Question about "old school" Republicans you may know

[Orrex]

What exactly does it mean to say that they are "old school?"

I'm wondering because I know several people who consider themselves "Conservative but not Republican."

So I ask them why they voted for in 2010 & 2008 & 2006 & 2004 etc., and the answer--amazingly--is always the Republican candidate. Invariably, they voted for Bush both times, too. Occasionally one will claim to have voted for Perot, but ever since that fabled campaign, they've reliably pulled the Red lever every single time, at least if they've voted at all.

So what about the "old school Republicans" of your acquaintance? What is it that makes them "old school?" Is it a desire not to be recognized as endorsing the batshit policies that their beloved party espouses?

What?

[Sedona]

1. My old school Republican father

Voted for Nixon twice, Reagan twice, Bush 1 twice, Perot in '92, Clinton in '96, Nadar in 2000 (and in Florida damnit), Kerry in 2004 and happily for Obama in '08.

Hasn't voted Republican since the 80's.

I guess that makes him a Democrat!

[ixion]

2. My Republican father admits the GOP is corrupt, but says

you have to pick a 'team'.

I find this to be a catastrophic fallacy.

[nevergiveup]

3. The "old school" Republicans I know are mostly silent these days.

Except for an occasional Obama bashing statement they don't comment much about politics. My dentist who is a late 50's life long Republican despises Obama but also says the Republican Party has lost its soul. He hates Rush almost as much as he hates Obama.

[Speck Tater]

4. My Old School mom is Republican because she has no idea that her party has changed since Ike.

She still thinks all present day Republicans are just like Eisenhower. And she considers herself well informed on politics.

[taterguy]

5. You forgot the sarcasm smiley

[slackmaster]

6. It means they embrace the values that the GOP held before it got taken over by religious wackos

They value real freedom, personal choice with accountability, privacy, and security at all levels.

They don't try to force on others their views on matters like abortion, teach religious myths in public schools, etc.

[Orrex]

9. But who did they vote for in 2010? In 2008? In 2006? In 2004?

[slackmaster]

14. It was tough for them. My mom held her nose and voted for Obama in 2008.

To her he was clearly the lesser of two evils. She believes McCain has been showing signs of early-stage Alzheimer's Disease for many years. Her opinion on Obama was that he's smart enough to do the job but lacked experience.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. The "old school" Republicans I know do much the same as we've done in the past.

Hold their noses and vote for the candidate that they consider to be the lesser of two evils. I didn't see much enthusiasm for Bush or McCain, but they couldn't bring themselves to vote for a Democrat.

I guess that's why I've heard that it's those voters in the middle that decide elections.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. There's old school Democrats, too.

Pro-union.
Anti-war of aggression.
Pro-progressive taxation.
Pro-regulation.

Born 1933, Died 1968, Briefly resuscitated 2008 only to die again on the operating table :cry:

[searchingforlight]

10. Not older though. My granddaughter said she is a "Moderate Republican".

I asked her what she liked about the Republican Party? How does she feel about abortion, LGBT, taxes etc. She said she is Republican because she is against welfare. She is young, bright, and privledged. I think it is the privledged part that is the key.

[LWolf]

11. I have a friend that calls herself an "old school" Republican.

She also calls herself "conservative."

She probably considers herself "Christian," although she does not attend church or subscribe to any organized version.

We talk issues all the time. She is surprisingly liberal when it comes to social issues. As a "conservative," she is a firm believer in personal responsibility. But then again, so am I. She is still married to her original husband, the father of her children, and believes that a strong family foundation is important for all. She believes in budgeting and living within means.

As a strong woman, she is aware of the lack of respect for strong women, or support for women as leaders, in our local culture. She spends time talking to women who have been able to advance, about how to keep improving local opportunities for women.

She is not homophobic; as a matter of fact, she is very supportive of her daughter's involvement with the gay/straight alliance at our local high school, and is fine with the fact that some of her kids' friends are gay.

She was not a fan of GWB. She voted for Obama. She probably likes him better than I. What the hell, not probably; she does. I don't like him at all. She DOES talk to, and vote for, our local R house Rep. She considers herself a RINO, a conservative independent registered as a Republican. I am much the same; I'm a registered Democrat, but politically more of an independent socialist.

Our political discussions tend to revolve around education, since I'm a teacher. She fully supports holding teachers accountable, but not by using test scores. She is involved in community work at our district level, attends board meetings, etc., and has a good grasp of how local politics affect policies that dictate what goes on in classrooms.

She heads a debate club for secondary students, and teaches them critical thinking and logic.

I think that for her, "conservative" means that you don't change for the sake of change, or "throw the baby out with the bath water." You keep what works, what is important, and you change where there is a demonstrated need.

It means that you have a strong moral compass, that you value hard work, community service, and personal responsibility. At the same time, she supports social services for those who need them.

She and her family are involved in numerous community service projects.

I don't know if she is typical of "old school" Republicans, but that's how she labels herself.

[Odin2005]

12. They are mostly ruch fucks embarassed by the Religious Right.

[MilesColtrane]

13. I don't know any of them personally, but I've always thought that...

old school conservatives were anti-federal government, anti-multilateral interventionist, and they shied away from the rabid fundamentalists.

Basically they make up the Greedhead side of the GOP, and there is some overlap with Libertarians there.

[mulsh]

15. old school = long time hateful person to avoid.

I can't recall a time when republicans around me haven't spewed hateful and fear drenched ideas.


Maybe its because I grew up in CA in the 60's & 70's but even the "old school" republicans I've known lack integrity and compassion. As some of them have aged they've modified some of their political beliefs but they remain as nasty in general as they always were. I have never seen or heard any thing from those people that compelled me to respect their political views.I can't recall a singl

One advantage is the stuff they spouted was a clear indication of what not to do.