So, I registered as a Republican today...

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

It took some doing, and it’s been building for a while.

I’ll be the first person I know of in my family to register or vote Republican. I’ll probably get disowned.

But, you know, I feel like the Democratic side has just collapsed. I go to Democratic bulletin boards and all I see is invective. I see people referring to our President as a “crack-addict smirking retarded chimp,” without irony. And then I go to the news and I see that this President is getting cheered by the people of Lithuania for expanding NATO and ensuring their continued freedom from Russian domination.

And then I figure “which side do I want to be a part of?”

Finally, things got so bad the answer was obvious.

In just under two years, this president has passed a tax bill that personally saved me about 2,000 dollars. He commanded the campaign that destroyed the Taliban, without need of a port. He finally got serious about North Korea’s lies. He’s expanded freedom in Europe. He liberated millions of women from a hellish existence under Taliban rule. And after over 4 years of being locked out of Iraq, we now have teams of inspectors going in again, under better terms than before.

He rallied the UN behind him. He got NATO to sign on. He led his party to a nearly unprecedented gain in seats in a midterm election. Basically, he’s been knocking Democrats on their ass.

And Democrats are still trying to tell themselves that the man is stupid.

Well, they’re fucking delusional. I mean, how many times do they have to get knocked on their asses to figure out that Bush is a formidable politician and capable executive?

At any rate, after a while on the fence, I finally bit the bullet. It’s pretty clear to me which party is the party of the grown-ups here–which party is the party of the serious and soberminded.

Don’t mean for this to sound like a GD. It’s just how I feel at the moment.

The Dems abandoned me long ago, and now tell me they don’t want me, a bluedog, back.

To hell with them.

2

Isnt’ there some law that your neighbors have to be notified about this, so they can make sure their children stay away from your place?

3

Now that Cretien has confirmed that Bush is not a moron, it is OK to register as a republican.

4

Welcome. You’ll be getting your Official Evil Incarnate Membership Card quite soon.

5

Hey, welcome Hickory6, both to the board and the party for whom I usually vote.

Being a two-party system, you wind up choosing one or the other and your own side will absolutely piss you off from time to time. Eh, you’ve got to make decisions. Fortunately, in Texas, I don’t actually have to register as one or the other.

I suspect this might eventually jump to IMHO (if everyone remains civil).

6

G’day Hickory6. Gee, are you feeling extremely brave or just suicidal? :smiley:

Be careful though about being too devoted to ANY political party, lest you be accused of being unable to maintain objectivity when it comes to issues. As much as you admire the man and his policies, you DO sound like a Born-Again Christian in the first flush of SALVATION. Or like a recruitment officer for dragging the disenchanted Dem’s into the fray.

Maintain your cynicism…it’s healthier.

7

Good to have you, Hickory6!

8

Um…what planet are you from…? #3 is arguable, tho overstated, I’m simply astonished at the other two claims. Got some backup?

So, doing the stuff above, GW kicked Demo-butt. Huh? Ummkay. And when emission standards are changed, he kicked butt on the Sith as well? I’m failing to see the connection.

9

Well, the economy and the war effort prove it. The employment statistics, housing starts and everything else cinch it for me. The part I most approve of is the way we are able to enjoy Osama’s head on a platter and the tour it is doing of the major U.S. cities.

While I will agree that the Democrats (of which I am one) currently have their heads up their asses, they ran things much better. Balanced budgets with surpluses, low unemployment, moderate interest rates, peace and what not. I am pleased to know someone who got a $2000 tax cut though. You do realize that it is being funded by pure deficit spending? (Although at a really low interest rate.)

The Democratic party will be in a deep funk until it gets some leadership that will fight for policies that people want. Nancy Pelosi is a vast improvement over Gephart. If she will lead the opposition on the basis that the war is being fought poorly and the economy is being run badly and that Democrats can do better, she will do well for us. The Gephart policy of being more moderate than Republicans simply will not work.

10

I thought Gephardt was your best leader by far. Daschle was an embarrassment to himself. Essentially, he probably cost the Democrats three or four close senate seats by continuing to argue the Iraq debate for weeks after he had already lost it–lost his composure on the Senate floor–and then caved anyway.

But choosing Pelosi as the new House leader was one of the things that caused me to make the switch.

As for economics, even Al Gore now admits the economy was on its way down hill well before the 2000 election, and was certainly in recession before Bush first major fiscal act, the EGTRRA bill, was even passed by congress.

Most serious economic thinkers will tell you that economic cycles don’t have a heck of a lot to do with who controls the white house.

11

Congratulations Hickory6!
I’ve got a great baby marinade if your recipes aren’t up to date. :wink:

12

Good for You, Welcome to the Republican Side of Sanity and Reality. My family is Republican and I work at an Employer who are Democrats. Every political cycle we print for the Democrats in my state. Delusional isn’t even the word.

13

First off, be prepared to be peppered with phones calls soliciting money for the RNC, The Pro-Life Crowd, and various other conservative groups, just as I imagine registered Democrats get the same calls from the opposite sides of the fences. Say No Thank You. If you say yes, the calls will never stop.

And congrats for thinking for yourself, and not following everyone else because that’s what they’ve always done. No matter what party you had chosen.

14

UncleBill, in Ohio you get calls from the party you aren’t registered with. My parents are both Democrats and they get calls all the time from the Republican party.

15

Nah–I didn’t give the GOP my phone number. They have my email address if they want to contact me.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some homeless single mothers I need to kick. :slight_smile:

16

Good point, Hickory 6. As I recall, the economy was already on the upswing before Bill Clinton took office, back in 1992, as well. Didn’t stop him from jumping in and taking credit for it, though. And policies being pushed by any new president would not be suddenly in place on the day of their inauguration.

17

Wow, I never get calls from the opposite party, airdisk. Do they call to try to change your mind?

18

Originally posted by squeegee

Poor Demo. What did he ever do to GW?

19

I must know what on earth this is referring to.

I agree with UncleBill. Think for yourself.

BTW, I never get any phone calls from political parties. I was registered as a Democrat for years and no one ever called me or mailed me anything, except my local Congresswoman, but I assume she sent that stuff to everyone in the district. Now I’m a Green. They sent me something once, but no calls. Thank goodness.

20

Well, if the Republican economy plan is so darned good, how come a Democrat was able to sustain a good economy longer than anyone else in history? It only started going poorly in the summer of 2000 upon reports that the polls showed Bush ahead.

And then, we have to consider the lenght of the current economic troubles: now at almost two full years with no end in sight. And this isn’t even a recession yet. High unemployment, record low interest rates, low housing starts, high deficits, an ill defined war plan. While people who like it are welcome to join the Republican party, the Democratic plan was far superior. We would have had a nice soft landing and then moved on.

As for the Democrats choosing Nancy Pelosi, well, you aren’t one of ours any more, and we want a real liberal, and we’ve got one. You prefer Lott, Hastert and Bush, well, this is America, by all means register with them if you prefer their policies.