I want to tell you about why I'm not a Republican.

I grew up in a very rural, conservative place. It also happened to be quite poor - abandoned long ago by industry, the hulking, vacant remains of warehouses pockmarked throughout town like a war movie. [1/5]

When I was young, a boy in town was going up for Eagle Scout. As part of his package, he proposed a project to clean-up our downtown - clear away trash and broken glass from abandoned buildings, plant roadside gardens, breathe life and beauty back into our small village. [2/5]

Word of his project made its way to village government. Before he could even begin removing weeds, he was instructed that he would not be allowed to complete his project.

Why?

Such improvements to our tiny "downtown" would boost home values - and increase property taxes. [3/5]

The Republican Party, from stem to stern, often attracts a pernicious "I got mine and won't be bothered by you" kind of mentality.

To me, this has always stood at odds with citizenship and patriotism, ironically by the same ilk who loudly criticize those values in others. [4/5]

There is an idea that underlines what makes our country great - one that has withstood hard winters and long wars and rough luck. I believe it was best explained by the late Paul Wellstone:

"We all do better when we all do better."

That's why I'm not a Republican anymore. [5/5]