My Political Transition from GOP to Democrat

[Former Republican]

It came recently.

In the 90s I was a Republican:
1. I thought income taxes should be lowered.
2. I was against free trade (yes, I know Bush I passed NAFTA; but with people like Buchanan against it and the GOP history of being pro-tariff, I thought conservatives would be harder against it than Clinton).
3. I thought Clinton's foreign policy was weak, especially on Israel; and I thought Republicans pandered a lot less to Israeli interests although they were Saudi asskissers.
4. The GOP was for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which, while maybe not a big deal, I agreed (and currently agree) with on principle.
5. Bush promised an isolationist foreign policy.

After September 11th, I was ecstatic. Bush was loved by almost the entire population, and those pesky Democrats seemed like they would never win another election. It was cool back then.

I heard of FOX News at a conservative message board I used to hang out at, so I stopped watching CNN and started watching FOX. That was when it started. The anchors of that channel were so blatantly biased that it was shocking. Bill O'Reilly and John Gibson looked so CHEAP that something snapped psychologically. I'll be honest, a lot of my transition had to do with psychological conditioning. Look at the MAKE-UP of the Fox news anchors! it's ridiculous! John Gibson looks like a Casper the ghost and Bill O'Reilly like an old woman!!

OK, to more serious matters. Bush's speeches started getting on my nerves. I just started hating him personally. And then there was the whole FRENCH fiasco. I should make it clear that I'm a first generation American whose mother tongue is French. FOX News had such a vulgar campaign against France that I literally had tears in my eyes watching it. People on FOX News were making ethnic jokes about the French. Dennis Miller, a guy whose tone of voice is so mean that it isn't funny, went on several talk shows and said things about "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" (why monkeys? why not frogs? I'll never know...)

And the war was so obviously to satisfy the interests of oil and military weapons industries that you'd have to be an idiot to support it. So then, the GOP was obviously the party of idiots.

I spend a few months in France during this period, and that was when it became clear to me. Socialist progressivism is not going to result in this country becoming a communist version of Sodom as Bill O'Reilly so often portrays the leftist ideal. In France, I became aware of the objectivity of their news (it wasn't even remotely anti-American). I saw hospitals where the unprivileged were treated for free and didn't have to wait three fucking hours just to see some piece of shit general practitioner when they had serious conditions. Property taxes are lower than low in France. OK, income taxes are high; but I realized that you have to make sacrifices for the benefit of society (and for your own benefit since social programs are for everyone). France's workers receive the utmost amount of protection; they need to be notified a long time in advance before getting fired. Now contrast all of this to America, where there are slums so disgusting that you'd think you were in the third world.

The situation in America has increasingly been getting worse. What do we pay taxes for HERE (although it's still only 38% maximum income tax, but property taxes are through the roof)?! There are no free universities. Because of Bush's allocating all federal money to fight bullshit wars and expand the military meanwhile cutting taxes, state's have had to raise their university prices. THE OUT OF STATE TUITION FOR UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IS NOW 26,000! What am I going to do when I have children?!$#@

This is nonsense. The priority of the government should be society, not the military. There's no need for more military build-up. It's not like we're in danger of being conquered.

____________________________________________________

OK. My brain's sort of tired now. That was my honest story. It's sort of messy, but it's the truth.

[goobergunch]

1. Well, welcome to the party!

Glad to have you with us!

:hi:

[SWPAdem]

2. Welcome to the other side

What we need, in this country, are people that are dedicated to advancing the interests of all citizens and working for the common good. Labels do not matter as much as beliefs and intent.
:toast: :toast: :toast:

[diplomats]

3. Yes, welcome!

:)

[childslibrarian]

4. Thank you for telling your story

It is so applicable to what is going on at this website.
As Al Sharpton said "I'd rather have a (Former Republican) newly converted Democrat here than a bunch of Democrats who have been acting like Republicans."
Changing your views means you are STILL THINKING. You are still alive and kicking...

