Have you always had the political beliefs you have now?

[aaronleland]

I'm still young (29), but I was more liberal at one time.

I remember supporting Al Gore in 2000, even though I wasn't old enough to vote.

I supported John Kerry in 2004.

Somewhere along the line I became more Libertarian leaning. Though I liked Ron Paul in 2008 I was going to vote McCain, until he picked Sarah Palin as his VP. I sat out that election.

In 2012 I was going to vote for Gary Johnson, but Pennsylvania's Republican party fought to keep him off the ballot. I sat out that election as well.

I'd say I went from being liberal to being fiscally conservative and socially liberal.

 

[Billo_Really]

For example, if you are leftwing now, were you ever rightwing?


I was rightwing in high school because my dad was republican. Now luckily I think for myself and will never look back. I'm 27 now. Things are so much clearer.

I was a republican for 20 years and voted for Reagan twice.

 

[Bfgrn]

I was born in the Democrat South ... But my parents never talked about politics around friends, family or us kids.

They taught us the importance of talking care of ourselves, taking responsibility for our actions and failures.
They taught us about always getting back up when we failed and pushing on harder to achieve respectable goals.

They taught us how to manage money ... How the save money, avoid debt and create respectable credit.
They gave us responsibilities around the house we weren't paid for ... We had to get a job and earn gas or spending money.
We paid for our own car insurance ... And had a clothing allowance for everything including school clothes.

They taught us not to blame other people for our problems ... And to do what we knew was best at all times.
They taught us that nothing is fair in life ... And if you want something, then you have to do what is necessary to earn it.

Like I said ... I never knew they were Conservatives ... But then again, it really wasn't about politics after all.

.

I was taught the same lessons. Both my parents were liberal Democrats.

I never knew they were Liberals ... But then again, it really wasn't about politics after all.

 

[auditor0007]

Voted for Reagan in 84. After that it was Bush, Bush, Dole, Bush Jr., Bush Jr., McCain, Obama. As things stand now, I seem to have more in common with the Dems than Republicans.

 

[TemplarKormac]

For example, if you are leftwing now, were you ever rightwing?


I was in high school because my dad was republican. Now luckily I think for myself and will never look back. I'm 27 now. Things are so much clearer.

I was a brash neoconservative in high school. So far right I could have done a complete circle. Democrats and liberals were evil, maligned human beings with uncontrollable destructive tendencies for our government. They were cowards and wimps for resisting the war efforts. I would have kissed GWB's shiny shoes had I been given the chance. I thought homosexuals were rank abominations, I even went as far as to wish that they would be exterminated from the human race (yes, it got that bad; so if you liberals think I hate homosexuals now, you simply don't know the half of it).

Beginning in 2008, at 20 years old, I was one of those Glenn Beck worshipers, I hung on everything he said. But I got sick of his driving a wedge between the American people and his overzealous messages. So I moved more to the left. Still I was a still Far Right, 2009 and 2010 came along with little to no change in my ideologies. I thought Democrats were the scum of the Earth.

When 2011 came along, I started changing. I ran into a liberal woman on a local forum here in my hometown who lives in Germany. After we became friends, I learned that she was a lesbian. She became a valuable asset in my transformation into a Libertarian. She taught me to do research, stop spouting unsubstantiated talking points, think for myself and postulate solid arguments. Unfortunately this transformation was going to take a while. I used that prowess with deadly and sometimes detrimental effect to myself. I remember once getting myself banned for taking it too far.

Remember how I said I thought homosexuals were abominations? I wound up becoming good friends with that woman. And two other homosexuals along the way. After the man I voted for, Mitt Romney, lost once again after voting for McCain four years earlier; my transformation into a Libertarian was complete. Something clicked inside of me. Why keep voting for the same party over and over? Why swallow all these rehearsed talking points from one candidate or another?

