Leaving the Dems

[iris lily]

While Florence was busily making phone calls in behalf of Dick Nixon, I was campaigning for George McGovern. I pulled the Democratic lever for for 25+ years.

But it was my up close and personal experience with the Federal government's HUD department that turned me off social service funding. For years, the HUD idiots did everything they could to undo the work of this neighborhood. That caused me to closely examine what I believe Democrats like to do, throw money at problems regardless of consequences, and I stopped supporting that party.

I have always been wired as a fiscal conservative, it's in my DNA, so aligning with a party that at least had historical claim to fiscal conservatism made sense.
I could go either way on social issues and used to track liberal on those, but I dislike the tactics of thought control and so that pushes me to lean toward the opposite POV.

It was so amusing to see a Fox news story immediately following the cable televised Republican debate last night about HUD strong arming their way into Westchester County, NY and riling up the county officials there about perceived inequalities. Gosh that is all so familiar. Screw 'em. Note: I don't have cable tv and it's just as well, I was watching the debate at the home of a friend. It was a very Republican evening.

[Wildflower]

Long ago I was briefly a Republican, then was Democrat for the past 35 years. Now I am on the fence....I don't know which way to go. I don't like what I know about either party these days. I am listening, watching, and pondering it all, but continue to be thoroughly disappointed and at this point becoming a bit apathetic....

[Float On]

I grew up in a republican family in a democrat town, now I lean toward democrats and live in a republican town. Maybe I like to always just go against the grain.

Honestly, at this point I think I claim no party at all - I vote (even all the tiny vote opportunities when there is only one thing on the ballot) but I vote more for the issue or character rather than a party line.

It is fun to go into the polling station and ask for a democratic ballot - the evil eye that all the little old volunteer ladies give me is worth it.

[Zigzagman]

it was a very Republican evening.I bet that was an exciting evening - sitting around passing the bong and laughing at FOX!! :0!

Peace

[Gina]

For some reason many people think if you've lost respect for the Republicans, you are automatically a democrat. Not so. I grew up with parents who hated Dems, and I don't find them very appealing either. But when the party of your youth (the Rs) fails miserably, you gotta go somewhere. Libertarians are a bit too fringy, so I guess I'm going to have to be an 'Independent'.

[Dharma Bum]

If the moderates abandon the parties, the parties will just keep getting more extreme. I still vote for economic conservative/socially liberal candidates wherever I find them.

[freein05]

My parents left the Dems when they passed the various civil rights bills. They did not like the rights those Ns were getting. They lived in California so it was not just the southern whites that left the Dems party because of civil rights.

[iris lily]

I bet that was an exciting evening - sitting around passing the bong and laughing at FOX!! :0!

Peace

hey, we had red wine and chocolate, what's not to like with that?

[pcooley]

I'm a registered member of the green party, though they don't seem to be gaining as much traction as they were. I have to say that I'm disappointed that Obama seems incapable of instigating much real change. I thought we would see big WPA style projects to stimulate the economy and change the direction of the nation. I want to see more alternative transportation, more emphasis on local organic agriculture. How are we going to survive as a culture in a time of fewer resources and the consequent stagnation of growth? As far as I can tell, no one in politics is talking about real issues. When Obama starts talking about how America is so great, we should be able to sell American cars overseas, I just want to hurl! What about a WPA type project to get inter and intra-urban rail coverage to blanket the nation? It all seems just more of the same across all the parties. On a side note, my son is supposed to be working on a project for cub scouts about "What makes America Great?" I get so angry in the scout meetings over that question, I just have to leave the room for a minute. I'm thinking of starting a petition to change the scout oath from "duty to God and country" to "duty to Earth and community." A friend of mine who is part of the same scout troop said that would be such a relief but doesn't think it's going to happen.

[jp1]

For some reason many people think if you've lost respect for the Republicans, you are automatically a democrat. Not so. I grew up with parents who hated Dems, and I don't find them very appealing either. But when the party of your youth (the Rs) fails miserably, you gotta go somewhere. Libertarians are a bit too fringy, so I guess I'm going to have to be an 'Independent'.

Not so at all. I've been a registered democrat all my life, but obama has convinced me that there's really not much difference in the core values (perhaps values isn't really the word I'm looking for since it indicates something good...) of the leaders of either party. When I had to register to vote before last year's election (we'd moved to a new state) I registered as independent.

[Zigzagman]

I'm a registered member of the green party, though they don't seem to be gaining as much traction as they were. I have to say that I'm disappointed that Obama seems incapable of instigating much real change. I thought we would see big WPA style projects to stimulate the economy and change the direction of the nation. I want to see more alternative transportation, more emphasis on local organic agriculture. How are we going to survive as a culture in a time of fewer resources and the consequent stagnation of growth? As far as I can tell, no one in politics is talking about real issues. When Obama starts talking about how America is so great, we should be able to sell American cars overseas, I just want to hurl! What about a WPA type project to get inter and intra-urban rail coverage to blanket the nation? It all seems just more of the same across all the parties. On a side note, my son is supposed to be working on a project for cub scouts about "What makes America Great?" I get so angry in the scout meetings over that question, I just have to leave the room for a minute. I'm thinking of starting a petition to change the scout oath from "duty to God and country" to "duty to Earth and community." A friend of mine who is part of the same scout troop said that would be such a relief but doesn't think it's going to happen.

Love your philosophy. I think in today's world things like you mention are still considered fringe. IT was actually a very dominate way of thinking in the 60's and 70's but gave way it seems to greed and the quest for material possessions. It's almost like we have to maintain the status quo to have any chance of success. The Earth and the environment are constantly changing and our ability to be able to live and thrive under those circumstances mean to me that we have to pay attention or our plight as a species is questionable. I think our concept of well-being is based upon flawed thinking. It should not be how much we consume or how hard we work but how best we are able to live and thrive using the resources we are given. Under our present philosophy it seems the goal is to take the resources from others in order to sustain our own greed and lifestyle.

I think America has become exceptional all right but maybe in lots of ways for what we are not doing instead of what we do. This cannot last.

Peace

[Lainey]

Interesting that the fastest growing voter registration is "Independent" even here in Red-state AZ. However, in most states that prevents you from voting in the primaries, and therefore primary elections are resulting in more extreme candidates.