Getting to know you...

[SemiCharmedQuark]

Howdy! Just so we know each other a little better, how about we formally introduce ourselves (No names though, the internet is full of stalkers)

Age: 26

Location: Chicago, IL

Job/Training: Biology

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Animal: Otter (sea or river)

First presidential election you voted in: Kerry v. Bush (cry)

Why you're a Democrat: Well, I guess I was raised a Democrat. My great grandma (an indigenous Mexican) was brought to the United States by my great grandfather (a Spaniard). He sorted their paperwork out (it was a lot easier back then) and they settled down. When the Depression hit, he would go on long trips looking for work. While he was gone, Hoover instituted the "Repatriation" program whereby Mexicans who were citizens, legal immigrants or illegal immigrants were forced over the border into Mexico. My grandma, a citizen, and her mother a legal immigrant were among those driven out of the country. Their property was taken and when my great grandfather came back, he only found an empty home. He was able to get them back into the U.S. with the help of his primary employer, but their belongings were long gone. They voted Roosevelt in the next election. Roosevelt ended repatriation (although it continued without official government support and he sort of turned a blind eye to it). That made my grandma so grateful that she became a lifelong Dem. She passed it on to her kids and my mom passed it on to me.

[CBR]

1. Great Idea!

Age: 29

Location: Wilmington, DE

Job/Training: Public Policy

Favorite Color: Grey

Favorite Animal: Boxers

First presidential election you voted in: Gore v. Bush (double cry)

Why you're a Democrat: I was raised by Southern Baptist conservative Republicans in a military family (Dad is retired USCG). Needless to say when I registered at 18, I registered GOP as my Grandfather lurked around as I was undecided at the time. After two years in college, I went down to the county seat and changed to Dem. I have been involved in local Dem politics in WV and DE. I am particularly interested in unionization, housing/homelessness, mountaintop removal, and media concentration. I am currently working on my PhD and writing a dissertation about cable news coverage of the 2008 election.

[Number23]

2. Hey, I'll play

Age: Yes

Location: Australia

Job/Training: Journalism/ICT and developing countries/Specialized Research

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Animal: Wombat (they're little but they pack a HELL of a punch!)

First presidential election you voted in: Clinton vs. GHW Bush

Why you're a Democrat: I ain't. :) I've been a Dem-leaning indie for about 6 years or so. Before that I considered myself a fairly apathetic Democrat because I was less than impressed with Dem concern for minority and inner city issues. And even though I know that "liberals" have always had a tendency to shit all over Democratic leaders (and then loudly complain that they aren't being listened to), after seeing the way this particular President has been treated, I will never identify as a Democrat again.

[Number23]

13. Wow, I can't believe everyone put their ages!

Okay, I'll add mine - 36. But I ain't happy about it. :)

And upon further reflection, I've actually been a Dem-leaning indie for a bit closer to 8 years.

[NanceGreggs]

3. Great idea!

Age: 61

Location: Toronto, Ontario (NYC native)

Job: court reporter

Favourite colour: taupe

Favourite animal: dogs 'n' cats - have never had one without the other


Why I'm a Democrat:

My maternal grandfather owned a bar in Brooklyn, which was registered as a "Democratic Club". He had always been active in local Democratic politics - and, as a result, all of his children and grandchildren in turn registered as Dems when old enough to vote.

I had no particular interest in politics until Clinton's presidency. Always enamoured of those who can use the language eloquently to express themselves, he got my attention right away.

It wasn't until the impeachment proceedings that I started to realize (duh!) that politics wasn't merely a matter of "may the best man win", but a matter of dirty dealings, lies, innuendo, etc. Yes, I was extremely naive.

After that fiasco, I was hooked - and continue to be so.

When Barack Obama entered the race as a candidate, I saw him as the right man at the right time. I have never wavered from that position.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. Isn't that discovery about politics a kick in the ass?

