How do your views on social stratification affect your political affiliation?

Question

Conservatives who used to be libs, did you view your move to the GOP as a step up in the socio-economic hierachy?
Libs are you libs because you believe a social hiearchy is unjust?

Answer 1

Social hierarchy is unjust. So is death. It will continue to exist for as long as I can imagine civilization. I don't let social stratification affect my political persuasions.

However, I don't have any incentives at this point in my life to support helping out the rich folks. I feel better about helping out less privileged people. The point of helping people is helping people, not expecting them to start making the "right" decisions or move up the class hierarchy. That's an unreasonable expectation.

You can play a game about this. Get a group of people to come up with rules for a micro-society. If you hand out resources before creating rules, the ones with the most resources vote unfairly in their own favor. If you make them create the rules before they know what their resource allocation will be, everyone votes fairly on the rules.

Answer 2

I used to be a dem and am now a republican. Part of that shift is for the same reason that Reagan switched. The party left us.

Now, that being said, due to that shift by the democratic party, it was no longer a party for the people, but a party which panders to the poor and establishes entitlement programs designed to keep them poor. There is nothing compassionate about the democratic party. They do not want to poor to succeed. If the poor become wealthy (or even self-sufficient middle class), the democratic party has no voters left except Hollywood.

Due to republican tax breaks and business tax structure, I am able to own a business and have 18 employees with 15 making over $100K, give large donations to charities and missions, and leave a positive impact in my community.

20 years ago, I was a struggling young democrat who occasionally needed handouts like WIC for my children. When I cut that umbilical cord, and took responsibility for myself, my life changed...and so did my understanding of how the democratic party oppresses the poor while pretending to care.......it is like giving someone a hand out of the water, but having your foot on their head.

Answer 3

1 - Don't think they do.

2 - No, just common sense; after twenty years, income redistribution for the purpose of making liberals FEEL better about themselves simply lost its attraction - especially after I had more than two nickels to rub together!

3 - Sorry, can't answer this one; gave up on being a lib back in the '80s.

Answer 4

I really can't answer this question any better than ruth did. But, as for the comingling of my Church and my State, I value my religion and base my life upon it much more than I do my political beliefs. My religious beliefs affect how I should act within my religion and amongst all humans, and my political beliefs influence how I should act within my country and amongst all humans, but in a much more superficial and practical way than the way my religion teaches me to act amongst other humans. I believe that the more complex our society gets, the more inseparable church, state, and every other facet of humanity will be, as evidenced by the formation of groups that act in politics based solely on their religious convictions (most notably Pro-Lifers).

Answer 5

All Republicans that were once Democrats were not necessarily liberal or are not necessarily conservative. I am basically a right leaning moderate, some would say conservative, who switch from the Democratic party to the Republican party primarily because the Democrats move to far left for my taste.......

Answer 6

Almost 2/3 of those who earn under $15,000 vote for Dems.

Almost 2/3 of those who earn over $200,000 vote for Reps.

Does that make it clear?


I voted for Carter. I regret that.

Answer 7

My family grew up poor so we very much supported bigger government even if it meant more taxes but now that we have more money we wanna keep more of it.

Also, owning a business does alot to make you more republican leaning. So yea my family is slowly becoming republican

Answer 8

Rep and no, I didn't considerit a step up in hierarchy. I merely grew up and my priorities changed.