[Syn_Dem]

5. Welcome aboard matey!

Arr!!....okay enough pirate for today. :)

[ixion]

6. Welcome to DU, Former Republican

glad you've come over from the dark side. :bounce:

[FlashHarry]

7. Bienvenue à la partie du peuple!

I'm not sure if it's the right translation, but Bienvenue, nonetheless! :hi:

[Former Republican]

8. Thank you, all of you.

[stevedeshazer]

9. <sniff>

Who passed NAFTA again?

When did Bush II advocate an isolationist foreign policy?

[Former Republican]

15. Bush passed NAFTA

but Clinton expanded it.

Bush II spoke out against Clinton's nation-building at his Republican national convention speech.

[BrendaStarr]

36. That's what I got from what Bush was saying before the s'election' too

I mean if he couldn't even see the need for the Kosovo action then one could rightly assume that he would be going pretty isolationist.

Bush-Rove are great liars though. An isolation stance would cater to the Buchanan crowd and other true conservatives.

BTW FormerR, welcome from me too.

[frank frankly]

10. welcome welcome welcome

has it been shocking to discover how much they hate minorities, especially our black brothers and sisters?

that's got to be the hardest one to realize. while not all republicans are racist, the GOP Party is profoundly racist...

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

11. Is what you have communicable? Infectious?

Ghod, I hope so. Now get out there and cough on repukes! ;-)

[Jacobin]

12. Welcome, I enjoyed reading about your journey.

:-)

[madmax]

13. Welcome to DU and the Democratic Party

You may find it a bit like herding cats. We're committed to the same ideals and goals - we differ a lot on how to get there and with whom.

:toast:

[JohnKleeb]

14. well welcome

[THUNDER HANDS]

16. welcome

Keep moving towards the light...

:hi:

[LittleApple81]

17. I wish I could say the same about two of my best friends! but no

such luck! I am envious.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

18. I am against NAFTA too (and hooray for your Gephardt avatar!)

That's the reason I'm in the Democratic party, to fight the so-called "free trade agreements".

[OKNancy]

19. Thank you!

See folks, it can happen. THank you again for you sincere and moving story.

[politicaholic]

20. Good Job coming to your senses...

now just work on the last part of psychosis, i.e., punching holes in a wildlife refuge to suck poison out of the ground, and you'll be fully cured.

I know a good shrink in Detroit if you'd like the number.

[Former Republican]

26. Drilling creates jobs...

it also reduces dependence on foreign oil.

Until Washington gets the balls to promote renewable energy, we have to keep drilling.

[ShaneGR]

35. Hey, did you know this?

If we emptied all of the oil in Alaska it would only last us six months (If we weren't buying oil from other countries. You are correct about jobs being created, but not over a few thousand and only during the initial construction of the pipeline.

While some environmentalists say that it would ruin certain areas of Alaska, this is really debatable if some precautions were taken.

The bottom line here is, I think we need a President who is going to be like JFK when he said his man on the moon speech. Someone needs to challenge the nation. That challenge should be a massive investment in alternative energy and fuel.


Just my two or three cents.

[dfong63]

21. thanks for sharing your story

[Zhade]

22. You set an heroic example.

Breaking with the party line - which many Republicans see as treasonous - must not have been easy.

You are very welcome here, FP. Thanks for sharing your story. I hope your experience helps others wake up.

[proud patriot]

23. Welocome Ungerground

:hi: Viva La France

[alcuno]

24. Welcome to DU, Former Republican

I believe that one of the greatest strengths in character is ones ability to change ones position based upon evidence. I have worked as a union negotiator and have found that deals can't be made when we paint ourselves into a corner and are unable to get out. To me, compromise is a strength not a weakness.

While I've never been a registered Republican, I was never able to register as a Democrat. Until now. I hope you like it here.

[DemCam]

25. Hope you're not a Rovian sock...er

puppet...or plant...or dissssruuuptor.

