Editor:

A letter to the editor submitted by Kenneth Moulton printed in the Jan. 10 issue of the Rio Rancho Observer painted a bleak political future that he alleges stems from Democratic Party evilness. Let me assure you that his assessment is incorrect.

I disagree with his pessimism and misguided assessments of the principles, objectives and morality of the Democratic Party. He is welcome to his opinions, but Mr. Moulton spreads misinformation, hyperbole and inaccuracies pulled from his silo of alternative reality that eschews facts.

I proudly vote, support and work for the election of Democrat candidates in Rio Rancho, Sandoval County, statewide and nationally. I am a member of a “big tent” political party that stands diametrically opposite to Mr. Moulton’s presentation of the Democratic Party as a monolithic, anti-American, anti-U.S. Constitution, communistic, evil conspiracy to establish a unitary party nation.

Before stating some of the ideals that the Democratic Party espouses, let me debunk some of his more outlandish statements:

The 2020 election was not rigged. Trump’s false claims were universally rejected by election officials and the courts.

The election falsehood perpetuated by Trump and right-wing fascists led to the Jan. 6 riot and insurrection in our nation’s Capitol that tried, but failed, to destroy the peaceful transfer of power. Even the Trump organization eventually wised up and dropped its unfounded lawsuit against the conduct of the election in New Mexico.

Democrats control neither main-stream nor social media platforms, and have no desire to limit free press or the expression of opinions, thoughts and ideas as prescribed by the First Amendment to the Constitution in which government is forbidden to proscribe that right. But, right-wing calls for violence, riots, sedition and hate speech fall outside those protections.

Some in our party call themselves democratic socialists, but the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at the top of the slate are political centrists. They will be called upon to balance all segments of their party, not just the democratic socialists, to bind the nation together as we move forward.

We Democrats, work for peace; social, racial and economic justice; limitation of human-caused climate change; economic prosperity; accessible and affordable health care; and open, transparent government at all levels in our nation.

Further, we support realities based on openly sourced data and information, evidence and fact-based decisions, and scientific explanations; and we reject lies and conspiracy theories that seek to manipulate all Americans.

Americans must pull together without stigmatizing our political opponents as evil-doers.

Democrats are open to reasoned, factually based political, economic and social discussions. I hope that people across the political aisle, including Mr. Moulton, are as equally open.

Delbert F. Schafer

Rio Rancho