[Gerald]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

I never defined myself as a Republican, in fact I registered as a Democrat as soon as I was old enough. Of course I was forced to stay inside and watch the Watergate hearings as a child, and my first memory of the Republican party is of Richard Nixon, so let's just say that the GOP and I did not get off to a good start.

On the other hand I never identified myself as a "liberal" either socially or otherwise until those who called themselves "conservatives" started bringing up a lot of stuff that I'd never really had much occasion to think about before. Basically they made issues out of things that were never "issues" to me before they started squawking about them, and the more they squawked the more obvious it became that I was on the other side of whatever line they were drawing if only because the way in which they drew it was so distasteful to me personally.

Now I think it's safe to say that unless there is a major purge of certain elements within the GOP, they've lost whatever shot they had with me. When I cast a vote it's more likely to be against their candidates than for whoever is running on the other side. I don't like it, but I refuse to just *not* vote because I'm keenly aware that however pointless it seems it's still more than a lot of people around the world will ever have the opportunity to do.

"I was old enough" Now we talking,