What's the history of your political affiliation?

Question

When and how did you decide on supporting your current affiliation (including Independents)? This is assuming that you chose a side that's not what your parents tried to raise you as.

Answer 1

I grew up in a traditional conservative family. When I struck out on my own I was determined to not be anything like them, to make up my own mind. I had liberal tendencies with big dreams to "save the world." Then, I was harshly introduced to the real world.

The world where I had to work hard to make it on my own. I began to notice other people weren't working hard, or at all, and attaining the same kind of life that I was living at the time - and we're all paying for it. When I realized this unfairness, I realized that my parents were right in their beliefs about personal responsibility all along.

Answer 2

I was a lifelong Democrat raised by a Democrat.
After the LA riots,9/11,the Internet,Iran and other events i started reading more and realized it is more what the main stream media DOES NOT report and the WAY they report things that are influencing us and events.
The LA riots made me realize I might need to protect myself and there might be no one there to rescue me.Same for 9/11.So i am against gun control even though I hate guns.
I also realized that blaming "large corporations"and/or the government is silly because we are all part of them because we own IRAs or pensions or put our money in the bank which means we are part of wall st.
the govt.is also us.And the more rules there are the more things will cost and the less they will work and the less people will think.
I saw how the movie industry is catering to the foreign market (and after all they are publically owned corporations) making either a large corporation or some rogue CIA or the CIA the villian in every single movie.
I am also aware of the hypocracy of so many "do gooders"such as ngo's and limousine liberals and cosmopolitans of all stripes (people who love everyone except their own country).
I could go on and on but I am no longer a Democrat.
I am not really sure what I am...but I love this country and wish it could go back to 1964 just after the Civil Rights Act.

Answer 3

If politically, I better choose a democratic or free country... They say that progress comes from disciplined country with what "martial lawed country" .. but sometimes, it hinders someone's freedom to progress such as... when working at night shifts legal business....
but if parents related freedom, good parents produces a well being kids... that makes freedom feel better within a person and as a human being.

That's the time I chose my affiliation.. those who gave freedom as human being....

Answer 4

I became a Republican when I saw how liberals/Democrats go about "helping" some, and then always end up hurting those that don't deserve to be hurt.
And they like to trumpet how they helped people while always taking from someone else. It's not about the rich. That is a canard.

Title 9 was what opened my eyes to their mind set.
They had to decimate mens minor sports teams to give to womens teams.

Why did they have to ruin it for the men? Typical liberalism.

Answer 5

The 1st election I actively remember was carter '76. He and his party seemed inclusive, especially of African Americans, and I had the sense that "we", whether white, black, gay, straight, protestant or catholic were more collectively accepted there than in the GOP. I have not liked everything the Dems have done but I haven't been persuaded yet that the GOP have that same philosophy and that is why I am still a dem.

Answer 6

Mine has to be the most unusual of the lot!

When I was 13 years old I joined the Red Guard movement in China. ( a youth movement of the Communist Party and can be called radical Maoists!)

The Red Guards stoned intellectuals, burnt small businesses, and believed in Chairman Mao and his sayings in his "Red Book"

I later lost interest in Communism and became apathetic to politics.
After I move to America, I was amazed at the freedom of speech and travel, many political parties, and I had no parents to tell me what I could do.
My husband is American and he encouraged me to go back to school.
I did so well at lower division college I was accepted to UC Berkeley, the home of the radical free speech, anti war left that are famous today.

After my re-exposure to Communism and socialism by my Berkeley professors, I discovered Sean Hannity and his unwavering love for America which I share.
Now I have been Hannitized and am a commit ed conservative christian Republican!
Mt parents encouraged me into Communism (sort of) and I was able to have the freedom here in the USA to be a Republican.

Answer 7

When Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

That turned most African Americans from Republicans to Democrats.

Answer 8

To answer your question;

I was a democrat and a member of the military in the late 70's, president Jimmy Carter was in office. His failed economic policies and failure to get the hostages in Iran were the start of my changing party affiliation. President Reagan took office (I did not vote for him in 1980) but later found myself agreeing with him and admired his strength of foreign diplomacy. By the 1984 elections I had switched to a republican and have never looked back.

Answer 9

I was always a conservative leaning moderate (basically more moderate/pragmatist than a hard-core Conservative, fiscal/national security conservative, social liberal), but several times throughout my lifetime I've lived in very Liberal areas of Liberal states. When I'm in that sort of situation I become much more Conservative. Part of it is a sense of balance and another part has to do with what I see. For example I currently live in a very Liberal Maryland Suburb of D.C. (also a very wealthy area). Everyone seems to be concerned with things like "global warming" and government mandated measures to limit fuel use, but the most popular vehicles are very large SUVs and 8 cylinder sports cars. Also they all seem to drive in the least fuel efficient manner. That makes me wonder and causes me to lean in the opposite direction. I've also noticed that Liberals tend to be intolerant of people who have different beliefs than they do. That has always puzzled me and make me lean in the opposite direction as well.

Answer 10

I started as a young republican, but study of history and greater understanding of things changed that, now I'm independent an have little or No faith our two parties. they are both bought and paid for by big oil, and Big business, who hold us in a strangle hold, our free society is more of a facade than ever before, while we are kept busy arguing over abortion, or immigration rather than real issues of governance like war , corruption etc.