For me it was a gradual revelation. I supported Democrats because they were...Democrats I guess. And then the election of 2000 came. At the time, I was in a H.S. with a lot of very rich kids (it was in a rich area). We had a message board where you could write whatever you felt like sharing. I remember someone wrote "DEAR GOD PLEASE LET BUSH WIN WE'VE SUFFERED ENOUGH!!!!". I remember thinking...how? These were kids that drove Mercedes and BMWs to school. The economy was good, we were at peace...how on Earth had this group suffered? They had all the perks in life. Hell, I thought I was totally blessed and I didn't have near 1/4 of what they had.

So I started paying attention. I was annoyed that Gore was running away from Clinton. My mom, ever the pessimist, was sure Bush would win because of his connections and because Al Gore should have grabbed Clinton with both hands. On Election night, I remember watching the returns come in and being thrilled and then....

I fell asleep with the TV on, still waiting and hoping. My mom told me to give it up.

So, along came 2004. I really hated Bush but I still had some idealism. I thought that Kerry would smash Bush. Then came the smears. They convinced a country that a war hero was a traitor and a deserter was a war hero. They convinced people that intelligence was a sign of weakness. I was stunned. I think it probably darkened my view of the whole process.

In addition, over the years, I have learned more about history. I find it funny that so many of our heroes now were pretty questionable in their day and age.

[NanceGreggs]

6. Oh, I hear ya!

I always considered myself a Democrat because that's what the "family" was - which is why I understand completely how many Republicans wind up being so, as well.

And yes, the Bush v Kerry race really drove home what I'd said earlier about "the best man" not winning elections - not due to lack of experience or vision, but due to misinformation and misrepresentation.

And it is THAT state of affairs which prompted my real politically-oriented passion - an ever-vigilant calling out of the so-called "journalists" we see trotted out in the MSM, night after night, whose purpose is not a matter of presenting the truth or the facts, but a matter of supporting a political agenda that is detrimental to all of us as a nation.

Just in a BTW aside: being as I live in Canada, the first time I saw references on DU to the "Howard Dean Scream", I didn't know what all the fuss was about. You see, I'd seen Dean's "scream" moment on Canadian news stations - and the now-legendary "scream" was not audible, due to the reaction of the audience, which drowned-out anything Dean was saying.

It was quite a revelation to see that same footage on US "news" stations - where audience members' shouts and applause (even those within a few feet of Dean's on-stage microphone) were suddenly inaudible, while Dean's "scream" was somehow (?) so loud, it obliterated the thunderous response from the audience.

We've often heard that drowning all the lawyers would be a good start - I say getting rid of all the bobble-headed MSM types would be not only a good start, but a triumphant finish.

[RoyGBiv]

5. Just call me Roy ...

Although some have called me Rufus. I don't know why.

Age: 40

Location: Oklahoma City, OK

Job/Training: College Staff/History-Writing-Accounting

Favorite Color: Deep Blue

Favorite Animal: Common House Cat

First presidential election you voted in: Dukakis v. Bush (slit my wrists)

Why you're a Democrat: My family's Democratic pedigree goes back to the days of Andrew Jackson, not that I'm all that proud of it, but it's important because this plays a part in my political education. During the creation of the Nixon coalition, most of my family followed the rest of the Southern Democrats and folded themselves into the Republican party. Grandma did not, and Grandma shaped me politically in many ways.

I am a Democrat because I believe in the principles espoused by the Democratic party's platform: http://www.democrats.org/a/party/platform.html

I am genuinely a member of the party and not simply a voter who tends to vote for Democratic candidates. I involve myself in local Democratic party activities and in fact concentrate more on local politics than national ones. For the few years I lived in Houston, this was actually fun since Houston is trending blue. In Oklahoma, it's more a survival sport, but I manage.

[FrenchieCat]

7. Oh boy!

Age: 51

Location: The East-Bay Area in California

Job: Self employed Accountant, mother of two and wife of one

Favourite colour: Teal

Favourite animal: Hamsters (cause of how they look when they are going round and round in the wheel)


Why I'm a Democrat:

I came from a country that although is more socialist (France), unfortunately for those way at the bottom, they don't really have any real way to elevate themselves, as education is restrictive not based on money, but based on bureaucracy, testing and connections.

