Have you switched parties before?

[Fixated]

Poll question: Have you switched parties before?

Have you switched party affiliations in your life, either from Repub to Dem or other, and if so, how many times?

[LWolf]

1. Once.

I used to be fiercely independent; always registered and voted, never aligned with a party. Until GWB. I became a democrat for George W. Bush.

[BOHICA06]

2. It's a Tool

If the opposition has a candidate you dislike ... switch your registration for the primary to vote and express your views. You guys in open primary States don't have to do this. The party registration system is set up to keep the people from participating...don't let it.

[xxqqqzme]

5. Xactly

I change my registration especially 4 primaries. Last year I registered rethug 2 vote 4 Simon 2 run against Davis in the general. I would love to register rethug 4 the March primary 2 vote 4 'B1' Bob Dornan. It is the only hope we have 4 getting rid of Rohrabacher. But alas, it is more important 4 me 2 stay registered Democratic this year.

[0rganism]

3. I started out a Democrat, switched to Green ca 1996

I used to really think the Dems had it going, Bill Clinton had my hopes up when he blew that sax at his inauguration. Finally, a president who inhaled! But he betrayed the left who elected him, dropped his healthcare plans, signed the salvage rider, imprisoned more marijuana smokers than ever, pushed NAFTA and the WTO... basically pissed me off left and right.

I still support Dems more often than not, but I haven't given the DNC any donations since I switched. That may be changing this year, once the primaries are over. If the DNC rallies solidly behind the nominee, I could see sending them some bucks. Hell, I might even switch back next year, if the candidate walks his talk.

More than anything else, the inability to support a truly populist ideology has hurt Democratic candidates. As long as they have to be "republican-lite" to get corporate sponsorship, our political system will be hamstrung.

[MercutioATC]

4. I'm an anomaly. Was a Republican when I had no money. Now that I do,

I'm a Democrat. Go figure...

[Piperay]

6. Me too, sort of...

I was a repub when I didn't have any money and when I first became a Democrat I still didn't have any money. Within the last few years I have become financially well off (due to an inheritance) am still a Democrat and intend to stay one. :-)

[MercutioATC]

9. Good for you! It's good to see that I'm not the only capatilist pig to

see the light...

[liberalcapitalist]

7. 1st as independent, registered as Natural Law, gonna switch to Dem soon

n/t

[101 Proof]

8. Yeah...I have...

I used to be(and still sometimes consider myself) a Green Party member. Then I switched over to Democratic once I got into politics, mainly because I found an interest in Paul Wellstone and his stance on issues. He truly was one of the greatest, if not the best, men in American Government and Politics. God bless his soul. :cry:

[Speed8098]

10. Nope

Lifelong Democrat here. I can't understand why ANYONE would declare themselves a republican. Why not just paint a sign on your forehead that says, "I'm a non thinker and I believe whatever my government tells me."

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Always a Dem but have voted for leftist party candidates.

And, sat out one election when our rep sold her soul to the NRA. We now have a staunch liberal rep after having a one term ultra-RW rep.

[buddhamama]

12. twice but i am not confused

i am/was fully aware of what i was doing and the reasons for doing so.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

13. Yeah, and no.

But I'm an immigrant, and I've always supported similar social-democratic parties. I've always been a Democrat, though.

[ringmastery]

14. I'm registered as an independent but always vote dem

It's nobody's business, especially the government's, what my political affiliation is.

[Paulie]

15. An interesting road for me

I was a paid member of the Libertarian party, voted in my first primary for Andre Maru (was that his name???). Then I realized how corporatist the LP is, so I switched as a paid member of the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) www.dsausa.org . Unfortunately, at the time, when I went to the local meetings, it was mostly older whites, and a couple of younger people who I didn't click with. I was a registered voter for the New Party, who were trying to be a coalition party (really a fusion party), having groups from other parties (DSA, Harold Washington Party, independents) vote in key races for people who would push a common agenda. I just checked, and they still have a website: http://www.newparty.org/ I like the concept, it's very ABB, but their push is to get other parties on the ballot.

Here in Illinois, we don't have to declare a party any more, except during the open primaries, to which they do track which ballot you take.

I'm solidly in the Kucinich camp, so I guess I haven't moved far from my core beliefs, which is PEOPLE FIRST, everything else a distant SECOND. :)

[JPace]

16. I was a lifelong Independent....

But AWOL, and the repugs
ticked me off soooo much I
became a registered Democrat.
I will remain so now as I
can never sit on the fence
again. My feelings of repulsion
for the repug party is deep.

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. Was indy, then became Green

Still vote largely Dem, though, due to a lack of Greens running at all levels, and because sometimes the Dem candidates are really worth voting for..and have the best chance of winning under this system.