How many of you are FORMER Republicans? (lurkers are welcome)

[Blue-Jay]

I understand that you might not (yet?) consider yourselves as "liberals". That's OK. No problem there. The current administration has done much to piss off the members of the Republican party who actually believe that "Well...At least he's not a Democrat", than any other president in recent history.

I know that you're out there, and I know that some of you come here daily. Many of you have decided to call yourselves "Libertarians" in light of the mess that the neo-cons have made of this country. That's OK, too. We don't have to agree on every issue. We can agree on which candidate is better for this country, or at least on who will do the least amount of damage.

I'm just curious: What was the straw that broke the camel's back for you?

Why do you come here, knowing that many of us are unabashed "lefties"?

What have you to say about GWB, good or bad?

(please remember, if you post to disrupt, you'll be banned and we won't be able to respond. I'm looking for some honesty, not divisiveness)

[mdmc]

1. I'm a former "Liberal" party member

and now I am registered Democrat, which is almost the same thing as Republican.

[Blue-Jay]

3. I disagree.

We're (Democrats) certainly NOT "almost the same" as Republicans. Sure, there are many of our party who support centrist viewpoints to save their own asses in elections. Yeah, that pisses me off too. (Evan Bayh, I'm looking in your direction)

However, I believe that Democrats, as a whole, have a few common goals that are in opposition to the RWers. That's a subject for a different thread, though.

[wyldwolf]

13. What is a "centrist viewpoint?"

[Blue-Jay]

32. OK. For instance....

Just because it's the first thing I thought of: Kerry has been a Weeble-Wobble on the issue of gay marriages/civil unions. He voted for the Patriot Act and IWR. I can only assume that he did so with his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing.

Do I fault him for that? You're damn right I do!

Do I understand what may have caused him to do it? Yeah, I do. (Remember that Shrub was at a 90% approval rating after 9/11. He went with the flow to remain popular. I disapprove of those votes, but I can see how that helped to retain his "base")

He played the politics game, but that happens a lot. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I understand the "dance". I don't likr it, but I understand.

[wyldwolf]

76. but where is the centrist viewpoint?

You are saying that voting for IWR and the patriot act is the centrist viewpoint? Who decided that?

[mdmc]

28. lol (Evan Bayh...)

My parents are pugs (lovable though; they hate w!). Two Dean supporters that I know were Missle contractors with Raytheon - they hate w. due to his lack of diplomacy skills (it turns out that military contractors spend alot of time overseas with diplomats, jetsetters, et al).

[King Of Paperboys]

2. Well, I voted for Reagan in 1984.

In my own defense, I was an 18-year-old Marine.

Not a Republucan per se, but I bought the line, at the time.

[dr.strangelove]

4. Wrong Question

--I'm just curious: What was the straw that broke the camel's back for you?

Hey Blue-Jay. I think you are asking the wrong question. Its not what did the Republicans do that drove them away, its what did the Dems do to bring you over?

I grew up in a Republican house. I was a republican in the early adult years. I could not stand Bush I and voted for Perot in 1992. Then I heard Bill's first Stateof the Union. He made so much sense to me. I was always a moderate Repub, very left on social issues but conservative in terms of tax cuts and small government. It wasn;t until Bill that I came to trust the federal government spending my tax dollars to benefit all Americans.

So I rethought my life and my politics. I am very liberal on some social issues, more moderate on others.

Anyway, it was President Cliniton's first SOTU address that drew me over to the right side (which is the left side).

[Blue-Jay]

10. I can see your point.

Maybe I didn't phrase the question in such a way that it applied to everyone who is recently pissed off at the current state of affairs regarding the Republican party. You'd have to agree, however, that most "party line jumpers" are more disenfranchised with their former party than they are enthralled with the stance of the opposition party.

Maybe I just want to hear from some PO'd ex-Republicans..... I want to know what we're doing right and they're doing wrong in the eyes of the "middle-folks".

[dr.strangelove]

16. You hit the nail on the head

Too much of the jargon here on DU is that Bush should lose because Bush sucks. We need to concentrate on what the Democrats are doing right. Bush should lose because Kerry will be a more effective President domestically and internationally.

While its fun to talk about how big an idiot bush is, I think we should spend more time talking about how great Kerry is.

If more mods got Kerry's message and understood why the middle and lower class will emerge from the darkness Bush has cast them in if Kerry wins, then we will get their votes.

[truthseeker1]

15. mfj3, Blue-Jay is absolutely right (at least in the current environment)

Most definitely, the Republicans (GWB) have DRIVEN people away - NOT the other way around. The Dems have done nothing to earn my vote. I still refuse to label myself a Dem. I'm a progressive, a liberal but I will vote Dem to kick Bush out of the WH. It's like Bill Maher says, "This is not "Kerry Love - it's Bush Hate!"

(By the way, I also voted for Perot in '92 - dumb mistake I realize now....)

[dr.strangelove]

21. This is what I mean

I know what you are saying, and you are the evidence to whatI have been preaching all day here at DU. I don't think the way to get your vote is to bitch about bush. You know he sucks. what I need to do is tell you why Kerry is great and will do a great job at leadig our nation. Although you label yourself a progressive, so I take it you were not a former moderate republican who left the party. I was directing my comments to former moderates who may come over if we give thenm a reason.
I'd love to take the time to convince you that Kerry ill ensure progressive interests are brought abck into the forefront of the government. We can chat about his record on judicial appointments, union rights and his progressive views on the separation of church and state.
I think I can get you to support him more for his views than b/c you hate bush's views.

[truthseeker1]

27. oh but I WAS a moderate republican

and you don't have to convince me to vote for Kerry. I plan to vote for Kerry but only in the hopes that a few years down the road we get someone even more liberal. (I voted for Kucinich in the primary but I know it's not realistic to expect the other political players in Congress to play nicely with such a far-leaning liberal - YET. My hope is that we can someday get to that point.)

I don't trust Kerry, but I'll vote for him and hope that he will prove to be not just a little better than Bush, but a whole lot better than Bush. He still isn't telling us what he stands for, but hey, I'm being patient. I know he's riding out the negative Bush storm. But I'll be expecting a much better performance come August/September.