Watching the 2000 election getting stolen spurred me to get involved politically. Anything Bush did after that didn't matter (although all of it was shit), cause I don't believe that the constitution states that the Supreme court decides elections when there are ballots to count, and yet it did.

Barack Obama has done a lot thus far and will continue to do a lot to advance this nation, although I fear that too many folks don't appreciate anything he does, and so if he ends up a one termer, as first Black President, considering what he has had to go through with both sides, I wouldn't blame him at all. Of course, that would turn off many African-Americans of voting for at least a generation, but hey.....sometimes folks get to reap what they've actively sowed, and many activists have definitely worked hard to make Obama appear as terrible as possible.....so I think a Republican Tea-Party President is what we next deserve, and in fact, I think that is what some have been actively working towards; whether they realize it now, or will once it's too late. Sometimes holding feet to the fire pitifully means the whole damn house gets burned down....and everybody that's in it. I've often said if folks aren't a part of the solution, then they are part of the problem. As for the folly of the American people, on both the Right and the Left, The 2000 election ignited my passion to see justice done in terms of this country getting freed of that righteous asshole Bush and everything that came with him.... and if Pres. Obama is railroaded out of office just because he wasn't able to meet everyone's demand of the last 30 years, that will extinguish any sympathy I've had for the American people, period. From that point on, I will be on the sidelines never to return.

[SeattleGirl]

8. I'll play!

Age: 54

Location: Seattle (rather obvious from my user name :) )

Job/Training: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Favorite Color: Black

Favorite Animal: Cat

First Presidential election I voted in: Carter-Reagan. To this day I feel ripped off, though. I lived in Oregon at the time, and was going to vote after I got home from work. Just as I pulled into my driveway, they announced on the radio that Carter had conceded to Reagan. I voted for Carter anyway, but was pissed off that they didn't have the courtesy to wait until the polls closed in the rest of the country. I know it wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome, but damn, that pissed me off. I think that was the event that got the snooze media to STFU until all polls were closed.

Why I'm a Democrat: I tell people that I was born a Democrat. Or at least, my mind works in the way that is much closer to the Democratic side of things than to the Republican side of things. I strongly believe that we have an obligation to reach out and help each other, to not say "I've got mine, so screw you." That attitude is something I find incredibly insulting. My mother was a Democrat; my father was an apolitical good ol' boy from the south who, unfortunately, never got past the racist overtones of his upbringing. I will say though, that he, along with my mother, both demonstrated to me the act of reaching out to others, and of sharing what we had with those who needed it. That way of being is a part of my heart and soul; there is no way I could ever be a Republican. I don't always agree with the Democratic Party, but I very strongly believe in Democratic principals.

[nevergiveup]

9. OK

Age: 65

Location: Chicago Suburbs

Job: Formally a teacher but for last 35 yrs have been in retail

Favorite color: politically it is blue but otherwise probably forest green

Favorite animal: horse

First presidential election you voted in: 1964 Goldwater/Johnson

Reason I am a Democrat: I grew up in rural America (1950's) and my parents, who were ahead of their time, taught me that everyone mattered, no exceptions. My parents were moderate Republicans and I initially followed in their footsteps but Vietnam and the civil rights battles of the 60's left it impossible for me to reconcile the values my folks had taught me with the values of the Republican Party so in 1968 I switched parties and have never looked back. Watching Barack Obama win the presidency was one of the thrills of my lifetime.

[madamesilverspurs]

10. Here goes...

Age: 62

Location: Northern Colorado

Job: Semi-retired jill-of-many-trades

Favorite color: Lavender blue (dilly dilly)

Favorite animal: Elephant (yeah, I know!)

