Republican or Democrat: Which one are you?

[Allie_Oops]

Just kind of curious of how politically diverse G@G really is.

Republican and proud

Democrat and awesome

I'm middle of the road

I'm probably more Libertarian than anything

I'm American but I don't associate with political parties

Not American/ Poll Results

[nightdrot]

The party I chose is Republican, but that says less than people assume. American political parties are not ideological parties as you tend to see in Europe. Rather they are lose knit coalitions of regional, religious, ethnic, racial, income and other groups that have come together in part by common interests and in part by historical accident.

In the case of the GOP, it is a coalition made up of classical liberals - which Americans call conservatives, libertarians, small and medium sized business, religious and social traditionalists, lower middle and upper middle income earners, farmers, rural and exurban populations, older voters, the South, the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountain West and the state of Alaska, to name the most prominent groups.

On the Democratic side you get, ethnic and religious minorities, middle and high income wage earners, big business and entertainment industries, urban and inner suburban votes, radical liberals - which Americans call liberals. (Note, the term "radical" here does not mean as Americans use it, i. e. "extremist," but rather as the ancient Greeks used the term, meaning "to the root of.") The northeast, the mid-Atlantic, the Pacific coast and the state of Hawaii.

This is how you get a Republican Party that runs from Ted Cruz at one end to John Kasich at the other. This is how you get a Democratic Party that runs from Joe Manchin at one end to Elizabeth Warren at the other. Quite simply, party identification is not about ideological identity.

For my part, I am conservative, but I put an asterisk over it. My conservatism is not what Americans typically call conservative. Because what Americans call conservative is, historically speaking, not conservatism but is, rather, classical liberalism.

My conservatism, which is classical or Tory conservatism, traces its intellectual pedigree through Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, the 18th century British statesman and political philosopher, Edmund Burke, and also the British Prime Ministers Benjamin Disraeli and Lord Salisbury.

Classical conservatives emphasize the nurturing of civic virtue, see free markets as a tool as opposed to the end purpose of government, and believe that politics should take its bearings not from human reason, but human nature. As Burke said, "The effect of liberty to individuals is that they may do what they please. We ought see what it will please them to do before we risk congratulations."

There is much more to it, but this summarizes it.

[EpicDweeb]

I'm neither strictly republican nor democrat... OR libertarian. Libertarians have some ideas bordering on anarchy which tend to have a certain fault in failing to understand the nature of mankind. I tend to be conservative so in many ways I agree with libertarian ideas but not to the extent they would take them. Republicans quite frankly aren't conservative any more and neither of course are democrats... thus I can't say I really associate myself with either one. I tend towards Republican/Libertarian because every now and then there is a conservative amongst them.

[xXiTacoXx]

As left leaning and progressive as my views are I'm actually an independent voter who has no party affiliation. And like me you'll find that quite a few other black people also are independent voters, but the reason why we mostly vote Democrat is because voting Republican would lead to stabbing yourself in the eye directly instead of giving yourself a chance to at least dodge the knife coming at you from else where. Most I know actually aren't too fond of either parties. I know I'm sick of it. 😂😂😂

[AllyKat1218]

I’m independent. I can agree with things or disagree with things on both sides. I honestly think both can be too extreme to the left or the right. I like the good middle. Rn I don’t agree with much of anything on the Republican side, they are doing too many in humans things for me. Democrats can be too extreme on things and some will work but some are irrationally generous.

[HOAAH]

Honestly I vote for whomever seems to be fighting for American rights, but then it gets so blurred I didn't even vote the last time.
I did vote for Obama 2x in a row though.
I think deep down, each citizen just needs to make the best life they can.
I love America :)

[BuchitaBuchys]

I'm more democrat for sure. But lately my boyfriend has been giving me the red pill, or "red penis" as I joke with him lol
He's libertarian and he's been fucking some sense into me.

[ThisDudeHere]

I'm not American and I'd consider myself libertarian/ right-leaning centrist, but if I had to choose then I'd be Republican.

[errorgoodnameunfound]

You wouldn't be a true American libertarian then. Or a centrist. REAL ones would be independent without allegiance. You'd be a fake. You aren't American so stop trying to pretend you know anything about American Republicans.

[Taxation_is_Theft]

That guy sounds like a real American republican, angry all the time.

[errorgoodnameunfound]

@Taxation_is_Theft Who? Me or him?