[JohnnyFianna1]

5. Former Republican- until primaries, I saw Howard Dean, and he

convinced me to check out a couple lwebsites, I was led here after finding this site listed on the Republican Website Eyeontheleft. I finally became an independent after watching a Wesley Clark Rally, as did my father.

[redqueen]

39. Please tell me that first quote in your sig line isn't real

please oh please oh please oh please oh please

If it's real, WTH did he mean by that?!

:scared:

[Carolina]

41. Wes was the best

and I still don't know how the party let him get away.

BTW, welcome to DU :hi:

[recoveringrepublican]

60. Parking my ass here, sounds like me

Last August I was republican, but really questioning the party and completely disgusted with Bush (who I didn't vote for btw lol). I saw Howard Dean and he interested me, so I watched the debates, and that's when I found my dream president, Dennis Kucinich.

[shance]

62. Glad you drove by RR***

:)

[0rganism]

81. Whoa! Republicans for Kucinich -- that's something I don't see enough

We need more Republicans like that! :hippie:

[bpilgrim]

85. welcome to DU

:toast:

I'm a big fan of DK :hi:

peace

[Anarcho-Socialist]

101. Welcome to DU!!!

:hi: :bounce:

[Rebellious Republican]

65. Sorry deleted by me, posted in the wrong spot N/T

[tech3149]

6. died in the wool apolitical until March 19, 2003

The stupidity of this invasion of Iraq had me registered to vote immediately. Registered independent BTW

[Carolina]

43. excellent reason to get involved

and welcome to DU :hi:

[shance]

7. Former Reagan voter and Bush Sr (1st term*) voter

Then I began to see the light*** :)

Actually it was a gradual process that took place during and after college (and watching Iran/Contra, Anita Hill) and observing a more self-righteous, intolerant increasingly hypocritical tone monopolize the Republican platform.

[truthseeker1]

I am proud to have evolved into a LIBERAL!!

I was a Republican but the lead-up to the war last year totally opened my eyes. I knew it was wrong. So many things weren't adding up. So I started doing research and listening to KPFK in LA and don't miss a single day of Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! Over the course of a year, I have learned so much and have swung so far to the left and you know what? I'm proud of it! I'm ashamed that I ever supported conservative ideals. I was pretty much a socially liberal Republican, but I was ignorant about so many things and believed in "fiscal conservativism" according to the GOP. Now I understand that you can't be a compassionate person AND be a conservative. The two just don't go together.

I feel it's important to point out that I have gone through a spiritual transformation in the past two years (used to be a fundie Christian and now consider myself not religious but spiritual, if that makes any sense. I can't really put a title on what I believe but it's closer to eastern religions than Christianity.) Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because I very strongly believe (having been on the other side of the fence) that a person's political ideology is determined so much by their religious beliefs. And I believe that where I'm at spiritually has allowed me to adopt more liberal views and "see the light!" Some of my (new) liberal friends are just so amazed that I was ever a Republican and it's convinced them that people truly can change. In other words, there IS hope!! And speaking of friends, I've had to leave a few old (conservative) friendships behind because I just can't stand to be around some of them. They are so mean and so intolerant and so ignorant that it just drives me crazy. And with the year that we've had - so many lives lost and so many lies told to the American people - I just can't deal with their ignorance and blind "patriotic" support of Bush.

[Blue-Jay]

18. See? That's the shit right there!

The results of the popular vote are very telling in that respect, voter fraud notwithstanding... Most people don't mind making an attempt to: balance the budget, have freindly neighbors, take care of the poor*, "promote the general welfare" (Preamble, for the Freeps who are lurking), stay out of people's bedrooms, defending privacy & freedom, etc.

We're a left-leaning country, like it or not. You one-issue voters are ill-informed and advocates of a facist theocracy.

[seabeyond]

23. hey truth love your story of from religion to spirituality

i too had an awakening.........spiritually. about in 2000, really an amazing journey it has been, and then to experience 9/11 and further.

like what you say, big thumbs up

[truthseeker1]

50. Thanks!

Thanks for the support. Sometimes I'm afraid to admit my Repug past because I think a lot of DUers (especially those who have always been liberal or have been liberal for a long time) don't really think a Repug can change heart. But we can!! People are pretty much the same everywhere.....it's just the propaganda that we are constantly fed by the govt. does a number on us. Heh, the US govt has truly mastered mind control. Everything we were taught to believe about Russia we can turn back on ourselves - like a big fat mirror!

[seabeyond]

61. yes and in spirituality it is walking outside of the box

and in that they cant deceive they cannot condition, the only way that can be done is to create a box for self once again, and that just does not feel comfortable anymore, so easy to see

[Carolina]

45. "so many lives lost and so many lies told"

that line should be a bumper sticker. Love the story of your recent evolution, gives me a lot of hope about November.

[mzmolly]

67. Truthseeker is a name well chosen.

Welcome to the *light* :hi:

[Red_Viking]

8. I'm a reformed puke.

Never was very serious about politics, but I also voted for Ronnie in 1984 at the tender age of 18. Most of my friends were Repubs and I just went along with the crowd. Oh, and I live in Texas, which should explain some of this. :)

Now, I never thought much about it, but looking back I realize there was a flaming liberal in there the whole time, just waiting to get discovered.

What finally did it for me was the gag order implemented by * almost immediately after taking office. I was furious. And it just went south from there. My beloved boyfriend, bless him, is a California liberal from birth. While never foisting his opinion on me, he began to loan me books and engage me in discussions that made me really think about things for the first time. Then, I saw "Bowling for Columbine." For some reason, that movie sealed it for me.

I slid right into bleeding-heart peacenik status and never looked back.

In fact, my 13-year-old daughter is also now very politically savvy and goes about trying to convince people old enough to vote NOT to choose * this year. She's great. We go to peace marches together.

Anyway, that's my story. Can't remember how I found DU, but I was glad I did.

Mark me among the happily converted.

