Does everyone in your family vote?

[MontecitoDem]

I just got off the phone with my brother. He couldn't remember the last time he had voted. When I told him about what I have been doing locally, he actually said he was going to register for this election.

He then told me he was REALLY uninformed. So much so that he was embarrassed to talk with people at all about politics. I asked him what he wanted to know, and this was it:

"Tell me basically what it means to be a Republican or a Democrat. What do they believe?"

Now, I know what I would have loved to say in answer, but what I did was try to be as evenhanded as humanly possible. It was painful actually.

After a brief rundown, he said "Well, it sounds like I should be a democrat!" I'm sure I wasn't completely objective, but what a relief! He and my Dad are both in swing states so I've got some work to do.

Anyway, I was wondering how many other folks at DU who consider themselves activists have family members like me?

[Toucano]

1. Good job!

In my immediate family everyone is pretty active to one degree or another and are voters. It's part of who we are I think.

As you move out into the brother-in-law, cousin, uncle realm of the family, I find that those who don't vote shouldn't be encouraged to do so. :) That's where you find the misguided religious zealots and Hannity/Rush fans.

[MontecitoDem]

4. Right!

Let's hope those folks stay home this election!

[TrustingDog]

10. most of my family

is already leftish, some extended are very rightwing, but I don't like to have much to do with them anyway..., not because of their politics, but because they're assholes trying to play pathetic social climbing elitist nonsense.

o wait, it IS their politics.

[formernaderite]

2. I've got tons of non-voting Republicans in my extended family....wooohoooo

Yeah, like I'd actually encourage that.

[MontecitoDem]

5. Isn't it funny how folks with the same upbringing

can have such different ideas about the world?

I was a bit worried in talking to him because he is a gun-owner and that's an easy sell for the Repubs. But when I talked about healthcare, jobs, environment he "saw the light."

[formernaderite]

8. Hey....I said "extended" family....we were NOT brought up the same....

...no seriously, most of them are the children of my dads sisters who married "up". They're rah rah patriotic types...'cept they're too lazy to vote, they also live in red leaning states, so who cares.. .

[MuseRider]

3. I feel very lucky

that my husband is just as bad as I am about trying to keep up with all of this. We constantly share news and ideas. My sons, 18 and 20 are often rolling their eyes at us but can argue with anyone over the same issues and do not hesitate to do so. My mother who is no longer living would have voted for Kerry, she would have hated Bush* but often voted for the best looking candidate (???), my dad has been dead too long for me to know what he would have done and my brothers are gone but the last one living was as bad as I am or worse and he lived under Bush* as a Texan. I have one remaining cousin but she is much older than I am, around 70 I think. She is a devout fundie and a southerner and would NEVER vote for a democrat, possibly even if she were threatened. She is the only one I know of.

[MontecitoDem]

6. That's great your sons are with you politically!

I guess we shouldn't be encouraging that older cousin of yours to vote!

I enjoyed your comment about your Mom, made me smile. Do you think she would have been supporting Edwards then in the primaries? It sure wouldn't have been Kucinich on that criteria, although he has his charms I suppose! :)

[MuseRider]

7. My oldest

attends Kansas State University and feels a little alone out there but he gets his time in and actually several of his friends were over at our house one day and they asked for registration forms to vote and told me that my son had really opened their eyes up about issues. They registered Democrat!

My cousin will vote.

My mother would have LOVED Edwards I think, she and I would most likely have had issues over Kucinich. I hate to sell her short, she was no dummy, but she was also not pro union so I doubt very much she would have had much fondness for Dennis K.

[seabeyond]

9. father mom and husband and i vote

brother and his wife too self absorbed, plus they would repug so good and oldest brother well informed, but alas doesnt vote cause so disorganized and probably not reg, which is good cause he would vote repug

so half.........

[Wind Dancer]

11. My 76 year old mom asked me to

help her register this year to vote, she will be voting for Kerry.
It's been years since she voted but knows how crucial this is. She has the best BS radar of anybody I've ever known.

