So what party do you represent?

[Linus]

I was curious since today is primary election day (?? -- American elections are way too drawn out and rather complicated IMO but that's me) what our political breakdown is. I added the parties I know about but if I missed one, let me know (remember there is a limit to the number of options I can add to the poll).

I stuck with US for now since it's here that election is happening. I swear, tho'. This country spends 90% of its time arguing, promoting and such for election stuff (whether into a party seat or actual seat) and the remaining 10% is the actual work. From my POV, as a Canadian (who used to be heavily involved in politics, even in the fishbowl of Ottawa), it's a little weird.

[Random]

I'm registered as a Dem, but I don't vote the straight party line..

Not in my local elections.... I vote for the person with the best track record, who's stands reflect my believes...

The presidental elections.... I used to vote green, independant, because most of the time they ecchoed my personal believes, but after I stopped having stars in my eyes about the possiblilty of one of those parties winning, I vote a straight dem ticket...

Which sucks... but before this last election... it had become a case of.. The less of two evils...

[Kobi]

There used to be a time when I believed party affiliation meant something. There used to be a time when I felt certain groups were more aligned with my values and beliefs. Then I found that regardless of what was being said, what was done once in office was an entirely different matter.

So, now I evaluate candidates based on plausability i.e. vote for me rhetoric vs what seems possible given the structure we live in and the current prevailing voter preferences.

I am always anti-incumbent simply because I believe being in office, even once, makes for strange bedfellows - a practice that needs to be corrected. And, career politicans....are, to me, dangerous people regardless of what they supposedly stand for.

I love the Canadian approach to elections. It is swift, cost effective, and over and done with!

[Kätzchen]

I am a Democrat - with specific attention for Labor issues: I haven't felt that my political party is doing anything of value to move Labor interests forward in ways that are productive or said differently - producing policy that that better serves to protect worker interests.

[Selenay]

A great deal of the time, I think politics are like driving:

You can pick R to go backwards, or D to go forward.

[Corkey]

I don't represent any party. The party that most reflects my values is the Democratic party.

[chefhottie25]

I am an independent voter. I usually vote for the democratic candidtate...but I have also cast a few votes for progressive republicans.

[Miss Scarlett]

Originally Posted by Kobi

There used to be a time when I believed party affiliation meant something. There used to be a time when I felt certain groups were more aligned with my values and beliefs. Then I found that regardless of what was being said, what was done once in office was an entirely different matter.

So, now I evaluate candidates based on plausability i.e. vote for me rhetoric vs what seems possible given the structure we live in and the current prevailing voter preferences.

I am always anti-incumbent simply because I believe being in office, even once, makes for strange bedfellows - a practice that needs to be corrected. And, career politicans....are, to me, dangerous people regardless of what they supposedly stand for.

I love the Canadian approach to elections. It is swift, cost effective, and over and done with!

Very well said Kobi. I agree with everything except your position on incumbents. Not all of them are bad. I prefer to look at them on an individual basis and cast my vote accordingly.

There are members of the House who seem to be there forever no matter how bad they are. Here in the 9th District in NC once you are elected you are there until YOU decide to leave. It's just about impossible to unseat the incumbent for that House seat. We have a similar problem on the local level here in Charlotte/Mecklenburg with our County Commission, School Board and City Council.

The Canadian and British approach makes much more sense. This business of taking 2 years to run for president is crazy. It's like when John Edwards was elected to the Senate. As soon as he took office he began his Presidential campaign and largely ignored North Carolina and his duties in the Senate.

[Arwen]

I'm amazed that even one person would admit to being in the Tea Party unless they were being facetious and aren't aware of the racist, homophobes that make up that group.

[MsDemeanor]

Originally Posted by Arwen

I'm amazed that even one person would admit to being in the Tea Party unless they were being facetious and aren't aware of the racist, homophobes that make up that group.

Why? Racists and homophobes make a up fair portion of the current republican party, but lots of queers still proudly support them. Just sprinkle in a serving of "I love my gun" and "I hate government" and you've moved from republican to tea bagger.

[Sabine Gallais]

Originally Posted by Arwen

I'm amazed that even one person would admit to being in the Tea Party unless they were being facetious and aren't aware of the racist, homophobes that make up that group.

You do realize there are racists and homophobes rampant in all political parties, right?

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by Random

I'm registered as a Dem, but I don't vote the straight party line..

Not in my local elections.... I vote for the person with the best track record, who's stands reflect my believes...

The presidental elections.... I used to vote green, independant, because most of the time they ecchoed my personal believes, but after I stopped having stars in my eyes about the possiblilty of one of those parties winning, I vote a straight dem ticket...

Which sucks... but before this last election... it had become a case of.. The less of two evils...

Yep...I could repeat what Random said word for word...

