Do you have a conservative/Republican partner?

[Anaxamander]

Watching James Carville and his harpy wife on Meet the Press just mystifies me. I wonder, how could they get along when they're coming from such diametrically opposed positions? Maybe it's hard for me to understand because everyone I've ever been involved with has somehow (magically, perhaps) been a liberal.

My question is this: Does anyone here have a partner/spouse that's a conservative Republican? If yes, what kinds of conflicts does this cause?

And if not, do you think you ever could?

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

1. Yep I could and it happens

Its always the conversative guys from college that ask me out and I can't figure it out to save my life . Never have I dated a " liberal " that is as " liberal " as I am . We never talked about politics so every relationship was fine .

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. I would label my husband as an extremely moderate Democrat.

In other words, he hates Bush as much as I do, but has a difficult time buying into the 9/11 and other theories. It does make for a few arguments in our house. But as time goes on, I think he is becoming less and less moderate. ;) His brother is a dyed in the wool Republican who is extremely irritated that I have "brainwashed" his poor brother. :eyes:

[vi5]

3. No....I could never do it....

Some of my family are moderate democrats and conversations with them sometimes irk me beyond belief to the point where I can't sleep thinking about how infuriated I am. So I couldn't imagine the person I am with all the time holding positions that are contrary to those that I am passionate about. My wife is not as rabid politically as I am, nor is she a news junkie, but on 99% of the issues we feel exactly the same way. And that makes things soooo much easier on my sanity.

[Rainbowreflect]

4. My husband is not as far left as I am,

but then again Kucinich is not as far left as I am. But I could never be with someone who was conservative. I would probably have to kill them or they would kill me.

[Lisa0825]

5. My ex husband called himself a Republican....

But he voted for Clinton's second term, and thought he was a great President. He also voted for Ann Richards. He was very liberal as far as gay rights, affirmative action, and other social issues go. He believed (wrongly so) that Republicans were better with money. I think he was really a Democrat but hadn't realized it yet.

I was pretty non-political then. I identified with Democrats, but never got past the network news, and didn't give time or money to any candidates. Now that I honestly feel our way of life and rights are threatened by the current administration, and those in power of their party, I could absolutely not get involved with a Republican.

I am recently single again, and when I dipped into the online singles just to see what was out there, the first thing I did was filter by political affiliation!!!

[GOPisEvil]

6. LOL - I do the same thing.

Conservative? Out!
Not political? Ehhh...on probation.
Liberal? Now yer talkin'...

[Lisa0825]

8. yeah, for now, I'm leaving out the nons too!LOL

If I can't find a decent politically active prospect, I'll consider trying to convert someone who is uninvolved!:-)

[GOPisEvil]

9. I can't imagine someone not being at least marginally political...

...it boggles my mind. At least have some opinions. Oh, and what is that "middle of the road" option? How WISHY-WASHY! :P

[arwalden]

7. Ugh! Once Upon A Time I Used To *BE* The Conservative Partner...

it's really embarrassing! I was rabid. I was hateful. I was angry and looking for someone to BLAME for everything that was wrong in my life at the time.

I'm convinced that my virulent Republicanism was a significant contributing factor to the ultimate demise and dissolution of that relationship.

As you can see, I recovered and I'm better now. But I still feel bad for how mean I once was.

-- Allen

[readmylips]

10. Yes, my hubby is a republican by birth....but doesn't vote.

We've gotten in some nasty arguments. I got my own corner of the house where I watch tv, yell and curse little man bush. I love James Carvoll, he hates him. I hate O'Reilly, he loves him. My hubby is a typical repig. He attacks the messanger instead of the message, and I pointed out to him. To get into an argument with his christian family, who adore little man bush, would be suicide for me. Thank God, we don't live in the same state.

Yet, they think that I'm the best thing that ever happened to this family. They love me and they respect me, but they don't talk politics with me or we would kill each other.

[Anaxamander]

12. Sounds pretty volatile!

James Carville and Bill O'Reilly in the same household? Yeesh!

[readmylips]

17. No kidding!

What I like is when catch my hubby yelling at the tv when Pearl, Rumsfeld and all those extra conservatives are talking. He thinks that they are way off. He watches for the conservaties' last name and thinks that they are too Jewish and misleading bush. (I don't mean to offend anyone). My hub is 17th century English/UK American.

[YNGW]

11. Life is more than politics

A LOT more.

[Lisa0825]

13. at this time, I can't think of anything more important than defeating Bush

Maybe it's a good thing I'm single.

[Zuni]

14. I know a lot of people that are Repub/Conservative politically

And I have attempted to argue my case, but sometimes it is just futile. Most of them are really good people, so I tend to forgive poor political taste.

None of them are extreme right wing/Michael Savage types---and generally are libertarian on social issues and conservative on economics.

[HawkerHurricane]

15. Not really

My lovely wife does disagree with most of the people on this board about Venezualan President Chavez; but other than that she's like me, a moderate Dem.

[Pale Blue Dot]

16. My wife is pro-life

Mostly due to her Catholic upbringing. In most other ways, she is progressive but really could care less about politics. It's part of the reason I spend a lot of time on DU.

[duhneece]

18. My partner is ex-military, not really conservative

but his initial response was to support the President in the Iraq war. We spent months tiptoeing around the news, both of us trying to be respectful, but we were both simmering. I would tell him some bit of news that horrified me and his unconcern horrified me even more. Eventually, I asked him why my news didn't upset him and he said he didn't believe them. I asked him what sort of documentation would make him believe...and I found sources he would believe.
He had believed B*** had GOOD intelligence about WMD and he initially believed there was a 9/11-Iraq link. When I disproved both of those lies, he signed an 'Impeach Bush' petition and HE ordered the "Truth Uncovered" DVD.
There were times I thought we were not going to make it, as I feel so strongly that the B*** administration are mass murderers and ANTI-American....
He thinks I get too involved still, but he helps me edit letters to the editor and helps with my Protest signs (I belong to a small local group that protested last spring, Oct 25 and we will start again monthly in January)...I think he helps me keep some balance in my life. He is a good man.

[Supormom]

19. My husband is a fiscal conservative and moderate republican...

My advice: Do NOT get tied down to someone with whom you do not share political or moral convictions.
Until recently this was not a problem for us. We agree on most social issues such as abortion, civil rights, women's issues, etc. (At least he gives lip service to these causes.)
He doesn't like a lot of *Bush's economic policies, but he is not at all upset over what I see as the biggest crisis our country has faced since the civil war. He does not have any interest in current events other than the 15 minute headline news updates.
Over the past year I have become more politically active again, and he sees this as an infringement upon our family time. When I bring my daughters to rallies and events he accuses me of "brainwashing" them. This after I had to put up with endless Clinton jokes and liberal bashing throughout the 90's.
I think Bush* will mean the end of our marriage! Thank God for DU! I love reading all of your posts.

[Anaxamander]

20. Sounds rough. I couldn't imagine

what it would be like to watch the 2004 election with you pulling for Unnamed Democrat and him pulling for Bush. How did he react to the 2000 debacle? Did you watch it together?

[supernova]

21. No never had one

I was married to a liberal, which was nice. And all the men I've dated since have been liberal. So, it's nice to have someone supportive of me.

I'm very thoughts and ideas driven, so having someone in my life who didn't appreciate that about me --or significantly disagreed with most of the content--, really would not work for me. I'd respect him as a person, perhaps even as a friend, but I wouldn't think of them romantically.

[Aristus]

22. Most DU old-timers know this already, but my wife is a Republican.

She's a one-issue Republican, though. She's passionately against abortion. Well, I think we all are, actually, but instead of allowing it to be a choice for the mother and her doctor, she thinks it should be illegal. Tough to listen to, for a pro-choice guy like me.

She's a wonderful woman, who happened to grow up with wealthy born-again Christians. No way she could have avoided the idiocy they put into her head. But on almost every other issue, she's progressive, even if she doesn't want to admit it. She opposes the death penalty, supports gun control, is strongly against the war in Iraq, and thinks B*sh is a knuckle-dragging idiot.

It's tough sometimes, but worth it. After all, I didn't fall in love with her because of, or in spite of, her politics.

[scarlet_owl]

23. I could never live with a conservative. It would drive me nuts!

I don't think they would want to live with me, either! My husband isn't as radically left-wing as I am, but I don't expect him to be. He isn't as politically-minded as I am, so we really don't talk about issues that often; except when it is something that particularly fires us up.

[SCantiGOP]

24. God, no

I only vote and date Democratic.

[geniph]

25. Nope, I couldn't.

I have to have respect for my partner, and the way things are these days, I couldn't have respect for anyone who could actually support the Occupation government.

[elperromagico]

26. No, but I have a moderate, pro-choice, pro-gay rights partner

who votes Republican. It's really mysterious; I cannot understand how someone with as many gay friends as her and with such a strong position on abortion would vote for Bush. She really ought to be on our side. :)

[latebloomer]

27. Never!

To me, it's a matter of values and shared world view. It's so much of what makes me tick, and I need a partner who's on the same page.

Marriage is hard enough, you bring so much emotional baggage that has to be dealt with. I can't imagine heaping politics on top of that-- it would drive me insane.