I am *NOT* a good "team player" - I'm an Independent Voter (but I might

[IdaBriggs]

change my mind.)

Seriously. I officially hate the Republican party. I don't care how "good" the candidates are at this point, if they helped in any fashion to support the monster that is George W. Bush, I won't go anywhere near them.

This really upsets me. Locally, we have a County Sheriff who I really respect, and have voted for repeatedly in the past, even though he is a Republican, and there are also some really good other "local" people that I value and respect.

Unfortunately, I don't think I can do that anymore. If they helped elect George W. Bush, an EVIL INCOMPETENT TRAITOR TO AMERICA, and are doing things to help keep him in power via their donations, fund raising, and willful blindness, then I can't support them anymore.

I never thought I would be here. I think I might "officially" join the Democratic Party!

What the heck is wrong with me? :banghead:

[LisaM]

1. It's not just Bush. The gay marriage thing really bugged me

After the 2004 election (the day after) I called the Ohio State Republican party. Some nice-sounding lady answered the phone all chirpy. I was so angry my voice was shaking, and I asked her if she thought that 245,000 lost jobs in Ohio, 1500 dead American soldiers (at the time), and up to 100,000 dead Iraqis was all balanced out by ONE gay marriage? She just said, "Uhhhh....." and I said "You people are IMMORAL" and hung up the phone. It made me feel better!

Michigan has had one good Republican. Bill Milliken.

[patrice]

2. Perhaps you are horrified by all of the death.

If we are in the business of creating Democracies around the world, and IF this justifies all of the dying, why didn't "we" pick a place where we stood a chance of actually succeeding, rather than just employing a bunch of double-speak, and protecting oil, while our country goes down the tubes.

[Mr_Spock]

3. I might consider voting for a republican again - - - - - - - - in 2050

They've got a lot of work to do to ever get my consideration again for anything - even dog catcher.

Heck, I wont even eat in the restaurant of the guy who said he voted for Bush. I can't stand to even associate with republicans any more.

[sutz12]

5. Amen, brother.

:thumbsup:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. I officially joined this year

so I could vote in the primaries.


I still vote my mind though. :)

[LSK]

6. read this article, voting Dem in 06 gives us subpeanas

John Conyers investigating, investigating, investigating.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/052506J.shtml

[IdaBriggs]

7. Its not the VOTING part I'm having a mental block against --

its actually JOINING THE PARTY! I mean, I've attended a meeting or two, and volunteered as a precinct captain for Kerry, but this final "commitment" thing where I actually SIGN A PAPER SAYING I'M A DEMOCRAT -- AND give them money? Its freaking me out!

[LSK]

8. why do you have to join them???

You can donate without joining them if you want via the website democrats.org.

[IdaBriggs]

11. I don't *have* to join them -- but I am Actually Seriously Considering it.

Which is kind of freaking me out, hence the post. I have *always* been proud of being An Independent, but at the moment, its not feeling honest, because I can't look at a Republican candidate without realizing that THEY are part of the problem -- its the "good Republicans" who are the reason I vote for them, which means they think its okay to be members of the Republican support network.

At this point in time, I have to admit that I consider *ALL REPUBLICANS* to be part of the problem, which means I can't support ANY OF THEM, which means I'm not being an HONEST INDEPENDENT VOTER, which means I should probably "make a commitment" to support the folks who represent my political views, etc....

I hate this. I really, Really, REALLY hate that it has come to this, but it feels like the right (and honest) thing to do.

But I don't have to like it. Sniff.

[stellanoir]

12. I'd always been fiercely independent

as I never have had faith in a two party system being representative of our incredibly diverse population.

Back in '02 there was a Dem candidate running for Governor who I really liked and knew, he was neck and neck in the primary with a challenger who was sort of lame. So under great consternation I affiliated with the Dem party voted and then disaffiliated right after voting. Or so I thought.

Then in the Presidential Primary in '04 I went to reaffiliate with the Dem party in order to qualify to vote. They said, "you already are one." I said, "I dissafiliated right after the primary in '02". They said, "we have no record of it." I said," you're telling me that I've been a Democrat for the past two years?" They said, "Yes." I replied, "No wonder I've been so angry for all that time. Ya know for someone such as myself who's been doing activism against those totally insecure voting machines, you aren't exactly inspiring a lot of voter confidence."

It's normally not a problem to affiliate and disaffiliate with a party. Though I can tell you're wrestling with a far deeper level of commitment. Good luck with your decision. I do empathize.

[ItNerd4life]

9. Nothing, the republican party has changed

and not for the better. Here in Illinois the Republicans have been so screwed up from former repuke governor Ryan convicted to that idiot Keyes who they ran for the Senate against Obama. They have become a laughing stock, and they are too stupid to know it.

The Democrats are actually trying to balance the budget while increasing spending for education, offering health insurance to all kids, etc. Why wouldn't you join?

[eallen]

10. I'm with you. The GOP has become the evil in America we must defeat.