# I have left the Democratic Party. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 6, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140 "2019-06-06T20:39:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/1 "2019-06-06T20:39:13Z")
Went down to the courthouse yesterday, intending to change my affiliation to Green Party. The registrar, who I know slightly, told me that I would have to register as “Other” and specify Green, but that it would be self-defeating, since the Green Party has little to no representation in this state. The options were Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Mountain, Unaffiliated and Other. I chose unaffiliated, for the time being. I’ll find out about the Mountain Party; I had already decided not to be a libertarian. If Mountain does not appeal to me, I’ll stay unaffiliated. It’s a weird feeling, like the first time I flew. Or, for that matter, like the first time I voted. Thirty-one years ago, I cast my first vote, in the Illinois primary, for my senator, Paul Simon. A Democrat. But the party has changed since he was a pillar of it, and I no longer want to claim it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/2 "2019-06-06T20:42:08Z")
Alrighty then. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/3 "2019-06-06T20:42:45Z")
Lucky this isn’t Soviet Russia where party leave you, in Gulag. What was the last straw? ---
**Author:** ![Unreconstructed\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/76d3ee/32.png) [@Unreconstructed\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unreconstructed_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/4 "2019-06-06T20:43:38Z")
Mountain? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/5 "2019-06-06T20:43:48Z")
Why do you feel the need to belong to be affiliated with a political party? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/6 "2019-06-06T20:47:41Z")
Can you point to an area, on the doll, where the Party hurt you? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/7 "2019-06-06T20:51:58Z")
> [@Unreconstructed\_Man](#): > > Mountain? Apparently it’s the Green Party of West Virginia. > **[Mountain Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Party)** > > The Mountain Party is a political party in West Virginia, affiliated with the Green Party of the United States. > It is a progressive and environmentalist party whose party platform primarily focuses on "Grassroots Democracy", "Social Justice & Equal Opportunity", "Ecological Wisdom" and "Non-Violence". > The Mountain Party was created largely in response to the conservative tilt of the West Virginia Democratic Party, and was thus born out of Denise Giardina's gubernatorial campaign in 2000. > Today... ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/8 "2019-06-06T20:52:44Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Can you point to an area, on the doll, where the Party hurt you? Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there! Thread winner! ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/9 "2019-06-06T20:54:42Z")
> **[2016 United States presidential election | Results by state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_States_presidential_election#Results_by_state)** > > The table below displays the official vote tallies by each state's Electoral College voting method. The source for the results of all states is the official Federal Election Commission report. The column labeled "Margin" shows Trump's margin of victory over Clinton (the margin is negative for every state that Clinton won). > A total of 29 third party and independent presidential candidates appeared on the ballot in at least one state. Former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson and physician Jill S... Look at the results for Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. If the votes which went to the Green Party in those states had gone to the Dems, they would have picked up 46 additional electoral votes, for a total of 273 for the Dems and 258 for the GOP. Trump must be really thankful for Jill Stein. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/10 "2019-06-06T20:56:36Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > [2016 United States presidential election - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_States_presidential_election#Results_by_state) > > Look at the results for Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. If the votes which went to the Green Party in those states had gone to the Dems, they would have picked up 46 additional electoral votes, for a total of 273 for the Dems and 258 for the GOP. Trump must be really thankful for Jill Stein. Or extra grateful to Putin, who appears to have put Jill Stein in play. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/11 "2019-06-06T20:58:42Z")
**QuickSilver** , it’s just backing up on me, the way the Dems are so hell-bent on impeaching Trump, they’re not accomplishing anything. Whoever gets the nomination next year will be running solely to beat Trump, not because they want the job for its own sake. **Unreconstructed Man** : Aha! It’s the West Virginia branch of the Green Party! I’ll still check it out further before I decide. **TriPolar** : Not sure what you mean. **Dallas Jones** : hee-hee. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/12 "2019-06-06T20:59:28Z")
OBE. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/13 "2019-06-06T21:01:28Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > **QuickSilver** , it’s just backing up on me, the way the Dems are so hell-bent on impeaching Trump, they’re not accomplishing anything. Wrong on both counts. Many Dems, and more daily and some Republicans too, do see the national need for impeachment, but not “the party”. As for what else they’re doing, [check this out](https://www.vox.com/2019/5/24/18637163/trump-pelosi-democrats-bills-congress). If anything’s not getting through the Senate, you \*know \*why. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/14 "2019-06-06T21:10:31Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > **QuickSilver** , it’s just backing up on me, the way the Dems are so hell-bent on impeaching Trump, they’re not accomplishing anything. Whoever gets the nomination next year will be running solely to beat Trump, not because they want the job for its own sake. There is nothing more important than getting rid of Trump. Nothing. We can debate whether impeaching him is the best method, and we\* are\* debating that. But criticizing the Dems for making that a priority seems a bit bizarre to me. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/15 "2019-06-06T21:15:03Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > There is nothing more important than getting rid of Trump. Nothing. I don’t agree, and that’s why I’m leaving. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/16 "2019-06-06T21:16:08Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > There is nothing more important than getting rid of Trump. Nothing. We can debate whether impeaching him is the best method, and we\* are\* debating that. But criticizing the Dems for making that a priority seems a bit bizarre to me. Agreed. Defining yourself according to what you’re against has pitfalls but when what you’re against is a president who’s a combination of Howard Stern and that embarrassing uncle you have to hide the booze from, that’s good enough for now. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/17 "2019-06-06T21:25:31Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > I don’t agree, and that’s why I’m leaving. That’s certainly your right. I wish you well. But what would you consider more important than getting rid of Trump? Everything the Mountain Party seems to care about would be significantly advanced with Trump “retired” to a farm upstate. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/18 "2019-06-06T21:28:39Z")
Furthermore, there isn’t really anything beyond the very basics that can be done beyond this, with control of only 1/2 of the 3 branches of government. And we have been doing the very basics like passing bills that even [del]BM[/del] MM can’t deny. But anything substantive will be torpedoed. The House could pass the greatest bills ever and people would still complain that they aren’t doing anything because none of them become law. So may as well investigate and impeach. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/19 "2019-06-06T21:28:44Z")
This is the certainly the first time I’ve heard someone make the complaint that the Democrats are doing too _much_ towards impeaching Trump, I’ll tell ya that. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140/20 "2019-06-06T21:35:23Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > **QuickSilver** , it’s just backing up on me, the way the Dems are so hell-bent on impeaching Trump, they’re not accomplishing anything. You appear to have been deceived by the narrative that Trump has been trying to spin: > [@Donald Trump](#): > > The Democrats are getting nothing done in Congress. All of their effort is about a Re-Do of the Mueller Report, which didn’t turn out the way they wanted. It is not possible for them to investigate and legislate at the same time. Their heart is not into Infrastructure, lower… > > …drug prices, pre-existing conditions and our great Vets. All they are geared up to do, six committees, is squander time, day after day, trying to find anything which will be bad for me. A pure fishing expedition like this never happened before, & it should never happen again! [Democrats in Congress are getting things done. Trump and Republicans are just ignoring them.](https://www.vox.com/2019/5/24/18637163/trump-pelosi-democrats-bills-congress) > [@](#): > > Trump is objectively wrong; House Democrats haven’t been squandering time. In addition to their investigations, they’ve been passing legislation at a rapid clip. In all, the House has taken up 51 bills, resolutions, and suspensions since January — 49 of which they’ve passed. This includes a slate of bills to attempt to end the longest government shutdown in history, the result of a protracted fight between Trump and Congress over border wall funding. > > Ironically, over the past two weeks, the House has passed bills to address most of the issues Trump mentioned in his tweet. They recently passed a bill to lower prescription drug prices, and another one to protect preexisting conditions. The House also passed nine bills on veterans issues this week alone, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi noted at her weekly press conference. On Thursday, Democrats tried to present Trump their infrastructure plan before he walked out of their meeting. > > So if the House is passing all these bills, why does it seem like Congress isn’t getting anything done? Welcome to the reality of divided government in Washington. The vast majority of House Democrats’ agenda has hit a dead end in the Republican-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has dubbed himself the “grim reaper” of Democratic legislation. Pelosi has blasted the Senate leader for embracing this role, saying he’s working for special interests in Washington, rather than the people of the United States. > > “The Senate is the graveyard where bills that pass in the Congress, that have bipartisan support in the country, go to die,” Pelosi said at a recent press conference. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-left-the-democratic-party/835140.md?page=2)