And now, almost 17 months out, I can say I am proud to be a Constitutionalist Libertarian, with a smattering of conservative ideals. All it took was 7 years to change me into who I am today (I'm 26 now). I crave knowledge, I seek it. I admire facts over lies. My tolerance has grown for others of different beliefs, but to say its a perfect tolerance would be a lie. I am utmost a Christian, and for that reason, there will always be some conservative in me.

I'm sorry to have talked you to death, but hey, you asked.

 

[BDBoop]

Conservative until 2008. Not politically engaged at all, just voted like my mother said I should. Seriously - she was informed, and I trusted her judgment.

I don't really have anything that flipped the switch except becoming politically aware. And when that happened, it turned out that a lot of what I believed lined up with the DFL. *Being a native Minnesotan may have played a part in this mindset.*

 

[Politico]

Yes.

 

[Iceweasel]

I don't think I ever was a liberal but probably leaned that way back in my college days. But liberalism wasn't the batshit crazy stuff it is now. I wasn't politically engaged and all I really knew about Reagan was the lampooning he got in comedy shows. As I got out in the real world and started my own business I became much more aware of cause and effect and how the world works. The more I learned the more conservative my outlook became and that liberals were basically people that never grew up.

I was never a party member and don't understand people who claim their ideologies are tied to a political party in some way. If a party or party member disapoints me it doesn't change my philosophy one bit.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Up until the tea party's cut, slash and fuck mind set took over the republican party... I was a right winger.

What changed my mind is I care about living within a modern society and what this nation became over the past 100 years. Who ever that disagrees that the 19th century we weren't worse off = idiot. This wasn't just the private sector but also the public working with each other to find a perfect balance.

Sorry, I can't fight the thing I love.

Can't fight the love of having the best scientific organizions on earth.
Can't fight having the best nws, nhc and space program!
Can't fight investing in ones country
Can't fight common sense.

 

[Bfgrn]

I don't think I ever was a liberal but probably leaned that way back in my college days. But liberalism wasn't the batshit crazy stuff it is now. I wasn't politically engaged and all I really knew about Reagan was the lampooning he got in comedy shows. As I got out in the real world and started my own business I became much more aware of cause and effect and how the world works. The more I learned the more conservative my outlook became and that liberals were basically people that never grew up.

I was never a party member and don't understand people who claim their ideologies are tied to a political party in some way. If a party or party member disapoints me it doesn't change my philosophy one bit.

A 'businessman' would know that Reagan hurt business, especially the self-employed small businessman. Under Voodoo economics the self-employment tax jumped as much as 66 percent.

Maybe it doesn't apply to lemonade stands...

 

[R.D.]

I was born in the Democrat South ... But my parents never talked about politics around friends, family or us kids.

They taught us the importance of talking care of ourselves, taking responsibility for our actions and failures.
They taught us about always getting back up when we failed and pushing on harder to achieve respectable goals.

They taught us how to manage money ... How the save money, avoid debt and create respectable credit.
They gave us responsibilities around the house we weren't paid for ... We had to get a job and earn gas or spending money.
We paid for our own car insurance ... And had a clothing allowance for everything including school clothes.

They taught us not to blame other people for our problems ... And to do what we knew was best at all times.
They taught us that nothing is fair in life ... And if you want something, then you have to do what is necessary to earn it.

Like I said ... I never knew they were Conservatives ... But then again, it really wasn't about politics after all.

.

I was taught the same lessons. Both my parents were liberal Democrats.

I never knew they were Liberals ... But then again, it really wasn't about politics after all.

I was taught those lessons, too. But then again, it really wasn't about politics.

I knew my parents were liberals because the rules didn't apply to them.

 

[ScienceRocks]

For example, if you are leftwing now, were you ever rightwing?


I was rightwing in high school because my dad was republican. Now luckily I think for myself and will never look back. I'm 27 now. Things are so much clearer.

Good for you. And who knows...thinking for yourself may lead you back to those beliefs.

I was as staunch a right winger as they come until around 2011-2012, when the Tea Party started hitting all time psycho mode.

