Would you judge a politician based solely on what party they belong to?

Question

Or would you judge them based on their actions and policies?
I always hear people saying "Republicans suck, republicans are great, democrats suck, demcorats are great," yet both Republicans and Democrats have both had their good and bad members.

Strom Thurmond-Democrat(at the time)
Trent Lott-Republican
Both attempted to keep civil rights legislation from being passed.

Lyndon Johnson-Democrat
George W. Bush-Republican
Both lied to get America into unwinnable wars.

Bill Clinton-Democrat
George W. Bush-Republican
Both draft dodgers.

We've had both Republicans and Democrats do thing like have extramarital affairs, take bribes, get their rich friends more money etc. etc. etc.

But would you look at what party they belong to and then decide right there wether or not they were good politicians?

Answer 1

I would like to have more information with which to judge a politician.

Political party affiliation says alot about the person, yes. But it is not the sole characteristic that should be used to form an opinion.

For example, I have known several Democrats that break the stereotype of a leftwing liberal. Take Zell Miller. He would get my vote purely on his own merits, despite the fact that he belongs to that party.

Answer 2

I would not judge any politician by their party. I am an independent and I vote accordingly. It's not whether they are Republican or Democrats or any other party, I listen to all they have to say and look at all they have done or accomplished and read as much as possible before any given election and then pray a lot that I make the right decision.

Answer 3

I do tend to vote for the party that is more for the middle class. Although we are so far in dept now it'll take a long while to keep us out of debt. The Republicans are all for giving the wealthy the tax breaks and the working class gets the hardest hit tax wise.I hate the mud slinging! That both parties are guilty off. I don't want to hear what the other guy did wrong in his/her past I want to hear what the person running for office can do to get us out of this mess we are in. I am pretty sure that it'll take a two term Democratic President to get us out of debt.We need to vote Democrat in '08'

Answer 4

I frankly do not care which party a politician belongs to. I try to evaluate the man or woman from what they believe in (if true) and if it coincides with my thinking then I vote for him/her. I have often crossed party lines because in my mind I believe they exist but it depends upon the type of bill that is proposed. Is it too far right and doesn't take in the average citizen or is it too far left and will cost the tax payers a fortune.
I believe in the law and various proposed bills have to adhere to what our founding fathers had in mind. ...or at least close it accounting for the change in times. When I became rich I noticed I began to vote more for Republicans that Democrats but I never forgot the poor and welfare cases. Poor schooling. Cost of Medicine. Social security. I must admit that when I am torn by a bill that seems to favor the rich I generally vote for the other side. Middle and lower income America must be taken care of by Congress and if they don't they are out as far as I am concerned.

Answer 5

Clearly both parties do bad, stupid things (though draft dodging is a good thing, it's the draft that is morally wrong not finding a way out of it).

Though I would say that you have to look at the platforms of each party. If an individual is willing to pledge her or himself to a party, they also generally accept the platform. For example, I generally think less of dems because their platform includes such obsurdities as: support for selective service, expansion of eminent domain, denial of property rights, subjugation of capitalist business to government interference, a reluctance to consider terrorism a real threat to individuals lives, property and the pursuit of happiness, etc.

Answer 6

Just for information purposes, Lyndon Johnson did not lie to get America into an unwinnable war.

Dwight Eisenhower sent hundreds of American soldiers to South Vietnam, John Kennedy sent thousands of soldiers, and Lyndon Johnson sent tens of thousands

Answer 7

No, I would not do that. Those who do have the entire concept of political parties backwards. Some one doesn't think a certain way because they are of a certain party; they are in a party because they think a certain way. For example if some one that was Democratic in every way except, say, the Iraq War, I would not support that person.
However, because each party thinks a certain way, we usually side with them.
So it is how some one thinks, not the party they're in, that makes me approve or disapprove of them.

Answer 8

I believe most people would vote based solely on party, but the remaining smart ones would actually vote based on the facts.
Bush a draft dodger? Check your facts. He served in the military as did his father.

Answer 9

I have noticed this as well. I think it is sad that we have devolved to such an extent that we run head long into the abyss just because our party leaders say it shouldbe so. Sheeple is what we have become.
I usually lean democrat however from what I have seen thus far McCain is the only candidate with any integrity.

Answer 10

Not at all. Anyone who votes along "party lines" might as well not vote at all. Think for yourself. As a Republican, I voted for Clinton; as a Democrat, I had to write in John McCain's name in 2000 (of course, this was after he abandoned Americans, thanks to KKKarl Rove's push-polls and a dirty deal with our Idiot King).

This time, as a Democrat, I still like Thompson.