Just a little jab to the ribs at our expense. Welcome. A great story and thanks for telling it.

May your tribe increase!

[Former Republican]

32. I'm not a plant.

The thoughts I put together in my initial post come from my heart. Bush betrayed me. The GOP betrayed me.

[BuckeFushe]

55. Bush betrayed us all, not just Republicans

A single seed on a mountain soon becomes a forest. Welcome. May you live forever and never look back.

[_NorCal_D_]

75. Indeed.

Bush has betrayed the country.

[jimshoes]

27. Welcome Former Republican,

Can I e-mail your story to my two brothers in law. They are in need of such a conversion.

[Former Republican]

40. Yes. By all means email my story...

There is still a great number of people whose minds remain loyal to the GOP when their hearts (and intuition) tell them that this country is going in the wrong direction. It's a disaster. I miss Clinton now.

[DemCam]

28. Errr....ooops.

[Caution]

29. Nothing better than

someone who sees the light. Seriously, don't you honestly simply feel better about yourself now? It's a good feeling to think that you might actually be able to help bring about things like universal healthcare.

[ShaneGR]

30. Vous avez pris la pilule bleue. Maintenant vous voyez la vérité.

Out of curiosity, why Gephardt? Not that there is anything wrong with Gephardt, he's an AWESOME labor guy. Just wondering.

[Former Republican]

44. I am against the exporting of industry...

I believe Gephardt has fought against free trade, which abuses the rights of workers EVERYWHERE and destroys American manufacturing.

Gephardt is also the most left-wing economically mainstream candidate (other mainstream candidates: Dean, Kerry, Edwards, Graham, Lieberman, Clark). Dean has charisma and uses socialist rhetoric which I found extremely appealing until I checked out his record. Kerry is a very aristocrat-liberal style guy, perhaps the most "liberal" of all the candidates. Edwards has flip-flopped a lot on trade and also said on Face the Nation that he will not vote against the Patriot Act II. Graham voted for the Patriot Act and pushed for war against Syria. Lieberman is a Republican who wants to tax people more so we can bomb people more. Clark does not seem to have much passion, although he reminds me of Clinton, which is good compared to Bush. I like Kucinich, Sharpton, and Braun but they are out of the mainstream.

[gristy]

31. Welcome to DU, Former Republican

:hi: You are indeed among friends. Here is what I wrote to my MN congressman this past March:

The Honorable Jim Ramstad
103 Cannon
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Congressman Ramstad,

I learned today that House cafeterias are changing the name of french fries to "freedom" fries.

"This action today is a small but symbolic effort to show the strong displeasure of many on Capitol Hill with the actions of our so-called ally, France," said Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Administration Committee.

This is the dumbest thing the House could do, and certainly very disrespectful to our ally, France. You guys are nuts. Do you intend to piss off every country until we have not a friend left in the world??

You folks need to learn to get along. And get out of Iraq, NOW.

Regards,

[mndemocrat_29]

59. Did you receive a response?

[in_cog_ni_to]

33. Some transition that was!

and welcome to the party that actually cares about PEOPLE. I'm really SORRY you had to watch FAUX news...how depressing! :7

Welcome To The Democratic Party...it's a pleasure to have you! :hi:

:bounce::toast:

[Oilwellian]

34. Welcome to DU Former Republican

I know a few Republicans who have "defected" lately. It's so good to see people choosing not to follow this administration over the cliff. :hi:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

37. i like the way your tired brain works........welcome to DU

:toast:

[Marlie]

43. Welcome and Thank you

Your post is so inspiring - so many of us have been feeling like
there is no light at the end of the tunnel since Bush "took" office -
I know there must be many more like you and I see a flicker of
light on the horizon.

[calm_blue_ocean]

38. I was never actually a Republican . . .

but my political feelings have evolved in a lot the same ways, and for a lot the same reasons, that yours have.

Thanks for a story I can really relate to.