[ThisDudeHere]

@errorgoodnameunfound I did say that if I HAD to choose.

[Taxation_is_Theft]

You, he says he is libertarian but having to choose between the 2 he chose republican. A lot of libertarians do this. It's not likely that we are going to actually get office as long they don't let us in the big debates. So out of the two parties he chooses the one that aligns with more of his views. Then it sounds like your getting super defensive/angry about it. That sounds like something a real republican would do. Be angry.

[errorgoodnameunfound]

@Taxation_is_Theft Well, cause even people in america barely understand labels. So somebody outside america is usually 100% clueless yet act like smartass experts. I'd like to see him live down south in Mississipi or something, which is VERY republican controlled and see how long it takes for him to whither and fall apart. Europeans are CLUELESS about American republican areas. CLUELESS IDIOTS.

[RegularTK421]

@errorgoodnameunfound whats wrong with the south? I moved down here from the northeast and I love it. You just need to be able to handle other peoples opinions that differ from yours.

[madhatters4]

i'm a democrat. i'd be an independent if my state had open primaries but since they don't and i want a voice i am a registered democrat

[Bluedream13]

Lol some voice

[madhatters4]

@Bluedream13 you Lol too? so does my 12 year old niece.

[RegularTK421]

I'm registered Republican, but I voted for sanders in the democrat primary last election to try and knock out Hillary. Our state has an open primary, but you can only vote in one primary, not both.

[madhatters4]

@RegularTK421 yeah i wish we had open primaries in PA. it was suggested years ago but didn't get much traction

[BlueCoyote]

I'm a social democrat (what Americans incorrectly call "democratic socialist").

[Deukalion]

just asking how it possible democracy to be the same with socialism? what are you really doing in USA you take an apple and turn it to tomato only in america this is possible

[BlueCoyote]

@Deukalion
I'm not American, I'm Swiss.

There are many social democratic countries in Europe. Inform yourself a bit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_market_economy

[Deukalion]

it's made up shit bu jew marxism apes , socialism cannot be democracy its 2 different things and ideologies, read Plato to understand what is real democracy , socialism it's made up for low IQ people.

[BlueCoyote]

@Deukalion
Social Democracy is a political movement that has been around since the mid-19th century. Clearly, you don't know your history. Or maybe you're just a troll.

[Deukalion]

wow really mid 19th ahhahha. read some books.
democracy founded 4000 B. C and you talking to me about stinky lefties.

[BlueCoyote]

@Deukalion
Social democracy and democracy have absolutely nothing to do with each other. One is a political philosophy, the other is a form of governance.
I have majored in history, thanks. I think the one who needs to read some books is you. And while you're on it, read some books about English grammar.

[Deukalion]

Use the word communism better for you. Lefties are all the same.

[BlueCoyote]

@Deukalion
If you actually think that way, you have never talked to a left-wing person in real life. I'm not a communist and I think I know better what I am than you do.

[Deukalion]

you sound like hypocrite

[BlueCoyote]

@Deukalion
In what way?

[Mexicoman101]

I vote libertarian or preferably green, because these two parties are just dangerous. Maybe I'll vote for a Democrat or Repbublican if they're unequivocally against money in politics and have a maverick agenda that goes beyond the dictates of monied interests, I used to think Obama was that when volunteered for him, but only Bernie Sanders seems to be an elected official that stands for those values. I voted for a Republican once because he told me he was against corporate welfare and for a constitutional amendment getting money out of politics.

[ecfresh]

Fiscally more conservative as I prefer less taxes and more control at the state level than federal. Socially I am middle of the road as I would rather go issue by issue than take a political parties overall stance on issues. While I lean conservative I see each generation that time marches on and we become more progressive.

[baseballnerd24]

definitley a democrat however i do have some conservative views i supported the syria airstrikes, i support the travel ban ( i dont support the wall mainly because mexico dosent pose a great threat like palestine or lebanon does to Israel). I support universial healthcare, raising the minium wage, i would love to see gun control get passed but i no it won't so i have kind of given up on that issue. I think there are a lot of problems with the democratic party now since they have gone to far left so i wouldn't say i am 100 percent a democrat but i dont support most republican views

[hellionthesagereborn]

None of the above, I am for the truth. So if a policy is provably affective that's what I will choose, so I suppose I could be middle of the road, but then I would also be a bit libertarian at least as individuals are concerned.

