Question for white male Dems

[MaryMagdaline]

Since only 30 per cent of white males voted against Trump, what do you think causes you to be a Democrat and not go with the herd?

Geography, religion, family influence, life experience?

[bahboo]

1. I'm just woke as fuck haha....

not on all issues...but enough...

[Easterncedar]

153. Love that!

[lapfog_1]

2. relatively high IQ

plus education.

[WestMichRad]

4. This!

And empathy

[Wednesdays]

59. Yes, education has been a big part of it.

But not all my male classmates have become Democrats, and everyone had an equal education.

I think the difference is that my parents raised me to care about others.

[LizBeth]

117. I think educated is a part but there has to be a high EI too

[CanonRay]

3. Kent State

I've been a solid Dem ever since. Although my Grandmother was a Union organizer in the 20s.

[MaryMagdaline]

5. Yea, that was an eye opener for me as well.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

6. I have daughters

I don't see Trump or his followers being good for their future.

[GaYellowDawg]

7. In this order:

It started with family influence, but then being able to see beyond jingoistic conservative propaganda and having the education to think critically really confirmed it.

[NewHendoLib]

8. I've always been a Democrat, always been liberal - why?

Family (parents and grandparents Dems), geography (New England), education (post-doctoral), personality (very empathetic/sympathetic), curious, not religious - NOT a follower, totally freaked by cults/followers. As a white male in my late 60s, I've never really understood most males - the whole hyper masculine macho thing.

Oddly - my brother, 6 years younger, is my political opposite. He grew up fearful, ended up being sucked into religion, and money is the most important thing to him - so the whole tax thing. He and I do NOT get along at all - neither of us understand each other.

[flvegan]

9. I'm not an idiot.

Really is that simple.

(I realize opinions may vary on my idiot-ness, but it is the truth, overall)

[MattNC2021]

10. If you would've asked me in college, I would say that I was fiscally conservative...

and socially liberal. I also have the ability to critically think and recognize that the GOP has not stood for anything in a long time. I have three daughters and one son and respect their ability to make choices over their own bodies. And I can recognize that I do not want to be part of a cult.

[Qutzupalotl]

11. Empathy

and optimism.

[TwilightZone]

12. Democrat from birth.

Probably because of my parents, though my mom says that I had qualities that are usually associated with liberals from a very early age. So, some nature, some nurture. Grew up in a very conservative, rural, Upper Midwest town and took a lot of flak/bullying for it, but never backed down from my beliefs.

A small quibble. In 2020, 43% of white men voted against Trump. 40% to Biden and 3% other. That was up from 38% (32% Clinton, 6% other) in 2016, so at least we're making some progress, though there might be a slight regression in 2024 if the record gender gap some are predicting proves true.

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/06/30/behind-bidens-2020-victory/

[MaryMagdaline]

29. Those percentages are significant. Thank you for the correction

[H2O Man]

13. I think that

being Irish, which many assume is the same as being white, results in my thinking for myself.

Recommended.

[bovine6]

14. Some family influence from parents but also

a sense of fair play. Inclusivity. I'm sixty, and my rabid pro-Trump brother is 57. I don't understand him, he's otherwise bright and knows how things work. It's crazy.
Anyway, I also don't have any special attraction to male authority, which seems to be a big part of Trump's (and other authoritarians) appeal. I really don't get it. Those people (the followers) are addicted to fear and afraid of anyone who isn't like them. I'm just not that way.

[edisdead]

15. Because I am fucking normal and not weird.

[duncang]

16. Not real sure but think upbringing.

And my life experiences. My father was a very kind man. I remember him bringing home a man from Saudi Arabia one night. He had been bumped or for whatever reason wasn’t able to get on his flight. Anyways he was always ready to help someone. He did a lot of random acts of kindness.

Edit: my dad worked at the airport and the guy was bumped from a flight. Just to clarify.

As to my experiences I think working offshore where you have time to spend with others who are from different backgrounds helped. When you’re essentially living with other people you get a better chance to talk to them about everything than someone in a 8-5 job.

[DavidDvorkin]

17. I'm a mensch.

[YorkRd]

18. I am not a revenge voter

Last edited Tue Nov 5, 2024, 10:40 AM - Edit history (1)

I don’t care if minorities get ahead, I am not scared of LGBT people, women are my friends. I see immigrants is a good thing.. I don’t blame “others” for my problems. I believe in the golden rule and karma.

[MaryMagdaline]

54. Great term! I will steal that - revenge rotor

[uponit7771]

141. That is a revenge rotor? Thx in advance

[usonian]

19. I am enlightened.

Sorta

But in the distant past, John F. Kennedy had something to do with my politics.

[gay texan]

20. How long have you got, lol?

Experiences.

[MaryMagdaline]

96. We got all day!! Beats doom scrolling

[cilla4progress]

21. What an illuminating thread!

Thanks white male dems here!

[Drum]

22. Patriotism...the more original sort.

[NoMoreRepugs]

23. A working brain. Five uncles and a FIL plus my father and grandfather who all served.

[jbond56]

24. For me, my Grandma's were/are life long Dems

Most of the White Dudes i know vote R because:

Family
Religion
Guns
Taxes

[BootinUp]

26. I've never voted for a Republican, and tRump is a horror show.

I am fairly sure I owe most of my philosophy to my parents, and then secondarily to good schools.

[tinrobot]

27. I became a Democrat when Clinton ran...

Republicans just kept moving further to the right in the 80's/90s, so they lost me. Clinton met me where I already stood.

They totally lost me after the impeachment and Bush V Gore.

[Delarage]

159. Same

Was raised by Republicans... although my mom was a very good person, we went to church, worked hard, etc. She voted for Obama & phone-banked with me. She was really more independent -minded. My father has emotional issues and has always voted for all Republicans.

[Metaphorical]

28. I frankly do not believe the 30% number

However, I think there are a few factors:

1. Unmarried white males, either single or divorced, tend to view women either as who accentuate their maleness and provide sex, or people who were in their lives that for one reason or another rejected them (the number of women who divorced men far outweigh the number of men who divorced women).

2. Young unmarried white males who grow up with brothers (and often domineering fathers) are expected to be more "male" and that includes peer pressure to not be "dominated" by mothers or wives. These men often see Trump as masculine, successful, and dominating (less so now, though it is still a factor).

3. Boys who grow up with sisters are expected to "protect" them, which often means that they take an attitude of infantilization (ditto for girlfriends). However, there is still pressure, especially in more traditional households, to not show feminine characteristics, because this equates to being weak and ineffective (this ties into ant-gay feelings in particular).

