Author Topic: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?  (Read 261022 times)

LaineyAZ

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1150 on: March 25, 2020, 09:41:22 PM »
I'll vote for a Democrat the day they say they want to make the government smaller and lower my taxes.
Until some kind of natural disaster hits. Everyone seems to like government when they are rescuing you.

Ysette, what a prescient quote ..!

ysette9

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1151 on: March 25, 2020, 09:49:50 PM »
I'll vote for a Democrat the day they say they want to make the government smaller and lower my taxes.
Until some kind of natural disaster hits. Everyone seems to like government when they are rescuing you.

Ysette, what a prescient quote ..!
And I jokingly called the top earlier as 13 March as that was my last day of work!

talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1152 on: March 26, 2020, 08:09:32 AM »
I maintain my Republican registration.

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

Unfortunately, it also means I'm often stuck choosing from a list of poor candidates during the primary. Basically, the only way to win a Republican primary at the moment is to cling more tightly to Trump than anyone else. It's horrifying what the party has become.

sherr

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1153 on: March 26, 2020, 08:33:41 AM »
I maintain my Republican registration.

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

Unfortunately, it also means I'm often stuck choosing from a list of poor candidates during the primary. Basically, the only way to win a Republican primary at the moment is to cling more tightly to Trump than anyone else. It's horrifying what the party has become.

FYI NC has open primaries, so if you change your registration to unaffiliated you get to choose which primary to participate in each year. I have not experienced any voter suppression either; both parties try to persuade the independents. Voter suppression in NC is more focused around race anyway.

DarkandStormy

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1154 on: March 26, 2020, 09:01:10 AM »
I maintain my Republican registration.

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

Unfortunately, it also means I'm often stuck choosing from a list of poor candidates during the primary. Basically, the only way to win a Republican primary at the moment is to cling more tightly to Trump than anyone else. It's horrifying what the party has become.

LMAO

PDXTabs

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1155 on: March 26, 2020, 09:58:23 AM »
I maintain my Republican registration.
...
It's horrifying what the party has become.

LMAO

I'm not registering republican, and I don't typically see eye to eye with talltexan. With that said, getting involved in the primaries is one way to help shepherd the party away from Trump. Especially if you show up to meet and greets early on and let them know what you care about. At least, it works on the democrat side.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1156 on: March 29, 2020, 06:10:42 PM »

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

You register your party registration at the DMV?!?!?  If I mentioned my party affiliation at Service Ontario when I went to do an address change they would give me the side eye.  As in, who is this weird person?  Political affiliation has nothing to do with services, provincial (state for you) and federal.  Any party registration I might have would be run by the party.

talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1157 on: March 30, 2020, 06:20:14 AM »
I agree that I should receive the same quality of public services no matter what political party or religion I belong to.

All I can report is what I experience. Perhaps there are some registered Democrats who live in southern states who are reading this and can describe what they experience at these places?

beltim

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1158 on: March 30, 2020, 07:00:27 AM »

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

You register your party registration at the DMV?!?!?  If I mentioned my party affiliation at Service Ontario when I went to do an address change they would give me the side eye.  As in, who is this weird person?  Political affiliation has nothing to do with services, provincial (state for you) and federal.  Any party registration I might have would be run by the party.

The DMV is probably where most people register to vote, and they give you the option to register with a political party at that time.  About two-thirds of Americans are registered with a political party, as opposed to about 2% of Canadians.

OtherJen

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1159 on: March 30, 2020, 07:09:25 AM »

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

You register your party registration at the DMV?!?!?  If I mentioned my party affiliation at Service Ontario when I went to do an address change they would give me the side eye.  As in, who is this weird person?  Political affiliation has nothing to do with services, provincial (state for you) and federal.  Any party registration I might have would be run by the party.

The DMV is probably where most people register to vote, and they give you the option to register with a political party at that time.  About two-thirds of Americans are registered with a political party, as opposed to about 2% of Canadians.

It depends on the state. No option is given to declare party affiliation when registering to vote in Michigan (which happens at municipal Clerk offices or via the Secretary of State’s office).

beltim

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1160 on: March 30, 2020, 07:15:19 AM »

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

You register your party registration at the DMV?!?!?  If I mentioned my party affiliation at Service Ontario when I went to do an address change they would give me the side eye.  As in, who is this weird person?  Political affiliation has nothing to do with services, provincial (state for you) and federal.  Any party registration I might have would be run by the party.

