03-06-2019, 12:11 PM
(03-05-2019, 05:06 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: You know, the interesting thing about today's Politics is I think they've improved my view of Republicans.
Not Trump sycophants (or extreme fanatics, I suppose), mind you. But actual Republicans. The pro-life, pro 2nd amendment, pro small government, pro low taxes Republicans.
When I was growing up in the George W Bush years, I was convinced (arguably, propagandized) into thinking that all Republcans were racist. All Republicans were sexist. All Republicans were immoral millionaires who's only concern was keeping their money and to hell with anyone else who may need help in this country (or people tricked into voting that way by immoral millionaires).
I've spoken to many many many Republicans over the last 3 years. And I've learned that, while there are those people and they do exist, there are also a lot of Republicans who vote that way for the aforementioned reasons. I have my reasons for voting Democratic, despite their characteristic flaws. And there are Republicans who are exactly the same in that regard.
A Republican voter may disagree with the lack of corporate tax and increasingly steep tax cuts that are increasing the deficit (along with the inordinate amount of money spent on wars and other imperialistic ventures), but they are also a Catholic and believe that abortion is a hell worthy offense.
Or there may be a Republican who disagrees that immigrants are the reason our economy is a mess (whether it is or is not) and is not all that concerned with immigration reform, but they really care about their rights to owning a gun.
You don't need to agree with every stance of your party in order to vote with them.
Of course, there are also Republicans who just really really hate black people, gays and trans people. And, to be fair, there are Democrats who feel that way as well.
But my view of Republicans, as a whole, has generally improved over the last few years. All they have to do is say "Trump is a terrible person" and I at least know we're on the same wavelength, as human beings.
I had a similar epiphany several years back regarding the pro-choice/pro-life argument. I have always been pro-choice, I don't like the government telling adults what they can and cannot do with their own bodies. I used to scoff at pro-lifers who claimed a zygote was a human being and that abortion was murder. Then I actually considered that many, if not most, of these people think they way they do because the genuinely believe that abortion is murdering a child. Would I stand idly by while children were murdered, absolutely not. So, while I still don't agree with them on the subject, although my view on later term abortions has certainly been affected, I can respect their position and why they hold it.