[MsDemeanor]

Originally Posted by Linus

I stuck with US for now since it's here that election is happening. I swear, tho'. This country spends 90% of its time arguing, promoting and such for election stuff (whether into a party seat or actual seat) and the remaining 10% is the actual work. From my POV, as a Canadian (who used to be heavily involved in politics, even in the fishbowl of Ottawa), it's a little weird.

Sadly, the people of California yesterday decided that they like it this way. They voted against campaign finance reform and voted for an open primary. The open primary will force candidates to spend even more money than they already do. My first question to any Californian who complains about our voting system will be how they voted on those two issues. If they voted with the majority, or didn't vote (provided that they are eligible to vote, of course), then the only thing that I have to say to them is STFU.

[Rook]

I'm an Active Member of 3 Democratic Socialist parties, in the U.S., Spain and Puerto Rico...Although I've been a registered Dem. since 1996..{Most of My mothers family have less than nice words about this, although 4 of my cousins are of the same P.O.V as I am. }

◘ Young Democratic Socialists {U.S.} http://www.ydsusa.org/

♦ Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya http://www.socialistes.cat/ {Spain/Catalunya}

◘ MST, http://www.bandera.org/ {Puerto Rico}

[key]

And my opinion is that if someone does not see the differences between today's Democratic Party and today's Republican party then you have blinders on. The Democrats have the same ideals as I do (read the party platforms people!) but they must operate within a corrupted political system. The Republicans (and now Tea baggers) created and vigorously maintain that very corrupted political system.

Fun fact: Every US Senator must raise the equivalent of $2000 a day in campaign donations for the 6 years they are in office, in order to afford to run for their next election. That, my friends is the problem. Where do you think they get those donations? From my little $25 every couple of months? Uh, no. They get it from the thousands of lobbyists crawling throughout DC like roaches.

Another fun fact: When Ronald Reagan took office there were about 350 total lobbyists in Washington. Now there are over 30,000. How many of those lobbyists do you think represent your interests? (Hint: A lobbyist's starting salary is over 300K)

Without campaign finance reform, paper ballets and instant run off voting this will never change. These are the three legs that can stand our democracy back up and put We, the People, back in charge.

For $6/year from every voter we can fund every federal election in the US. Is it worth $6/year to you to "really" take our country back. Check out www.youstreet.org

Do you believe that "We the People" should own the actual votes we cast, not a private, for profit corporation that the courts have ruled actually "own" your vote once it has been cast on their machines? Check out www.blackboxvoting.org


And if you think we should have representation from more than two parties? Check out www.instantrunoff.com

Good Day and Good Luck!

[dreadgeek]

I am a pragmatic liberal which means that, on the whole, I end up voting for Democrats or, sometimes, Greens. However, there is not a party in the United States that represents my *actual* political views nor do I think any such party is viable in this country over the course of my lifetime.

I am too pragmatic to take the typical liberal stance of "no war, ever" because there are circumstances--someone is about to invade your country--where I think that war is just unavoidable. So I want our military well-equipped, well-trained and ready to be deployed but I want us to have a foreign policy stance that is "seek peace first and then, when all else fails, send in the military".

The party I would *like* to see is pro-national interest without jingoistic nationalism (I think it's possible to be patriotic without being nationalistic or believing that America is some kind of god-ordained exceptional country). It would recognize that while religion is important to people as individuals, it is NOT a matter for the state to endorse any religion or favor the truth claims of one religion over another.

The party I want is pro-education, pro-science, makes policy decisions based upon evidence and is capable of discarding or reforming non-working programs.

The party I want is on the side of labor instead of management, favors the consumer over the corporation, favors the small business over the monopoly. The party I want favors public transportation and a strong safety net.

There's quite a bit more, of course, but as you can see the political party I want is simply not viable in this country.

[chefhmboyrd]

voting in this day and age is like choosing between a turd sandwich and a steaming cup of piss.
either one will leave a bad taste in your mouth, just a choice as to which will be easier to swallow.

@

[MsDemeanor]

Maybe its just the poor choices available to you where you live, maybe your area doesn't have a large enough liberal base to support candidates who value people over corporations. Out here we have wonderful and knowledgeable representatives who fight hard for their constituents and believe in the value of the work that they do. We have our share of idiots who place the interests of corporations and conservative talking points above the interests of the people they serve, but they tend to be exiled to the conservative districts, and those voters seem to enjoy suffering the consequences of their poor choices. Also, many of the ballot initiatives involve important decisions that affect the lives and well being of the people of this state, they are choices that really matter.

[BornBronson]

Registered as Republican.And a very liberal one at that.Still,my conservative views will get me a hug and welcome at any Tea Party rally.We must get Obama out of office.He's destroying our country every day he remains president.Do something good for America,vote him out in 2012.I like the Independent Party,think I might go that way next election.

[apretty]

Originally Posted by BornBronson

Still,my conservative views will get me a hug and welcome at any Tea Party rally.

do you hide that you're gay?

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/vie...o_gay_marriage