The DMV is probably where most people register to vote, and they give you the option to register with a political party at that time.  About two-thirds of Americans are registered with a political party, as opposed to about 2% of Canadians.

It depends on the state. No option is given to declare party affiliation when registering to vote in Michigan (which happens at municipal Clerk offices or via the Secretary of State’s office).

Yes, that's true, but Michigan mostly has open primaries, and for presidential primaries you simply declare which party's ballot you want when you show up to vote.  Similar systems are in place with other states with open primaries.  States with closed primaries generally require you to declare a party preference in advance (either when registering or later).

OtherJen

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1161 on: March 30, 2020, 07:21:50 AM »

In NC, Local services just seem to work better for me. Everyone at the DMV is so helpful when I say I want to update my republican registration. I showed up to vote in the primary earlier this month, and they hadn't transferred my registration from my old precinct. Took care of it right away. No voter suppression possibility.

You register your party registration at the DMV?!?!?  If I mentioned my party affiliation at Service Ontario when I went to do an address change they would give me the side eye.  As in, who is this weird person?  Political affiliation has nothing to do with services, provincial (state for you) and federal.  Any party registration I might have would be run by the party.

The DMV is probably where most people register to vote, and they give you the option to register with a political party at that time.  About two-thirds of Americans are registered with a political party, as opposed to about 2% of Canadians.

It depends on the state. No option is given to declare party affiliation when registering to vote in Michigan (which happens at municipal Clerk offices or via the Secretary of State’s office).

Yes, that's true, but Michigan mostly has open primaries, and for presidential primaries you simply declare which party's ballot you want when you show up to vote.  Similar systems are in place with other states with open primaries.  States with closed primaries generally require you to declare a party preference in advance (either when registering or later).

Yes, I’m aware. I was clarifying for other readers that voter registration is not uniform across the country.

Bateaux

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1162 on: March 30, 2020, 08:35:52 AM »
I've lost friends or had my relationship changed with friends post 2016.  I was a registered Republican from 1986 to 2016.  My voting wasn't always along party lines, especially as I got older.  In 2016 I registered as a Democrat.  Not that I'm in love with the Democrats.  I just got to a point I couldn't stomach the racism and outright nastiness being spewed by Republicans.   Trump was the final straw.  As far as friend relationships are concerned, a poor choice in 2016 could be understood.   Everyone has been fooled by a conman once in life.  If however in 2020 you still have the same mindset, we really can't have a friendship.  It's sad the place we've come to be.  The division is actually costing lives now.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1163 on: March 30, 2020, 09:09:37 AM »
This all seems very strange to me, but is it because of primaries? The point of a secret ballot is to be secret, but if you are in a state where you have to register your party affiliation, isn't most of the point of a secret ballot lost?

I've voted in every federal and provincial election since I was 18, and over those years I've voted for candidates from 4 different parties*.   And except for that one year where I  joined a provincial party to make sure my riding got a good candidate, I've never felt the need to publicly declare my voting preference.

*Never voted rhinoceros, although there were times I  was tempted.   ;-) 

Kris

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1164 on: March 30, 2020, 09:11:41 AM »
This all seems very strange to me, but is it because of primaries? The point of a secret ballot is to be secret, but if you are in a state where you have to register your party affiliation, isn't most of the point of a secret ballot lost?

I've voted in every federal and provincial election since I was 18, and over those years I've voted for candidates from 4 different parties*.   And except for that one year where I  joined a provincial party to make sure my riding got a good candidate, I've never felt the need to publicly declare my voting preference.

*Never voted rhinoceros, although there were times I  was tempted.   ;-)

Yeah, it's BS, but I think the point of registering party affiliation is that if you don't do that, you run the risk of voters from the other party voting en masse in the party's primary and skewing the results toward the least electable candidate.

So, people are trash, basically.

talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1165 on: March 30, 2020, 09:32:29 AM »
I did talk to several left-leaning voters who crossed party lines to vote for Trump in 2016. I heard from at least one Trump supporter who voted for Sanders this spring thinking he'd set up an easy matchup for Trump to win re-election. I really feel like the primary should be your chance to sincerely vote for the best candidate no matter how weird or extreme your views are.

beltim

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1166 on: March 30, 2020, 09:43:11 AM »
This all seems very strange to me, but is it because of primaries? The point of a secret ballot is to be secret, but if you are in a state where you have to register your party affiliation, isn't most of the point of a secret ballot lost?

