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K.. well, I grew up in a small town conservative state. I won't say which one just because I like some amount of privacy. Back when I was 18 (and didn't follow politics that closely) I natrually picked the party that all of my friends and everyone else around me picked, because, well.. where I grew up being anything else was kinda like growing a third arm, I didn't think anything of it at the time...
And then I got older. The first Election I was was old enough to vote for was Dole. vs. Clinton. I used to like Dole... Mostly because everyone around me in my little town liked Dole.... Well, until I actually looked at his policies. I'm a non-christian and the more I looked at who was supporting his candidacy, and some of the other policies they supported, the more uncomfortable I felt.. I voted for Clinton, but voted Rep. on my local candidates.
Fast forward 4 years... I was excited about this election. In the four years since the last presidential election I had matured into thinking of myself as a moderate. McCain was running for president. My party at the time actually had someone who was somewhat bipartisan, at least to the extent that I felt comfortable voting for him... But he didn't make it past the primaries... Bush Jr. did...
Bush vs. Gore... With my candidate gone I was down to two people that at the time, I admittedly didn't want. Bush Jr. was slow and had the extreme policies that made me vote "against" Dole.. I actually didn't mind Clinton too much, the Economy prospered with him in office, and despite the way the people in my little town talked about him, I found him to be pretty centrist. I admittedly didn't know as much about Gore, but I figured I'd rather have someone more like Clinton than Bush Sr.... I voted Gore.
And then there was the Florida Recount... And then there was 9/11 - The endless pandering and flag waving.... And then there was Iraq... The Economy - I'm unemployed now...
And in the meantime.. the whole party kept moving further Right... Or maybe I was moving further left, I honestly can't say.
I'm finding that when I watch the house votes I'm routinely rooting for the Dems...
I'm finding I'm excited about the prospect of someone getting Bush out of office...
I find myself battling conservatives on the Yahoo boards.. the same people who were once my friends.... Well, they're still my friends, but I don't talk politics with them unless I want to spar ;-)
I find myself on DU and agreeing with 90% of what people say.. Not in that "Dittohead" way, but in that well researched, made my own opinion after carfully thinking about it way that you people have so nicely set a precedent for. *Thank you, by the way*
Screw it, I'm a Democrat... I moved out of my small town anyway! :dem:
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