Politics and Friendship

[Teacher Terry]

I lived in Kansas for awhile and it was mostly republican-ugh! However, when I lived in Wis most people I knew were democrat and where I live now I have a few republican friends and a republican hubby. We don't talk politics. Most of my friends here are democrats although the state as a whole is republican. We had a couple that we were friends with for years and never talked politics since we didn't agree. Then a few years ago the hubby starts to bring it up all the time and him and I get into a huge fight. Then his wife and i say no talking about politics. That works for awhile and then she bring sit up the last election and tries to convince me to vote for Romney. shortly after I ended the 16 year friendship. They also are against all social programs because other people will help poor people. Mind you they never help anyone and I have done much helping of others. people can't replace social programs. I got sick of hearing about that too. And what is really rich is that the wife was helped by a program when she was newly divorced that I worked in so she got free help/things.

[iris lilies]

...All I can say is don't go back to Iowa!!

While I myself am an escapee from Iowa, there is nothing wrong with its political climate. Some of you must have forgotten that Iowans embraced your President Obama before others. No fan of Hillary were they. I recently read a political writer who lamented the fact that a few thousand voters in Iowa have more influence on World history due to the Iowa Caucuses than the entire country of France, but I don't think thats a bad thing. I trust Iowans more than the French with these important decisions.

The smug, self congratulatory posts here are funny, but I know that people on all political spectrums speak the same way so I will not pin it in any one political persuasion.

In closing, let me hold you all in the light, hoping that no one has to endure the ignoble experience of passing a Trump for President sign on the highway.That's gotta be brutal. Fortunately, I am safe from that here in my electric blue city. Here in the murder capital of the country our main n threat is simply being shot, there's not a Trump sign to be seen for miles.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Honestly, given the area I live in, I don't really have this problem. To vote other than Democrat would be being disloyal and disrespectful to your friends and neighbors and family and also to social class. Most people are not going to cross party lines when it was the Dems who expanded Medicaid in states where that took place. I don't live on the street I used to at the moment but I live in a very similar area one bump up the ladder if that and it's the same here.

It's very hard to see myself supporting a Republican - though I did have nice things to say about Arizona's Jan Brewer - with people who I've done health care runs down to Mexico with and people with whom I'm on a phone tree with in regards to witnessing/reporting/recording any police contact/misdeeds.

Being in league with others in these ways, you lose all faith in America and you focus on what party may be best for your friends and family and neighbors. In the zip code 85006 that would be the Democratic party. (Though I want to be fair and state that I truly respect Republican Jan Brewer for fighting for Medicaid expansion in Arizona......that was pure class in my book, and yes, I did say that about a Republican.) Lol, call me radical. Rob

[Alan]

The smug, self congratulatory posts here are funny, but I know that people on all political spectrums speak the same way so I will not pin it in any one political persuasion.

In closing, let me hold you all in the light, hoping that no one has to endure the ignoble experience of passing a Trump for President sign on the highway.That's gotta be brutal. Fortunately, I am safe from that here in my electric blue city. Here in the murder capital of the countey, our man n threat is simply being shot, not a Trump sign to be seen for miles.

Yes, they are funny. To the uninitiated, this thread could go a long way towards convincing them what horrible people Republicans or Conservatives must be.
I learned my lesson about political signs during the buildup to the first GWB election when the local liberals shot up my sign, and my house, with paint pellets. It was probably justified though, I mean, who wants Republicans in their neighborhood?

[gimmethesimplelife]

Yes, they are funny. To the uninitiated, this thread could go a long way towards convincing them what horrible people Republicans or Conservatives must be.
I learned my lesson about political signs during the buildup to the first GWB election when the local liberals shot up my sign, and my house, with paint pellets. It was probably justified though, I mean, who wants Republicans in their neighborhood?

Alan, I want you to know that I would not do this to you or any other conservative. In my book you get to believe as you wish.....without any hassle or direspect. All I ask is that you try to understand that whenever I see any Republican advertising, what flashes through my mind is fear of America, citizens not being worth access to health care - though Jan Brewer admittedly was an exception to this - and the inexcusable invasion of Iraq. With few exceptions, this is what the Republican party means to me. I can understand what drives people to paint pellet your property - I am not the only one out there for whom the Republican party is a source of fear - though I don't approve of your property being pelleted, if that's a word. Rob

[Alan]

Alan, I want you to know that I would not do this to you or any other conservative. In my book you get to believe as you wish.....without any hassle or direspect. All I ask is that you try to understand that whenever I see any Republican advertising, what flashes through my mind is fear of America, citizens not being worth access to health care - though Jan Brewer admittedly was an exception to this - and the inexcusable invasion of Iraq. With few exceptions, this is what the Republican party means to me. I can understand what drives people to paint pellet your property - I am not the only one out there for whom the Republican party is a source of fear - though I don't approve of your property being pelleted, if that's a word. Rob

Rob, thanks for not approving of the property damage, even if it is completely understandable.