I've voted in every federal and provincial election since I was 18, and over those years I've voted for candidates from 4 different parties*.   And except for that one year where I  joined a provincial party to make sure my riding got a good candidate, I've never felt the need to publicly declare my voting preference.

*Never voted rhinoceros, although there were times I  was tempted.   ;-)

Basically, yes, it's because of primaries.  I was trying to convert earlier just how many people vote in primaries in the US compared to Canada, but the same trend is true in other countries.  The barrier to vote in a primary is very, very low in the US.  In many states you only need to say which ballot you want - depending on the state, some time between registering and voting.  California is unusual in that it has top-2 primaries regardless of party, so you can have a general election that has only two Democrats or only two Republicans.

The ballot in the general election is not different by party registration, or lack thereof.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1167 on: March 30, 2020, 12:35:05 PM »
This all seems very strange to me, but is it because of primaries? The point of a secret ballot is to be secret, but if you are in a state where you have to register your party affiliation, isn't most of the point of a secret ballot lost?

I've voted in every federal and provincial election since I was 18, and over those years I've voted for candidates from 4 different parties*.   And except for that one year where I  joined a provincial party to make sure my riding got a good candidate, I've never felt the need to publicly declare my voting preference.

*Never voted rhinoceros, although there were times I  was tempted.   ;-)

Basically, yes, it's because of primaries.  I was trying to convert earlier just how many people vote in primaries in the US compared to Canada, but the same trend is true in other countries.  The barrier to vote in a primary is very, very low in the US.  In many states you only need to say which ballot you want - depending on the state, some time between registering and voting.  California is unusual in that it has top-2 primaries regardless of party, so you can have a general election that has only two Democrats or only two Republicans.

The ballot in the general election is not different by party registration, or lack thereof.

It's the difference in government. Our Prime Minister is the head of the party that gets the most seats, so s/he has 2 elections to get through - winning the leadership of the party and then being elected in his/her riding. Which is not always guaranteed, leaders have lost their ridings.  Your President has to be elected by the Electoral College which has ended up with masses of other elections. 

Gin1984

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1168 on: March 31, 2020, 10:11:00 PM »
Well, it's been a long three years...I thought I'd bring this back up to see if there are any people willing to say the "Regretted Voting Republican" since 2016....
I'm wondering how many people they know will have to die for them to finally regret it.

DarkandStormy

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1169 on: April 02, 2020, 08:17:48 AM »
Well, it's been a long three years...I thought I'd bring this back up to see if there are any people willing to say the "Regretted Voting Republican" since 2016....
I'm wondering how many people they know will have to die for them to finally regret it.

They were voluntarily willing to sacrifice themselves for stonks - the Lt. Governor of Texas and Glenn Beck, just to name a couple off the top of my head.

So they probably see people dying, themselves included, as some weird act of patriotism.

Psychstache

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1170 on: April 02, 2020, 02:07:08 PM »
Well, it's been a long three years...I thought I'd bring this back up to see if there are any people willing to say the "Regretted Voting Republican" since 2016....
I'm wondering how many people they know will have to die for them to finally regret it.

They were voluntarily willing to sacrifice themselves for stonks - the Lt. Governor of Texas and Glenn Beck, just to name a couple off the top of my head.

So they probably see people dying, themselves included, as some weird act of patriotism.

No, Dan, Glenn, Ron Johnson and the rest making these claims want others to die for the Dow. It's moer like an understanding that in our pay-to-play healthcare system that even if they were to get it and have a serious case, their status and money give them a good chance at better outcomes than it is any sense of patriotism.

frugalecon

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1171 on: April 02, 2020, 06:05:20 PM »
Well, it's been a long three years...I thought I'd bring this back up to see if there are any people willing to say the "Regretted Voting Republican" since 2016....
I'm wondering how many people they know will have to die for them to finally regret it.

They were voluntarily willing to sacrifice themselves for stonks - the Lt. Governor of Texas and Glenn Beck, just to name a couple off the top of my head.

So they probably see people dying, themselves included, as some weird act of patriotism.

