Fountain Hills’ Democrats! Are you angry? Then, let’s rise up and come together to influence the future of our town, county, state and nation.

Our party has a proud history of accomplishments (Medicare, Social Security, GI Bill, Civil Rights, Voting Rights, etc.) which have protected “the least of these” from the greed and fear that would tear us apart as a nation. Let’s strongly defend Democratic values against the current administration, which is rapidly reversing all progress.

We should be outraged by the mainlining of racism, misogyny and hatred of “the other” in our White House; the elimination of environmental protections; the efforts to repeal our healthcare (cutting Medicaid to get tax breaks for the wealthy); the return to a “law and order” emphasis with mandatory minimums which are costly, ineffective and unjust; the dismantling of our alliances; the unbelievable support for repressive regimes while criticizing our long-term allies; the deportation of undocumented immigrants (splitting up families who have lived and worked peacefully in this country for years); restricting immigration on the basis of religion; continuing unequal treatment of women and minorities; limiting press freedoms, etc.

Locally we should be horrified that Arizona ranks 49th in funding for education while vouchers divert funds away from public schools toward for-profit ones benefiting the wealthy over the needs of all children.

The same is true with private prisons where profit is the main goal—not rehabilitation. The school to prison pipeline is quite lucrative, enabling the success of the immoral “keep filled” agreement.

We must oppose this growing cruelty in our country by organizing, getting out the vote and electing Democrats locally and statewide in 2018. We just can’t wait until 2020.

Visit fhdemclub.org, ld23democrats.org, and sign up for the LD23 newsletter for information and opportunities for action.

Let’s turn Arizona blue!