What would you say is the one 'primary' reason for your political affiliation?

[Daemon Sophic]

For me, I have to go with a party that emphasizes the individual over the government, so I'm Republican.

Ironically, this is why I tend to vote for Democratic candidates. The more right-wing/Conservative/Republican party wants everyone to be controlled by government enforced religion, patriotism (to a level that they deem appropriate), and even racial hierarchy. They are the party that wants to be everyone’s bedroom, and in every uterus, to command you into obeying how they think you should act.
They also demand that we never question “authority”, whether it be the military, multi-national corporations, the flag, your economic “betters”, the police, or sham ‘news’ outlets.....regardless of evidence present.

The Dems are MUCH more toward individualism, free thought, scientific investigation, liberty, and freedom.

 

[Falvlun]

Ironically, this is why I tend to vote for Democratic candidates. The more right-wing/Conservative/Republican party wants everyone to be controlled by government enforced religion, patriotism (to a level that they deem appropriate), and even racial hierarchy. They are the party that wants to be everyone’s bedroom, and in every uterus, to command you into obeying how they think you should act.
They also demand that we never question “authority”, whether it be the military, multi-national corporations, the flag, your economic “betters”, the police, or sham ‘news’ outlets.....regardless of evidence present.

The Dems are MUCH more toward individualism, free thought, scientific investigation, liberty, and freedom.

I note that @Akivah rated this as “funny”. I’m curious as to what the rebuttal is to the fact that conservatives really aren’t about personal individual freedom, as demonstrated by their stances on homosexuality and abortion.

 

[Revoltingest]

I note the @Akivah rated this as “funny”. I’m curious as to what the rebuttal is to the fact that conservatives aren’t really about personal individual freedom.

That's not generally true.
One area of common ground I find with some conservatives is individual liberty.
There tend to be some differences though, eg, abortion rights.
Note that I also find such common ground even with some liberals.

 

[Falvlun]

That's not generally true.
One area of common ground I find with some conservatives is individual liberty.
There tend to be some differences though, eg, abortion rights.
Note that I also find such common ground even with some liberals.

Liberty to own guns and treat employees like slaves, sure. Liberty to decide who to marry and when to have children, not so much.

I agree that there’s support for individual liberty on both sides, as well as support for curtailing it, depending on the topic.

But the Republican brand bills themselves as the champions of individual liberty— and I don’t see how that holds water given the very basic human activities they want to control.

 

[Revoltingest]

I agree that there’s support for individual liberty on both sides, as well as support for curtailing it, depending on the topic.

Sounds like detente!
I picked pick this sentence to address because it gets to the meat of the matter.
(Republican =/= conservative)

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

The only reason I couldn't bear India at present is they're regressing back to colonial code on social issues like gay rights, and that makes me sad- because India is allowing Colonialism to make them less than they were in the tolerance department. Ancient India was one of the world's most tolerant societies on just about every issue one can imagine.

Except casts and womens rights........especially widows.

 

[Akivah]

I note that @Akivah rated this as “funny”. I’m curious as to what the rebuttal is to the fact that conservatives really aren’t about personal individual freedom, as demonstrated by their stances on homosexuality and abortion.

I found it funny since I could take @Daemon Sophic 's post , flip it around, and make it about Democrats instead. Such as "Ironically, this is why I tend to vote for Republican candidates. The more left-wing/Liberal/Democratic party wants everyone to be controlled by government, enforced societal norms, and even education hierarchy.

I found it funny that we both want individual freedom, but we have completely differing ideas of what individual freedom means.

Is it freedom of religion or freedom from religion? Is it the mother's choice or the baby's choice? Is it freedom to have only traditional marriage or freedom to have marriage to anything?

 

[osgart]

I have none affiliation but one, avoid monopolies of power. I always vote to knock out powers.

Republicans want unrestricted big business, which none cares for the little guy. Military and police might is right with them.

Democrats want to socialize everything. And that leads to micromanaging everyone in the country.

The reality is you need to strike a balance, or things get wieldy.

Two extremes I love to gridlock.

 

[Holdasown]

What is the essential issue for you that led to affiliating with your party or approach?

I feel the Constitution is the most important document in how the US should run. I am a Libertarian as I feel that party supports that view. I will vote who I think the best candidate is as a whole not just that they agree with me one everything. So I have voted for members of all three parties in the past.

 

[Lotus Jewel]

Being a Buddhist, I try to (as a rule) remain as politically neutral as possible, and open to at least considering the opinions of everyone. However, I can't help but find myself more aligned with the left in these times.

I'm particularly horrified by the rise of a certain subculture in America. A subculture that encourages and fosters comfortable indifference toward other people - if not outright intolerance and hostility.

I think that we must never lose sight of the humanity of other people.

It isn't that I want to identify with the left to the total exclusion of the right or anything they might have to offer. I think it is always important to at least listen to another side. However, I find that there is increasingly little for me to identify with on the right. Much of the right has been overtaken by constant rage narratives and revenge policymaking.

I'd even say that there is a certain segment on the right given to almost gleeful cruelty. I especially see that with the folks saying that they want to make the left cry again.

I can't just be okay with cruelty. I can't pretend I agree with cruelty, or as a Buddhist give engaged cruelty my stamp of approval. I don't think that the kind of politics many on the right seem to be pursuing helps anything, or solves any problem in a positive, mutually beneficial way.

As such, I often feel in these days that the left is the only place I have to go. I cannot in good conscience support some of the things that the American far-right is saying and doing.

 

[Twilight Hue]

What is the essential issue for you that led to affiliating with your party or approach?

For me it's that I have to go with the party trying to protect everyone's basic human rights. Therefore I'm a Democrat, but not per se 'far left'.

I'm actually getting tired of politics.

Political actions have consequences, and neither party is void of them.

 

[ChristineM]

Old thread but nice to see it resurrected. I didn't see it first time around.

I'm sort of a green liberal labourite with some socialist thrown in. The UK is not a 2 party system, thank goodness. I voted for whoever of the 4 who's manifesto was closest to my way of thinking at election time

What made me choise my politics... The cold hearted callousness of the right wing.

 

[Lotus Jewel]

The UK is not a 2 party system, thank goodness.

Yeah, American politics would probably be less extreme if the US wasn't a two-party system. *sigh