[Loyal]

39. some piece of shit general practicioner?

welcome to du, but man, general practicioners do have a purpose. :shrug: lol

[Former Republican]

47. No offense to general practitioners, but I think...

top-quality health care should be available to 100% of the population.

[mandyky]

41. Welcome to DU!

Hopefully you'll enjoy our party. We have our warts, but we are nothing like Fox.

[ignatius]

42. Ah, enlightenment is a marvelous thing. Welcome friend, and

may we all see better times after 11-04!!!!

[Lexingtonian]

45. interesting political journey

In the 90s I was a Republican:
1. I thought income taxes should be lowered.
2. I was against free trade (yes, I know Bush I passed NAFTA; but with people like Buchanan against it and the GOP history of being pro-tariff, I thought conservatives would be harder against it than Clinton).
3. I thought Clinton's foreign policy was weak, especially on Israel; and I thought Republicans pandered a lot less to Israeli interests although they were Saudi asskissers.
4. The GOP was for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which, while maybe not a big deal, I agreed (and currently agree) with on principle.
5. Bush promised an isolationist foreign policy.

These are attitudes I think are reflective of your French past, and I seem to recall them present more in the small cities and towns than large urban areas I have been to in France.

And yes, European immigrees tend to lean Republican at first, mostly because it is more familiar. American paleoconservatism, as it is called, is almost identical to the paganistic conservatism of rural areas in western Europe.

(....) Look at the MAKE-UP of the Fox news anchors! it's ridiculous! John Gibson looks like a Casper the ghost and Bill O'Reilly like an old woman!!

Here, as in Europe, the public face of the fascists is rarely suggestive of their being the Ubermenschen they claim to be. American paleoconservatism (e.g. the John Birch Society) was also notorious for this- a lot of the rejection of them in the '60s was that they were so ugly and psychotic attitudinally that it disfigured them inwardly to the point where they were an embarrassment in public because all of their aesthetic choices (clothing, hair, symbols, rhetorical manner) were so far off from the socially viable.

I just started hating him personally.

An ignoble small man always claiming greatness and nobility is far more dispicable than one who admits to mediocrity.

Now contrast all of this to America, where there are slums so disgusting that you'd think you were in the third world.

Well, you are starting to see that the U.S. is a country founded as a set of colonies run by colonialists, and is slowly evolving into a society that is not. Bush represents a resurgence of the reactionaries.

You see the human costs. Surely you are a proper citizen and such. But it seems to me you have a distance yet to go about American cultural predicates, which is what the ANWR argument is about.

I myself think that ANWR will be drilled eventually. But the choice on that we face is between it being a public service- doing it carefully in 2025, when world oil supplies are running low- and another Bush crony smash-and-grab theft from the public wealth, and us having to pay for a cleanup of the mess they leave.

But the story you seem not to consider about ANWR is its cultural meaning. Americans have a relationship to wilderness that differs from that of Europeans and Russians- from the American Indians the white settlers absorbed a sense of value of wilderness, of the wild things.

Henry David Thoreau, who lived among Algonquin Indians for a time, said that in wilderness lies the salvation of the world. What he meant was that the chaotic violence of the wild can sometimes show up and perform some useful service, by its destructive power, when the "civilized" have lost their senses. What he meant was that when each of us is abjectly disappointed with the vile doings of normal organized society, we have the wilderness to go to and recover our sense of the sublime, the wonder, the creativity, the redeemability of the world. What he meant was that wilderness has a way of yielding up the unexpected that can help us live better lives in a society of mediocre, unregenerate, people. In short, America did not just offer a way out of the material shortages of Europe. It has the perpetual possibility of transforming and adapting itself if it keeps wilderness available to every man as a spiritual resource. This is a perpetual theme in all American philosophy and selfunderstanding, and it is what makes Ansel Adams photographs the cultural monuments that they are.

