I have voted for Bill Nelson (above) for what seems like decades. But the senior Florida senator won’t get my vote next time. I have had it with Democrats who act like mean-spirited Republicans, and that’s apparently what Nelson is doing. I just signed a petition being circulated by a progressive group asking Nelson and 27 other Democratic senators to reconsider their votes to cut the federal food stamps budget by $4 billion.

People who would do a thing like that do not belong in the Democratic Party. They should be ousted in the very next primary. If the Democratic Party stands for anything, it stands for compassion. That’s what makes me feel comfortable voting for candidates with that capital D next to their names even when I don’t know much about them personally.

To me the R on those ballots means “rich” – I see Republicans as representing America’s ruling class. The D stands for “do-gooders” as far as I’m concerned. I’m proud to be sneered at by Republicans as a “bleeding heart” and a “do-gooder.” And, the way I see it, Democrats who don’t want to be “do-gooders” should find another party to be part of.

They belong with the likes of Rand Paul and Ted Cruz (shudder).

I am sick and tired of the “pragmatic” platitudes politicians use to rationalize pandering to their deep-pocketed contributors. Don’t tell me about the National Debt. Don’t whine to me about “the deficit.” Feeding the poor, healing the sick and helping the aged to spend their last days with dignity is not a question of “affording it.” It’s a question of priorities.

After those responsibilities have been discharged, then our representatives in Washington can figure out how much they have left and what other programs should be funded. Among the things they might want to slash are subsidies to filthy-rich gentleman farmers and obscenely profitable agribusiness corporations. How can Congress possibly “afford” to subsidize those fat cats when they can’t “afford” to feed the destitute?

How can politicians “afford” to spend billions on bombs and bullets to crusade for “democracy” all over the world when they can’t “afford” to provide milk for pregnant women and nursing mothers at home?

What were these Democratic senators thinking, anyway?

The list of Democrats joining the Republican drive to slash the food stamps budget includes quite a few “liberals” so I have to wonder what arguments made them deviate from their usual political path. One reason might be that they represent states with powerful agricultural lobbies that want all the available Farm Bill money for their clients.

But whatever – or whoever –  influenced their votes, these senators don’t belong in the Democratic Party. Not the party I keep voting for, anyway.

Click here to read the petition.

Click here for how Democrats voted on cutting food stamps.

Click here for more on cutting food stamps