Frenchie

Okay.. I live in a very Republican household.
I don't know anything about the Republicans but what my father tells me. My parents keep telling me to register to vote.. and tells me to pick my party. They tell me that I can go undecided. But I would like to know a thing or two about the parties from both sides.

So, obviously what I am asking is that you all post what you feel that one should know about the parties... tell me why you are that... and why you are not.

irateplatypus

ok...

i'm a registered republican. i chose the republican party because i believe in the principles they run on (though not necessarily keep) like limited government, relatively pro-life, hawkish foreign policy and free-market economical philosophy.

the republicans don't hold a monopoly on these issues, there are some dems and independents who i identify with more than some republicans. still, as a party... i feel they are the better choice for the things i value between the two.

if you're a conservative like i am, you might want to read up on the libertarian party. if they get their act together and form a cogent platform with a solid candidate... i'll be the first to change.

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

Zeld2.0

i'll second the libertarian party statement...

they can be pretty big and really IMO combine the things from the two parties i like the most

As for party wise? To be honest, all the party lines and platforms are so blurred these days that it's tough to make distinctions in the real world. This thing I think is better off learning about one's own self and beliefs and lifestyle before anyone can tell you what you should be.

Every side has their merits and drawbacks (though few will ever admit it!)

(check their website but right now i don't have a link available)

charms

Coke and Pepsi. One seems a little bit sweeter, but they're both fundamentally the same.

:::OshnSoul:::

I am nothing. I vote for who I feel will bring the most to the United States and the world. It's not a matter of if their one party or another.
My dad automatically votes for the republican, because of his views on such things as abortion, etc. but that's his choice.
I can't do that. I vote for whoever I feel could make a great difference for our country, and for the world.
Only if people would read up on candidates, without looking at what party they are with, and really look at who they are as an individual who could make a difference in the world.

SaltPork

I am proudly registered as an Independent, which means I can vote for whomever I choose. In NH you're forced to vote your affiliation during the primaries, so that gives me a chance to educate myself before I declare a party at the polls.

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It was like that when I got here....I swear.

Lebell

Register independent if necessary, but I agree to register.

__________________
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis

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analog

The best thing you can do is read up. Just keep reading. You will never know all there is to know about how people operate.

...and all you'll get here is everyone's opinion on politics- and other people's opinions on politics should not necessarily shape your own.

Happy reading.

smooth

I register as "Decline to state."

In the presidential primary, I had to declare which ticket I wanted to vote under. I think that was BS because I should be able to vote for whoever I want running on either ticket, but whatever.

I can vote in everything except Republican local tickets. I don't know if they are going to change that any time soon.

I chose non-affiliation for a variety of reasons. Some of what I would choose to be affiliatted with wouldn't go over too well with the dominant political powers. Also, my affiliation is a personal choice, in my opinion. I shouldn't have to report to the government shit about my political views. My views matter when I walk into a closed booth and vote according to my conscious, my mood, or a coin toss. Whatever method I feel--that's between me and the galaxy and that's it, as I see it.

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"The theory of a free press is that truth will emerge from free discussion, not that it will be presented perfectly and instantly in any one account." -- Walter Lippmann

"You measure democracy by the freedom it gives its dissidents, not the freedom it gives its assimilated conformists." -- Abbie Hoffman

theusername

Im an independent. I'm more libertarian than anything else and more Republican than Democrat.

I believe the Nat'l gov't should stay out of people's business unless it has to do with civil rights.

Your young, register independent. Since you dont know enough yet stick around here decide your opinion on issues and then you can "choose" a party if you like. I think the whole you have to pick one is kind of stupid and out of touch nowadays. There are horrible Democrats in office and horrible republicans in office. There are excellent Democrats in office and excellent Republicans in office. I think you get my drift,

Usually kids identify with their parents politics except are slightly more liberal. Not always but usually.

charms

Don't take anyone's word on it. Don't let a party tell you how to think. Instead of trying to work out your position on every issue, start thinking about principles. What is government's role in society? Where should the balance lie between freedom and social well-being? What kind of character traits do you look for in politicians?

Issues, political parties, and politicians will sway in the breeze, but your principles will remain the same. If you define yourself by a party affiliation, you'll find yourself defending policies you disagree with and attacking policies you agree with. Neither party is right all the time, both are corrupt most of the time. Separate rhetoric and reality.

Lastly, educate yourself. Don't listen to partisan sources. They may pretend to inform you, but they really want to conform you. Dig deep, look deeper, and always follow the money.

irateplatypus

ahh, dear ol' TFP... truly a microcosm of the postmodern political world.

__________________
If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

mike059

Just register and vote. thats all there is to it. Voting is what is important. In the big scheme of things voting for a particular national candidate doesn't seem to matter much. It is the local /state elections that tend to directly affect us.

tecoyah

The parties are irrelevant to the issues. In both parties what they stand for is seldom what the candidate actually does. I would recommend you register as independant, and research the individuals rather than the platform of the party.

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Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

Zeld2.0

And yes I'll second that you go out and participate in local elections regularly...

They often have low turnout rates but they're the ones which affect the regular person the most and most directly as well!

jcookc6

In Massachusetts there are more undeclared voters than Democrats, only about 10% republican. In the primary you go to the desk and declare what parties ballot you want. when you leave you fill out form to be returned to undeclared. being a declared Republican in Massachusetts is a oxymorn, because there are never any primary contests.
At least the people in the state are smart enough never to have the legislative branch and the executive branch the same party. The last time it was, we had that famous Tank Driver Michael Dukakis and he taxed everything that moved. You know who is Lt. Gov. was? John F. "Liveshot" Kerry.

Sun Tzu

Donning tin foil hat: The NFL shouldnt really care whos wins the superbowl; either way it wins.

http://www.save-a-patriot.org/bbs/bbs.html

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To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.- Stephen Hawking