First presidential election I voted in: Carter v. Ford (I'd checked out of politics after RFK was killed, still protested against Vietnam, though)

Why I'm a Democrat: One of my earliest memories is of accompanying Mom as she went door-to-door for Eisenhower. Both parents were ardent and active Republicans. To keep peace in the family I registered Republican when I came of age, but rarely voted that ticket. After Reagan was elected I was listening to the news at work one day, and they were interviewing William Bennett who was saying something about how the government shouldn't be funding education. . . I made it a point to avoid voting for any republican candidates after that. I continued to vote for Democrats, but it took Bush v. Gore to get me off my ass. On the day when I went to the county clerk's office to change my registration I had to stand in line to do so; THAT was interesting. I'd long believed that voting gave me the right to complain, but came to realize that real involvement gave me the ability to gritch more effectively. It started with stuffing envelopes for a local candidate and has grown from there. As a sidenote, two of my three siblings became Democrats at about the same time. And in 2008 my 88 year old mother voted for a Democrat for President, the first time in her life she'd ever voted for a Democrat. She still thinks he's the best.


-

[sandnsea]

11. Okay, I'll give it a go

Age: 52

Location: Oregon coast, born in St Louis, grew up in Fresno and Oregon, also lived in Montana for nearly 20 years.

Job/Training: Office stuff, currently web site management

Favorite Color: Any shade of green

Favorite Animal: None really, right now my little pom

First presidential election you voted in: Carter v Ford, I heard Carter in a radio ad in early 76 when hubby was stationed in Biloxi. It was great and I still believe he has always told the truth as much as he was able, just like he promised in the ad.

Why you're a Democrat:

Hmmm... well personally, probably because I loved the way the Kennedys loved their kids, that meant so much to me when I was 5 years old. Yes I paid attention when I was 5, just like my 4 year old grandson knows that Barack Obama is the President and the President helps people have schools and food and doctors. But my dad's entire family is Catholic Union Democrats, from Missouri and also loved Truman. I was always taught that Democrats were for the workers and Republicans for big business and the wealthy. No Republican has proven that wrong yet.

[HughMoran]

12. Oh, what the heck!

Age: 50ish

Location: Boston area

Job/Training: Engineer

Favorite Color: blue or red

Favorite Animal: cat

First presidential election you voted in: Reagone versus Carter (don't ask, let's just say my fellow city people wanted to kill me and I regretted it almost immediately and never voted for another Republican ever again)

Why you're a Democrat:

I was born a Democrat. My immediate family is 100% liberal Democrats. The FBI took pictures of me on my dad's shoulder at a Vietnam war protest in Boston. They brought me to the Newport Folk Festival, which included people like Pete Seeger, Joan Baez and others. I remember my father being distraught that Nixon won a second term in '72. He couldn't believe that Americans could be so stupid. I believe that compassion trumps all other considerations in politics. I believe that most Republicans lack the compassion gene & thus violate my prime directive of what is the minimal requirement to be a human being (and these fools call themselves 'Christians'? :rofl:). Democrats are the only viable political party whose basic agenda is fairness, compassion & progress, thus I have and will support Democrats unless and until something changes in our political landscape.

[Cary]

14. Moi

Age: 50

Location: Chicago Suburbs

Job: Estate planning, guardianship, and probate attorney concentrating in special needs situations--my own firm.

Favorite color: black

Favorite animal: chimpanzee

First presidential election you voted in: 1980 and it really pissed me off.

Reason I am a Democrat: Republicans are full of shit. I have also been a tax lawyer, fighting the IRS, and I remember the tax hearings that the Republicans held. Mind you that I have represented hundreds of people before the IRS and while the IRS has its problems they are nothing even remotely resembling what the Republicans tried to present in these hearings. The IRS was just an easy target. Anyway I watched them reveal that they had about 200 alleged horror stories of people mistreated by the IRS. Mind you that the IRS processes what, like 200 million returns a year? So this is 200 possible horror stories out of 2 million not for just one year, but out of every year--forever.

The IRS is kind of sort of a law enforcement agency. Even assuming that the 200 stories all had merit you're always going to get a few rogue officers in any law enforcement agency of any size, so 200 out of 140 million plus really isn't an agency out of control but rather a Republican Congress out of control.

And by the way, almost every single client I have represented before the IRS claims to have been abused but when it came down to it there was maybe one client who might have actually been abused. I'm not sure, but even that client owed the money that they claimed he owed. So in my 25 years I have not witnessed an agency out of control, exactly.

