Valerie Smith. “I’m a Democrat because…” On Being Democrat Blog. June 13th, 2005: “I’m a Democrat because I believe that we have to help the least among us. If that’s healthcare for children, the elderly or the poor, if that’s education for people who’s family can’t afford to send their children to private schools, if that’s women who need abortions, when it’s gays or African Americans being discriminated against, if it’s working folks trying to get a fair shake. I’m a Democrat because the Democrats stand with them.”