As to all the reasons, I'll save the thread space.

But I told the GOP to go jump off a cliff.

Me too. When the party went into crazy anti-civilization mode I jumped the ship.

 

[rightwinger]

I grew up in a Republican household and was a staunch Republican when I got out of college. I voted for Reagan or Daddy Bush four times. I bought the conservative mantra of trickle down and railed against welfare queens

Funny thing happened in the early 90s. Newt Gingrich came in and the party turned for the worse. They became anti government and anti working man. They were callous to anyone who was struggling.

I realized they were a party that celebrated the person who was born on third base while they condemned the person born with two strikes against them

 

[Stephanie]

I leaned liberal and voted Democrat when I first started voting...because it sounded all rosey they would give us Utopia

but then I got a job and realized that Utopia Democrats promised was coming out of my paychecks..not from those wealthy elected asses in government who can promise anyone a Utopia because it's NOT THEIR MONEY

 

[ScienceRocks]

The republicans of the 1950's, 60's and 70's were a party it should be again. One that fought for efficacy and common sense.

A message of work, education and advancement should be the republican message.

 

[Rocko]

For example, if you are leftwing now, were you ever rightwing?


I was rightwing in high school because my dad was republican. Now luckily I think for myself and will never look back. I'm 27 now. Things are so much clearer.

You know what they say? If your in your twenties and aren't a liberal you don't have a heart. If you're in your thirties and aren't a conservative you don't have a brain. There's hope for you yet.

 

[Iceweasel]

A 'businessman' would know that Reagan hurt business, especially the self-employed small businessman. Under Voodoo economics the self-employment tax jumped as much as 66 percent.

Maybe it doesn't apply to lemonade stands...

Here he is humping my leg again....

I was there and did great under Reaganomics. As did most of the country.
Who was supposed to pay the other half of my social security? My neighbor?

Taxes: What people forget about Reagan - Sep. 8, 2010
The bills didn't raise more revenue by hiking individual income tax rates though. Instead they did it largely through making it tougher to evade taxes, and through "base broadening" -- that is, reducing various federal tax breaks and closing tax loopholes.

 

[BlackSand]

The republicans of the 1950's, 60's and 70's were I party it should be again. One that fought for efficacy and common sense.

A message of work, education and advancement should be the republican message.

Democrats and Republicans are political parties interested in the establishment ... You can be left or right-wing and associate with either depending on the question at hand.
Conservatism isn't Liberalism any way you slice it though ... So if you mean the Republican party needs to be more Conservative ... Well that isn't going to happen.
They are trying their hardest to be more Liberal each passing day ... And perhaps they will survive a little longer as the lesser of two evils.

.

 

[Bfgrn]

For example, if you are leftwing now, were you ever rightwing?


I was rightwing in high school because my dad was republican. Now luckily I think for myself and will never look back. I'm 27 now. Things are so much clearer.

You know what they say? If your in your twenties and aren't a liberal you don't have a heart. If you're in your thirties and aren't a conservative you don't have a brain. There's hope for you yet.

Who is 'they'?

 

[pvsi]

For example, if you are leftwing now, were you ever rightwing?


I was rightwing in high school because my dad was republican. Now luckily I think for myself and will never look back. I'm 27 now. Things are so much clearer.

Not for the last more than 10 years, but I was an American supporter as a kid in USSR who was a big anti communist back there, then in the late 90's I was a republican supporter as I started paying attention to American politics while living in the ghetto in Philadelphia, I thought it was the Bill Clinton and the democrats that are responsible for the wars (in Serbia, bombing of Pharmaceutical factory in Afghanistan, bombing of Iraq etc.) and I also blamed Bill Clinton for the ghetto I was living in, so much so that I voted against Al Gore in 2000 and the only way to do it was to vote for Bush who promised no nation building. And then when a conservative in power showed their true colors, that was about it. Now, for the last more than 10 years my beliefs are solid -international bankers run this country.