Before I got my law degree, in 1980, I was an economics student taught by mainstream Keynesians. This is how I came to the conclusion that Reagan and the Republicans were full of shit, and I have always been a Democrat.

[grantcart]

15. . . .

Age 56

Location: Carlsbad, CA

Job/Tranining: International Civil Servant, CEO, Management Consultant, Benefits Consultant

Favorite Animal: My golden retriever: Champ

First presidential election you voted in: McGovern vs Nixon

Why you're a Democrat:

Nixon

If your my age everyone became a Democrat if you weren't in a coma. I grew up in a conservative Republican home and worked on a number of local Republican campaigns. In Washington State there was a period where the Evans Republicans were actually more liberal than the Jackson Democrats and it wasn't unusual to work on campaigns with people from the other party. In 1972 I made the change permanent.

I took a leave at graduate school and ended up working for a UN style agency in Thailand. Lived in SE Asia for 20 years which limited the kind of political involvement you could have beyond voting absentee. For example I missed all of Reagan/Bush and could never understand the attraction that Reagan had. Returned to the US in the late 90's and started to get more involved after the invasion of Iraq.

[Cary]

16. Are golden retrievers animals?

I thought they were just very happy people.

[Cha]

17. Hi guys..

Age: 65

Location: Upstate New York for now~

Work in the Natural Health biz from the ground up(organic gardening at times) for the last 30 years.

Fave colors are the rainbow..

Favorite animal is a bird..this one on Kaua'i, the 'I'iwi, a gorgeous red bird I use to see when I was having an exceptionally good day.B-)

First Presidential election: bush VS Gore..yeah, I know, I was late to the :party: I would have voted for Clinton but I was in the aftermath of a hurricane in '92 on Kaua'i & '96 I was camped out on the beach.

I just always had a visceral dislike of repubs..and my initiation into politics was the bushcheney coup for 8 tragic years. Yes, I do appreciate President Obama & Vice President Biden and their Team, immeasurably.

That's quite a story you have, SCQ(quite a name too). I just learned some history about Hoover & FDR.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. The state of California issued an "Oopsie!" for repatriation in 2005. I'm sure TX will follow soon!

Any day now...

...

...

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

18. I'll bite.

Age: 30

Location: Washington, DC

Job/Training: Policy wonk/lobbyist

Favorite Color: At dusk, if you look out over the horizon, the colors start from a yellowy-orange and go all the way to pitch black over your head. If you tilt your to 1:00, you'll see an amazing shade of dark blue. That's it.

Favorite Animal: Bulldog (just love those walking pot roasts!)

First presidential election you voted in: Bush v. Gore (/headdesk)

Why I'm Democrat: Because I have common sense. Because I believe that people who are too damn poor, too damn sick, too damn young, and too damn tired deserve to have their needs met and their voices heard. Because it's logically consistent. Because I actually like minorities (it's true!). Because its leaders refuse to pander to the lowest common denominator (witnessing the poutrage on DU makes me all the happier with our leaders, frankly). Because Democrats have a proud history of doing what is right for the moment, and not simply doing either what the moment demands or what is most convenient in the moment. Because I've seen what happens when Republicans take over. And because I'm from Massachusetts, and that's just what we do there (Scott Brown blips notwithstanding).

[Uzybone]

19. Here is mine

Age: 34

Location: Houston TX

Job/Training: Management/Computer Engineering

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Animal: Lions

First presidential election you voted in: Gore vs. Bush

Why you're a Democrat: Born and raised in a very religious but progressive family. As a teenager I ditched the religious part but kept the progressive and have only become more liberal as I age. Like many minorities, my parents (may their souls rest) were socially "conservative" in the traditional sense. But they gave us a strong sense of justice and fairness and quite frankly, that means in America you have to be a Dem.

I know there must be some republicans who believe in justice and fairness but for the life of me I don’t understand why they are republicans.