That is the cultural value of wilderness in the Americas, exceeding its dangers or its material treasures to those native to it. That is the basic reason for American environmentalism, environmental conservation. But since much of the populace has European or Asian attitudes that fear or can't tolerate wilderness for what it is, the political arguments for it have to be made on other, seeming strange and disembodied, terms.

[Former Republican]

48. I'm not much of an environmentalist...

I tend to see things in economic terms and not in terms of culture, but I can see where you're coming from.

It's not so much the actual issue of drilling in ANWR that I feel strongly about; it's the principles behind it. Sure, one can say that drilling is just another way to give oil companies what they want. Personally, I'd rather see a government drilling project there than a private enterprise; but I simply believe in taking advantage of natural resources whatever they are to increase a country's wealth. Maybe there isn't a significant amount of oil in ANWR, but it's the principle behind it I find important.

I don't understand your paragraph about the American Nazis and the John Birch Society. Are you ridiculing my personal loathing of people based on their faces? I'm just being honest. Inside all of us are irrational opinions slightly based on impressions. That's partly why I have no problem with Clark, while I'm on my guard about Lieberman.

[gristy]

46. Be on the alert, Former Republican,

that DUers take their "civic responsibilities" pretty seriously, and sometimes quite personally.

The food fights can get pretty rich.

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

49. We love you

Welcome home, Former Republican. You are absolutely welcome here and we're hapy for the insight that you'll bring to the table.

I've only been here a week or so, and I'm a Dean supporter. Everyone here has been really cool and very welcoming and I hope you get a warm reception. Just steer clear of the candidate-bashing threads if you can, since they're irritating as hell and serve no constructive purpose.

Welcome!

[GOPBasher]

50. Congrats!!!

On seeing the light. Welcome to the party of reason. It's funny, you mentioned pretty much all the reasons I'm a Democrat in your story.

And welcome to DU!! :hi:

[SammyWinstonJack]

51. Out of the darkness and into the light!

Welcome aboard! My husband has a very good friend who is also a co-worker. He was a repub until recently. He voted for Bush* not once, not twice, but three times. He is done with Bush* and the Repub party. He cites many of the reasons you have cited for his transformation, but the greatest reason was the Iraqi invasion. He just couldn't justify it. He now thinks that Bush* is only concerned with his own agenda which isn't good for America or the World. He is now a registered Democrat and firmly in the Dean camp. I wonder how many other repubs Bush*, the "Uniter not a Divider" has caused to leave the Party? Bush* has stepped on his "dick." :evilgrin:

[Solomon]

52. All Right Former Republican!

Love your moniker. Says it all in two words.

A million welcomes to you. You will find democrats so inclusive that we yell and scream at each other a lot. But its constructive criticism and critical thinking.

I loved reading your post because the subject of why republicans can't see what Bush is really doing comes up frequently. In fact, everytime Bush pulls something else, we think, people have got to wake up now. But seems they never do.



:toast:

[Catherine Vincent]

53. Well.....

You'll have to prove yourself more for me to welcome you. Maybe once you pass the 500 posts mark. I'm keeping my eye on you.

:evilgrin:

[peabody71]

54. We aren't nuts after all.

[catforclark2004]

58. Moi aussi....... je suis une francaise...qui et devenue Americaine

I liked your story. I, on the other hand, have always been a liberal. I emmigrated to this country from France in the early 1970s. Because I am biracial, and lived in Berkeley the first few years after arriving to US......I have always voted Democratic.

Once most find out that my candidate, General Wesley Clark, is really the best candidate....we, then, will win back the white house....and take 5 leaps forward!

[w4rma]

56. While I'm happy that you came over. I'm sad that it took all that

including a visit to France to bring you into the Democratic Party. :(

I hope you can bring a perspective that will help talk to and bring more former Republicans over to the Democratic Party :D

[Solomon]

57. This post illustrates a point made recently by me and

Al. We welcome people to the democratic party wholeheartedly.

We are welcoming Former Republican like we should because we are genuinely glad for Former Republican.