:dem:

RV

[truthseeker1]

20. Bowling For Columbine

was also instrumental for my political transformation - as was "Stupid White Men" - Michael Moore should be Time's Person of the Year this year. Incidentally, I already have my movie tickets for next Friday's matinee showing of Farenheit 9/11!!!
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[shance]

22. The Gag order was huge factor in my getting more involved on issues.

Its interesting reading peoples experiences.

[Carolina]

47. we're glad you found DU too

:hi: I'm really enjoying counting stars and conversions!

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

9. A 'liberal Republican' here I guess....

but am a registered Democrat and will remain a registered Democrat until the Republican party rids itself of it's Theocratic Bedfellow and PNAC neocons... then and only then would I even consider looking at the GOP as a viable political party again.

[Sandpiper]

11. I was raised by Republican parents

And became one by default.

The rise of Newt Gingrich in 1994 is what initially turned me off of the GOP.

I was a college student at the time, and one of the first things Newt wanted to do after coming to power was axe the Stafford Loan program.

The fact that he wanted to get rid of the Free Lunch program for poor kids in public schools got my attention as well. Yes, heaven forbid that we feed poor school children who can't afford lunch, right Newt?

Pretty much every program Newt and Co. wanted to send to the chopping block were ones that helped the least privileged members of society. I became disgusted with how eager the GOP was to kick the powerless in the teeth.

I was also alienated when I saw that the Republican Party had been taken over by 700 Club, crypto Christian radicals.

I became a libertarian for a while, but then I got my first job in a factory. After that, I couldn't throw my support behind a party that was slavishly pro corporation, and virulently anti worker. I couldn't abide the idea that we would all be better off with a workforce free of unions, and a workplace without labor laws, or health and safety regulations, when our own history teaches us the exact opposite. I realized that they were even more heartless than the Pukes.

So finally, I let go of the prejudices that I had learned from birth against the Democrat Party and realized it was they who cared about people like me.

On Edit: The final straw for me that made me decide I could never vote for a right winger again was the war in Iraq.

[Cheswick2.0]

19. Welcome to the party Sandpiper

I am glad to hear your story. How do you think we can convince other young men like yourself? It is clear that many people are voting against their own best interests.

[Sandpiper]

25. I wish I knew

I think talking to the like FDR would would be the best way to go about it.

The red states, in general, have the lowest wages and worst public education in the country. Point that out to them and ask, what exactly is it that Republicans have done for you?

For most of them though, I think it would take some sort of conscience shocking epiphany like I had.

[methinks2]

12. Okay, I was raised a republican although I always voted

for the man and the issue. The final straw for me was actually the Clinton/Lewinski scandal. The hypocrisy was so disgusting that I was turned off of the party forever. In addition to the hypocrisy there was the fact that NAFTA and several bombings were being ignored by our senators and media , I considered both of those issues very important, and my party evidently did not. I tried being a Libertarian for a while, but I discovered that, at least in my area of the world, most Libertarians were wingnuts who like to hide in the woods with guns and spit. (I seem to fit in nicely with most dems on this website, I think I know where I belong now. )

[truthseeker1]

38. "hide in the woods with guns and spit"

LOL! That sounds like some of my family members! :crazy:

[greatauntoftriplets]

14. Perish the thought!!!!

:puke:

[AlCzervik]

17. I'm a former republican

call it rebellion against against a liberal massachusetts family. anyhow, i was getting sick and tired of the bashing of all things that were not gop related, i never understood why they hated Clinton so much. Anyhow, back in 99 i spent alot of time volunteering for the McCain campaign, other people i knew were Bush sheeps, after South Carolina i just couldnt do it anymore. What was done to him was sickening and i thought, i can't beleive they would do this to one of there own. The other problem for me was that i was always in the moderate wing, pro-choice, socially liberal but fiscally conservative. The one thing i learned from the gop that still holds true today is that they hate moderates and after 96 that became pretty clear. I wrote in McCain on my ballot in 2000, Gore wasn't my guy but it seems now that McCain isn't either.

[Blue-Jay]

24. That's the thing!

Clinton was not what most of us would call a "liberal". He was a good president (IMHO) but he was a centrist at best. He approved NAFTA, GATT, and DOMA. (look it up, as I'm too lazy to go into detail) The fact remains that he was good for the country, and was the target of a (if I may say) VAST RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY.

More was made of his penis than was made of his policies.

[shance]

33. Perhaps having political parties divides individuals/ creates opposition?

From having had the experience of being on both sides of the fence politically, and these past couple of years becoming a Dean supporter, I have been asking myself, what makes common sense a *left* or *right* issue? Certainly what struck me about Governor Dean was his common sense.

What I found unique about Dean was his pride of being a Democrat and at the same time his ability to blend and impress others outside the Democratic box. I also think his beliefs and *platforms* just make sense and seek to benefit groups as a whole.

Im re-evaluting my perception of political parties, along with religion. Seems to me, however well-intentioned, they tend to create more opposition and isolation from other groups perceived as being different from them, and often become hostage of various individuals/power mongers seeking their own self serving power instead of working for the highest good of everyone. I also believe that the highest good for everyone is inevitably the highest good for me.

I guess Id like to see less groups representing a certain faction* and more blending and merging of individuals and cultures as a whole.

AND I guess I ultimately would call myself an independent*

[iconoclastic cat]

51. Can there be any doubt in our minds that political parties are a cancer?

Just look at this mess! Ugh.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

64. And don't forget that spawn of Satan the DMCA!!! (nt)

[DaveSZ]

26. I consider myself a progressive in the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt

My two favorite presidents were both named Roosevelt, however I am not a Dem or Repub.

I vote for the Green Party on the local level, and usually dem on the national level.

Although the Dems have been dissapointing these past few years.

I'm not a Clinton fan for all the right-wing stuff he signed, but he was better than Bush still.

[Dob Bole]

29. ME

I have only voted in one presidential election, because I am young. The straw that broke the camel's back? Bush's transformation into a "war president," more than anything else. And the affirmative action ordeal, when the administration tried to have it overturned.

I now bleed blue.