[yowzayowzayowza]

20. M'kay

Age: 47

Location: DelayLand, TX

Job/Training: Computer Geek

Favorite Color: Depends on the application

Favorite Animal: Depends on the application

First presidential election you voted in: '84 Mondale

Why you're a Democrat: One of the best things Dad ever did for me was joining the military and getting out of the deep south. Beyond that... Carter v Reagan. The sudden release of the hostages, "Morning in America," goose-stepping bible thumpers and tinkle-down economics, all wreaked from the get-go. Never seen "Republicanism," what ever that is, as any sort of alternative.

[NYC_SKP]

22. Whoa, what? OK!

53 y.o.

On a river in the Delta between Sacramento and San Francisco.

Architecture/Industrial Design/Education

I kind of like Caterpillar Orange.

Animals, hmmm, fish and dogs.

First candidate I saw with own eyes, RFK.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, SemiChargedQuark, for this positive thread for the BOG!

:grouphug:

Funniest thing I've heard today:

Sean Hannity going on about Obama.

Obama needs to Plug the Damn Hole With Leadership!"

:wtf:

[NJmaverick]

37. Ok, I'll play

Age: 46

Location: North Jersey

Education: Degree from Cooper Union in Engineer, Certificate in Network Engineering Chubb Institute, Management classes Montclair State, Certification Emergency Med Tech and Heavy Rescue

Jobs: Facility Manager Inner City Hospital, Sales/Support Engineer Messaging company, IT coordinator and Public Health Emergency Messaging Coordinator and Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator. Volunteer EMT and Heavy Rescue

Favorite Sport- GIANTS FOOTBALL!

Registered Democrat since I was old enough to register to vote

First President I voted for was Walter Mondale (I think)

[Political Tiger]

23. Me:

Age: 47

Location: Tampa, FL

Job/Training: United States Postal Service

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Animal: I love all animals, but I guess cats and dogs top the list (currently have 2 cats)

First presidential election you voted in: Carter vs Reagan

Why you're a Democrat: Basically that's how I was raised. My parents were FDR Democrats and believed that although on paper we were all "created equal," in real life, that wasn't so. My family was poor and knew the Republicans didn't give a damn about nobody but the rich. My parents were very pro-union and resented how the Republicans were (and still are) anti-labor. My first real memories of politics in my family was during Watergate. My father despised Nixon. My parents weren't really liberal during that time period but always believed in Democratic values, but the older they got, the more liberal they became, and that rubbed off on me I guess.
I turned 18 barely just in time to vote in the Carter vs Reagan election, and I was excited to vote for Carter, but as we all know Reagan won, which really pissed me off. As the Republican Party moved further and further to the right the more determined I became to fight them, because I was educated enough to know the kind of country they strived for was not the kind of country our Founding Fathers had in mind. When Clinton was elected, I felt, to borrow a phrase from the past, that our long national nightmare was over. Then Dumbya got in, and the nightmare became a reality again. When this young upstart politician named Barack Obama started getting national attention, the more and more convinced I became that he was just what this country needed, and I do believe that when all is said and done, President Obama will go down as one of the greatest presidents ever.

[Peacetrain]

24. Okie Doke

I'll share ...

Old enough to have a 22 year old son.. (egads!)

My son is also a member of DU..

Married to the greatest guy in the world .. live in western Iowa..

Work with families in financial stress.. also a theologian.. committed Christian.. but no fundy :)

Love Music, art, writing..needlework..I have a book in me that needs to get out..

Travel is a passion..

Just got a family history and found out that my ancestors who came to this country were German Jews in the 1700's and Scot/Irish from the other great grands.. who married members of the Cherokee Nation..a real Heinz 57!

I am a proud Democrat.. always.. never have been anything but.

Favorite colors.. Red and Green.. also a favorite TV show from Canada

Favorite Movies: Heavens Gate (yes I am the one big fan), Rear Window, and Hollie Hopnoodles Haven of Bliss

Favorite Radio shows.. Prairie Home Companion, Car Talk, and Whadda Ya Know

Favorite Musician..Leo Kottke

Favorite Ice Cream..Chocolate.