No, Dan, Glenn, Ron Johnson and the rest making these claims want others to die for the Dow. It's moer like an understanding that in our pay-to-play healthcare system that even if they were to get it and have a serious case, their status and money give them a good chance at better outcomes than it is any sense of patriotism.

Yes, I’m pretty sure that the Lt. Governor of Texas is certain that he would have access to a ventilator if it ever came to that. What really pissed me off was that they weren’t just saying that Grandma and Grandpa should be willing to die in their sleep. They were saying that they should die alone, in severe pain, without adequate medical treatment, suffocating without a ventilator, in order to support the stock market. Party of Life? Bull-fucking-shit. At this point I have zero respect for Party of Trumpers. The GOP has been destroyed, replaced with a brain-dead cult.

MDM

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1172 on: April 02, 2020, 07:27:36 PM »
Well, it's been a long three years...I thought I'd bring this back up to see if there are any people willing to say the "Regretted Voting Republican" since 2016....
I'm wondering how many people they know will have to die for them to finally regret it.

They were voluntarily willing to sacrifice themselves for stonks - the Lt. Governor of Texas and Glenn Beck, just to name a couple off the top of my head.

So they probably see people dying, themselves included, as some weird act of patriotism.

No, Dan, Glenn, Ron Johnson and the rest making these claims want others to die for the Dow. It's moer like an understanding that in our pay-to-play healthcare system that even if they were to get it and have a serious case, their status and money give them a good chance at better outcomes than it is any sense of patriotism.

Yes, I’m pretty sure that the Lt. Governor of Texas is certain that he would have access to a ventilator if it ever came to that. What really pissed me off was that they weren’t just saying that Grandma and Grandpa should be willing to die in their sleep. They were saying that they should die alone, in severe pain, without adequate medical treatment, suffocating without a ventilator, in order to support the stock market. Party of Life? Bull-fucking-shit. At this point I have zero respect for Party of Trumpers. The GOP has been destroyed, replaced with a brain-dead cult.

In case anyone would like some full quotes in context, see those from Dan Patrick and Ron Johnson.  Didn't find a full transcript for Glenn Beck but that link does include a 1 minute video of Beck's comments on this issue.

talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1173 on: April 03, 2020, 04:33:53 AM »
I think their comments have more to do with the economy as a whole than the stock market. asking people to die to support the value of a corporation seems more outrageous than asking people to risk death to continue an economic system in which young people in their 20's can establish themselves with jobs. (which still seems outrageous in this case) It's a degree of outrage thing.

Nick_Miller

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1174 on: April 17, 2020, 09:40:22 AM »
To answer the thread's question, "Yes I do."

talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1175 on: April 17, 2020, 10:16:56 AM »
Thank you, @Nick_Miller for owning this.

Thank you to everyone for the burdens you're taking on right now to help keep my loved one's out of harm's way.

Buffaloski Boris

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1176 on: April 24, 2020, 02:25:58 PM »
To answer the OP's question, yes, I regret voting. Every time I think about what a fool I was to stand in line to vote for the "least worst" set of actors.  I regret the lack of moral character I exhibited by not standing my ground and staying home. There's not a lot I can do about it at this point other than try to not do so in the future, and to warn others off.   

Whether it was for the Republican Party corporatists or the Democratic Party corporatists is I think pretty much irrelevant. I voted for both at various times.

Peter Parker

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1177 on: June 04, 2020, 01:27:50 PM »
Now?  After all this bullshit about sending in the U.S. Military against U.S. Citizens, the condemnation by Generals Mattis and Allen, the depravity of a religious church, the beating of peaceful protesters so the POTUS can have his photo op, the unreligious using religion for votes, and the complicity of the Republican party to not only go along with this bullshit, but give him all the power in the world...

Adam Schiff warned us what would happen during the impeachment hearings...Yet all but one of the Republicans made Trump King.  Now he is acting like one.

Now, after all of this mess, after all of this carnage, after having our country on the verge of destroying our own constitution, do you not regret voting republican? 

If you use the Ronald Reagan measurement as to "whether we are better off now than 4 years ago," my answer is no.  This is a shit-show

talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1178 on: June 04, 2020, 01:36:19 PM »
I do think there's a tendency for each movement to think that the other side has somehow irreparably damaged itself. Democrats saw that Access: Hollywood tape in 2016 and thought, "Wow, this will turn a bunch of Republicans into Democrats." It didn't.

