What is the biggest influence?

Question

When someone decides on a political party they want to support. It seems to be split pretty evenly.

Is it some fundamental diffrence, or just a diffrent upbringing?

Answer 1

poop is yummy and ur hairy *** is crummy.

the biggest influence idunno but thanks for the two points.

kudos

Answer 2

I think it has to do a lot with upbringing. For ex: my family is pretty liberal and we have a very DIY family ethic (not the martha stewart crap, the other type). My father is also from a country/province where people are crafty with the things that they have and they also work very well together in a community. He is also his own boss. So without knowing it, my parents raised me as a libertarian socialist. I keep trying to convince them that we have a libertarian socialist family, but they just won't accept it...btw, i'm a librtarian socialist by choice (I had to figure it out on my own), they were just a big influence...

Answer 3

When people are young they tend to be more liberal, and the Democratic party has the monopoly on brainless outlets like MTV. It doesn't take much (if any) thought for people in their teens to early 20's to gravitate toward the democratic party.

Some people stay right there. They're usually the ones that don't follow current events, or are so economically sheltered by their upper middle class parents that they have the luxury of staying liberal or even graduating to socialist tendencies.

Most people graduate from high school, college, or trade school and enter the workforce at an entry level. They learn the value of earning money, saving it, and become responsible. If they follow current events and are educated about true American history, as well as the shortcomings of every attempt at socialism, they tend to become more fiscally conservative. Any kind of religious consciousness will lead them toward socially conservative views as well.

Edit: I do agree that blind party faith is not good on either side of the political aisle. People tend to think too much in terms of the party line and that's why D.C. gets nothing done.

Answer 4

I believe it's upbringing at first, but eventually people will start to open their eyes and learn to choose their own beliefs. I was a Democrat when I was eighteen, a Republican when I turned twenty-one, and a Libertarian at twenty-seven... I would say that, like a fine wine, my political views have matured quite well.

If I can find another political party that is more fine-tuned to my beliefs than the Libertarian party, I'll move on to that one... until then, it's the one with which my beliefs clash the least, and you have to vote for someone.

Answer 5

Quit picking political parties for a change, use your brain, and decide on an issue by issue basis which views you identify the most with. A rational person sees both positives and negatives within the leadership of both parties rather than simply picking an arbitrary party and saying they agree with everything behind the party.

Answer 6

I grew up a Republican and am now a liberal Democrat. There is a fundamental difference between Rep and Dem. In 1968 I was exposed to people who were involved in the Chicago Democratic convention, association with those people changed my perspective and I have been a Dem ever since. Actually though over time, my dad also became a Dem and could not see how he had ever been a Rep in the first place. Thinking can do that to you yark yark.

Answer 7

I am not lined up to any one party, although the polling spot that I go to seems to think that I have to choose a "party" when I go to vote. I change it every time, just to keep the old codders on their toes!

I vote for the person that I think will do the best job for the position. Sometimes it is the NONE of the ABOVE category!

Answer 8

Based on a number of studies, family political loyalties play a large role, perhaps the biggest. In my opinion, however, this would hold true the most for people who don't bother to educate themselves.

Answer 9

From my Gov't class, name recognition is important along with wealth of the candidate. Family does influence alot, most people try to emulate parents. Incumbants win like 80% or more of the time...a lot of times because they have their war chests stocked up from lobbyists.

Answer 10

I believe it is the upbringing. kids tend to pick the same party their parents picked. dont you think?

Answer 11

I think it is a culmination of many things of which upbringing is a big part of.