Posted on 12/11/2007 4:57:57 AM PST by gridlock
I was looking at a Hillary thread today, which said that if she won the nomination, a lot of Democrats would abandon the Democrat Party. It reminded me of when I finally left the Democrats and "turned to the Dark Side", as my family says. It struck me that FReepers must have a lot of interesting stories about how they came to be here, and that these stories should be told.
Please post your testimony below. I'll start...
I voted for Carter in 76. His performance was so pathetic that I promised myself I’d never vote Democrat again. And I haven’t.
I was never really a “Democrat”. But, the comparison between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter made the “R—Conservative” a lifelong mission!
You can always tell the kids who are paying their own way through college, because when the professor shows up late, they're angry!
Especially with the GOP's top tier of morons on the GOP ticket for 2008. There are only two real Conservatives, a moonbat, and 4 RINO's.
This country is in for rough times...
My parents “converted” in 1955 when my dad went to hear Ronald Reagan— truly Ronald Reagan Republicans.
My time in Viet Nam, with a job that frequently required me to monitor very high level communications, turned me into a republican for life!
...it was a tad earlier..around "69", I remember "hanging" MK 82's from a mer or ter under the wing of a F4 phantom in 115 degree weather...wanna get into the humidity?
I gotta say, supporting Carter in 1980 had to be my low point. What was I thinking? It was like Battered Wife Syndrome. Maybe if I kept supporting him, he would get better...
My moment of truth came very shortly after I first asked myself “why are they taking this money out of my paycheck?”
I have told my sons that they can bring anybody home as long as she is a Republican. That in common will say more about your shared values than any other indicator.
Fair enough. I respect your position. There is a lot not to love with the modern Republican Party, I will grant you.
To me, though, they are still the best vehicle to carry conservative principles forward, and I am determined to make them better.
The Republicans are the party of the rich - they want as many people as possible to be rich.
The Democrats are the party of the poor - they want as many people as possible to be poor.
I don’t know when I became a republican, but it was before I was old enough to vote. My first vote in a presidental race was in 1960, and I voted for Nixon, the first of my three votes for him.
My dad was a lifelong New Deal Democrat, God rest his soul. He died in 1999 and I’m pretty sure he is still voting the straight democratic ticket. I do believe, though, that he would not vote for Hillary if he could avoid it. Unfortunately, he may not be able to avoid it.
Some politicians age like fine wine.Jimmah's aging like milk.
Or the Stockholm Syndrome ;^D
(Welcome home!)
Ronald Reagan, the first president I saw on TV as a child, and it was a great era for Republicans, great refresh for republicans, everything was bright, and I was a happy child never knowing the dark age of the Vietnam War era and Carter the traitor. THE END
When I asked my dad a question about why people tolerated high taxes when the whole war for independence was in part fought because of taxes.
I was around 5 or 6 years old (1984).
I, from elementary through high school, also voted GOP in every mock school election.
I still considered 1994, my 10th grade year, to be one of my favorite years because of the GOP sweep that November.
Today I lean GOP, but I’m more of a constitutionalist (not the party).
Now...keep in mind I’m only 26 yrs. old. When I registered to vote in college, I registered Independent. I always had good common sense...I mean conservative leanings..., but I didn’t like the shenanigans of either major party.
I still don’t like the party powers, but I changed to Republican ealier this year for the sole purpose of being able to participate in the Presidential Primary, and cast a vote for the most qualified candidate, Duncan Hunter.
My dad’s story is a bit more interesting. Back as recent as the 70’s, when you registered to vote in Louisiana, you either registered Democrat or you weren’t going to be participating in many state and local elections. So, my father registered Democrat.
Then came Reagan vs. Carter, and the Gov. of Louisiana at that time, Edwin Edwards, went on TV and told the state’s voters, “If you’re registered Democrat, you vote Democrat.”
So, my father said, “to hell with that” and immediately changed to Republican.
I have always been a Republican and have never voted for one Democrat.....ever.
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