# Now It's Official -- I'm a Democrat **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 5, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199 "2016-02-05T03:09:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/1 "2016-02-05T03:09:52Z")
I’ve always voted Democratic, always, but never wanted to identify formally with a political party. In Hawaii, where you have to register some sort of affiliation, I was a registered Independent. But the Republicans have pissed me off so much that I’ve taken the leap and for the first time in my life have joined the rolls of the Democratic Party. Besides voting in primaries, are there any benefits I can expect? ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/2 "2016-02-05T03:36:54Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Besides voting in primaries, are there any benefits I can expect? Someone will be by to teach you the secret handshake. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/3 "2016-02-05T03:51:12Z")
> [@Drum\_God](#): > > Someone will be by to teach you the secret handshake. And if you’re good you may get some pie. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/4 "2016-02-05T03:56:04Z")
There’s also the initiation ceremony. I’m not gonna lie to you–it involves a donkey. (You might want to look up Ezekiel 23:20.) Not that I would imagine the Republican initiation ceremonies are likely any better. I mean, geez–_elephants!_ ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/5 "2016-02-05T04:20:10Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Besides voting in primaries, are there any benefits I can expect? There’s an ungodly amount of sex. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2016, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/6 "2016-02-05T04:57:52Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > There’s an ungodly amount of sex. It’s \*all \*gay though. If you’re gay, this is a great benefit. ---
**Author:** ![montag01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@montag01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/montag01)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/7 "2016-02-05T06:23:10Z")
But the gay sex is with Bill Clinton, so even if you’re not gay, you’re guaranteed a tender embrace, and good cigars. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/8 "2016-02-05T06:28:27Z")
I heard there’s Frogurt. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/9 "2016-02-05T06:28:34Z")
Are the cigars in the original, unopened plastic wrap? Gonna have to insist on that. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/10 "2016-02-05T08:25:22Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I’ve always voted Democratic, always, but never wanted to identify formally with a political party. In Hawaii, where you have to register some sort of affiliation, I was a registered Independent. But the Republicans have pissed me off so much that I’ve taken the leap and for the first time in my life have joined the rolls of the Democratic Party. > > Besides voting in primaries, are there any benefits I can expect? Yes: free college tuition. Don’t worry, everyone else will pay it for you. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/11 "2016-02-05T09:21:46Z")
When did you first feel you were Democrat? Have you told you parents? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/12 "2016-02-05T09:46:06Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > I heard there’s Frogurt. Frogurt for some, miniature American flags for others. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/13 "2016-02-05T10:44:23Z")
The welfare checks should start arriving the first of the month. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/14 "2016-02-05T11:11:59Z")
When the women find out, they’ll begin throwing themselves at you. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/15 "2016-02-05T11:43:38Z")
Your broken synapses (neural links in the brain) are already starting to reconnect. Eventually, you’ll become autistic\*. (\*No kidding about recent research suggesting that some autism may be caused by a failure to go through a normal period of synapse pruning early in life). ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/16 "2016-02-05T11:57:17Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > It’s \*all \*gay though. It’s not “gay”, it’s inclusively LGBT. Except for the part that involves donkeys. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/17 "2016-02-05T13:36:45Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > There’s an ungodly amount of sex. Just remember to close the curtains. (Republicans close their curtains, although they don’t need to, Democrats leave them open, although they shouldn’t.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/18 "2016-02-05T14:19:29Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It’s not “gay”, it’s inclusively LGBT. Except for the part that involves donkeys. You left out gender-queer, asexual, and who knows what else. Please report to the nearest reeducation camp within 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/19 "2016-02-05T14:35:05Z")
At 18 I was a Libertarian, at 24 I was a Green. I didn’t want to belong to either of the major parties, because our system is so screwed up. Now at 31, I’ve joined the Democratic Party specifically so I can vote for Bernie Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199/20 "2016-02-05T16:03:11Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > (\*No kidding about recent research suggesting that some autism may be caused by a failure to go through a normal period of synapse pruning early in life). That was schizophrenia, which often happens in the synapse-pruning teen years. I haven’t heard this theory applied to autism, which usually comes along around age 2. But I’d be interested to see where you got that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-official-im-a-democrat/745199.md?page=2)