[greekspeak]

30. A real righty I was up until high school

I was what one might call a fundie. I actually made a freind of mine cry because I told him he was going to hell because he wouldn't go to vespers with me at summer camp.

Sometime around the first gulf war, actually a little before, during the tense months leading up to it, I took "liberty and the law," aka "civics." As we discussed the political process and I had to actually ACKNOWLEDGE that there were democrats, I started drifting left. What they said made much more sense to me. Maybe it started out as a rebellion thing, from my dyed in the wool repub family. I don't know. I do know that the first election in which I was eligible to vote, I voted for Bill Clinton. But, I also made some choices I am not now proud of. I was only 19, and paid far less attention to politics than I do now. I thought, "well, this guy didn't mess things up TOO bad," and I would vote to keep that politician in office. I no longer vote that way.

By the end of my first year in college, only a mere 2 1/2 years out from under my conservative rock, I was laughing my ass off at Limpballs stupidity. I also got into arguments with my father over politics a lot. He is anti-union, and very fiscally conservative, but he is much more libertarian on other social issues. He loved all that crap Reagan spewed about Cadillac driving welfare mothers. He STILL refers to that like it was gospel.

Those roots are far in my past now. At some point I am sure I will stop drifting left, but I may be a staunch socialist before all is said and done.

[GoArmy]

31. I vote for the person, not the party

I've always voted for the individual, not the party. There are things that bother me about each main party. I still manage to live with it enough to cast my vote for what I refer to as the lesser of two evils each election.

This election has me struggling to decide which to vote for. I'm not going to get into it, it being my first post here, and the last thing I want to do is get some of the real emotional posters here I've been reading jumping all over me. I'm not here to deal with hateful posts, I'm here to read others opinions and see if I can get some answers to some of the questions I have been dealing with so I can better understand the mess we have all gotten into. I won't discuss issues with anyone that insists on degrading someone that is serving or has served our country.
But I dislike things about both Bush and Kerry so much that this may be the first election I vote for a third party candidate namely Nader.

We should all deal with these elections as honorable Americans and keep the hate and anomosity at a minimum. It will do no one any good, and will eventually hurt our country beyond repair.

Yhat's all I have to say for now, I'll sit back and listen again a bit. Fred

[Curious Dave]

35. Hmmmm A guy sitting on the fence

Should we try to persuade him to the superior wisdom of our party's platform, or should we just jump down his throat, call him a fucking freeper, and completely alienate him right off the bat? :)

Welcome to DU!

[The empressof all]

37. welcome go army!

I am so happy you found us.

[GoArmy]

77. Thanks for the welcome...

I waited quite awhile before registering and posting, honestly some of the attitudes in so many other threads were a turn-off, but the invite from BlueJay got me.
I thought I'd give it a shot and try this thread. By the way, thanks for the welcome Wubette and Curious Dave. I figured if I disagreed right off the bat I'd be gone before my second post. I guess not.

I normally reserve this type of subject for the local neighborhood Gin Mill, there are several Veterans that hang there from my town and one thing we all have in common besides that is the fact none of us are convince we needed to invade Iraq, and both Kerry and Bush seem to have the same opinion on it. The truth is, if somebody else was running against Bush it's my opinion the other guys (and me) would vote for the Democrat in a New York minute. Which puts me in this god awful spot of maybe having to vote for somebody that has no chance of winning. Hell, I may end up not even voting this time. I'm not even going to get into their military records and subsiquent political aspirations, because they both make me sick. They both strut and do a lot of talking, but I lived it for too long and there are too many guys I rememember that gave it all up thousands of miles from home and never came back to bi*ch or brag about it. Those guys are the real heros, and their families were poor when they left for Nam and they were still poor when they never came home. Their kids were raised without a Dad just like so many kids will be raised without a Dad because of this unnecessary battle in Iraq. It's Fathers Day this weekend, I wonder just how many kids are going to cry their eyes out on Sunday because of it instead of being happy. That just kills me. There are a lot of guys at the Legion hall and VFW that feel the same way, and we're going to try to visit some kids this weekend in honor of their Dads. We aren't much, and can't take the place of their fathers, but just maybe some kid will feel better because of it. I know this sounds sappy, but I'm just trying to let you all know what's bothering me.

Well, that's my second post, I'll try for a third tomorrow.

Later, Fred

[Booster]

94. Welcome, GoArmy.

The only suggestion I would have about the coming election is that you consider which of the candidates might be better persuading other world leaders to come into the fold. Personally, I think Kerry would not come across as grandiose as Bush; Bush looks down on other leaders (why I really don't know) and they feel that and they don't trust him. Hell, we can't even trust him. I just feel in my bones that Kerry would make a better negotiator and actually listen rather than thump his chest. just my opinion tho.

[never cry wolf]

95. Welcome to DU, GoArmy

Please keep in mind which party actually supports the troops and vets. bushco cut 1.5 billion from the military housing budget and when the dems tried to pass a bill shaving a sliver from the top 1% of the tax cuts (200,000 families making over $1 mil would ONLY get an $83k cut instead of $88k)to restore that money the repubs voted it down.

bush has cut vets benefits and his newsest budget proposal cuts nearly another billion. He cut hazardous duty pay for the brave soldiers in battle and fought raising the death benefits.

That is also to say nothing of sending the tropps into battle under manned, under equipped with armored vehicles and body armor without a real plan or exit strategy.

Just some food for thought. If you and you vet buddies can't decide who to back, maybe you can decide who is definitely NOT in our best interests.

[indepat]

34. I voted for Tricky Dick in '68: bad mistake

[Career Prole]

36. Kudoes to Blue-Jay for starting this thread!

I find it heartening to read these stories and I thank you folks who posted them for sharing them...welcome aboard, all y'all!
:hi: :hi: :hi:
:kick:

[x-g.o.p.er]

40. That would be me...

Voted for Republicans my whole life...but not anymore.

I hope Bush loses and this national nightmare ends.

STBTCB: Patriot Act, profligate spending, and the labeling of anyone who doesn't buy the party line as un-American and/or traitorous. The way John Kerry's military record has been poo-poo'ed really chapped me. The constitutional amendment to ban gay marraige was fairly galling, too.

