Every morning I wake up, look at myself in the mirror and ask myself this question: Am I a good guy? Now, it’s a purely hypothetical question, as there is no doubt that I’m a good guy who has high standards of politeness and decorum.

The same, however, cannot be said for Democratic Representative Alan Grayson. In the past few weeks, Grayson has stated that the Republican plan for health care reform is to have U.S. citizens “die quickly,” and referred to Republicans as “knuckle-dragging Neanderthals.”

Such behavior is abhorrent to me, as it should be to all liberals. For someone in the Democratic party to show such venom and passion is not just uncalled for, but it goes against everything that liberals and Democrats believe. It is behavior that puts us all on the same level of Republicans.

Rep. Grayson must apologize to each and every Republican in this nation - individually, if possible - for his reckless words and behavior. The U.S. is a nation of just two major political parties, and it’s the Republicans job to be venomous attack dogs. It is the job, nay, duty of Democrats to take Republican venom.

As of now, Republicans have been doing their job beautifully. They question President Barack Obama’s citizenship, his character, and his loyalty to the nation. This is what they are supposed to do. Grayson, however, is leading the Democratic Party astray by refusing to rise above this angry name-calling. It has been a shocking episode in this nation’s history.

We do not have to look far back to see that Democrats have not always been this way. They allowed Republicans hurl endless invectives at then-President Bill Clinton. And because of the high standards of Democrats, Clinton managed to get impeached, and Al Gore somehow lost to George W. Bush, despite the fact that Clinton left office with a budgetary surplus, low unemployment and high standing around the globe. Things were as they should be, basically.

When Rep. Grayson fights back against Republican smears and lies, he goes against the natural order of things. Democrats need to allow Republicans free reign. They must allow Republicans to practice their nasty, angry politics without so much as a whisper. Because then Democrats will be above the fray.

Democrats must allow Republicans to dominate the message and media and call them anti-American, Hitlerite, socialist, troop haters without response. For this, Americans will respect them. Because that respect will shine through in 2024 - after Obama loses re-election and Republicans spend 12 years in charge. Then, the fair-playing Democrats will possibly regain power and have their chance to bring their goodness to this nation, which will then likely be known as “WalMart Presents the United States of America.” Then - and only then - will Democrats be able to salvage the economy, and get American troops out of harms way in Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Mexico, and whoever else Democrats allow neo-conservatives to attack.

Grayson must apologize to all Republicans because Democrats must always take the moral high ground and stay above the fray. It worked during the Clinton years, and it will work again.

–WKW