[Gardenarian]

I don't really know any conservatives, but there is some tension between the Sanders and Clinton supporters.
The Sanders folks can be quite vicious about Clinton, whereas I see the Clinton supporters as more "I'd prefer Clinton, but I'll be happy to vote for Bernie if it comes to that."
If you say you support Clinton, people demand to know your reasons, explain why you are misguided, and try to convert you to Sanderism.

I don't think there is a great deal of difference among the democratic candidates, and I don't understand why some are so zealous about Sanders.

As for the Republicans, they are just all over the map.

My niece (dh's niece, no blood relation thank goodness) posted on Facebook a video of her and her fiance taking Trump bumper stickers and sticking them on other people's Sanders and Clinton stickers. I am glad she lives on the other side of the country. I don't get into this kind of stuff on FB (I hardly use it) but IRL I would certainly call her out on this kind of behavior.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Rob, thanks for not approving of the property damage, even if it is completely understandable.

Alan.....please understand I didn't trivialize your property rights and I didn't say "completely" understandable. I said just plain understandable. Big diff. I have known fear of America (with all due respect, have you?)and I can understand the fear that compels people to such acts. Once again, I didn't say I approved. I will say that if you live close to me and had conservative signage in your yard, I would have the basic respect to completely leave you alone. It would be as if you didn't exist. That, to me anyway, having experienced what I have in America, shows a very high level of respect......as I said, with me, you get to believe as you wish. Fear would prevent me from being neighborly with you, though. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

I don't really know any conservatives, but there is some tension between the Sanders and Clinton supporters.
The Sanders folks can be quite vicious about Clinton, whereas I see the Clinton supporters as more "I'd prefer Clinton, but I'll be happy to vote for Bernie if it comes to that."
If you say you support Clinton, people demand to know your reasons, explain why you are misguided, and try to convert you to Sanderism.

I don't think there is a great deal of difference among the democratic candidates, and I don't understand why some are so zealous about Sanders.

As for the Republicans, they are just all over the map.

My niece (dh's niece, no blood relation thank goodness) posted on Facebook a video of her and her fiance taking Trump bumper stickers and sticking them on other people's Sanders and Clinton stickers. I am glad she lives on the other side of the country. I don't get into this kind of stuff on FB (I hardly use it) but IRL I would certainly call her out on this kind of behavior.

I'm All for Sanders and his message very much resonates with me.....I can understand some of the zealousness of Sanders supporters as here we have a politician who "gets it" - Hillary not so much. That said, I'll take Hillary any day over any of the current crop of Republicans....the neighborhood Halloween party over on the street I lived on before getting married? Some of the women are talking of dressing up as Carly Fiorina and I think that's so.....appropriate. I mention this to show how here any Den will get the vote. Rob

[Zoe Girl]

Iowa politics are not bad, pretty strongly Democrat but mostly I am encouraged that the state takes voting seriously. Most of my family there is Democrat as well, lots of people who work in education and social services which tends to be liberal. Mostly I really like where I live, a diverse urban area (Denver is not as diverse as some places but still more than Iowa). A lot of it is social, I just feel more comfortable in a diverse area, that is as a white person. I like my meditation groups and my access to health foodie restaurants, everything. When I visit the mid-west I go back I feel out of place,

Alan, I have said before but I do want to say directly that I feel bad for traditionally conservative voters, I have had respect for people who differ politically. I feel that the party has been deeply affected by things that do not have to be part of a fiscially or socially conservative POV. However at this point I do feel afraid (I have not felt afraid of conservatives before this last year or so). Regardless of what other people think I have had transgender, gender fluid and racially diverse friends since I was a child. My family is from Iowa but I spent my formative years in Oakland CA, my friends were not all white then and they are not now. That does not need to be part of a conservative platform but Trump has been so obviously racist that I am called to speak up and say this does not need to be part of any party.