But for some reason, Wesley Clark is jumped all over because he too decided to go democrat.

Not only are you fortunate for coming around FR, but I'm impressed that you found DU! DU is like taking the "red" pill. You can never go back. :bounce:

[0rganism]

60. Welcome to the flip side! One note about ANWR oil drilling tho:

In my son's expected lifetime (he's 4 now), he will see the peak of global oil production and the resulting test as society copes with exponential population growth and a decline in oil production.

If ANWR isn't drilled, that peak moves a few years to the left and a few billion barrels down, but the overall effect is negligible.

We need reliable safe alternative fuel technology a gazillion times more than the oil from ANWR. You're obviously capable of serious rational thought, so I invite you to order a copy of Prof. Bartlett's lecture, "Arithmetic, Population, and Energy" on videotape from
[e-mail]

or read the transcript here:
http://www.kzpg.com/Lib/Pages/Articles/95-03-00__Bartlett_educates_speech
some of the illustrative slides are in this article:
http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/ert/symposium/bartlett/bartlett.html

All drilling ANWR does is get us down the Hubbert curve on schedule with more optimistic geological forecasts of total available oil, at the expense of opening up a relatively pristine portion of Alaska to resource extraction. It solves none of the core problems, the main one being sustaining an exponentially increasing population with a finite resource.

[shance]

61. FR*** I used to be a Republican too.

I come from a family very involved in Republican politics and I was a Republican up through 1990 or so. Was involved in Campus Republicans in college and volunteered on George Sr's campaign. I had a Reagan sticker on my car in college and I happened to be a Theatre major, so most of my friends in Theatre hazed me and of course, I was clueless. I dismissed them as being totally out of touch with reality.

What I found as time passed after college, was how out of touch with reality I really was. Iran/Contra and Anita Hill I watched in detail, and something just didnt make sense to me. It was really messing with my belief system. My instincts were in total conflict with the reality being presented to me. It was certainly a process for me - wasnt overnight, but now its a place I could never go back to.

Its tough at times being progressive or heck, just more open minded, especially if most of your friends, like mine, are and were conservative. Try to find some like-minded people so you dont feel as though you are LOSING your mind. You are not, you are just becoming clearer on the contradictions and hypocrital statements most Republicans consistently make, along with having some courage to look at life through a more objective lens. With that said, some of the greatest people in the world are Republicans. Imagine the disconnection and contradiction - I still dont get it myself.

Bottom line - I think many Republicans cling to a simplistic narrow view of life for fear of having to question the unfairness in the world. Its too scary for them, that or they like the life they live and dont want anyone messing with what is so often an illusion. What they fail to see, is by refusing to address reality, the bottom falling out is just a matter of time.

You will probably vere back and forth. I did. I wanted to return to a place where thoughts and beliefs were simple and most of all, where I felt SAFE. But its an illusion, they dont live in safety, they live on borrowed time because they are denying the tragedies, greed, and injustices all around us and many that they in fact are enabling and contributing to by maintaining their simplistic beliefs. Its like someone denying they have cancer. Eventually the disease will eat them up. The wrongdoings in this world will eat ALL of us up if we refuse to confront the wrongdoings. That simple.

So much to say, but one thing I wanted to add to what you said, and I believe it perhaps may have been the pivotal catalyst for you(?) - going to another country. I think the major problem with our over zealous nationalism taking place in this country is largely due to Americans lack of living abroad. I dont even mean traveling abroad as much as I mean living abroad. Although, if there was ANYTHING I could give high school and college students would be the opportunity to travel abroad for a year. I would make it mandatory. Our narrow-mindedness stems from a lack of exposure to other cultures and lifestyles.

I think the Republican party and most of its members are the epitome of this example. Most live such an isolated, "white-bread" life that rarely gives them the opportunity or the comfort level, or perhaps even money, to venture out of the box and really explore life. That is the biggest tragedy of all I think.