The worst case scenario for Republicans--no matter how badly things go for the next 150 days--is they'll be back in power after just a few years in the wilderness. And they'll have a bunch of judges to keep things stable in the mean time.

Peter Parker

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1179 on: June 04, 2020, 01:41:09 PM »
I do think there's a tendency for each movement to think that the other side has somehow irreparably damaged itself. Democrats saw that Access: Hollywood tape in 2016 and thought, "Wow, this will turn a bunch of Republicans into Democrats." It didn't.

The worst case scenario for Republicans--no matter how badly things go for the next 150 days--is they'll be back in power after just a few years in the wilderness. And they'll have a bunch of judges to keep things stable in the mean time.

I think that is my point:  Trump has turned out to be as bad (worse) than even the Democrats thought.  He is who we thought he was.  Those who thought otherwise and voted for him and those who enable him, is there no regret to contributing to shit-show that has ensued?

talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1180 on: June 04, 2020, 03:02:29 PM »
It's actually mainstream Republicans who turned out worse than Democrats expected. They supported Trump's obvious unfitness hoping he would deliver them a tax cut, judges, and repeal of Obamacare.

But rather than acknowledge the bitter costs associated with Trump's lack of foreign policy and inability to police corruption among his own appointees, they celebrated the Democrats' complaints as proof that things were right, when what they really showed was that the conservative movement was morally and intellectually bankrupt, and was instead merely about maintaining power at all costs.

The few of us among the Republican party who openly admit what we see have been pushed to the margins as Trump has sought to maintain that power.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1181 on: June 04, 2020, 03:20:25 PM »

The few of us among the Republican party who openly admit what we see have been pushed to the margins as Trump has sought to maintain that power.

If it's any consolation. it happens elsewhere.  In Canada several years ago the Reform Party and the Progressive Conservative Party merged.  The socially conservative (close to Republican conservative, which is incredibly right wing for Canada) but spendy side is in control (that would be Reform), the socially sort of progressive and relatively fiscal group (that would be PCP) is way outnumbered. I really feel for people who are socially progressive and fiscally conservative, there is no place for them.  Right now I would say our most fiscally responsible party platform is the Green party.  Ironic much?

LWYRUP

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1182 on: June 04, 2020, 03:21:24 PM »
To answer the OP's question, yes, I regret voting. Every time I think about what a fool I was to stand in line to vote for the "least worst" set of actors.  I regret the lack of moral character I exhibited by not standing my ground and staying home. There's not a lot I can do about it at this point other than try to not do so in the future, and to warn others off.   

Whether it was for the Republican Party corporatists or the Democratic Party corporatists is I think pretty much irrelevant. I voted for both at various times.

I wrote in a third party candidate last time.  I didn't like the Green or Libertarian choices either (I just thought the whole lineup was uniquely awful) so I researched some obscure party, basically like socialist Christians, and just voted for them because I figured they didn't sound corrupt, like jerks, or ill-educated. 

I'll vote for Biden next time though. 

But I think a third party candidate is a great option, particularly for those of us who don't live in swing states.  It says "I care enough to be here, but you need to do better." 

ysette9

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1183 on: June 04, 2020, 03:33:31 PM »
The problem with voting for a third party candidate in absence of ranked choice voting is you are in effect voting for the greater evil by not voting for the lesser evil. It may make you feel better in the moment but it helps the worse guy win. For that reason I really really wish we had ranked choice voting at the state and national level.

LWYRUP

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1184 on: June 04, 2020, 03:39:07 PM »
It depends on where you live.

This country will dissolve into 50 political units before my state turns red.  (Which I appreciate at the moment, though in normal times I would prefer to live somewhere more balanced.)

There is nothing I can possibly do within my state borders that will be significant enough to impact the ultimate outcome of  Presidential election. 

Analysis might be different in a very tight swing state. 

Peter Parker

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1185 on: June 04, 2020, 04:08:00 PM »
This is who we have become under a republican president and the enablers that made him king...

https://twitter.com/nyccookies/status/1268640734254714883?s=20

I hope the tax breaks for the wealthy and the pro-life judges were worth it.

LWYRUP

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1186 on: June 04, 2020, 04:41:57 PM »
The narrative that anyone who votes Republican is automatically racist, xenophobic etc. is certainly pervasive, but it's also unbelievably insulting and frankly childish.