4. On the other hand, if you are in families where you have strong women or many sisters, this dynamic tends to be different.

5. In general, many young men hit about 15 years of age then their emotional growth stalls. People with varied experiences, such as those who travel extensively or are interested in learning at university, usually tend to move beyond this stage, and reach a greater level of maturity. They feel defensive for women, but they also learn to see them more as equals. Many Democratic men are also sapiosexual - they are attracted by intelligence and emotional maturity.

6. These attitudes usually become set in their early to mid-30s, so if they are taught to see women as equals early, that attitude will likely carry though life.

[MaryMagdaline]

32. Well expressed. See #12 above. His data might be more accurate.

I certainly hope it’s closer to 40 per cent.

[NavyDem]

30. For me, it is a combination of things...

Firstly, I grew up with very racist parents, but as a white guy, I was always more comfortable around minorities in Nebraska, since I personally wasn't wired with the same tendencies as my parents. I vowed I would never be like them, and I have kept to my vow.

Secondly, I know how to empathize with people, because I have been through some major shit growing up. Multiple suicide attempts, homelessness, the serious injury of my only friend in life due to drugged driving on his part. Bullied in school (till I started fighting back).

I joined the Navy to get away from everything in Nebraska, and assimilated very well into a culture where white isn't the only faces you see. I've learned a great deal about many different cultures, and I have learned to celebrate our similarities, and embrace our differences.

I am also well-travelled, thanks to 20 years in the Navy, and I travel outside of the USA frequently now in my leisure time. Because of the travel, I have had immersion in cultures where English is not the dominant language. Learning to effectively communicate in those cultures opened my eyes to a great many things.

I escaped the hell-hole that I grew up in, and became pretty damn liberal in the process.

I vote against trump (lower case intentional, doesn't deserve to have his name respected), because he triggers a visceral hatred in me, just by listening to him speak. He, and musk (also deserves no respect) are exactly the type of people that I grew up hating, and I can never escape that feeling.

I can only hope that I am amongst the 30% that pushes the margin over the top for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as our next President/Vice President. My whole family votes blue, and have for more than 30 years.

Sorry to ramble...

[MaryMagdaline]

45. Travel was key to me. I was always a Dem but after seeing Europe I moved waaay left

I could see that the average street cleaner was better educated than I was, spoke more languages and knew more history. Wanted to replicate that here - where everyone has an education and understanding of the greater world.

I think of Nebraska as a kind place because of my aunt and uncle from Lincoln, whom I loved dearly, but then, they escaped their own hell scape of Detroit. Rough family backgrounds on each side.

BTW continuing theme here seems to be the Navy. When we were kids “join the Navy; see the world” was a thing. I guess the Navy really does provide a worldly education.

[electric_blue68]

31. Unfortunately there are highly educated people who embrace Authoritarianism. I think I read about this sometime after

... J6.

[MaryMagdaline]

70. They're the most frightening kind.

[Elessar Zappa]

102. My grandpa is a PhD, my grandma has a bachelor's and my uncle and aunt have Masters degrees and all four are MAGA.

My opinion of them has severely declined as a result. And it’s sad because I truly admired my grandparents but that has now been compromised.

[electric_blue68]

104. Definitely a downer

[Efilroft Sul]

33. My four uncles and aunt, who did not elect fascists in the 1940s. Instead, they shot them.

I grew up with a strong sense of right and wrong, a love of freedom, and the sacrifices that are sometimes necessary to defend it.

When I was younger, my family and family friends who were WWII veterans warned me not to let fascism rise again on my watch, because they suspected it would. They were very wise. I wish they were wrong, but they weren't. And I cannot let them or my sons down.

It's a goddamn shame that the heroism and sacrifices of their brothers-in-arms were wasted on the likes of 70% of white men today.

[MaryMagdaline]

51. So true. My dad and uncle were the original Antifa.

My dad wore a crew cut and was extremely conservative, but he raised us to never follow the herd. He was a reader and would say things like “What if a kid just wants to sit under a tree and read a book?” That was freedom to him.

[Efilroft Sul]

133. Cheers to your dad, I love his definition of freedom.

[electric_blue68]

34. Ty, guys

[kevink077]

35. Religion

Being brought up being taught pretty vile things… so definitely religion made me despise the Republican Party.

[yourout]

36. Empathy and intelligence.

Something in short supply in Trump land.

[Johonny]

37. Education

[OAITW r.2.0]

38. All of the above, plus education.

Great question, actually.

[Glamrock]

39. This is going to sound crazy coming from an atheist but....

I was raised catholic. And the words of Jesus Christ resonated with me in a meaningful manner. They shaped my morality. When I left the church, at 16, those morals were baked in already. Didn’t matter whether or not I believed he ever existed. Kinda like Aesop’s Fables. Lot of wisdom there too, ya know?

And so I see the Democratic Party doing more than the GOP to live up the moral teachings I was brought up with. Love your neighbor, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, and welcome the stranger. What I get from the GOP is pull yourself up by the bootstraps, personal responsibility unless it’s them of course, and pure selfishness.

[TwilightZone]

42. Funny when atheists are more "Christian" than many self-professed Christians.

A very good, very religious friend of mine, knowing that I'm an atheist, once told me that I was one of the most Christian people he knew, and he meant it (and I took it) as a compliment.

[Glamrock]

49. Ya know?

I had the same thought when I hit “post”.

Saw my fundie Christian sister in law yesterday. I was giving away some bedroom furniture because I got my Bushie’s (Grandma’s) cherry bedroom set when my mom passed.

She is one of the most hateful people I’ve ever encountered. And she don’t like me. I’m a self professed atheist. But they’re, ya know, far from well off and they needed it. Cool man. Love your neighbor.

[MaryMagdaline]

67. I know. Used to tell my husband who was an atheist that he should read the Gospels

- that he thought very much like Jesus. He was horrified by Christians, especially Catholics, because of anti-Semitic bullying he endured growing up in NY. I would tell him Jesus was a cousin of his and much more in line with his own s*** stirring personality than any of the fake Christians we knew. He never did read the Gospels but he knew empathy in a big way. Never needed to read them.

[MaryMagdaline]

68. Definitely a compliment.

[MaryMagdaline]

61. This mirrors my life as well. Sermon on the Mount is still gospel (small "g") to me

Don’t go to church, don’t believe in the divinity of Christ but I knew absolutely that Jesus’s teachings were the Truth. These priests and nuns don’t know why we left the church and went liberal, after teaching us social Justice theology. They did their job a little too well.