I am glad for you that you were able to get out of the box and explore. No matter what your future choices may be, I hope you continue to venture out and explore whatever life and truths there are for you and the world. May we all have the opportunity. ***

Thanks and welcome to DU***

[Solomon]

64. Extremely well said.

Everything you said, even down to the travel abroad thing.

Bush is the epitome of most americans on the foreign level. Ignorant, arrogant, and untraveled.

Going to other countries helps you to understand the things in common you have with the people you are fighting with here, and respect for other peoples.

That thing called "respect" is crucial. Americans need to learn to respect others.

[shance]

69. Thanks to both of you.

n/t

[bpilgrim]

65. if you can live abroad anywhere in the world for 1 year

i used to tell all my students that ;->

thanks for sharing, both of yall :toast:

peace

[Former Republican]

71. I agree. very good point about the narrow-mindedness

Many Americans take the simplistic view of reality: "The US is the only free nation with free people and we need to invade other countries to promote our freedom" This is not the way things actually work. I can name quite a few countries (eg. France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium,etc) that grant the same liberty or more than the US grants its citizens. Wars must be fought with a large coalition on our side. This cannot be done by privatizing the Iraqi oil for Bush's friends in the business world.

Traveling to the Third World can also help Americans understand the way of life of those less well-off and to also understand their frame of mind. It's more than just good vs. bad.

Americans need to take a holistic view of the world with an international perspective. In fact everyone should take this view. Empathic populations can work to fight oppression and war.

[usregimechange]

62. Welcome to the Party

I eat FRENCH fries.

[jiacinto]

63. Interesting story

What turned me against the GOP was the 1992 Convention in Houston and the assaults/investigations launched against Clinton.

[sistersofmercy]

66. Welcome to DU!

Wow, I bet you feel better, great rant!:hi: I think you're really going to like it here.

[Eloriel]

67. Welcome, friend

Glad to have you here.

Eloriel

[stickdog]

68. Great!

Welcome to DU, General Clark!

[VolcanoJen]

70. Thank you for sharing your story!

DU Welcomes You!!!

:-) :bounce: :-)

[phillybri]

72. Welcome Former Republican, we're glad to have you here at DU....

:kick:

[dkamin]

73. i agree

i used to a moderate, through and through. a Republican in high school (my parents were), then a Democrat in college and since then, but i thought there were many good Republicans in Congress, etc. not since 1994, IMO.

my politics haven't shifted left, but i'm now considered much more left than i used to be. i think the hijacking of the Republican party by the Newt Gingrich/Karl Rove wing of the party and the concomitant acquiscence of the Democrats has resulted in a sharp rightward shift in our society.

i think at the heart of it all lies selfishness, aka individualism. almost all of the right wing elite are well read in Ayn Rand, and they all espouse the idea of the individual and selfishness as the highest virtues (literally, i am not exaggerating this at all), and look at community and society as filthy, immoral concepts (which is ironic, given that this is the self-proclaimed party of the Christians- last time I checked, Christ was on record for serving others and helping thy neighbor). this is the evil philosophy they're trying to spread to our children, to our neighbors, to our loved ones.

the prevalence of this attitude, imho, is the reason the GOP can keep pursuing tax cuts and deregulation, it's the reason that auto companies can sell millions of <10 mile/gallon SUVs which are dangerous to everyone else on the road, it's the reason we have so many poor and homeless people in a country as wealthy as ours.

the common link among the seemingly disparate GOP base (Christian fundamentalists and Wall Street libertarians) is that they all disavow the idea of the common good and embrace the idea of selfishness, either implicitly ("kick their ass and take their gas;" "don't tread on me") or explicitly (the Ayn Rand bunch).

[Gringo]

74. BILL CLINTON SIGNED NAFTA!!!

Sorry, but even though Bushit I did a lot of the legwork, a dem conngress and Clinton signed the damn thing in Sept. 1993.

It is important in keeping in perspective the fact that Clinton was one of our better 'republican' presidents.