Were you ever a conservative, then became a liberal, or vice-versa?

Question

I'm from Texas and I used to side with Republicans on most issues. Then, Bush was elected president and I thought he would do a lot of good and make me proud he was from my state. But, he's really let me down. Instead of hunting down Osama, we're bogged down in Iraq. Now, I mostly side with Democrats, except on a few issues, like gun control. Did you ever side with one political party, then switch to another?

Answer 1

I feel your pain. My dad taught me my ABC's (Always Be Conservative), and I lived much of my life that way politically.

However, I was so disgusted with Bush's financial mismanagement that I actually voted for Kerry last election. I felt dirty afterwards, but it was sort of a liberating (not liberal) experience. It forced me to look at issues more on their merits and not just on who was supporting them.

Answer 2

When I was really young I was a Republican because my parents are and government was like watching a football game where you cheer for your side and boo the other.

When I first got to college, I thought you cold solve all of the world's problems with benevolent government power. So I became pretty socialist and even voted for some Greens.

Then I got back to math and economics classes, took some 20th century history classes, and realized that "benevolent government" simply doesn't exist. I fell in love with the constitution and realized 1913-1917 was a world-wide revolution of political elites seizing power & wealth through socialist-type promises. Corporations and trade weren't the enemy, they were our best solution toward freedom from unlimited government control. I realized that the political leaders with the biggest promises tend to do the most harm to their society and to the world!

Now, I could be called any of: Anti-Federalist; Madisonian; Constitutionalist; or Libertarian. I get my talking points from George Washington, Madison, Adam Smith, and Thomas Paine.

Answer 3

You ask about being conservative and liberal and then you talk about Republicans and Democrats. There's a big difference. A lot of people that used to be Republicans have left the party and are now independent conservatives because the Republicans have become too liberal. You seem to have moved in the opposite direction.

Answer 4

Nicole J gives one of the many variations of the sentiment attributed to Churchill -- but which Churchill probably never said. (Pay attention here, The Doctor) There is simply no documented evidence (but there are many variations on the same theme. Churchill also is not the only one who gets credit for the quote. There are lots of others.).

Another historical fact that casts doubt on his being the origin of the quote is this: he did exactly the opposite in his political career. He was 25 when he entered politics as a Conservative. By 30, he'd become a Liberal.

Now, to answer your question: I started off as a Barry Goldwater-style conservative Republican. The three things that changed me happened during my early 20's: Vietnam, the so-called countercultural phenomenon, and a serious study of Christianity.

Answer 5

Before I understood what the terms stood for. I wasn't sure what I was, but I was led to believe through popular culture (TV, movies, music etc.), that conservatives and republicans were evil, greedy bastards, that would kill there own mother for power and money. Of course, once I emersed myself in politics; I found out how untrue everything was, that I was led to believe. I'm a conservative libertarian. Always was, just didn't know it.

One example to show you about popular culture. A lot of kids watch the Simpsons, and on it, when they show the republican headquarters. It's a dark evil looking castle on a hill, with lightening in the back round and a wolf howling. Then when they show the republicans, it's all of the evil characters on the show. Like: Mr. Burns, sideshow Mel (or was it Bob). Anyway, to a young kid, those images just soak into their minds, and many politically uneducated people are led to believe that republicans are evil. And will continue to think that until they are given proof that they aren't. That's one speculation as to why so many young people are liberals, because of the left leaning popular culture, but then once they see the real world when they grow up, they become more conservative.

Answer 6

Nope. I've always been really far to the left along with my parents.

If you want to see a HUGE change just look at the hippies from the sixties! The baby boomers were about the most liberal generation ever, with the drugs, the free love, and anti-war movements, but look at them now. A lot of them grew up to be conservative (very conservative).

Answer 7

I once was more on the liberal side, then drifted a little to the right, then I became a Ron Paul Supporter which I translate into a Patriotic American and now I am neither Republican nor Democrat.

Ron Paul 2008!

Answer 8

I'm kinda like that all the time ! But only because both sides are inconsistent. I'm opposed to abortion but I'm also opposed to capital punishment, for example, so I side with conservatives on the first one and liberals on the second. I can never figure out how free-thinking people can side with either side on all the issues.

Answer 9

First off: Nicole J, he didn't use the terms "Democrat" and "Republican" he used the terms "Socialist" and "Conservative." I also believe you got the ages wrong. So in short, sorry sweetie, but now you sound like the one who "has no brain."

And I have always been liberal-leaning, but at one point a few years ago I tried to make myself a conservatives just to find out if I could understand them better and what it was like. I argued their side on different issues and such for a few weeks or so and tried to see things their way. In the end though, I just couldn't do it. Then I was Independent for a while, but in 2006 the Democrats regained my faith when they retook Congress. Before that, it seemed like they were just playing around and half-assing their role as opposition.

Answer 10

Winston Churchill said If you are not a democrat in your 20s you have no heart but if you are not a republican in your 30s then you have no brain


Im in my 30s

In the 1980s I sat in a campaign meeting with Michael Dukakis I was in my teens and we were discussing campaign strategy

Today knowing what I know now I would of voted for Reagan and currently support Congressman Duncan Hunter who I believe is the most like Reagan. Ive come a long way

Today my part affiliation

Decline To State

I wont be a member of a party that has Mel Martinez as its chairman.