How many people that you regulaly interact with have switched political party affiliation?

Which direction did they go? From what to what?

I can think of 6 people, with whom I talk politics - outside of here - that have switched from The Republican party to Democrat. Well, one says she'll vote Independant if given the chance.

I haven't encountered any people who have switched from Indie or Dem TO Republican.

I suspect that if the Democratish congress doesn't get it's act together, that number of people leaving the Democratic party will go higher. But that's the future. I'm asking about people who you know have changed and already voted accordingly.

Anyone got some stories?

I know of no one having switched to GOP.

Most people I know went Dem or Ind, depending largely on their social bent. Conservative (socially) tend to go Independant. At least this is true of the people I know that have switched.

The real hard core GOP branch of my family is pretty quiet about politics these days. A few years ago, these people were saying, "Thank God George Bush is in charge of this war." I related some of my recent visit here, so I won't repeat it.

There are two rough groups too. What I could easily characterize as ordinary people, and those who dig --or are at least aware of political matters on a level beyond the flash in the pan news.

The first group is largely Dem now. Most of them have had enough, see the danger well enough, feel like they are getting hosed, etc... It's a flat out switch to see some change. I'm not sure they care much beyond that.

Interestingly, I have heard more than one person say, "of all the times to run a black guy and a woman, this is not one of those times." Hmmm...

(go Edwards huh?)

The latter group is more upset with both parties, considering no-votes, third parties, etc...

I'll be attening a Democracy Now! meeting next month. It's composed of largely small business owners. Met one of the members through the course of business this week. They are feeling the pinch and see no love coming from the GOP side of the asile. I don't know where these people are socially, but where money is concerned, they are not feeling the GOP love.

(which I found very interesting)

My numbers are similar.

One other trend is more open discussion of these things. Again, compared to a few years ago, it's right there now. All it takes is one person to hint at a conversation and more often than not, people have a fair amount to say.

I've got teens. Those conversations are leaning Democratic in a big way. They don't like the war for oil, fear mongering, wage pressure, threat of draft, etc... I think they can really see it now. Political conversations are not uncommon among my kids peer groups these days.

One wears a shirt I just love, "Republicans are dicks"

I know 3 friends who lean Republican but will not be voting Republican any time soon. Not sure if they've changed their affiliation, but what really matters is how they vote.

As for the term "Democratic Congress", I see and hear more people talking about how the Republicans are being obstructionists to the agenda the people voted for. This is one of the reasons why I believe the Dems will gain more seats, as the only way for the agenda to move forward is to get rid of the obstructionists that are holding it back.

Republicans are not DICKS! Just the EXTREME RIGHT BIBLE THUMPIN' jackholes that have taken over the country and thrown it into a tailspin it will NEVER recover from....

When I registered to vote at 18 in 1998, just before the General Election, I picked a political party by picking up an almanac and looking at what party Clinton, Kitzhaber, Wyden, and Smith were. 3 Democrats, 1 Republican. I registered as Democrat based on that information alone.

In 2004, I realized that being a member of a political party was the most boring party I was never invited to... and I realized the the information I was given back in '98 was false - I originally wanted to register as nonpartisan, but family fed me the line of 'oh, if you do that instead of Democrat or Republican, you can't vote in the Primaries!' - when in reality I can still vote on the ballot measures and nonpartisan candidates; I just don't have to worry about voting on the worst the Democrats or Republicans have to offer. Besides, you're not really voting for Gov., President, Congress or Senate - that comes in November. Then, I can vote for whoever I want (even if I want to write-in someone!).

Yes, I am now a registered nonpartisan. Was never really a Democrat to start out with - nor a Republican, Libertarian, Socialist, or Green, either!

Republicans are not DICKS! Just the EXTREME RIGHT BIBLE THUMPIN' jackholes...
I'll give a big AMEN to that!

I was talking to an old high school friend of mine and was blown away at the change in his philosophy. When we were in high school, he was the reincarnation of Archie Bunker. He's so pissed off at the Bush administration that he has sworn off not only the GOP, but the basic ideals that made him conservative in the first place. He's gone from being Mr. Trickle Down to wanting socialized health care and a mandatory maximum 40 hour work week for everyone ... and it's for one sole reason - if the GOP is going to be like George W. Bush, he wants no part of it.

Interesting question. I switched from hard-core Dem when I was in my 20s to independent.

My grandparents were 50s style Eisenhower Republicans who would be horrified by the state of the party today. If the GOP were less about trying to control people's behavior and lived by a WWBD philosophy (what would Barry [Goldwater] do?), I might join. But every neo-con and religious control freak scares me more than the silly Dems do.

The GOP is not about controlling people's behavior. It's a canard. Give some examples if you can.

Terri Schaivo. Patriot Act. Increased indecency media fines. Federal DOJ going after Oregon for assisted suicide. Questioning people's patriotism and loyalty for questioning the war. Warrantless wiretapping. Civil rights suspended for detainees. Attempts to eliminate or cut back on people's rights to sue for full damages.

Those are just off the top of my head. Let me do a little research and I'll get back to you.

As Barry Goldwater said, "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Tolerance in the face of tyranny is no virtue."

"The GOP is not about controlling people's behavior."

Man, that's rich! The GOP is about nothing BUT control. The Bush Administration is the only example you need. And if that's not good enough, the religious right should take care of any lingering doubts.

Your turn, Digital.

Getting rid of Habeus Corpus. I can think of no better example of the current GOP figureheads controlling peoples behavior than that.

DD's???
33DD's???
HELLO???

For obvious reasons, I'm going to start declaring winners on some of these threads.

DD, you have until your next post to answer. Otherwise, you lose by default - again. ( I notice. I know you'd wish I didn't. But I do ).

DD's loses all the time.... That's why he disappeared for over 6 months.

Answering the original question in this thread, I can think of one specific example and one category of people that are changing their political affiliation to Republican.

The specific example (name withheld) is a friend that I have known for a few years who changed his affiliation from Libertarian to Republican, primarily due to his anger and frustration with internal controversies in the Oregon Libertarian Party.

There is also a proposed movement amongst Libertarians to switch their registrations to Republican in order to support Ron Paul in next year's primary election. Paul (aka "Dr. No") was the Libertarian Presidential candidate in 1988 and is loved by most Libertarians.

The Republican administration has allowed China to ship uninspected poisonous food to the US. Good for them. Take that government regulation off of the back of the food processors and resellers who are just trying to make a buck.