Over the past year, I have had a personal shift in my overarching mindset that has affected what I think and how I act, particularly when it comes to politics and general social issues. Last year, I may not have called a Trump supporter a racist to their face, but I was definitely thinking it. I was so quick to judge without considering what other reasons could exist for making someone want to align with him (even if they were not good reasons). I do not rush to judgment anymore.

I think this speaks to extreme polarity though. I have what I'd consider to be far-left friends who think anyone right of here is a racist, fascist, Nazi sympathizer. I also have friends who think anyone who didn't vote Trump are tree-hugging Lefty libtards. (Their words, not mine.)

The inability of people to empathize with or understand people from outside their particular section of the spectrum is an issue that I doubt will ever be fixed.

It is a human failing but it is particularly bad right now.  It makes me so sad. 

"Seek first to understand, and then to be understood."  It sounds so easy but we are all collectively so bad at it. 

MasterStache

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1187 on: June 04, 2020, 04:42:31 PM »
Just remember, whoever votes for Trump in 2020 (giving some benefit of the doubt for those who voted for him in 2016 and may claim to "not know any better"), are perfectly ok with a sitting President gassing his own citizens for a photo-op.

LWYRUP

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1188 on: June 04, 2020, 04:47:52 PM »
This is who we have become under a republican president and the enablers that made him king...

https://twitter.com/nyccookies/status/1268640734254714883?s=20

I hope the tax breaks for the wealthy and the pro-life judges were worth it.

That guy is not American (either Australia / NZ / South Africa) and so he probably didn't vote in the last election (maybe he's naturalized) and that's in one of the most blue parts of the country so if he did it didn't impact the result. 

This is the exact sort of painting everyone with the same brush thing others of us were talking about in this thread. 

Peter Parker

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1189 on: June 04, 2020, 05:15:06 PM »
It's hard to deny that Trump doesn't "divide and conquer."  General Mattis says as much in his scathing rebuke of Trump as a person and the damage he has done to our Country.  He is the President of his base only.  He doesn't even try to be the President of those who didn't vote for him...

So when you say this is "painting with a broad brush" Trump is the artist.  It is his painting. Not mine.

And one last thing, just because someone has an accent means they "aren't American?"  That may be the broadest brush stroke yet.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2020, 05:17:46 PM by Peter Parker »

LWYRUP

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1190 on: June 04, 2020, 05:21:14 PM »
It's hard to deny that Trump doesn't "divide and conquer."  General Mattis says as much in his scathing rebuke of Trump as a person and the damage he has done to our Country.  He is the President of his base only.  He doesn't even try to be the President of those who didn't vote for him...

So when you say this is "painting with a broad brush" Trump is the artist.  It is his painting. Not mine.

I very much agree, actually.  At this point, Trump deserves every bit of criticism anyone throws at him.  He's had a million opportunities to try to improve things, and he takes the low road every chance he gets.

I just don't want us to get to the point where half the country hates the other half, or automatically assumes ill will, etc.  I don't think most Trump voters assault children, for example.  And I bet I could find examples of left wingers acting badly behaved on camera this week if I wanted to. 

GuitarStv

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1191 on: June 04, 2020, 05:47:42 PM »
It's hard to deny that Trump doesn't "divide and conquer."  General Mattis says as much in his scathing rebuke of Trump as a person and the damage he has done to our Country.  He is the President of his base only.  He doesn't even try to be the President of those who didn't vote for him...

So when you say this is "painting with a broad brush" Trump is the artist.  It is his painting. Not mine.

I very much agree, actually.  At this point, Trump deserves every bit of criticism anyone throws at him.  He's had a million opportunities to try to improve things, and he takes the low road every chance he gets.

I just don't want us to get to the point where half the country hates the other half, or automatically assumes ill will, etc.  I don't think most Trump voters assault children, for example.  And I bet I could find examples of left wingers acting badly behaved on camera this week if I wanted to.

Are we talking . . . immigrant children being ripped away from their parents as young as two, and then not being able to be re-united because of sloppy record keeping?  Maybe not (quite) assault, but a shocking number of people on the Republican side seemed A-OK with that.

I guess the difference that I see is that while both parties do bad stuff . . . recently Republicans (from elected officials to voters) seem to embrace the bad in a way that is unique.  I'm sure you can find pictures if protesters smashing windows and setting things on fire, but I haven't seen too many Democratic leaders giving the thumbs up to those actions.