Why I come here: I enjoy the debate, and the information I get about topics which allows me to help make a fully formed opinion on an issue.

GWB: My mom said if you don't have anything good to say about someone....

[IronLionZion]

42. I was a RINO

there's no place for moderates in today's Republican party. Sometimes I wonder if there is any place for conservatives there either.

Bush's crew are big government, spend and spend, Republicans who take away civil rights don't give a damn about regular Americans. And if they really cared about free trade and hate socialism, then they would import drugs and get rid of insurance. (insurance is socialism)

[redqueen]

44. THANK YOU Blue Jay for this GREAT thread!!!!

And a big hearty WELCOME to any Republicans, Libertarians, or Independents here to *discuss* and not *disrupt*.

:hi:

It's nice reading all these posts, because it alleviates some of the animosity that builds up when you're isolated from people that are different. So thank you very much for putting a kind American face on what, to us anyway, is a very scary party.


Oh, and Blue Jay ... :yourock:

:loveya:

[Blue-Jay]

48. <smooch>

Thanks. I was just curious.

[frogbison]

55. I have NEVER been a Republican

but, in the spirit of others' posts, I would like to explain my political transformation. When I was in 4th grade, I believe, my teacher held an election. (This will give you an idea of how incredibly OLD I am) We were mimicking the adults' contest between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. I voted for Nixon, because I heard - one way or another - that women would vote for Kennedy because he was handsome. To me, at this tender age - it seemed such a stupid reason to vote for someone as the POTUS.

I voted for Nixon.

It didn't take too many more years for me to realize that was a mistake.

In my 35 years of voting, I have, voted for Republicans perhaps 2 times. They simply don't hold or advance my ideas of how the world should be. Selfish interests are shallow.

[Blue-Jay]

46. OK. Gotta gig. I need to go for a while.

Please continue to discuss this. I'm trying to understand the fence-sitters. Yeah, I'm a tree-hugging liberal, but I'm not dumb. I understand that none of us will agree on everything. I'll check back in in the wee hours of the morning, after I get paid to have some fun.

Peace, you magnificent bastards!

[iconoclastic cat]

53. Rock out!

BTW, what kind of gig? What instrument/genre do you play?

[iconoclastic cat]

49. Raised in the woods by Republicans, but I was born again--as a progressive

They never really made a whole lot of sense to me. I guess I was really a political agnostic (read: ignoramus) before realizing that I shared many sentiments with political progressives.

[Lost147]

59. Republican to Centrist here.

I'm kind of a board lurker, I agree with a good amount of stuff here but definently not everything. I've gone from Republican, to moderate, to centrist. I most likely will remain here because I like researching each individual candidate and balance them out. The tag left or right, Republican and democrat doesn't really matter that much to me when I'll vote. I could list the reasons why but there are just so many I don't know where to start. So many things with the Bush administration infuriate to the point where I almost feel like I've lost all hope and might as well move to Japan or Hong Kong.

[Pobeka]

52. Sorta. I always voted for the person, not the party.

Back in the early 80's, there were many good candidates that wore the republican label, and were less sleezy than the dem, I tended to have a ballot split 50/50 (at the local level).

But the pickings have been quite slim looking for a good republican candidate. And the last (edit: two elections), I voted for no repubs.

Now, the hard-right and religious fanatics have too much control of the GOP, I see nothing but destruction of our society when the repubs rule the house, senate, white house and judiciary.

[Drunkkkkkkkkman]

54. Some personal thoughts--interesting topic

I just signed up here, obviously, and I liked this thread. Now there are things I like about Democrats/Left ideals, and some things I dislike. This thread is a good place to display some of my thoughts.

I support some sort of health care that isn't mandatory. I know people who haven't had insurance and had 20,000-dollar hospital bills. However, I also have many friends from England who warn that if everyone has the same health care, the level of care you receive drops. So I believe that something has to be done for those who can't afford it, but I also want to choose my own doctor and HMO if I can afford it.

I believe in letting those who are poor and don't have chances rise through benefits in education. Having parents who have been/are teachers in public systems, and having gone to public school, I know the difference a good public school (the one I went too for example), and a bad one make on children. I honestly think no one should be given an unfair chance in life, or no opportunity for advancement. To be somewhat personal, and I'm sure many of you are like this, my Great-grandfather came over on a boat, my Grandmother advanced from poverty to middle class, my Mother from middle class to upper middle class--so I truly believe America is the land of opportunity.

However, I think we do need reforms in the current version of welfare. I currently am in college, and taking courses over the summer at that. I work very, very hard in college and have given up a lot to go to the school I go too. I've spent countless nights awake studying for hours and hours--but it's my choice. By that measure, I don't want to see my tax dollars going to fund someone who just won't work, or skipped high school or what not. I'm not saying that's many of the people who need help, but I feel we should reform how we help people--I don't want my money wasted. I want a chance to make it in life on my own merit, which everyone should get--that's why it pains me to see welfare wasted on those who would squander it, it hurts those who need help and those of us who supply help.

Once again to finish, while I don't want my money going to waste, I support some logical way to help those in need, and the poor. I also think we need to help the homeless as well.

Lastly for this post, I support the legalization of marijuana. While I'm not a user, two of my friends who were growing plants and selling some to other friends got busted. They were lucky that they didn't get jail time, but they did get harsher sentences than people I knew who stole 10,000 dollars worth of material from a store. I honestly, and logically in my eyes, think we should go after those who supply crack and heroin and harmful drugs--which marijuana isn't.

Legalizing it would save money on taxes, save room in prisons and courts, save police officers time, give the US more revenue and tax money from people buying marijuana, would get people safer marijuana--because while the drug isn't that bad, you never know what the dealer laced it with, etc. etc.

Thanks for letting me post, once again this is a great thread idea!

[northofdenali]

58. What a terrific first post, JCashFan!

I think you'll find a lot of support for most of your thoughts here. DU has it all - from extreme far-left to centrists and independents - and as long as that is treated with respect, it's great.