[Blue_Roses]

25. hi there...

Here goes:

Age:48

Location: DFW, Texas (but born and bred in Louisiana)

Job: Special Education Teacher

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Animal: Hard to choose one...

First Presidential Election I voted in: Carter/Reagan. I was 18 years old and voted Democratic ever since! I once asked my mother what was the difference between a Democrat and a Republican and she said, HER DADDY SAID, "Republicans want all the money for themselves and the Democrats want all the money to help." While the generalities might be biased, it's the actions and facts, that have ingrained what I now believe to be very true!(of course, not always...)

I became politically active during the Bush Sr./Dukakis race and I will NEVER forget that VP debate between Lloyd Bentsen and Dan Quayle when Lloyd Bentsen put a whimper of shame on Dan Quayle. I'm sure many of you remember this famous line: "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

OMG...I was hooked from that moment on. I thought that if this was what politics was all about, then I'm in for the long haul--and I'm still here. Several times I've wanted to step back, but the passion is too strong.

My mother instilled strong Democratic values of honesty, leadership and taking care of those less fortunate. Many times (especially lately with my husband recently laid off) we've been the less fortunate, but it never stopped me. Actually, I credit my humble life to the reason for my passion of wanting to help in any way I can. Ironically, my mother is a conservative southern-baptist christian, who grew up and lived in Louisiana all her life. I was born and bred there, went to college there and didn't move to Texas until I was ready to work on my masters (I kind of detoured from that but it was fun!) She's 90 years "young" and she voted for Barack Obama. My oldest sister is a card-carrying-RWinger, but my mama has stood her ground!

I'm proud of this administration and sometimes I really want to scream from the rafters at the ignorance of those who really can't see that this is a pivotal moment in history. One that will set the wheels in motion for vital change.

[stevenleser]

26. OK

Age: 41

Location: New York, NY

Job/Training: IT/Politics/Journalism, although the last two are non $$$$ at this point

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Animal: Dogs

First presidential election you voted in: Dukakis vs George H. W. Bush

Why you're a Democrat: Both parents were Democrats and teachers in public schools. Mom took me with her in the early 1970s marching for the ERA.

[gratefultobelib]

27. I love this thread! When I'm not so tired, I'll put my bio in someday! Reading

the reasons why so many of you are Democrats, well, let's just say I'm very proud to be among you!

[Drunken Irishman]

28. Let's do it!

Age: 25

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Job: Blogger and receptionist for local newspaper. Political Science major

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Animal: Really don't have one

Favorite Team(s): Utah Jazz (NBA) Utah Utes (college football)

First presidential election you voted in: Like you, Kerry v. Bush. Still remember that night. :(

Why you're a Democrat: I come from a long line of Democrats. My mother is a Democrat. Voted McGovern in her first presidential election. My grandparents were Democrats. Grandpa was a World War II veteran, storming the beaches of Normandy. In every presidential election he voted nationally, he voted Democratic except once - 1952. Being a military man, he crossed over and voted for Eisenhower. However, he changed to Stevenson four years later (how's that for funny) and voted straight Democratic until his death in 2002. His last presidential election was 2000.

Grandma came from a line of New Deal Democrats. They were Irish and hit hard by the Great Depression. That's when they became loyal Democrats. My grandma's aunt used to write Roosevelt every month thanking him for the job he was doing. Grandma's mom died in the early 50s. Grandma voted Democratic every eligible presidential election until she died (like grandpa, her last election was 2000).

All their kids were Democrats except for one, my aunt Caroline. She was until 1996. Then she moved to Texas and left the Catholic Church and became a right-wing conservative. Love her to death, but politically dumb as wood.

Dad was not political until he married my mom. He's a Vietnam vet and now votes straight Democratic. Has since I can remember.

So I guess you can say I've been Democratic since birth.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

30. I have one of those aunts too!

She got married at 16, moved to TX, joined some kind of cult church and became a wackadoo conservative.

Unlike your aunt though, she's not a very nice person. She broke my cousins Iron Maiden watch because she said it had demons in it. That watch was teh awesome.