[Glamrock]

62. Hahahaha!

Well put!

[misanthrope]

66. Same here

I was influenced by all those Sunday School lessons about Jesus' empathy for the downtrodden and his rejection of materialism.

[Glamrock]

72. Unfortunately, the lessons about the latter didn't stick as well as the former!

[Unwind Your Mind]

90. I don't think that's crazy at all

I’m essentially the same, except not catholic and I was 15

[dawg]

160. Not that crazy.

[genxlib]

176. It isn't crazy at all

Thomas Jefferson himself edited a version of the bible that cut out all of the supernatural and Paul's interpretation.

And when I say edited, he literally took a razor to it in order to dissect and reassemble it.

He was not subtle about it either. On separate occasions, he wrote the following about it

Probably you have heard me say I had taken the four Evangelists, had cut out from them every text they had recorded of the moral precepts of Jesus, and arranged them in a certain order; and although they appeared but as fragments, yet fragments of the most sublime edifice of morality which had ever been exhibited to man

I have performed this operation for my own use, by cutting verse by verse out of the printed book, and arranging, the matter which is evidently his, and which is as easily distinguishable as diamonds in a dunghill.

[ThoughtCriminal]

40. Education

And my parents.

[TwilightZone]

41. Political cartoon that fits the topic quite nicely:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219655516

[MaryMagdaline]

65. Love this!

[Gore1FL]

43. My Republican parents raised four Democrats.

It was a matter of values they instilled.

I first became aware of presidential politics in a meaningful way in 1976 when I was in the 5th grade. I used to worry that I would become conservative when I got older.

[TomSlick]

44. Two things.

I spent 28 years as an Army officer. That started with an oath to defend the Constitution. I have checked, the oath does not have an expiration date. Trump intends to destroy the Constitution. I know that the Republic is balanced on a knife's edge. The survival of the Republic is at stake.

I have two young granddaughters. I want them to grow up with full agency as Americans. I want them to have the rights their mother and grandmothers had. I want them to be safe.

[MaryMagdaline]

69. Yea that Oath is a check on power - for all of us.

Thank you for taking it seriously!

[lees1975]

46. A combination of those things.

My Dad was a WW2 Navy vet, native of West Virginia, who managed to finish college before the war, and afterward, came back as a trained AC mechanic who worked in a union shop for about 15 years before getting a civil service job maintaining AC equipment in the headquarters building at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona.

I had the benefit of being able to go to both college and graduate school, and became a teacher and then a school administrator. So I would say that education is a big part of what has helped me develop a sense of being American, and that has helped keep my politics straight as a Democrat. I was raised in a conservative, Evangelical church, and enrolled in a university and graduate school that were both affiliated with the same denomination, but where the theology and philosophy were totally different from the mysticism and folk religion preached in the small church where I grew up. At the time, the description of what happened to me was that I had "drifted into liberalism," now I say that understanding the core values of the Christian gospel--things like loving your neighbor, loving your enemies, being a peacemaker, practicing humility, valuing things like equality and integrity-- made me woke. I also saw, over the years, how the blending of religious superstition and mysticism with right wing politics has led most conservative Evangelicals into apostasy and misplaced loyalty.

So I guess that's life experience.

[MaryMagdaline]

71. Great summary

[Happy Hoosier]

47. Education...

Learning to think critically in particular. College taught me to think.

I grew up in a center-right family, attending a conservative Christian church.

[IbogaProject]

48. Trained in Economics

The Democratic party is better for the Economy. Cutting taxes for the already wealthy slows economic growth. The GOP has been cutting taxes since Reagan and the middle class has suffered. A wealthy person is in no rush to spend their money, and when they do spend it, it will likely just be to another of their ilk on some luxury item, art or some extra property. A grandma in the projects will spend her money local and quickly other than saving small amounts for birthdays and holidays. It's called income multiplier, at the top level the money won't even multiply once more and the bottom few tiers the money will recirculate over ten times more over the next twelve months. I'm also a great grandson of an active labor organizer. My grandfather and mom were both union too and my sister is institutionalized as she is profoundly developmentally disabled and her care is by a union team. I hate racism and racists. I have no patience for racists and that hate has no place in my life.

[MaryMagdaline]

74. This! I'm so worried about these economic arsonists who want to

destroy public spending/investments. Elon Musk, Donald Trump types

[IbogaProject]

75. To be honest I'm also antiracist

But that is secondary to wanting a more equitable economy in my politics.

[MaryMagdaline]

81. Interesting ranking - you've hit the nail on two issues for Democrats

anti-racism and economic equality. I’ve tended to rate anti-racism first. The Democratic Party has failed to push economic equality since Reagan. I think Bernie brought a lot of that back and Uncle Joe passed some legislation that reminded me of the pre-Reagan days.

[IbogaProject]

175. I just feel economic opportunity is bigger

Personally racism matters equally to me as I'm from a very diverse town so that is a major personal priority.

[misanthrope]

170. In more common terms

I tell people that "money always flows uphill so you have to water the base to get the rest of the pyramid wet." That is why mixed systems are necessary to balance the free market. Too much capitalism or too much government throws it off so it requires constant vigilance.

[Doodley]

50. Never been impressed by toxic masculinity, bullies, those who want to control others, or the self-righteous.

[askyagerz]

52. Because I refused to just sit in the echo chamber

That's all it comes down to. I grew up poor, the baby of 9 kids. All my older brothers have always been telling me what I need to be doing to be a man.

Almost every white boy in rural America goes through it. It bothered all of us boys at the time but it definitely gets most in the end. They see if you step up to say anything different you are knocked down pretty quick. You learn to go along to get along.

Most just become cynical and cruel after time. Making fun of others and perceiving anyone different as weak helps them forget they didn't make it. They definitely need to stay in their tribe to keep reassuring each other they are better then the rest.

But no matter what you think of rural white men. Please understand it's super hard to stand up to the status quo when you live in such a small and close community. If you don't stand up early and often that childhood empathy just gets ripped away

[MaryMagdaline]

80. Great perspective

I used to think that males conformed because they liked it. I thought that boys joined the military because they liked being told what to do.😂😂😂
As if! I didn’t really understand there was a lot of physical abuse and intimidation involved.

[dsp3000]

53. alot of white males dont buy into the toxic masculinity and insecurity of what trump offers to those type of men.

[aquaman]

55. I'm not a narcissistic, self-absorbed, hate filled person...

I've never even considered voting republican, regardless of the candidate. And I've been voting since the Bill Clinton years.

[RidinWithHarris]

57. A part of it for me is probably being an introvert

I'm also not into sports. So I've never been a guy's guy, never fit in or wanted to fit in with the typical male crowd.

And (not to brag too much) I'm brainier than the average Joe. 😁

Of course, there are plenty of outgoing sports-loving white Democratic men too, but I imagine it takes more effort for them to avoid conforming to the tribe. Especially the not too bright ones.

[MaryMagdaline]

85. Wondering if other high intellect men (damn - sound like a podcast bro)

allows men to feel secure enough not to have to herd with the others.

[Grown2Hate]

58. Empathy. And actually going against

the grain. Mostly had a non political upbringing, as my born religion does not get involved (Jehovah's Witness, although now I'm an atheist).

Just always taught to be kind. Natural transition to Democratic tendencies.

[MaryMagdaline]

86. I'm guessing and hope this is not offensive - that being a Jehovah's Witness

caused you to have to stand up to authority early in life? Just wondering, since my classmates who were JW did not say Pledge of Allegiance or stand for National Anthem. In Georgia, where I grew up (in part) that could not have been easy for little kids.

[Grown2Hate]

156. You can't offend me, especially with

questions trying to educate yourself. 😊

I'm reflecting on this now for the first time in maybe 35 years, so I'll try to be honest and accurate.

I grew up in CT and i don't particularly remember it being much of an issue. I was a curiosity for not standing for the pledge, but not an outcast.

Standing up to authority didn't really happen until I more or less discovered myself after I left the religion (after the age of 18). I sorta just went along to get along until then.

[MaryMagdaline]

165. Thank you

[Whiskeytide]

60. A lot of life experiences. But two things stand out to me. One ...

… was a girl in college. Beautiful, smart, funny and thoughtful. First person I ever met where I immediately realized she was a much better person than I was. She was confidently liberal, and I was smitten. Before meeting her, I was pretty much a southern redneck asshole, and would probably have supported Тяцмp.

The second thing, also in college, was working with a gay man for about a year. Cool guy. We had opportunities to talk all day every day. I asked a lot of stupid questions, but learned a lot, and came to understand that we could be that different and yet still be friends. Opened my mind quite a bit.

After those experiences, the right’s subjugation of women and hatred of the LGBTQ community became more and more repulsive, and I turned left. I’ve been a blue dot in red Alabama ever since.

[MaryMagdaline]

88. I love this! My dad used to tell us that he never worried about peer pressure

- the smart kids in his high school (pretty girls) asked him if he were going to college. They just assumed that a smart boy like him would be going. He was a broke depression kid (oldest of 7) but did start college. Then went into army (WWII) and finished with GI bill. He said that peer pressure was the best thing that happened to him.

[DFW]

63. I usually post this after being asked if I'm "liberal" or "conservative." But it'll work for this question, too.

I am your classic conservative, at least as defined in a dictionary of the English language (as opposed to Republicanese).

I still work for the same outfit that recruited me out of college in 1975. I have been with the same wonderful woman since 1974. We have raised two solid, intelligent children who have grown up, think independently, did well in their respective colleges, and have jobs in which they earn their own living, have stable, long-term relationships, and are well-respected in their chosen fields.

I am risk-averse, and do not like to make rash, un-thought-out decisions. I have no debts. I have no addictions, not even to alcohol, religion, gambling, or nicotine. My favorite American philosopher is the 18th century Thomas Jefferson.

I am the epitome of “conservative.” Why am I a Democrat? Simple: I do not believe that having a different ethnic background, belief, or income makes one a superior or an inferior being to myself.

[MaryMagdaline]

92. Great summary! This follows a pattern of certain people in Blue States

with one marriage, steady employment, non-risky behavior. The original conservatives.

[flying rabbit]

64. Critical thinking skills,

and empathy.

[The Wandering Harper]

73. I'm Independent for the time being

but I used to be a registered Democrat.
I grew up poor;
my oldest friends are Black;
mom was a Democrat, dad was a Socialist;
that probably about covers it

[Jerry2144]

76. I think. Therefore I am

Descartes sums up the best reason to be a liberal Dem

[ColinCambridge]

77. Yellow Dog Democrat

and smarter than the average bear.

[Sympthsical]

78. What herd?

White men don't typically see themselves through the prism of identity politics in the same way other groups may be inclined. Some might say that's majoritarian privilege, and perhaps it is. But group identities are typically forged by a mixture of culture, ethnicity, economic background, and social flexibility. Minorities have fewer options in these areas, and it is often more to their benefit to be more loyal to the group in order to advance themselves.

My identity, such as it is, is shaped far more by growing up working class poor and blue collar than any other singular experience. Yes, my family was Irish Catholic. But I'm also gay. My parents were poor and uneducated for a long time, but they were union Democrats. However, I didn't vote how I do simply because of them. I'm not particularly religious. I no longer move in particularly LGBT circles outside of my friend groups.

There is zero pressure on me to identify any which way. Some people always try. "You're gay, so you must think this way." Pfft. What are they going to do, excommunicate me? Tell people on Grindr? Who gives a shit?

People pressure themselves to be a certain way. They identify where they feel there is safety in numbers or benefits of the tribe.

Since white men already have a lot of benefits, they have a different psychology about things. The white pride types are an extreme minority in this country. Loud, but not anywhere close to being a common sentiment in real life.

It's as simple as people not wanting their apple cart upset. And since white men have been rather advantaged by the current cart configuration, they'll typically vote to keep it that way.

Since I don't particularly give a fuck what people think about me - no matter what group it is - I just do my own thing. It's neat, and I think more people should try it. Group identity internalized as self-conscious identity is a willful surrender of self. That's not for me if I can avoid it.

[Abolishinist]

101. Thank you once again. You are truly one of the best.

I was going to comment on being part of a "herd", I feel the same way as you, yet the time to construct such a response is not within my budget. Plus you're better at it than me.

I'm white, so what. I look at policy, and for the most part I agrees with the Dems. Period. That's it. I really get tired of this "white male" stuff on DU.

[Sympthsical]

137. I'm less a fan of the altruism angle

Really from anyone. "I'm X because I care about everyone so hard. Do you see how much I care? So much caring."

It's an ego thing that's just a little eye rolling.

I'm a Democrat because I'm as self-interested as every other voter. I like having equal rights. I like having healthcare. I like an economy where I'm getting paid for my labor. I like the idea that I'll be able to retire some day. I like having medical autonomy.

Helping people is awesome. I'm in the medical field - helping everyone's the job. But I'm not going to pretend I wasn't also sniffing out the fat paycheck. And yeah, I think the policies I prefer will help lots of other people as well.

But I just hate the framing. "Why are you bravely resisting the siren call of the white man?"

Uh, easy. I wanna get paid. There is the weird self-image of heroic self-sacrifice, and it's like, no. You're just as self-interested as everyone else. It's truly that simple. It's just a matter of where people think their self-interest lies.

[Abolishinist]

174. Two things I remember about Ms. Rand,

one is her use of the term "selfishness", which for many has a negative connotation. It's been a long time since I've read anything of hers, but as I recall the more appropriate definition of her take on this would be 'self-interest', which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I have believed this for a long time, and that in and of itself there is no moral component to it. If the house next door is on fire, and a person needs to be rescued, should I choose to risk my life by going in I still see this as doing so for my own self-interest, because the flip side is that if I did nothing I would have to live with this decision forever.

Oh, and the other is the Von Sternberg house she purchased in the 40's, designed by one of my favorite modernist architects, Richard Neutra.

[walkingman]

79. Born 1950....Life experience....I have never been attracted GOP philosophy.

[The Roux Comes First]

82. Family and Life Experience

I got me a bit of education, too, but by HS the template was in place. We do not do THAT, and we support THAT!

[LudwigPastorius]

83. A modicum of intelligence, a capacity for empathy, pride in the as-yet-unattained ideals of my country...

...and, those probably came about from a combination of my dad's influence and the experiences over my lifetime.

[notroot]

84. For me, it's ironically patriotism.

Both sides of my family go back 400 years or more in America. My grandma was an Adams as in President Adams (take your pick).

When I get in debates about immigration, I always bring this up. "Imagine if my ancestors felt that way about yours." Read the plaque at the Statue of Liberty. It says it all in heart-breaking poetry:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus
November 2, 1883

[MaryMagdaline]

145. Great perspective! My ancestors came late to the party and

most of my friends are the same - 3rd and 4th generation Americans. Thanks to your ancestors, we were allowed in.

[DiamondShark]

87. I exist out of spite.

Trump has done a great job of converting voters to Harris as well. My father has been asking a lot of questions about her and Democratic policies.

[MaryMagdaline]

95. Thank you! Please continue to do so

[W_HAMILTON]

89. When Bush and his Republicans ran on trashing gays and banning same-sex marriage.

[MaryMagdaline]

93. Uggh. How soon we forget. Bush and Rove can rot in hell.

[CentralMass]

91. I was raised in and lived most of my life in Massachusetts.

My parents were life long Democrats. I have 3 daughters. I'm pretty old, 64.

My parents were kind, good
hard working people. Despite the era they didn't have a racist bone in their bodies.

[OLDMDDEM]

134. Im 77. You are not old.

[brush]

94. Thanks for DU's progressive white males for their empathy and non-herd mentality.

Shows critical thinking and rejection of the selfish cult of maga.

[MaryMagdaline]

97. Amen! That's why Democratic Presidents are the best

They’re thinkers, empaths, socially conscious people.

[La Coliniere]

98. There are a few things at play in my liberal political

outlook.
I grew up in a multicultural urban community so I’ve always seen this country from that perspective from a young age. Whereas, all the Republican members of my family grew up in 98% white suburban communities and have always been conservative, now MAGA. Cultural and social experiences definitely contributed to my world view. My parents were lifelong Democrats and union members who instilled those same values in my brother and me. My folks also were incredibly kind, generous and loving. They would be appalled by MAGA if they were alive.

[Elessar Zappa]

99. My family were Republicans and I parroted that until I was a junior in high school.

Then that summer before my senior year I went to Boys State and truly learned about politics. And all the Republican students were just awful elitists. This was in 2001 and they were all big Bush fans. I realized I disliked everything they stood for and became a Democrat shortly thereafter. In 2003, I joined DU at 19 years of age and my beliefs fully crystallized.

[MaryMagdaline]

105. That's amazing! You're one of the younger ones here

Tough to fight that jingoism after 911.

[Elessar Zappa]

109. I was the youngest at the time, I believe!

I reckon there’s at least a few younger than me now, as I’m 40 years old at this time.

[Arthur_Frain]

100. Woke.

I saw gay men on the dance floor in 1980 when I was 17, and realized it was no big deal who you loved.

[AllaN01Bear]

103. im woke and crazy r. inheret that from my late mom. rip

[AllaN01Bear]

106. i also belive in social justice to right the wrongs that the other side inflicted .

[MaryMagdaline]

107. Liberal moms are the best!

[AllaN01Bear]

108. mum was a strong unionist ( teacher ).and dem.

[MrWowWow]

110. I have a pulse...

and a conscience, and a lucidly long memory. Elephants never forget.

[MaryMagdaline]

111. That helps!

[BannonsLiver]

112. I loved Reagan as a kid.

Sort of an Alex Keaton type, although I was a few years younger than the character. Raised in a GOP family. I began to question things when Gore ran in 88 and even though I wasn’t old enough to vote I was rooting for Dukakis by the end of that year. I voted for Clinton in my first election in 1992 and it’s been 100 percent Dem ever since.

Mainly because of my sense of what is basic fairness, that people ought to be allowed who they want to be, that it’s nobody’s god damn business what a woman decides to do with her healthcare. Fundamental decency.

I guess I am one of the white whales in the sea of politics, and while I kinda like that, I wish more white men thought like I do.

[MaryMagdaline]

114. Cool story from Reaganite to Democrat

[roscoeroscoe]

113. Always Been a Musketeer

That is, always on the right side, helping out, looking to help the underdog. Went door to door for McGovern! Worked to stop Reagan! I was DJ at the party when Clinton won in our small town. I could smell the corruption from the R's every time. Not complicated.

[kozar]

115. Family influence,

But, not as you think.
I hated how I was raised,, as I told myself," I'd never treat a child, like that"
My MAg parents, chased the dollar, at my expense.
This life experience, led me to MrsK and a 15 y/o, young lady, who couldn't walk or talk. I married the mother, and adopted the young woman.
LilBit taught me, how to love, unconditionally, laugh loudly,act silly in public, as needed.
Yet , she never spoke a word in her life.
If I followed my family's influence, there would have never been a 2nd date with MrsK.
I miss them.

Koz

[RockRaven]

116. Difficult to say (sounds so arrogant) but a combo of education, empathy, experience.

While my parents and grandparents were Dems (JFK/LBJ and New Deal/FDR Dems, respectively), that wasn't what did it for me.

I was raised to read everything, learn everything, ask questions by my parents, to explore and test/try things for myself. I was very science-minded as a child/adolescent and encouraged in that, which put a high value on knowing how to know something. Both my parents and grandparents modelled being kind and charitable and helping people outside of our family or church or neighborhood (different race, religion, $, whatever). And as a young adult I had a few opportunities to travel to some places which today would go by the term "global south" regardless of their latitude, and lived a daily life very different from middling/mundane American life -- and that is an eye-opener. And then back to the reading thing, recognizing the value of history and philosophy/ethics in understanding what the heck is going on around us every day.

Everything in the above paragraph is a complete anathema to the Repugs of the past half-century, btw. So obviously they are capital O-U-T.

[ExciteBike66]

118. The biggest thing for me was equality

My wife's family has numerous gay and lesbian members and family friends who became my family and friends. I'm not a single-issue voter, but the issue is enough so that I absolutely refuse to support the Republican party in any way.

Beyond that, it's Trump's behavior. I would spank my 10-year-old silly (something I have never had to do, by the way) if he acted like whiny old Trump...

[everyonematters]

119. Rational thought overrules bad human instincts.

[lrymcqueen]

120. Not being raised a racist and

being taught critical thinking by my father. He also taught me not to follow a crowd to think for myself. That just because a lot of people I knew believed something that did not make it true. Also he kept us from being indoctrinated into religion which is where people learn to believe fanciful things for which there is no proof.

[Mike 03]

121. So many things, but a few priorities:

I was deeply influenced by the politics of my parents, especially my mother, who has an almost visceral contempt for injustices of any kind and is especially anti-racist because of the time she grew up in. But I think it's also caring about people and seeing that the Democrats do and the Republicans govern as if the welfare of people is near the bottom of their list.

EDIT: Thinking about this a little more, I also am so grateful my parents could afford to send me to a really good university for a liberal arts education--that was a life-altering experience in terms of what I was exposed to. I think it gives you a bigger picture--one of the things you learn is about the tremendous suffering that has occurred on this planet. I think it helps a person develop compassion.

As per Trump specifically:

1. Foreign policy: treating our allies so badly, sacrificing Ukraine and potentially other European nations to Putin; his admiration for foreign dictators. His flirtation with pulling us out of NATO and his general contempt for NATO and the Post WW2 international legal order.
2. The Dobbs Decision. I can't be the only white male who was HORRIFIED by the Alito decision--everything about it. I don't see how any man who has loved women, has sisters, has a good relationship with his mother, has nieces, etc... can vote as if that abomination didn't happen.
3. Trump's obvious psychiatric unfitness, from the arrogance and impunity to the malignant narcissism to the lawlessness. He will turn our country into a hybrid Kleptocracy/Theocracy/Kakistocracy.
4. The botched handling of the COVID pandemic.
5. January 6 and his total lack of remorse, his vow to pardon the insurrectionists...

I could fill up twenty pages, but I'll stop here.

[MaryMagdaline]

146. These are great points

[musicblind]

122. I have no desire to be an awful human being. n/t

[Emile]

123. My father raised three kids to be life long Democrats. My grandfather

was an immigrant from Holland who worked in a non union coal mine in Westville, Illinois. A flood of immigrants came to Westville in the early part of the last century. Shortly after Grandpa became a citizen an election was coming up. The non union coal mine owner was threatening all the immigrant miners if he found out if they voted for the socialist FDR he would close down the mine. Grandpa told me that's when he knew he was a Democrat. He knew what side he was on and he wasn't an ass kisser. The mine eventually shut down in the late 1950's.

[BlueTsunami2018]

124. I'm a union worker, I vote my job first.

I’m also staunchly anti-fascist.
I also have daughters, nieces and female cousins.
I have gay family members.
I absolutely despise religious nuts.
I care about the social safety net.
I care about the environment.
I think we deserve better healthcare.

I can go on and on.

[phylny]

125. I'm a 66-year-old white woman married to a

69-year-old white man who grew up Republican. He’s been a solid Dem since Obama.

We have three daughters and he was and is a fantastic dad to them. He’s a wonderful husband. He was never a bad person, just “fiscally conservative.”

Here’s what changed him: Sitting in my car driving listening to Thom Hartmann when he’d have Bernie Sanders on. Crazy, but true.

[JPPaverage]

126. Well im 67 years old

I've been a Democrat since birth as my dad was a big time Union man and my mom was, and is, a woman who can think for herself. And they taught us the value of critical thinking. To make our own choices, regardless of it is "popular opinion" or not.
And as i got older, i saw that Republicans mostly did not align with the belief system which was taught to me and my sister. So, Democratic Party all the way. And yes, there have been some piss poor Demicrats over the years, but for the most part, they've been good candidates and representatives of the majority of the people.
Hope this wasn't too long winded of an answer.

[Woodwizard]

127. Voted dem all my life.

Womans rights, and real efforts to actually try to do something about the environment. And an attempt at empathy instead of alienation.

My first vote was for Mondale against Reagan absentee ballot, I was in the Army. Not many of my fellow soldiers voted or even payed attention to politics.

[Best_man23]

128. I have to credit Mike Malloy for my political awakening

I began listening to him on the radio when I was living in Chicago in the 1990s. He was on late night on WLS and I would end my day and often went to sleep listening to his show. Before I listened to Mike, I did vote for Republicans and Democrats pretty evenly. Since 1996, its been all Blue tickets for me.

[MaryMagdaline]

147. Malloy was/is great. Wasn't he the one who coined "Bush Crime Family"?

[Best_man23]

149. I do believe that is correct.

[OLDMDDEM]

129. My heart tells me to vote for the person with a heart for others.

[Tom Rinaldo]

130. Empathy and idealism.

I hate injustice, always have. Been this way since High School, probably earlier. I always have wanted a better world where people don't have to suffer. Racism has always been a deal breaker for me, since the early sixties when I became aware of the Civil Rights movement

It's possible I could have become an idealistic conservative instead. Someone along the lines of Jack Kemp who sincerely believed that only the free market could liberate humanity from oppression blah blah. I think education saved me from that.

[Bettie]

131. Asked my husband (who is getting ready to leave for work)

and he said "because I'm not a fucking moron" and then "I am a decent human being with empathy".

[Littlered]

132. Intelligence nt.

[displacedvermoter]

135. Started reading history at an early age, figured

out that so much of the misfortune of earlier ages was the result of the kind of thinking that the Republican Party -- even the pretty benign form practiced in Vermont -- adhered to. The Civil Rights Movement, opposition to the Vietnam War, and social progress were all products of the liberal branch of the Democratic Party I became a supporter of.

[Amishman]

136. Economics and anti-corporatism

I'm not a progressive, and my political opinions aggregated put me probably just a bit left of center. There are a few areas where I even have to temper my comments on DU to not cause too much trouble. But our party is ultimately the best fit for me compared to the alternatives, so here I am.

But one area where I am firmly blue is on labor economics and the need to rein in corporate abuses. Modern managerial philosophy treats workers as an expense and nothing more. This is absolutely wrong and infuriating.

[RazorbackExpat]

138. I live in a country where I'm a distinct minority

I'm a Golden Rule kind of guy-- treat others as I myself would want to be treated. So far, it's worked out

[Orrex]

139. Because I'm not a racist, misogynist, bigoted fuckhead

I admit that I falter sometimes, saying or doing things that turn out to be hurtful in matters beyond the person’s control, but it's never intentional, and I try to own and learn from my errors.

For Trump and his kkkultists, the cruelty is goal and the point.

[doc03]

140. My parents came off the farm in WV, back then almost everyone in WV were Democrats.

My father, a brother and I worked over 100 years combined as union steelworkers. Except for a
brief period when I voted for RR in 1980, that was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I switched parties to vote for John McCain in the primaries but dropped McCain when he chose Sarah Palin. The Democratic party always supported the unions
and the Republicans were always on the other side wanting to take what we fought for.

[kwolf68]

142. For me

Geography, religion, family influence, life experience?

Geography no--born in SE North Car and grew up 30 miles south of Richmond
Religion--not at that time, i often disagreed with the religious right, but "understood them" and even defended them
Family-yea right? I know of no one in my family that is a Dem

Life?? Maybe. I went to work in Northern Virginia and for the first time ever had strong associations with people from every walk of life from countries around the world with varying views and perspectives. That was part of it.

I always was mostly Libertarian though aligned with Republicans, but even back then I very socially liberal. The only nonsocial thing I was maybe left of center on was environment.

On top of that I just started to listen and observe things, read. SMALL things actually move you. I remember reading Limbaugh's book and he made statements in the book that I knew were wrong. I glossed over them at the time, but that made a mark on me. His act started to wear thin, and I wondered If he's lying about that, then what else is he lying about.

I then started to see the scare mongering from the right was horse shit. The Democrats were not communists, people were not coming to take our guns or force us to give up our bibles or ban me from saying Merry Christmas.

The final piece was how I was able to conflate my view on free enterprise with the Democratic Party. Regulations Democrats had often championed (almost always opposed by the right) like anti-trust laws, truth in advertising laws, wage laws, environmental laws ACTUALLY were not just "red tape liberals" trying to "choke off American enterprise", these regulations ACTUALLY PROMOTE the sanctity of a free market (consumer choice, consumer knowledge, cost internalization, etc). At that point I realized the Republicans WERE just about the powerful, they could give a two-shits about free enterprise, rather oligarchy.

So here we are, have yet to vote today, but today my wife, daughter and I will be heading out.

[MaryMagdaline]

144. Great summary!

[PCIntern]

143. I have an IQ over 70

[orangecrush]

148. Moral fibre

?v=1687926900

[Ping Tung]

150. Life experience.

I was poor as a kid. Sometimes hungry and homeless poor. I saw many other poor people who were much worse off than I was in my travels. I saw that there is nothing romantic, uplifting, or valuable about poverty, racism, misogyny, or violence.

The Democrats offer empathy and compassion and a practical way to deal with it. As a socialist, the Democratic party is a way to install common human decency in the government of this country.

I registered as a Democrat in 1965. Here in Washington we no longer vote by party.

[edbermac]

151. Was in high school during Watergate

Never thought we could get anyone as bad as Tricky Dick but Reagan, the Bushes and Trump managed.

[arlyellowdog]

152. Division is for Trump and Vance

Normal gay verses (Vance didn’t specify), childless woman verses non childless woman), Melania and Musk verses other immigrants. We are all Democrats here that have no clue how their minds work.

[getagrip_already]

154. I have a heart, and a brain, and never much cared about power or money

Dem positions and policies just always resonated better with me than republican policies or messages.

I never liked them.

I never liked the pseudo christian bs.

I never liked the better than thou crap, or the racism, or the eliteism.

Im just an older middle class white dude. Never fell for their bs.

[grobertj]

155. The truth

[blue sky at night]

157. When you are in Junior High...

And Nixon is president and then in High school Kent State happens….changed my whole outlook on life. Tin Soldiers and Nixon coming…still waiting for some justice in my lifetime.
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[MaryMagdaline]

162. Yes!! Those events were great influences on me as well

Plus I love CSNY

[Americanme]

158. Why am I a Democrat?

I am not a greedy billionaire, I am not a bigot, I am not a religious nut, I do not watch Fox News. So there is no reason for me to vote Republican. I am a union worker, I do support free will for women, I do think the rich should pay their fair share, I do support a social safety net, I do support minority rights. So I vote Democrat. To be honest, I did vote for Reagan twice. I was too young and uninformed to know better. I have come to my senses since then.

[dlilafae]

161. The first time I saw

a Rachel Maddow broadcast, I knew I would identify myself a
s a Democrat.

[joshcryer]

163. Poverty

[MaryMagdaline]

164. That'll do it

[misanthrope]

166. Frankly, I wasn't a Democrat

This was the leader of the Democratic Party in the state where I grew up and the party was loaded with plenty more just like him.

That said, I was always liberal for my environment. Mostly because sympathy came easy for me. Some of it was due to the times in which I grew up, entering grade school less than 10 years after four young girls were killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, the explosion of which would have been audible from our neighborhood just west of there.

My family was deeply immersed in the church and I took the words and actions attributed to Jesus of Nazareth to heart. There was also a popular cultural figure in Birmingham known as James Alexander "Brother" Bryan. The Depression Era preacher was reputed for his tireless work on behalf of the poor and homeless. The steel town was waylaid by the economic downturn and Bryan was known for literally giving the clothes from his back to people he ran across.

My grandparents' generation filled me with stories about struggling through the Depression and the salvation of FDR's leadership.

I was unusually aware of current events as a child and recall the Watergate scandal, hearings and conclusion. I found the growing nationalism of the Reagan era off-putting, then frustrating and finally repulsive.

But growing up in a state where so many Democrats were just as regressive and conservative as Republicans imbued me with a deep cynicism about politics, even though I found them important and intriguing. My voting patterns weren't dictated by party affiliation, but my values and beliefs.

As Southern conservatives infected the Republican Party and then overwhelmed it, my likelihood of ever voting for one of them became so remote as to be non-existent. Even now, I have relatives who have run for office under the GOP banner and I refuse to vote for them.

[MaryMagdaline]

167. Great summary. I, too, voted for Republicans here and there in GA

to avoid those lingering KKK types we tolerated in the Democratic Party.

[misanthrope]

168. I didn't vote for many Republicans at all

Mainly because I wasn't voting age until the Reagan era and I was repulsed by the "greed is good" zeitgeist.

[D23MIURG23]

169. All I can say is that my entire life I've felt like Republicans break things and cause pain for no reason.

The tax policy that benefits the rich at the expense of the poor. The Iraq war. The non-stop attempts to gut anything the government does to promote safety, health, education, or the survival of poor people.

They are a bunch of fucking assholes.

I also think my demographics play into my choice. I'm an atheist so they don't win me back with their phony appeals to religion. I'm well educated enough to see how their rhetoric works, and how it doesn't match anything they actually do. I'm too young to have been dazzled by Reagan, which seems to have happened with some boomers and mid-generational Xers. I'm also working within public sector research, and I've made a career in that more in spite of their impact on society than because of it.

Basically, they've never offered me anything I wanted, and they've gone out of their way to shit on most of the things I care about.

[MaryMagdaline]

171. Never being dazzled by Reagan is a good thing.

I was a Jimmy Carter person. The disaster in the dessert when we tried to free the hostages was the worst moment of our generation. Dems looked like losers ever since. I was in the minority in my generation, continuing to vote for liberals.

[Torchlight]

172. I have no real idea why I turned out as I did.

All things being equal, I grew up about as white-middle-class-suburbia as one could imagine. As a teen and young adult (80s and 90s), I was subjected to the very same cultural, educational, and religious influences my maga coworkers were, my neighborhood was as white as a Norwegian wedding (mixed high school though, but I couldn't tell you the ratio of white/minority; probably 3- or 4-to 1?).

My best guesses of why I reached my political positions are a combination of the dynamic influence of those I've kept close to me over the years, a dozen or so influential authors of books that taught me to see differently, and some basic religious/ethical tenets I grew up accepting. The universe put them all in a stew pot, simmered it for a few years, and here I am.



Honestly though, I couldn't tell you with any real certainty; and maybe I'll never know myself. I'm just glad I'm not angry and embittered like my maga friends and coworkers so often seem to be.

[MaryMagdaline]

173. Good response.

Might not be knowable

[Aldo Leopold]

177. For one thing, my parents were free thinkers

and that of course influenced me to regularly challenge my assumptions and question authority! I'm also by nature a conscientious and empathetic person

[regnaD kciN]

178. My faith...

Unlike the Bible-worshipers who claim to be Christian, I believe in a God of compassion and mercy for “the least of these,” and whose response to evil was to accept death at the evildoers’ hands rather than striking out at them.

[Tbone421]

179. Learning things myself instead of believing what I'm told.

My whole family is conservative Republicans. Every single one of them but me. I could have easily turned out that way.

But when I turned 18 I moved 2000 miles across the country by myself, and knew no one, and just observed life quietly by myself for a couple of years. Realized quickly that a lot of what I was taught growing up was very backwards and head-in-the-sand.

Also learned in early adulthood that everyone needs a helping hand at some point in their life. And not everyone comes from a family who can step in and offer that help.

[NNadir]

180. While I'm not quite sure this claim actually represents my demographic...

...in a word, "Nixon."

[Brenda]

181. What herd?

Notice how certain white males always have a qualifier?

[Zambero]

182. White male by accident of birth

I have never for a second believed that "membership" in my particular demographic would be a reason for any given political alignment. And I do not quite "get" the type of grievance politics that attempts to arrange people in a caste system of sorts, to the point of having the aggieved one's "birthright masculinity" or proclaimed racial status as qualifiers for higher placement in the social order. It's all bullshit, and I'm grateful not have ascribed to it.

[JackedUpMel]

183. Social pressure

As a gay man coming out as a R would probably be taken worse in my social circle than coming out as gay was taken by my very blue collar straight dad

[Lulu KC]

184. Are you saying that you actually wanted to be an R?

Because? Interesting.

[JoseBalow]

185. Punctuation is important!

[Lulu KC]

186. ? The sentence made sense

But it answered the question of why he chose to be a Democrat.

[JoseBalow]

187. There should be a comma

after "As a gay man"

I had to re-read it. He's not saying he wanted to be a Repug, he's just saying that would be worse than coming out gay was.

I think?

[Lulu KC]

190. I can see that

But peer pressure seems like an odd reason to choose party, especially tonight. Maybe I'm just a little skittish.

[JoseBalow]

192. Oh, yes, I see what you mean.

It seems a bit unclear to me. I took it as his perspective, as a gay man, not as his experience. "Would probably be" instead of "would (probably) have." Perhaps he will come back and clarify his thoughts.

[Lulu KC]

194. Perhaps

And, after all, maybe it is peer pressure for all of us when we figure out that all the cool kids are Democrats. Because, seriously? They really are. KEEPING HOPE ALIVE!

[JackedUpMel]

191. No

The D team for me is the lesser of evils, due to my lifestyle there were some hard deal breakers with the R team. So here I am

That being said the D team is by far less tolerant of “wrong think” and often takes good fights and goes to extreames that take a good thought and perverts its.

Example, transitioning kids and letting trans men into womens sports, because I am gay I am expected to 100% support this, trouble is as someone who was a athlete all through high school and throughout college and enjoys bodybuilding, I can not support that.

If I dont support these extremes that I am expected to, I get bunched into “he must be voting for Trump” extreame and treated with such hatred, hatred more raw than I have experienced from any redneck for being gay, it’s something the party needs to change.

We go too far and I fear in this election it might be coming home to roost

[Akoto]

188. I'm doing what I feel is right. n/t

[Jason1961]

189. Brains

Brains are why I have always voted Blue no matter who

We are a movement, we just have to always keep pushing forward

[derby378]

193. I got tired of all the spite

As a Republican, I was still willing to listen to most Democratic ideas. I was also naive in thinking the better angels of our nature would keep my fellow Republicans from going off the deep end.

The Clinton impeachment was the last straw for me. I voted for John McCain in the 2000 primaries, but after that, I never looked back. Especially after what happened in Florida that year.