You'll also see some pretty nasty flame wars, but that's to be expected when you have a mix of ideas and personalities.

But we're all working toward one goal - removing GWB from office, whether by impeachment or by voting him out.

That said, welcome to DU :hi: I think you'll find a home here.

[carpetbagger]

56. Switched in 1988.

Iran-Contra was a big nail in the coffin, especially as the party was heading towards nominating one of the scoundrels. The realization that Reaganomics was becoming canon (yeah, I read his lips, and voted for Dukakis) was the other big nail.

Gingrich's Contract On America pushed me out of "swing voter" patterns.

So why am I here with a bunch of hard-core leftists? Well, why did Jeffords caucus with Wellstone? The answer (paraphrasing him) is that there's things that people ought to do for themselves, and things people can't do for themselves. Progressives who tempered idealism with prudence used to have a place in the party of Lincoln and TR. I have no doubt where Lincoln and TR would be were they to be alive today. And I have no doubt that the Party of Lincoln would call the man a traitor were they around in 1846 to hear his criticisms of a war in progress.

[Piperay]

57. I'm a former repuke...

I became a Democrat after Raygun and the RW took control of the party in the early 1980s.

[arwalden]

63. Former Rush Fan. "EIB-RUSH" Was My Vanity Virginia License Plate...

... as well as a former republican. I was a pretty pathetic person. I didn't even vote for Clinton until his second term.

-- Allen

[Fenris]

68. Dude, that is sad. But I'd say you've made up for it.

:D

[IronLionZion]

70. you've gotta be shitting me!

A gay Republican Rush fan? Who'd a thunk it?

[arwalden]

71. I Was Very Troubled. And Very Angry At The World...

Being a Republican allowed me to put the blame on everyone else rather than accepting responsibility for my own life and how I wanted it to turn out.

-- Allen

[NormanConquest]

96. That's sad...

I can relate. Growing up in a Republican household, it was very easy to feel that way.

But you are who you are, and there ain't nobody who can tell you where to go!

[Booster]

97. Now, that took guts to post....

Welcome to the light and DU. I have taken may a political test on the internet and always fall in the category of just left of the middle. There are a lot of things that liberals want that I just don't think is in the best interest of the country, but they are few compared to what the right-wing wants for the country, so if there were no middle, I would become a flaming liberal before I would even consider becoming right-wing. They really scare the bejeebees out of me.

[Rebellious Republican]

66. Jeb Bush was the final straw for me.......

I was a Repub officially until 2002, however mine was a slow transition after several life changing experiences. The first life changing experience was being sent to Beirut in "83". It really scared the hell out of me. War, death and destruction has a way of changing your viewpoint about many things. That, combined with some other incidences after Beirut, was when I decided that when my second hitch was up I was out (10 years total active duty). After I got out I was living in New England and had invested my life savings in an entrepreneurial enterprise. It was going well until the S&L failure occurred, New England was especially hard hit. Whole banks were going under and taking many small business's with them. Mine was indirectly affected by it, the ripple effect so to speak. Neil Bush ruined my new life, lost most of my entire savings and investment. That was when I decided I had no use for Bush Scum, I have never forgotten that! I eventually ended up in Florida starting over again after much pain and hardship. Then comes along Jeb, you know that I was overjoyed, and by this time my views had drastically changed. I voted against Jeb, I knew that he was trouble for this state, and I was not wrong. The only reason I remained a registered Repub was like some others, I thought I could change the party from within, like John McCain or Jim Jeffords. Some here bash McCain but until you have lived through what he has, not just the POW days. He was a combat tested pilot that almost lost his life in a mishap aboard ship, most people do not know about that. I have great respect for his tenaciousness (as a result of these experiences) and yes he has to tow the party line in order to be able to effect change from within. Then Jim Jeffords bailed, I was sick of Jeb looting the state of Florida and I just did not see many repubs that appealed to me anymore. I found out about DU thru a grassroots website called WHOSEFLORIDA.COM and started lurking. I found that I had more in common with the folks I saw posting there, I started posting and was not harassed (much) and as long as I acted civil most DU'ers seemed to accept this republican into the fold. After watching John McCain get bashed in a most disgusting fashion, it just confirmed my bad feelings about the evil Bush brothers. I stuck around long enough to cast my vote for McCain in the primaries and promptly switched my affiliation to Democrat. I announced my "coming out" (Repub to Dem) the day I received my new voter registration card here at DU two years ago. I am a rabid "Yellow Dog Dem" and will never look back. I can say that over the two years of posting here my pseudonym as been a lightning rod for trolls, I have been viewed with suspicion by some DU'ers, and have had to educate a few newbies as to my party affiliation. All in all it has been a great place for me to release my frustrations. I especially love to banter with Freeper trolls, having all the typical republican credentials. You know Ex- military southern white middle aged male. It just makes them gnash their teeth and frustrates the hell out of them. Well all I can say is that it gives me great pleasure knowing this and love telling them to all ..............

[salin]

92. and through you, I learned of

WHOSEFLORIDA.COM ... and Florida specific issues that are harbingers for the rest of us across the country. :thumbspu:

[Rebellious Republican]

93. Thanks salin, coming from you that is a great compliment N/T

:pals:

[Democracy Died 2004]

100. hey nice to see

another vet here. Love those AC wings..

[ChaoticSilly]

69. Raises hand

I was raised in a repub family - actually believed some of the crap until I graduated from high school and couldn't afford college. Then I heard about Clinton's health care plan and his idea of community service in exchange for scholarships and thought they were pretty good ideas. I watched as the pub's shot them down. I watched as Newtie & his gang tried to eliminate social programs. The whole impeachment thing was the last straw. I was absolutely disgusted with the repubs. I don't agree with everything the left says, but I'm now convinced they (we!) are much better for this country than the pubs will ever be. I'm still registered as a repub, but I'm proud to say I've never voted for one.

I don't really care for Kerry, but I guess he'll have to do until we can get someone like Kucinich in the white house.

