This is a thread for people who have changed their political orientations substantially during their lives. For example, for people who now consider themselves conservatives, but who once were liberals. Or for liberals, who began as conservatives.

My question for you is: what, in your opinion, made you change?

Some particular experience? (There is an old saying, that a conservative is a liberal who was mugged. On the other side, I have a friend who was the national chairman of his country’s Young Conservatives, but who became involved in anti-apartheid activities, and was radicalized by that.)

Some change in your life situation? (Another old saying is that a conservative is a liberal with a mortgage. Or with a daughter in high school.)

Or some extended exposure to a different way of thinking? (Many young people who come from conservative homes become liberals after attending college.)

Or something else?

So … if you switched, why did you do it?

I watched a documentary movie that changed my life.

Maybe you've heard of it.

It is called Waco: The Rules of Enagement.

I was one of the type that thought the Davidians deserved what they got & that they had committed suicide.

Boy was I wrong! That is the first movie that made me cry. I felt so bad about how I had previously thought of the world.

I went from a conservative republican-like guy to a more of a libertarian (if I have to be labeled).

What the world still believes of the Waco tradgedy sickens me.

I grew up. I got a job. Economics degree reinforced my switch to Republican. Carter was a woos. Nixons slimeyness didnt matter as much any more.
Not familiar with the movie on Waco but how are you so sure the FBI and Justice department under a Republican government would have handled it the same. Hell, Ashcroft might have been out there at the compound with David for a prayer breakfast. Republicans arent known for such vigorous enforcement of gun laws. MARK

Nothing wrong with being a libertarian or being a Freemason and or changing from a conservative Republican.

You have every right to believe in what you believe I do not question your belief.

But you are kidding about Waco and David Koresh (or the Branch Davidians) right?

You not proposing Koresh and the Davidians were blameless in what happened to them and are really victims of more government lies and conspiracies as in big brother against the proletariat or as in McVeigh speak, as in the the anti-world order ideology are you?

This guy said exactly, to the word the same things, as you just did.



He was a sweet heart with that same ideology of conspiracy which committed the biggest act of mass murder in U.S. history. McVeigh's homemade truck bomb killed 168 people, [B]almost all civilians, including 19 children and infants who were advancing the evil cause of the New World Order from the building's daycare center. He was executed June 11, 2001, by Lethal Injection.

http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/crime/te...imothy-mcveigh/

What about this guy who thought he was god or Jesus come again like Koresh.
He as well led these sheep to the slaughter. He like McViegh and Koresh as well blamed the government for all that lead him to kill what 900 people for nothing by a select few who actually knew they were to kill themselves.




http://www.ronaldbrucemeyer.com/rants/1118a-almanac.htm.


BACK ON TOPIC


I switched from a long time loyal Democrat to voting more and more against them finally in this last election. Most of my extended family, all loyal straight ticket Democrats, for generations, switched two elections ago.

What I am seeing today in Washington and coming out of the Democratic Party and its leadership, acts and deeds is something that I do not recognize as inclusive of many things I believe in. Which gives me little hope for them, or my return to them.

I am neither liberal nor conservative. I am a little of one or the other on a specific issue or subject, with neither over barring in my views overall.

I am a zealot who would cut the brass balls off anyone who would attack our fighting men and women as in blaming them for the job they do for us all no matter its righteousness or lack there off.


That is all.

LAST CALL!!!

Does anyone else who used to be an XXX but is now a YYY want to explain why they changed?

I’ve posted this question on several dozen Forums.

In a few weeks I will try to summarize what makes people change, and then post a summary here. If, like me, you are interested in winning people to your point of view, you should find it interesting.

Doug

PS: To th ose who've already posted: Thank you for your responses.

Raised in an upper-middle class Republican stronghold. Voted straight Republican without thinking about it for 20 years, even when I moved to Texas and all the elected officials were Democrats. Then I heard Australian pediatrician Helen Caldicott speak, after I'd been a Christian pacifist for ten years. I haven't voted for a Republican since.

Although this is obviously an over-simplification, the Republican Party represents the interests of rampant capitalism, old money, big banks, multinational corporations, Wall Street, Madison Avenue, materialism, limited personal freedom, the amalgamation of church and state, big government, fiscal irresponsibility, war, violence, guns for every idiot, rabid anti-abortion idiocy, war, violence, more war, and more violence. Meanwhile, the Republican party cares little or nothing about foreigners, immigrants, disabled veterans, minority peoples, oppressed workers in the Usa, paying enough to their own military, or caring about poverty or AIDS.

The Democratic Party is run by a bunch of loonies, but I'll take them over the rabid Republicans every time, without thinking it's a necessary evil.