David Marshall: No one likes to be taken for granted

In this Aug. 24, 2010 file photo, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, right, puts his arm around former Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod at the conclusion of a news conference at the Agriculture Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Realignment and transformation throughout our nation’s political landscape is not new. Our country will always be divided over who gets the political upper hand and the fight to keep it. With today’s polarization approaching Civil War levels, the division is no longer regional (North vs. South). It is more political (red vs. blue) but remains divided by culture, race, and class. At one time, the Democrats were the conservatives, and the Republicans were the liberals. It is unlikely we will ever see the two parties flip again in ideology, but the internal political transformation on the state level will always take place. Whenever I think of the Democratic Party, I see it as a big tent party of political inclusion. It generally welcomes a broad spectrum of views and beliefs, reflecting a nation of people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures. Those making up the big tent may not always agree on every topic, but diverse ideas and backgrounds should...