My oldest son is as far left as I am and has been active in the Dem. party since he was a teenager. My youngest son will vote for the first time this year, he is 19 and going with us to see Fahrenheit 911.

I'm still working on my brother and sister-in-law. They are out of the loop but I am slowly spoon feeding them the facts. My husband shares my views and knows if * wins again, well, I can't even go there. The thought keeps me awake at nights.

[MontecitoDem]

13. Good for you and your family!

It certainly is the time for all of us who care to vote. So glad your Mom is being active. My father in law, also 76, just had a Kerry houseparty last month!

[genius]

12. Yes. But I have two crazy Republican In-laws that are oppressive

So we never go to see them any more.

[Killarney]

14. Everyone votes. I got my mom who did Bush in 2000 to do Kerry in 04!

[MontecitoDem]

15. Great job Killarney!

That's my goal too. If we each get our family members on board, we are that much closer to a Kerry landslide (my personal goal!).

awesome.

[rasputin1952]

16. I am so involved w/politics, I vote in everything...

my immediate family are all voters, one brother, memeber here, obviously a D; other brother, more to the R side...:(

My mother is so R, she won't carry dimes around and puts them in jars because FDR is on them! However, she tells me she will NOT vote for bush this election! God is good...:D

[MontecitoDem]

20. Are you serious about the dimes!

That's a good one. Glad to hear she'll be staying home. I really am feeling like we can win this, despite dirty tricks and massive cash on teh other side!

[Cheswick2.0]

17. No we are all good democrats...except my step brother

He is a Navy lifer and christian conservative.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

18. I think every relative I have votes - unfortunately (they're all Repubs)

I think I'm the only Dem and there's about 3 or 4 Independents. I wonder how they're all voting this time around though. I have the feeling a few may be crossing over.

[MontecitoDem]

19. Let's hope so.

I know we don't want folks voting against Kerry - but I have to say I am happy to see that so many people have family members who are voting. Our unappreciation for our right to vote as a country is such a bummer!

[mvd]

21. Yes, everyone in my nuclear family is a strong Democrat and..

votes. Beyond that, it's a real mixture of Democrats, Republicans, and the a-political. Some of the ones who voted for Bush are either voting for Kerry this time or aren't voting.

[noonwitch]

22. Yes, and my grandpa votes twice!

It is so wrong, but he casts Grandma's absentee ballot for her, because she is in a nursing home. He votes for his candidate, not hers. In 2000, she wanted to vote for Gore, but he cast her ballot for Bush and bragged about it to us! Gore still carried Michigan, but still, it's wrong and we told him he should call the township clerk and report that Grandma is no longer competent to vote and then they won't send him the ballot anymore.

I have an uncle who doesn't vote. He is deaf, and that actually does come into play to a large degree. Most of his friends are deaf, his wife is deaf and they kind of live in an insular world. He doesn't feel the urge to be involved in a political sense.

His 18 year old son did register to vote. My sister and I told him that he and all his friends need to get out and vote democratic, or it could be them heading to Iraq next. He has no intention of joining the military. If Bush does get elected, and the draft is reinstituted, we'll have to get him across the river to Canada.

[Lisa]

23. pretty much -- my folks were born in Canada but couldn't vote ...

... until 1947. That was when Japanese-Canadians were allowed the franchise. My mom and dad never let me forget this.

[Redleg]

24. Yes, even my dead family members vote.

Unfortunately, a large part of my clan votes for Republicans.

[alejandrofromcuba]

25. voting family

Yes--we all vote! but I am one of 8 brothers and I am the only democrat. My children represent a diversity of views--a green, a republican, and some democrats. And I have to admit that some who support the democratic party do not do so for the right reasons. Like my lawyer son.

[adriennel]

26. yes. a nice balance.

my parents usually vote Repug (Midwest conserative). my in-laws usually vote Dem (New England liberal)!
I'm proud to say my sister is anti-Bush...so we're one vote ahead! :thumbsup: