Were you born a Democrat or did you become one?

[joemurphy]

I'm curious about the people here. Did you come from a family that voted Democratic? Or was there some event in your life that caused you to come into the fold? It's a slow night. I'd be interested in what motivates people to join our party.

[valerief]

1. Born poor. Dems are the party that drop crumbs to the poor.

Never got rich, so never joined the crumb-hoarding party.

[Crunchy Frog]

2. Born one. n/t

[GrantDem]

3. Born Democratic --->>>

Dyed in the Wool

:kick:

[rox63]

4. Nope, I came from a household of Rethugs

Becoming a liberal was my form of teenage rebellion.

[LiberalPartisan]

5. Born blue blooded and will remain forever so. n/t

[roguevalley]

6. born one. die one.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

90. ditto n/t

[Clarkie1]

7. The day I was born, the doctor said, "It's a Democrat!"

:-)

Seriously though, both my parents were in unions, although I think my dad might have been one of those "Reagan Democrats" back in those days.

I believe sometime in college I may have registered as an independent, but the rest of the time I have been a Democrat.

[MadisonProgressive]

8. Born human. Will vote democratic.

[Lusted4]

19. I was going to say

Born human, being Democrat comes with the territory.

[MadisonProgressive]

40. Yeah that's the ticket! That's what I meant to say.....

[ContraBass Black]

9. I was a Pro-Life Bush supporter in 1990.

I was five. I came to my senses shortly thereafter.

[SPKrazy]

45. I've Always Voted Dem

but I don't know that I was born one.

My parents voted for Nixon (I think, because they really didn't like to discuss who they voted for)

then I think they changed a lot after that

I first voted for Carter in 1980

Obviously he lost.

I was in a frat, that I ended up getting kicked out of.

I didn't fit in with the frat boys, imagine that.

Why was I there? I don't know, I wanted to join one for some reason (to party I think)
I didn't realize there was a political side to frat boys, but there was.

Kicked me out for partying too much, and getting bad grades.

Had to stop drinking and other things before I ever got good grades. Then it was easy.

[Eugene]

10. Born and raised in a Democratic family.

I've been a Democrat since I was old enough to tell the difference
between the parties.

[UTUSN]

11. Born. Then became, more. n/t

[NJ Democrats]

12. I come from a Dem family

I did support Bush for about a month or two after Bradley lost in 2000 but I was only in 2nd grade and I quickly changed to Gore.

[Proud_Democratt]

13. There was a study done....

about whiney, insecure kids.
http://www.campustavern.com/2006/03/22/whiny-insecure-kidsrepublicans-new-study-shows/

[Nomad559]

14. I am an Independent

I was born a liberal and an Atheist.

:)

[Proud_Democratt]

15. I was a closet-Dem...

because I was raised as a dumb-ass, I mean, Repub.....same thing!

[maveric]

16. Born. Working class Boston Dems.

My family on both sides, Italian and Irish, were strong union workers. My parents were campaign workers for JFK's presidential bid in 1960. They mey him several times and always told me that I shook his hand. I have no recollection of that but I'll take it.
My Irish grandfather always told me that if you are a workingman, the republicans will never do anything positive for you.
He was right.

[converted_democrat]

17. I learned the hard way..

I wrote about this on another occasion.. If you follow this thread I'm posting back to the parent thread, there are a bunch of former pukes that have converted.. (Thought you might find that interesting..)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=480287#480955

I grew up in an ultra conservative household with a good bit of money.. I was "taught" from a young age that minorities were a threat.. They "drained" the system without giving back, and they wanted to rob and rape me.. Now mind you I don't think that anyone in my family at that point had ever even met a minority, but some how they "knew" this information..

When I turned 18 I decided that I wanted to go to school to do hair, my Dad beat (Just one of many beatings for expressing my own opinion about my own life.) the shit out of me and told me that doing hair was "beneath" my family.. I was a "bad kid" because I wanted to pick my own career choice? It didn't make any sense to me.. I ran away with my graduation money and didn't go back.. (I have contact with my Mom and Dad now, but it is limited.. They have come around alot, but I don't value their input on important issues.) I didn't have much money, and I had no credit so it made it hard to rent a place.. I finally found a spot in a neighborhood where I was the only white girl within 5 blocks.. I lived there for 2 years and it was the happiest time of my life.. I was never raped, I was never robbed.. I got along fantastically with my neighbors and they became my first "real" friends that I could without a doubt count on.. I helped them and they helped me.. That was when it started for me.. I saw first hand that I was being lied to. I saw first hand how hard it was for someone to get by without a substantial amount of wealth to back them up.. I learned on my own that what I had been brought up to believe was a fairytale..

I didn't wake up though until the 2004 election.. I don't know why, but I woke up in a hurry.. I had known that the pukes were lying, but I had been brainwashed to think that all Dems were godless commies, so I wasn't all that hip to the idea of becoming one myself.. I started getting the facts, and I ended up here.. The rest is history..
---------
The only thing I would add to my past post is that looking back, even though I was raised in a really conservative area to r-wing parents, I was always different.. I thought I was a freak of nature because there was no one else like me in my area, but turns out I'm not a freak, I'm a Democrat.. I am the only person in my immediate family that has a heart, and I'm okay with that..

[LouisianaLiberal]

91. That's a great story.

My Repub father was rarely home, and when he was my mother would not let him spout racism in front of the children (I found this out later).

When I was nine, I went door to door campaigning for the Repub candidate. I'm sure I was just trying to connect with my father. I still remember that at every door there was support for Nixon (this was '68) with one exception. After I gave my little speech, and elderly woman paused and said that no, she wouldn't be voting for Nixon. In my innocence I somehow tried to convince her. She stopped me and said "Someday you'll understand." How prescient she was.

I think I was about eleven or twelve when I threw off the yoke.

[karlrschneider]

18. I was born apolitical (and atheist) just like every other baby.

My parents were staunch Republicans...my dad came frighteningly close to idolizing Hitler - he even kept the same little moustache and so I adopted the far-right agenda from ...well, maybe age 10?...to around 18 when I got to college. I'm not proud of those 8,9 or so years but parental influence is obviously hugh (sic).

It wasn't that I led a sheltered adolescent life, more that I just wasn't exposed to those parts of the world that didn't intersect with "our" image of them. There were, for example, NO black kids in any school I ever attended through high school. It just never occurred to us that such a thing would happen, and I graduated only 5 years after Brown vs. Board of Education.

Well, to make a very long story short, I became a proud liberal around 1961. It took my mom (still very much alive and active at 90) many more years to make the switch.

She calls Bush names I don't often do. :D

[peace13]

20. Became one

Not long after that I was told by my father how disappointed my grandfather would be in me. Well if grandpa could see what I have seen he may have had a change of heart as well. Peace.

[madeline_con]

21. I'm the product of a mixed marriage.

My Dad was a Dem, Mom's a Repug. Dad was never what I'd consider far far left, he just made more sense to me.

[Punkingal]

22. Born Democratic....

But the interesting thing is, the doctor who delivered me later became a Repuglican congressman. Back before they were all crazy, of course. He was a good man.

[BlooInBloo]

23. Can anyone REALLY say "became" here?

Without fear of being labelled a troll? Having their sincerity questioned?

Just doesn't seem like an inviting thread for any who are converted - seems like they might be relegated to 2nd-class liberal citizenship by the born liberals being holier than thou about it.

Mebbe I'm wrong...

[billbuckhead]

25. I was a Republican until David Stockman said "the pigs were feeding"

I once thought pro business economic policies could cure almost everything.

[peace13]

27. Don't let the number of posts fool you

I have been reading DU and a donor for quite some time. Not in the mood for a fight. You should probably read the initial question again. Peace, Kim

[BlooInBloo]

31. Who's lookin for a fight?

I just wondered about whether or not converteds would be comfortable publicizing the fact...

:shrug: oh well.

[AllieB]

63. I think the converted would be welcomed

there are many here who came over from the Dark Side.

[converted_democrat]

42. I've never had any trouble, and I just converted a little while back...

No one has given me a hard time about, in fact, they're glad to know people are seeing the light..

[the observationist]

82. You're lucky.

I'm a new Dem (2004) and I still hold on to some core beliefs that the old Reps used to believe (namely capitalism, small federal government, privatization). (Keep in mind that Rs no longer believe these things.) I have been labeled a DINO by some here for not toting the far, far left agenda. Count your blessings that you haven't incurred the wrath of "them".

[Crunchy Frog]

52. I don't see anything like that happening on this thread.

Maybe I'm missing something.:shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

56. Hey - I was just askin.....

... I thought I saw like 99.99999% of respondents being born, and I thought mebbe converteds didn't feel comfortable. So I asked. My bad.

[Crunchy Frog]

78. I counted about 13 respondents saying they in some way converted

out of 70 some odd responses to this thread, not all of which are direct responses to the question. Thus, while it's clear that the majority in this thread claim to have been "born", it's way out there to claim that it's "99.99999%" Moreover, I'm not seeing any kind of acrimony, nor any evident discomfort from the "converted" responding on this thread.

Although I'm a "born" Democrat myself, I in a way, have more respect for the people who came from Republican backgrounds and were able to overcome it. Someone like me can't know what it's like to go against your family and everything you've been raised to believe. It takes a big person to admit to having been wrong and to fundamentally alter your worldview. It can't be easy, and such people have my admiration.

I would hope that DU is never the sort of place that would be hostile to such people.

[fairfaxvadem]

24. genetically wired to be a Roosevelt Dem

My folks were Dems through and through, San Francisco Catholic liberals. You get the picture...Plus, they were both WWII vets, and my mom, from Wisconsin, was raised by a LaFollette Progressive. And coming from California, my parents were never more appalled then the days that Nixon and Reagan were sworn in as POTUS. They never got over it.

[salin]

26. born one

went through an "independent" phase where I would not vote for party - but learned all I could about each candidate before voting... found I voted straight dem - and occaissionally did not vote in a race (when I couldn't bring myself to vote for either candidate) - the experience told me "heck, salin - you are a dem ... you evaluate each candidate and still vote dem"... btw I am a hoosier I think the born democrats aren't in huge supply here, but each day I get the sense that a few more converted dems come to the dem ranks.

[ellenfl]

28. born a dem.

i didn't know what political persuasion my parents were . . . until clinton's second term (mom, dad and i all voted for perot the first go round). all i know is that i can't remember leaning any way but left and i have always been an atheist . . . not that those two things have anything to do with each other but those 2 things i always knew.

of course, i have always been single and for a long time lived from paycheck to paycheck, so a lot of the social safety net issues are important ones for me. i understand what it is to be one catastrophe away from the poor house with no second income to fall back on. i have never had a real sense of security that way. i am also thankful that i had choice, since i could not have afforded to be a mother.

perhaps if i had married straight out of school and been a really good capitalist, i might now be a freeper! not!

ellen fl

[Norwood]

29. My family didnt have much money

However, we never really talked politics or kept up. Most of my friends tend to lean conservative and I ended up joining them when I was in my midteens. After 9/11 and the begining of the war in Iraq I snapped to my senses and now I'm a liberal. My family since then has also become much more involved and staunchly liberal as well.

[ashling]

30. Parents were Dems... I became one as soon as I could think

My parents, being Democrats, brought me up to think for myself. I did.

[Sadie5]

32. Born a Dem

Come from a long line of Dems

[opiate69]

33. I was raised right...

meaning, respect others, help those who need it, etc.. so it came as no surprise that my parents are dems.. also, when I was 13, my step-mother's father (A Dem) was running for reelection to the West Haven, Ct. city council, and I volunteered.. met a bunch of pretty big Connecticut Dems, and watched the repuke candidate run a vicious smear campaign.. that pretty much sealed things for me.

[mntleo2]

34. My Mama Taught Me...

..."Never EVER trust a Republican!" But then her people were Wobblies and they were Liberals with a capital "L", lol.

Cat In Seattle

[Blue_In_AK]

35. Born one...

My old dad was a New Deal Democrat, through and through.

[saltpoint]

36. Might be a slow night, joemurphy, but it's a great question you ask.

Father's side of the tree was all FDR, pro-union Democrats. Much later a few of those defected to Reagan and thought Jane Fonda brought down the U.S. war effort in SE Asia, but we had those few rounded up and institutionalized.

On my mom's side a split. A few go back to Bob LaFolette's days and tenets, one branch goes smackdab into the John Birch Society, and two or three more begin with Adlai Stevenson and run a deep blue river through JFK, Johnson, Humphrey, RFK, Eugene McCarthy, McGovern, Carter, Clinton, Gore, and Kerry, and all the party luminaries in the House and Senate and gubernatorial races, too.

Nature and nurture meet on a blue river.

[mdmc]

37. birth

My parents are liberal republicans. They used to be dems when they lived in Albany. They turned to the GOP in 1986.

[NewJeffCT]

38. Since I've been aware of political issues, I've been a Democrat

I was born in 1966 -

1) when I was really young, I hated Nixon because Watergate would be on TV when I came home from school and it interrupted my afternoon cartoons! Back then, with only 3 networks, you had no other choice.

2) When I was a bit older, I was always puzzled why somebody would oppose equal rights for women (ERA) - seemed illogical and against what I had been taught, all the "liberty & justice for all" and "all men created equal" though even at 10 or 11, I knew women should be included there, too.

[medeak]

39. dems dating back 120 yrs n/t

[Vidar]

41. Raised conservative republican--turned socialist during Reagan years.

[Radio_Guy]

43. My parents were apolitical

So from my education and personal experiences, I fit better with the Democrats. It is not a complete fit, but it is much better than any other political party in this country.

[longship]

44. Developed into one.

My parents were born in the 1910's and grew up poor, very poor--children of immigrants. My mother's parents came from Finland, my father's from Norway.

My father was a life-long Republican. He idolized Ike.
My mother was a life-long Democrat. She idolized FDR.

On election days my father came home from work, put on the wry little smile that he reserved for times when he was up to no good, and said, "I've got to go cancel your mother's vote." It was all in good humor. My parents never fought about much of anything, let alone politics. But damned if my father didn't nullify every single one of my mother's votes.

With the mixed political environment, my political views didn't gel until I graduated from high school. After muddling around with various political persuasions on both sides, by graduation I had drifted to the left for good. The balance of the sixties and seventies just cemented that trend. I've not looked back since.

[IndyOp]

54. Your Dad had good taste -- Eisenhower is my fav Republican...

Thom Hartmann plays excellent clips from Eisenhower and Teddy Roosevelt. This is the one that most people recognize as Eisenhower:

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children...
This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron."

From the Chance for Peace address delivered before the American Society of Newspaper Editors, April 16, 1953. (Regarded as one of the finest speeches of Eisenhower's presidency.)

On edit: I can't resist adding a few more quintessential Eisenhowers --

THE MIDDLE WAY
There is in our affairs at home, a middle way between untrammeled freedom of the individual and the demands for the welfare of the whole nation. This way must avoid government by bureaucracy as carefully as it avoids neglect of the helpless.

State of the Union Address, Feb. 2, 1953


MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex.

Farewell Address, Jan. 17, 1961

[Raksha]

100. I don't think Eisenhower could support today's Republican party.

The whole political spectrum has tilted so far to the right that he's now a liberal by default.

[gristy]

46. Born

[carolinalady]

47. Born one then married a non-registered voter from a totally

Repuke family. I had two kids one is 13 and he is a born one also and the other is 15 who thought Bush was the greatest a few years ago and used to argue with me. As he is getting older and learning about politics, he now hates Bush and identifies his values with the Democratic Party. So I "born one" and " made one" Two for two! :)

[INdemo]

48. Born and

what is so amazing all my children(and Spouses) and grandchildren have blue blood......

[joemurphy]

49. I was born one.

My parents were both children of immigrants. My father's side was Irish. His father died when he was 4 and his mom brought up him and his 4 sisters running a luncheonette for the local telephone company. My mom's side of the family were Croatian. My grandfather worked all his life for the gas company. When he and my grandmother got their citizenship papers it was the proudest day of their lives.

My parents got through the Depression and both served in WWII. I think Al Smith's nomination was a big event for my grandparents as Smith was a Catholic -- something that wasn't a popular thing to be in the 1920s in Indianapolis.

My parents always voted Democratic. My Dad hated MacArthur (after serving under him in the Phillipines) and loved Truman. I can remember my Mom telling me why Stevenson was better than Eisenhower. I gravitated from that.

For me, I came of age politically in the late 1960s and early 1970's. I can remember relating to the Civil Rights movement and the turmoil Vietnam engendered and both of these events turned me into a liberal.

If anything, I've become more Democratic and more liberal/progressive as I've grown older. I'm 56 now. I hated Nixon. I hated Reagan even more. I really hate Bush. For me, the Democrats have been responsible for anything good that's happened to America since the 1960s. The Civil Rights movement, the Voting Rights Act, women's rights, and now the struggle for fair treatment of gays and immigrants. What Roosevelt and the New Deal meant to this country was perhaps even more important.

I see the Democrats as being the party of social justice. I guess that's what's alway kept me in the fold.

[JohnnyLib]

50. born, thought hard about it,

stayed and will stay D. But being "born" Catholic didn't work out the same at all!

[IndyOp]

51. Born a Democrat, adopted by Republican parents...

It was a looooong 18 years. :eyes:

Although, Republican then wasn't what it is now -- my parents had common sense and principles, they just also fell for the red scare lies and wanted lower taxes. :(

[SammyWinstonJack]

53. Born a Democrat and thanks Mom and Dad! I Love ya!

[Mabus]

55. Born to Democratic Precinct Committee parents

but made my own choice to register Democratic when I turned 18. It was one of the easiest choices I have ever made and I don't regret it. :patriot:

[Homer Wells]

57. Born apolitical, but was a Democrat from the Kennedy campaign on

I always followed the old adage that "for a working man to vote Rethug was like the chickens voting for Colonel Sanders":hippie: :toast:

[justgamma]

58. I'm not sure how to answer.

I don't remember my parents ever talking about politics much. If they did I didn't pay attention.
I don't know what party they belonged to.
This I do know. They voted in every election so they must have been paying attention.
I was taught the golden rule and to care about other people. They were deeply religious.

I didn't pay any attention to politics until I was in my forties. Once I started listening and reading, I knew that I didn't want any part of the republicans. My conclusion is that I think it was in my genes or upbringing.

On a side note, I was reading some family history yesterday. My great grandparents came from Germany in 1853. They were avid Democrats. I had never read that before so I was thrilled.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

59. My mother was a Republican

albeit a liberal one (yes, they had that kind back in the '60s). Hers was the party of Lincoln. I think what started me thinking Democratic was JFK (though my mother didn't vote for him, she was furious with fundy relatives who gave us anti-Catholic literature) and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Frankly, the repugnant elements of the Democratic Party left for the repukes soon after, which sealed things for me; I couldn't believe that the party of Lincoln would allow such creatures into their ranks. After that, I started looking at the Democratic Party in earnest. When I was old enough to vote in 1972, I proudly cast my ballot in the Democratic primary.

[sweetheart]

60. born dead

I was dead for most of my life,
so i can't really say that being
born is exactly like becoming anything.

But as i'm alive now, and not anything,
supporting the democrats, a "democrat"
as a fringe coalition member who strongly
supports the ending of richard nixon's wars.

So what motivates me is life,
when people are able to come off their
zombie TV drugs for some life.

[snacker]

61. Born one....

with seven brothers and sisters who are all Democrat and all married to Democrats.

[Eric J in MN]

62. Born one. (nt)

nt

[northofdenali]

64. Born.

Both parents yellow-dog Dems from 'way back.

[Cobalt Violet]

65. Born.

Loyal Au Mort

[YouthInAsia]

66. born dem n/t

[hyphenate]

67. Born and raised in Boston

and could never even consider being a repuke. Parents were naturalized from Canada. Went to Boston and Brookline public schools and was taught to think for ourselves.

I think the fact that I was also influenced by JFK's death also made a contribution. There would never have been a question about what my political affiliation would be. I registered to vote while still in high school as well, in Government Center. It was something I was very proud of. I was two years too young to vote for McGovern, but we did help in some small ways--as much as it was legal to!

[wellst0nev0ter]

68. I Was Born Black. I Was Born Poor.

And I grew up in North Dakota. I couldn't afford to be a Republican. :)

[judaspriestess]

69. Born Democratic and I CHOOSE to remain one

My family was democrat but never voted. I thought Reagan was the anti-christ when I was teenager so I hated the Repukes for that reason. I became obsessed with Barbara Bush's neck, lol I thought she looked like Medusa from Clash of the Titans......
The older I got the more I realized that the Republican party is not for the poor or the minorities which I was both and definately not for women. I started voting when I was 18 and I've never looked back

[Tinksrival]

70. Bill Clinton

My parents were repubs. They were proud to have voted for Nixion. I grew up migrating from the South side of Chicago futher and further into the south suburbs cause of white flight and my parents racism. I didn't realize this at the time. I believe they and my inlaws are republican because they view Democrats as being the party of handouts. Makes me sad but it's the truth.
I ended up an Army wife in the '80's and the military at the time in Alabama had an anti-Democratic culture. I believe the Republican strong hold on the millitary was a left over from Vietnam and then Reagan perpetuated it by dumping so much money into the military complex. But at the time I was in my early twenties and didn't realize what I know now.
The first time I voted was for H.W.*ush, which looking back now was pretty dumb since we ended up in the millitary cause there were no fricken jobs in 1982. Then after the Gulf war 1 we voted poppy again. My husband loved him for some reason. I was too busy having babies and I just wasn't engaged politically like I should have been. It never really dawned on me to vote for a democratic.
The military in alot of ways is very inclusive and in that regard it gave me a different perspective. We moved back to the Chicago area and it opened my eyes to the racism that fueled my parents and inlaws republican views.
But then came Bill. To be honest with ya I never really heard much about him till he beat *ush. I remember it shocking the hell out of me that this Clinton guy beat him. In '92 my youngest was turning three so I guess that meant I had more time to follow politics. The more I learned about Clinton and the democratic party the more I liked. I fondly refer to the Clinton years as the
"salad days". Them nineties were good times! My family was really able to prosper.
I recently visited the Clinton library and cried my way though it seeing all the good they accomplished here and all around the world, and knowing that asshole in the Whitehouse was hell bent on distroying it all.
I proudly voted democrate for the first time in 1996 for Bill Clinton. I campaigned for the first time in my life for Al Gore. 2000 election not only broke my heart but I had a huge feeling of dread. Did anybody else? I mean right then when the court kinged Jr I had the heeby jeebies.
Now I am a proud liberal and a political junky. Oh, and I've raised three beautiful liberal Democratic kids. :hi:

[tinfoilinfor2005]

71. Convert.

I found I had been voting dem over pub so often that it didn't make sense to stay in the pub party just because my parents were repubs. So I finally changed officially and the next day went straight to a Jefferson/Jackson weekend.

[RagingInMiami]

72. I was born in 1968 and my dad was a republican

And so my mom but she was only one because of my dad and now she is still a registered republican, but she hasn't voted republican since 1988. She just hasn't gotten around to changing her party affiliation.

So when I was growing up, I figured I was a republican also because that's was the "good side", according to my dad. I was 12 years old when Reagan got elected and I remember cheering him on because he wasn't a "wimp" like Carter.

But by the time I was 15, after reading a bunch of books on the Vietnam War and the Great Depression, I knew I was a liberal. I registered as a democrat when I turned 18 and have always voted for democrats since then.

And before my dad passed away a few years ago, we would always argue about politics and I know I made him see my point-of-view more than a few times.

He was socially liberal but fiscally conservative. He was pro-choice, believed marijuana should be legal, believed in assisted suicide, but was against welfare and taxes.

But me, I was born a liberal and I will die a liberal.

[Nicole]

73. Parents were both Dems

I followed in their footsteps & registered Dem when I turned 18. Just in time to vote for Jimmy Carter. :toast:

[RoyGBiv]

74. Born Democrat, became a liberal n/t

[deurbano]

75. Sorta (but not really...)

I was born into a (technically)Democratic family... but really they were Dixiecrats who switched to Republican (and Goldwater) in 1963 over civil rights issues. They were part of that first wave of racist defectors, so when I hear the Republicans call themselves the "party of Lincoln, " I know from personal experience what a crock that is. Of course, my parents have tried to "spin" the party switch differently (to rewrite history), but I was there. I went along for the (elephant) ride until 1968, when I secretly supported RFK. I was in 8th grade, and suddenly realized I was agreeing with Kennedy on the issues of the day, not Nixon. Eventually, I ended up somewhat to the left of the Democratic Party, but I have always registered and voted as a Democrat. That made me the Black Sheep of my very politically active family, so... I moved to San Francisco!

[southernleftylady]

76. born but raised by republicans.. who I changed ;) :) nt

[Ravy]

77. Interestingly enough, all dogs are born Republican....

But after a few days open their eyes and become Democrats.

[scipian]

79. born demo or not?

My dad is a far right fundamentalist. My mom is a far left/communist. My sister is very liberal. My oldest brother is socialist. My older brother is moderate conservative.

[joemurphy]

80. Wow! Family dinners must be interesting! n/t

[Momgonepostal]

86. How did a RW Fundy and a Communist EVER hook up? nt

[sheelz]

81. Born a Democrat

and so were my parents. :)

[Zorra]

83. I'm pretty sure the first word I spoke was weedapeepul. n/t

[kerry-is-my-prez]

84. All my relatives were rock-solid Republicans except me - I was an indy.

Almost everyone I grew up with was also Republican.

Until the Clarence Thomas thing happened and I was so p.o.'d that I swore never to vote for a Republican ever.

[Momgonepostal]

85. I come from a Republican Family

My Dad was active in local party issues, helped campaign for Goldwater, and I know both parents gave money to a local pro-life organization. Oh and my dad actually used to own a shirt that said, "make war, not love."

I don't remember there being one particular incedent that made me into a Democrat. But I do remember learning about the different parties in my high school government class and coming to the realization that my own personal beliefs more closely mirrored those of the Democratic party. I was in high school during the Reagan era, and was appalled at the amount of money we were spending on military endeavors, at the expense of what I believe are more important domestic issues like education and the general welfare of citizens. I also felt more sympathy with the pro-choice movement, than with pro-lifers. So when it was time to register to vote, I registered Democrat and have never looked back.

[Fox Mulder]

87. I've been a Dem all my life.

Pretty much born one. :)

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

88. I Was Just Born Me. That's It. As Far As Being A Dem Though, That

was by default. Didn't have a political family at all. I myself didn't give a rats fat ass about politics until the 2000 race. I just knew there was something about * that was pathetic, and wanted gore to win badly. When all the shit went down it got me very interested in following the events, and that started my slow journey to the addiction tht is politics. But on that journey all I had been was me. Always just me. Not democrat, republican, or otherwise, and didn't really know what it meant to be right wing, left wing, conservative, liberal etc.. Had no idea. But when I started researching it to see what all those things meant, or talked to people who were touting their victory over gore like cocky fuckers, it occurred to me that my values, my core, my caring, my ideals, my wants for people, my desires in life, my genuine concern for others, and all the other values I hold dear, were all in line with democrats. So I'm a democrat by default. Not because I was born one or chose to be one, but because I am what I am, and democrats happen to encompass that.

[Mr_Spock]

89. Born

It's in my blood.

[Marie26]

92. Born & raised

My entire family is Democratic & the city where I grew up is like 98% Democrats. I didn't even know any Republicans until I went to college!

[RB TexLa]

93. Cradle Democrat here

[TorchTheWitch]

94. Born to a Repub and a Don't Ask

My mom is a Repub mostly because her best friend was a rabid Repub and she's very attached to the Catholic Church. Dad was pretty high up in the military, and one never questioned him about that stuff. He never ever ever ever so much as mentioned anything at all that smelled remotely connected to national security. He was pretty socially liberal but also concerned about fiscal responsibility.

I can tell you my dad would be utterly horrified by the disaster that is the Bush admin. When I was a kid and the whole Watergate scandal went down, although he never breathed a word one could tell that he was livid over that. Ever after you couldn't so much as whisper the word "Nixon" in his presence or his eyes would cross and the veins in his neck would start throbbing. If he was alive today, he might even have broken his life long silence on political issues and would have bellowed and thrown things. Dad was very rabid about Constitutional rights. The stomping on the Constitution would have him apocalyptic... I would suspect that alone would have had him roll over in his grave so much he would have dug himself up.

Mom, on the other hand, has been very difficult to deal with when it comes to politics. She loved Bush. She listens to Rush, reads Ann Coulter and is the epitome of the good flag waving patriot. But Mom is like that... she was raised to not question anything (thinking deep thoughts on anything is very hard for her). At this point, she just thinks that Bush is a lame duck. She's not happy with the beating up on Medicare and Social Security, but no matter what, she'll vote Repub even if she has to hold her nose to do it, mostly because of moral social issues. But that all depends on what affects her personally. She is against sex before marriage, is pretty rabidly anti-abortion, but she has a gay son and a husband who she pulled the plug on... she will fight to the death anyone that tries to pass laws that says one can't allow a loved one on life support to die when she knows that's what they would want or discrimination against gays. With these two issues and her attachment to the Catholic Church, this has been a real struggle for her, but she came out on the right side. Once she realized what side she was on with these two issues, she became completely rabid about it.

[B Calm]

95. My Dad was a hard working union man who taught me at a young

age anybody who works for a paycheck and votes republican, does so for their bosses entertainment.. He also taught me that republicans are very noticeable in the workplace, 9 times out of 10 they are the SUCK-UPS!

[Warren DeMontague]

96. I remember thinking Nixon was an asshole as a child. nt

[jbm]

97. I was raised republican..

but I've always had a liberal soul. I finally made the party switch after watching the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas fiasco.

[EFerrari]

98. My mom started walking for the Democrats while she was still

only a resident working on being naturalized.

One of my earliest memories is the day JFK won because the grown ups were all celebrating. :)

[Raksha]

99. Born one...

Third-generation American, third generation Democrat!

[FreeState]

101. Told at birth I was a heterosexual republican mormon.

But in reality I'm a Agnostic Gay Liberal.

[Rainscents]

102. I was born DEM!

[Lady Effingbroke]

103. Became one in my late teens after I saw what the Reagan Regime did to

America.

My parents are "ham sandwich" Repubs - they would vote for a ham sandwich if it had a "R" next to it on the ballot. They are part of the 30% that still support * and DeLay (the live in his soon-to-be ex-district).

I was at their house last weekend and they had NASCAR on the lobotomy box. When * came on and gave his little speech (right before the military flyover), my mother grabbed the remote and turned the sound way up. I'm positive she did this just to piss me off, since she knows I can't stand *!

I despise this sort of willful ignorance from people who should know better. I told them that if you act like an ostrich and bury your head in the sand, then you are leaving your ass out to be kicked - and many people like them are in line for a good, hard ass-kicking (metaphorically speaking).

Amazingly enough, I find that the older we all get, the less I respect them.

[Lorien]

104. Born to two liberal atheist intellectuals

the sort of parents that would make a neo-con's head explode. :evilgrin:

Unfortunately, one has since become a fundie Baptist, but I think the sheer evil of BushCo is starting to sway her back into the light...

[Caretha]

105. Born

Politics and history was the name of the game in my home. Myself and 4 sisters were fed it for breakfast, lunch and dinner our whole lives. The history of the founding of this country and its principals are so ingrained in me, that some days I think I can channel my ancestors thoughts on what is happening to this country now.

Myself and siblings are the last direct descendants of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, one of which was also a co-author of the U.S. Constitution. Another ancestor was the Ambassador to Germany during Lincoln's presidency. I have the family flag that flew over the Embassy and was draped on his coffin when he died.

I hesitated typing this post but decided it was important to let those know who are fighting for the ideals that made this country great, that we are on the right track. Every single ancestor and living heir today of "my clan", believes that this fight is as equally important as the American Revolution and the Civil War, and that we must win at all costs.

I would like to add that every person who has posted that they came to realize the difference between the parties and what they stood for, and then chose to join the Democratic party, has my deepest respect and admiration.

[ronnykmarshall]

106. Became one.

My parents WERE republicans .... not anymore. My father stopped voting years before he died and my step mom is Canadian. My mom and step-dad were repubs until 1994.

When I was a kid I LOVED the Kennedys and want Bobby to win in 1968. But I still went along with my parents politcals view. That changed in 1976. I heard Reagan speak out against the ERA and I told my mom "how can you support this man?". I talked my brother into voting for Carter (I was only 16 at the time and he was a registared repub ..... that changed in 1987). When I first registared to vote in 1979, I proudly check the "Democrat" box. My mom was pissed when my voter card came in the mail.

She got over it ... BIG time! Now when we have family dinners, I love to hear my step-dad go off on those "god-damn republicans".

[Finder]

107. I was born to Democrats...

active in the party. I on the other hand, became a young republican. Ironically, I could not support the dems back then for the same reasons I cannot support the repubs today--racism, greed, ethics.

The rest of my family were all dems but vote republican today.

All politics are local.

[Misskittycat]

108. Born one. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

109. Born a Socialist and accepted the Dems as lesser of two evils.

Now an Anarchist who votes Dem as the lesser of two evils...most of the time.

[pitohui]

110. we all became

our entire extended family was chased away from the GOP by ronald reagan, who was u.s. grant reborn as far as looting and pillaging the public goes, he was also playing to the racist know-nothings and who wants to be associated w. a bunch of hate-mongers, we are not so rich we can live in a gated community, we need to get along with people of all races and religions and reagan and the bushes are in the end v. much dividers along racial grounds

[Elwood P Dowd]

111. Born to FDR Democrats

though they sometimes voted repuke for President - Ike once, Nixon once.
My mother is still alive and voted for Bushit in 2000. Within two years, she was using four letter words every time the little peckerhead was on television. Said it was the biggest voting mistake she has made since first voting in 1940. I have two sisters that rank Bushit behind only God and Jesus. Can't get through to 'em - it's like talking to a fence post.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

112. Born. An early memory of mine... my parents had an Adlai Stevenson pin! nt