

Using the "spot check inventory," as Bill W. suggests, at any time of day or night, especially at days end, where we take credit for things well done, and take note of deficiencies in need of repair, will slow down the pace of living, and give us a more reflective attitude.

The Democratic Party served a purpose in my life and in my parent's and grand- parent's lives, but now it is time to move on.

Step Eleven: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out.

This Step is self-explanatory.

Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other political junkies, and to practice these principles in all of our affairs.

Writing out the Twelve Steps of Political Junky Anonymous has soothed my mind and quieted my soul.

Whatever happens is most certainly a learning experience for all of us.

Turning to Spirit, walking in nature, hanging out with my dogs is the greatest experience of all, the greatest Unity of all, far, far removed from the Democratic Party.