[susanna]

72. Family were Reagan democrats

I grew up in a Democratic family, but for the Reagan years, alliances shifted. Dad just loved the Reagan-meister. As for me, a just-out-of-high-school political newbie, what was not to love? Reagan was like a cartoon-y idea of what a president should be like. Lots of flag waving. Of course, I didn't understand the policies behind it then; I just figured my Dad must know something I didn't...

Once I figured out what was really up, I bailed, and I have not looked back. I have voted Dem since (except for a friend, once, who was a moderate Republican and running for a low-level local office).

P.S. Go Kerry!

[Nlighten1]

73. I am a former Republican.

And it is startling as I get older I get more liberal.

[Kinkistyle]

74. Atheism and Civil rights turned me Libertarian. Shrub made me a Librul.

I was a hardcore Republican since I was a child because my parents literally worshipped Reagan. I remember they used to bad-mouth Carter and tell me how Reagan was a great and strong man and was like some sort of Communism-fighting super-hero. I also happened to be quite racist and homophobic (go figure!).

After going to college and studying about various viewpoints, philosophies and becoming friends with people of all colors and genders, I became a Libertarian (I went to business school next to Wall Street and was quite greedy. Hey gimme a break ok?)

After Shrub got elected I truly realized how evil conservatism is, especially neo-conservatism, I started to shift left in response to the current environment - and I am glad I did. Liberalism is truly the enlightened position. If people want to call me a member of the Northeastern "Elite", good - because I truly believe that I am.

[Redleg]

75. Republican back when I was young, dumb and full of .....

... crap!

Back in the early 1980s when I was an undergrad and in Army ROTC. The thing that most got me to question the Republican bullshit was the Iran-Contra scandal and how that dickhead Ollie North violated his oath as a commissioned officer. My shift left was gradual- I didn't become a yellow-dog democrat until 8 years after that. It seems the more education I got about economics and labor issues the more liberal I became.

[Kimber Scott]

78. Registered Republican because everybody else did, back in the day.

I didn't know the difference between a Republican and a Democrat. The first time I noticed there was a difference was when Newt Gingrich and the rest of his Republican Army went on their rampage with the "Contract for America." They pissed me off so bad, over Clinton I voted a straight Democratic ticket in the next election, but I didn't change my party affiliation. Bush made me do that.

I was always a Democrat at heart, though. I voted for Clinton twice and Gore. My values are Democratic values, or should I say, liberal values? I just didn't know what a liberal was!

I know now! It's me!

[Hippo_Tron]

79. I was a pro war centrist

Became a Joe Lieberman supporter when the war started going bad. Then I started reading the truth and gradually moved to more progressive stances. With the exception of school prayer and social security privatization I take liberal stances on almost every issue.

[Trekologer]

80. I am not a former republican

I have never voted for a republican. I am 22 and have voted in every general election (and most primaries and school board elections) since I turned 18 and I have always voted democrat. It is not about voting the party line either. I just don't like the views of conservatives. GWB and the neocon republicans represent everything that I detest.

Abortion: I support a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. I feel that I, as a male, have no right whatsoever to tell a woman what she should do with her body. Personally, if I was a woman and in the situation where I may have to decide whether to have an abortion, I probablly would not do so. However, since I can NEVER be in that situation (where I was the one that makes the final decision), I feel uncomfortable telling someone else what is "right" or "wrong". There are more dynamics to my feeling on abortion though. I completely reject any argument that involves religion. Religion should never be the basis for any public policy.

Religion and Government: I am a Christian (Lutheran). I know that not everyone shares the same religious beliefs that I do. Therefore, I feel that it is wrong for the government to cater to a specific set of religious beliefs (hence my feelings on the religious anti-abortion argument). I really detest tax dollars going to "faith-based" inititives. I don't think that "under God" should be in the Pledge of Alegiance and "in God we trust" shouldn't be on our money either. Let's not kid ourselves here. "God" refers to the Judeo-Christian God. If you believe in another god, this God is not your god. If you don't believe in any god then God is most definately not your god so how can you trust in it? Just because the founding fathers of this country were Christian does not mean that we are a Christian nation. Many (all?) of the founding fathers owned slaves. Does that make slavery right?

Social and Welfare Programs: These need to be greatly expanded not cut back. "Welfare" or "public assistance" or whatever you want to call it should be a hand up, not just a hand out. But it should not take parents away from their kids and prevent good parenting. We are setting up a generation of young people for complete failure by taking single parent welfare recipients (virtually always a single mother), throwing them on a bus to a low paying job to continue to receive assistance. That is wrong.

Minimum Wage: $5.15/hour is rediculously low. A 40 hour work week at or near minimum wage doesn't even get you close to the poverty line. The minimum wage is not paid to just high school kids flipping burgers at McDonalds and anyone who uses that argument should try working for minimum wage and see how easy it is for them to make ends meet. The minimum wage needs to be at least $8 right now and probablly should be higher than that.

Education: Vouchers = bad. Public schools, ALL public schools, K-12 AND public higher eduction, need stable and adequate funding for every school. By nickel and dimeing education we are creating a new generation of kids that are destined for failure. No Child Left Behind? Yeah right. Let's actually adequately fund these new mandates and make sure that our efforts are actually improving education and not just feeding runaway administrative overhead costs.

Foreign Policy: The foreign policies of Reagan, Bush the First, and Bush the Second are what got the Islamic extremests angry at us to begin with. If you forgot, we armed Iran, Iraq, the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Pakistan and trained and supported Osama bin Laden and Sadam Hussen to fight against our enemies for us. Why? To beat the Soviets while at the same time assuring ourselves of a continuing supply of oil. We played the middle east as pawns in our game throughout the 80s and they darned well know that. That's why they hate us. We played all sides whenever it was convenient. And now it has come back to bite us in the ass.