[Drunken Irishman]

31. Yikes...

So she turned into the mom from Detroit Rock City?

Yeah, my aunt isn't that bad. She does believe in some questionable and insane bullshit (like Obama being a Muslim), but if you don't talk politics with her, she's pretty down to earth and friendly.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

32. My aunt's insanity spills over into other parts of her life.

She told her sister who was diagnosed with myeloma to bypass chemo and instead eat asparagus. My cousin and I told her that was nonsense and she replied with "You never know...". Of course we know it's nonsense! We know it's nonsense for the same reason we know licking a light socket doesn't turn you into a power ranger!

[Drunken Irishman]

33. That's a level of insanity that I can't even begin to comprehend.

At least she didn't tell your aunt to bypass chemo and pray on it.

I'm surprised my aunt doesn't throw a fit when I post something political on FB. Though she's rarely on. If she saw the stuff I posted, I suspect she'd chime in and embarrass herself.

[mr1956]

29. Hi everyone, I don't post often but like this idea...

Age: 53

Location: Honolulu, HI

Job/Training: Secretarial, Human Resources

Favorite Color: Turquoise Blue

Favorite Animal: Cats and Dogs

First presidential election you voted in: Carter v Ford

Why you're a Democrat: I was born a Democrat! My mother was a Democratic Precinct Captain in Cleveland, OH and made us kids help out during local elections. Growing up during the Civil Rights Era and listening to my parents discuss politics showed me which party was more on the side of the people. I was in the military in the late 70's but chose to get out when Reagan was elected because I couldn't respect him as president, let alone Commander in Chief. Living under 3 Republican administrations drove the lesson home that they consistently work for the good of their donors rather than the good of the country. I was born a Democrat and will proudly die a Democrat.

[POAS]

34. Nice idea

Age: 64

Location: Northeast Ohio

Job: Machinist, but retiring June 2nd. (Yea, only 4 more working days!!!!)

Favorite color: Red or Blue, depending on the day.

First presidential election you voted in: 1964 Johnson/Goldwater (for Johnson)

Why you're a Democrat: The simple answer is that I was born into it. I remember sitting in front of that new fangled TV thingy in the fifties and hearing John Kennedy give a wonderful concession speech upon being defeated for the VP nomination at the Democratic convention in 1956. We were at a neighbor's house and all the adults there agreed that Kennedy would probably be elected President someday.

I was hooked before then however after hearing stories of the Depression, WWII and FDR.

Later, after my mother became totally disabled, I saw personally how government programs like Social Security Disability and Medicare (promoted by Dems. and opposed by Reps.) actually help people powerless to help themselves.

Born a Democrat, I'll die a Democrat.

[Cha]

35. Hey POAS..

Happy Retirement! From one who is retiring in October and can imagine how you feel! :D All these years working and now it's coming to fruition..it's kinda surreal but even though I love my job I'm looking forward to the next phase of my life called retirement.

[POAS]

36. Thanks...

I really should go to the end of the year or a little beyond but said the hell with it! Health is an issue so I'm Done!

[Bobbie Jo]

38. Okay, I'll play too...

Age: 46

Location: Southwestern Indiana

Job/Training: MSW, LCSW - Private practice/Court-Intervention Programs (Addictions and Domestic Abuse)

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Animal: I'm definitely a dog-person, but have recently developed an affinity for cats. Have one of each. :)

First presidential election you voted in: Clinton/HW Bush (yay!)

Why you're a Democrat: Oddly enough, I was raised in a military family. (yes, both parents...and later myself as well) On the heels of 2 tours in Vietnam, my folks became quite active in the anti-war movement before they finally settled into their well-defined, although slightly less militant, Liberal tendencies. The term "Republican" was always a slam in my home. After serving 6 yrs active duty, I went back to school for my MSW and went on to become the biggest bleeding heart liberal social worker I could be. I have seen first hand how well-run/properly funded programs can make a real difference in people's lives. Oh, and...to this day, RW'ers make my skin crawl, but I'm working on this. :)