OtherJen

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1192 on: June 04, 2020, 05:50:01 PM »
And one last thing, just because someone has an accent means they "aren't American?"  That may be the broadest brush stroke yet.

Wait, someone actually said that?! Yeah, that is some serious bullshit. I’d like to introduce them to any one of many proud Americans in my family and friend circles who speak English with a non-American accent.

LWYRUP

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1193 on: June 04, 2020, 05:57:35 PM »
And one last thing, just because someone has an accent means they "aren't American?"  That may be the broadest brush stroke yet.

Wait, someone actually said that?! Yeah, that is some serious bullshit. I’d like to introduce them to any one of many proud Americans in my family and friend circles who speak English with a non-American accent.

Go read the thread in context.  These are all non-sequitur responses to a discussion about whether one douchebag in a random video is a representative sample of half of Americans.

Btw, you don't need to introduce me to anyone who speaks English with a non-American accent.  I can just go talk to my parents.  Who after forty years here, still talk about "the Americans this, the Americans that."  Amusing, I'm frequently lumped in with the "Europeans" even though I was born here. 

I feel like sometimes people just troll around the internet looking to take offense.  Which, again, to return to my point, explains a lot about why this country is in the mess its currently in. 

MDM

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1194 on: June 04, 2020, 06:03:54 PM »
These are all non-sequitur responses to a discussion about whether one douchebag in a random video is a representative sample of half of Americans.
+1

Clearly, what it really unmasks is the way all hard core bicyclists behave. /s

onecoolcat

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1195 on: August 21, 2020, 01:14:34 PM »
To answer the OP's question, yes, I regret voting. Every time I think about what a fool I was to stand in line to vote for the "least worst" set of actors.  I regret the lack of moral character I exhibited by not standing my ground and staying home. There's not a lot I can do about it at this point other than try to not do so in the future, and to warn others off.   

Whether it was for the Republican Party corporatists or the Democratic Party corporatists is I think pretty much irrelevant. I voted for both at various times.

I wrote in a third party candidate last time.  I didn't like the Green or Libertarian choices either (I just thought the whole lineup was uniquely awful) so I researched some obscure party, basically like socialist Christians, and just voted for them because I figured they didn't sound corrupt, like jerks, or ill-educated. 

I'll vote for Biden next time though. 

But I think a third party candidate is a great option, particularly for those of us who don't live in swing states.  It says "I care enough to be here, but you need to do better."

Same (except I voted third party for President in 2016 and Republican for every other office).  Registered Republican.  Never voted for a democrat in my life.  This is going to be my first time voting for not just one democrat but down the ballot.  My wife too.  The GOPs defense of the indefensible has lost my vote for the foreseeable future.  We live in Florida so hopefully our votes send a message.


talltexan

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1196 on: August 21, 2020, 01:40:30 PM »
I live in NC, and my MiL took us out on the large lake near Charlotte. If you go simply by the flags on the boats there, Trump will probably win this election.

OtherJen

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1197 on: August 21, 2020, 02:26:20 PM »
I live in NC, and my MiL took us out on the large lake near Charlotte. If you go simply by the flags on the boats there, Trump will probably win this election.

I can't display campaign materials because of my role in a nonpartisan political org, but I'd be afraid of retaliation if I were to display a Biden sign.

bacchi

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1198 on: August 22, 2020, 12:23:32 PM »
I live in NC, and my MiL took us out on the large lake near Charlotte. If you go simply by the flags on the boats there, Trump will probably win this election.

I went for a walk around my city and if you went by the yard signs it would be trump winning by a land slide in November.

I went for a walk around my city and if you went by the yard signs, Trump would get about 1% of the vote.



FileUnder: Useless Anecdotes

GuitarStv

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Re: Does Anyone Regret Voting Republican?
« Reply #1199 on: August 22, 2020, 12:33:42 PM »
I live in NC, and my MiL took us out on the large lake near Charlotte. If you go simply by the flags on the boats there, Trump will probably win this election.

I went for a walk around my city and if you went by the yard signs it would be trump winning by a land slide in November.

I went for a walk around my city and if you went by the yard signs, Trump would get about 1% of the vote.



FileUnder: Useless Anecdotes

You must not win in real America.  :P

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!