Tax Cuts and the Economy: It IS the economy, stupid. Deep tax cuts and high defecit spending are not good for the economy, period. Why? Because we have to pay borrowed funds back eventually. How will that get done? Higher taxes down the road. Deep tax cuts might cause a short term economy boot but it is not sound policy because taxpayers know that their taxes will eventually have to go back up. If you cut taxes you MUST cut spending. How can fiscal conservatives go along with GWB so blindly? (at least some conservatives are finally taking notice, such as Pat Bucchanan) Supply-side/"trickle down economics" really is voodoo economics. It does not work. Unless you consider pushing off the tax burdeon to states and municipalities. Take a hard look at your "benefit" from the Bush tax cut. Your federal tax refund was probablly offset by higher state taxes or local property taxes or reductions in bredth and/or quality of government services. All this ends up doing is making the rich richer and the poor poorer and who knows what in the middle.

Gay Marriange/Defence of Marriage Amendment: I support gay marriages. What two adults want to do with their lives is up to them not me. I am also very much against any amendment to the Constitution to prohibit gay marriage. When did we fall into accepting that the government, through its graces, gives us rights? We inheritantly have rights and only give the government limited powers. The Constitution is there to limit the government's power NOT to be used to deny rights to the people. Anyone who thinks that the Constitution should be used to take away rights is truly un-American.

I can go on and on and on about why I am a Democrat but I think this adequately paints a picture of that.

[tcfrogs]

82. Let's see

I was 18 in 1988 - Voted For Poppy

1992 - Voted for Poppy

1996 - Voted for Dole

I think I've cleansed myself since...

[Name removed]

91. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NuttyFluffers]

83. Still registered Republican - always been progressive.

who says we can't be both. I want my party back GOP SOBs, and i'm gonna get it! Take our GOP back to our progressive roots and fundies can kiss my grits if they don't like it!

[prolesunited]

84. So, will you be voting for Bush

in this next election or simply sit it out. Is it too much to hope that you will vote for Kerry?

[NuttyFluffers]

86. progressive as in 'haven't voted gop ever'

i registered as gop so i could vote in the primaries and put up better candidates. unfortunately in all the years i and my brother have been registered for this reason we've never had the opportunity to really vote in a real gop primary. there's no choice in the republican party; the party nomination is predetermined even before things begin. part of the cheating fundy republicans have done to overwhelm the process. my party has been stolen from its liberal roots and i want it back.

[Rick in Maryland]

87. I used to be a Republican until the first Gulf War. Something about

American soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen being used to put a king back in power just rubbed me the wrong way. More then that, it pissed me off. Something just seemed so fundamentally wrong with the notion of Americans dying so royalty could assume power.

I decided then that I would not vote for Bush in the next election and instead voted for Clinton. Not that I considered myself a Democrat. I just wasn't a Republican anymore. There were other things about the GOP that always pissed me off, but the straw the broke the camel's back was George Bush v1.0 sending American boys and girls to die for a king.

I am registered a Democrat and I vote for Democrats. Most of the time I do so simply because they are the ones running against the Republicans. I consider myself even more non-Republican then I felt back in '92.

[Blue-Jay]

88. Shameless kick.

I just now checked in (busy day today). I'd like to encourage more "newbies" to contribute and I'd like to thank the few who already have.

Myself? I think I've always been something of a liberal and a Democrat, even though I wasn't too informed or interested in politics until I made a strange discovery while I was in college. It occurred to me that most* of the people I liked were people who could be described as "liberal", while most* of the people I disliked considered themselves "conservative". That got the rusty wheels of my brain turning, and I started thinking more about politics.

For some time after that, I said to myself that I would only vote for the person, not the party affiliation. It didn't take long for me to realize that (for the most part) the person who I was voting for was most likely a Democrat or a liberal. GWB, to his credit, has made an activist out of me. I'll continue to be an activist even after we throw his sorry ass out of OUR house in November. I'll never get complacent again.

* I say "most" because I realize that the were (and still are) conservatives whose company I enjoy, and liberals that I genuinely dislike. There is more to life than political idealology, and I've learned to keep the conversation light and off-topic with my few conservative friends. One of them has actually backed me up on discussions or race and homosexuality on several occasions, and proved himself to be an "actual" Libertarian, instead of a Rebublican in drag, ala Neil Boortz.

[prolesunited]

89. Excellent thread topic!

:thumbsup:

[Swamp Rat]

98. kickitykick

I like this thread because it shows that DU is a "big tent" forum. I just joined DU today, though I've been lurking daily for over 3 years. Mopaul called me out today when he started a thread about rebels... my first post was met with sarcasm then the thread was locked before I could even defend myself, but this happens often here.

When I was living in Brazil last year (reading DU daily in cyber cafes), witnessing the flame wars on DU during the election primaries I thought "this is good," though it seemed some feelings were hurt after some folks chose to attack rather than debate. We must continue to talk, debate and occasionally rant if we're to keep this precious democracy alive.

[Booster]

99. You remind me of an interview someone had with

Charles Kuralt. They said to him, "You're a liberal, aren't you?" and he answered "Yes, and proud of it. What in the world has a conservative ever done for this country?" After thinking about it, I can't think of a thing that a conservative has done for this country.

[Name removed]

90. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kurtyboy]

102. I was never a Republican, or anything at all until

Bill Clinton showed the country how a true leader could show down the shrill losers that believed in a twisted view of public service.

My history-- I voted Mondale/Ferraro in '84 (my first presidential ballot--I was a month shy of voting for Anderson in 1980), and Bush/Quayle in 1988 (I had just started working for the fed and at one point got scheduled to brief Quayle).

By 1992, I was pretty fed up with both major parties, and voted Marou/Lord (Libertarian, the last time they made sense...). In 1994 I was stunned by the GOP victories in Congress, and thought maybe it would work out--but no) By 1996, Bill Clinton had pressed his power against Newt Gingrinch (I suffered from BOTH federal furloughs--) and Clinton won decisively. I then became a died-in-the-wool Democrat at last!

When * got his Supreme court victory in 2000, I was more bewildered by US politics than ever, but pressed on. I started lurking at DU a few month later (April I think), but didn't register for a while. But after 9-11 and the failure of this administration to forge a coherent national security policy, I left my federal position of fifteen years (at FEMA), and have been volunteering for the Kerry campaign since late last summer.

I hope to return to Federal service after we get a President we deserve--John F. Kerry.