DUers, At What Age Did You Become Politically Minded and Why?

[The Genealogist]

95. I grew up around political discussions

My father's side of my family is especially political. Conservatives all. I am the only liberal in the lot. My paternal grandmother was particularly political. She read voraciously on world politics, especially on the topic of Communisim, and was a big Reagan supporter. She had a couple of filing cabinet drawers full of articles on countries all around the world. My father and uncle would later become right wing radio junkies, especially Rush Limbaugh. My mother's side of the family were all Democrats. Most of them were not liberal or progressive at all. They just voted for Democrats because Great Grandpa did and I think they were all afraid he would come up out of his grave and get them if they didn't vote for Democrats. My maternal grandmother, the Democrat, was in many ways more conservative than my Republican paternal one.

For me personally, the real jelling of my political beliefs came in 11th grade Civics in 1990. It was the first time I had contact with what the Democrats and Republicans actually stood for, aside from a biased tirade about the other side from one family member or the other. And, after reflecting on what I was learning, realized I was a Democrat. My first big election was 1992, and I voted for Bill Clinton. I've voted straight Dem since, unless of course the election is non-partisan.