[abc3643]

It doesn't matter anyway.

I'm just going to get started learning Russian because President Pussygrabber is helping them take over.

How do you say "President Putin, you have the most magnificent penis and are the greatest specimen of maleness in human history! Please don't poison me." in Russian?

[Bluedream13]

lol... stupidest rhetoric in political history and people still lap it up

fucking slaves

[dolemite68]

I’m liberal on things like abortion and drug policy but conservative when it comes to business. I think voting is for saps tho, doesn’t matter who the politicians are cuz you don’t have a say in things, the real owners of this country still hold the puppet strings and make all the choices

[errorgoodnameunfound]

I can understand that. You seem more libertarian if anything. Better to have some say than no say at all though. If you actually look at what majority of people vote for, usually NOBODY is the winner since most don't vote. But that means you are letting a minority tell you who to suck the cock of.

[shephardjhon]

Republican but since all the actual Republicans have now been replaced with the Tea Party, Libertarian.
In Pakistan, where I am from, I support the PTI/Imran Khan, also Perviz Musharraff. I would support the PPP (who American media seems to like) if they were actually liberal and not just a collection of the most corrupt people in the country.

[SpaceFungus-07a]

I'm not sure if I'd say Republican "and proud." More like conservative and proud. I used to be Libertarian, until I realized that a "live and let live" mentality has given us a worthless crappy culture and severed all social bonds.

[lacaras]

I prefer to discuss political beliefs by issue. I lean libertarian, and have been registered Libertarian since 2016 when both major parties decided to offer 2 of the worst candidates in history. I tend to side heavily with the right when it comes to economic concerns, I'm much more mixed on social concerns, in general though, I really think a lot of common issues are better left to the states and not the federal government.

[jaidee]

Classical liberal. In other words, kinda in the middle, kinda above it all, kinda friendly towards libertarians and generally open to complex and nuanced conversations with everybody including extremists of all sides.

[Taxation_is_Theft]

I think my username sorts makes it obvious where I stand.

[ThisDudeHere]

Just for clarity, may I ask how would you expect your government to maintain roads, schools and hospitals? Or do you want all of that to be privatized which would massively inflate the price and thus make them less accessible?

[Taxation_is_Theft]

Sure I understand thats a common question. I'm not against tax as a whole, just the involuntary kind. Im all for consumption tax, that was tax is scaled better based on income. Poor people can't spend much so they would pay less tax, but have more money for food/bills that aren't taxed.

This next part is where a lot of even libertarians argue.
Government education should be the basics at most. Math, science, language, (I would add life skills, like finances and credit scores, how to get loans etc). Then they have government run programs for the electives that parents have to pay for, this is where a good part of the school funding would come from with the consumption tax as said before.

Hospitals are usually privately owned, only thing government does is restrict medications and procedures to the ones provided by big pharmacy. Which causes them to cost way too much. That's why a lot of countries are cheaper healthcare.

[Taxation_is_Theft]

Government inflates the prices by restricting competition.

[ThisDudeHere]

Well okay I can understand that.

[chc0009]

I'm a registered Democrat, but I've been very wary of the Democrat hypocrisy and BS. They defend criminals and illegal immigrants. However, I see them a lesser evil, as Republicans and libertarians pose a bigger threat to the nation.

Liberalism and conservatism=bad and badder.

[Therisinghero12]

Im definitely more republican and its kinda hard to explain why, i guess i sorta agree with their position on many issues and their approach to getting them done.

This seems kinda unrelated but I've wanted to try a fascism experiment ever sense i read "The Wave" in high school, it seems so outlandish and different and it makes me curious what it would be like.

[AoiKaito]

I am an independent and don't subscribe to any particular party or ideology. I just look at each issue individually, listen to all arguments, and make my decision. As a result I am liberal and radical in some areas while conservative and even reactionary in others.

[FriendlyDrugDealer]

I’m pretty much independent but people would think Im liberal with certain philosophies. I just think we should all think for ourselves and decide what we agree on and what can we make a compromise for

[HungLikeAHorsefly]

I'm a Liberal who watches the Democratic Party consistently trip over their own shoes. But they're slightly less derpy than the GOP so I keep voting for them. Sigh.

[Roula78]

I’m a registered independent I don’t join republicbloods or democrips.

[youngfungentleman]

Jesse Ventura?

[Roula78]

Yes but it’s true I consider the president a gangster.