Why are you a Democrat

[Sophia4]

and not a Republican or Independent?

How would you explain this to your family, your friends, strangers?

[malchickiwick]

1. I'll let RHCP answer for me, at least.

[Sophia4]

21. Naeeeeece!

[Glamrock]

34. Add a little love to the funky ass free bass...

[mountain grammy]

66. Love it 😍!

[phylny]

2. I am a Democrat because I am a Christian.

The God I believe in has commanded me to love my brothers and sisters, take care of everyone, including chldren, the sick, elderly, and the poor, and to be just and fair. The Democratic party also believes in those things.

It's a no-brainer for me.

[hamsterjill]

18. +1

n/t

[Sophia4]

22. Great reason! Thanks!

[Nonhlanhla]

47. That is my reason too. nt

[Dave Starsky]

53. Same here. Absolutely.

My family lived the values that Jesus preached. They also took a healthy interest in making sure I was educated and well-read. It was inevitable.

[nightwing1240]

90. Same reason for me

As well as someone else said, "I love my neighbor as myself"

And to me the no brainer is simply, I'd rather be part of a group that is inclusive rather than exclusive

[mcar]

118. That's how I answer the question too

[bluestarone]

123. oh yea i'm with you here

took the words out of my mouth!!

[mvd]

125. Hi, good one

I am spiritual, but usually prefer to keep my relationship with God personal..

[phylny]

130. That's great :) n/t

[pangaia]

134. Well, all I can say is that I god not need a god to tell me to

to love my brothers and sisters, take care of everyone, including children, the sick, elderly, and the poor, and to be just and fair.

I just, try to do it........... don;t always succeed.

[phylny]

137. Fantastic! n/t

[Freddie]

149. Me too, thank you

And as a Christian woman, those reasons and then some.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. I strive to exhibit empathy, compassion, understanding, equality, empowerment...

education, diversity, curiosity, creativity/arts/science, lifetime learning, and do not fear change.

Just a few things!

[Sophia4]

23. And you do! Thanks!

[CTyankee]

98. same as you. I would add pro-choice and pro feminist. and so is hubby.

[SidDithers]

4. You go first...nt

Sid

[Sophia4]

24. Because I love people and the earth and because I believe we are all one.

[Lithos]

5. Because I believe

"We the People" were and are the basis for our government.

[Sophia4]

25. Agreed!

[bdamomma]

127. Totally agree

and we have a heart and soul for others.

[TexasProgresive]

6. "I love my neighbor as I love myself."

[Sophia4]

26. I try to. That's a great answer!

[NewJeffCT]

7. I was born in 1966

First, Republicans pissed me off as a child because the Watergate hearings interrupted my afternoon cartoons when I came home from school.

Secondly, a few years later, I remember the big push for the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment). I couldn't understand why some people would oppose everybody being guaranteed equality, and those people were almost all Republicans. I remember the Bicentennial celebrations and me as a kid learning how "all men are created equal" but also realized men should be mankind and not just the male sex. So, I have always believed that everybody should be treated equally, no matter their sex, race, sexual preference, etc. That party is the Democrats.

[Sophia4]

27. Equality. What would you change in America in order to achieve equality?

[NewJeffCT]

31. re-instate the voting rights act for one

and also pass the ERA and make sure to include sexual orientation and identity in there as well.

[Sophia4]

46. Voting rights is a really big issue for me.

Not only are Republicans in red states making it harder for people of color and very elderly people (many of whom were born at home) to vote, but I personally am horrified by the fact that voters in my state of California have, per vote, so little say in who becomes president.

That is simply because we are a state with a high population.

The vote of a Montana voter is counted as around 5-6 votes of a California voter.

It's all due to the electoral college.

If California votes counted for as much as the votes of less populated red states, Hillary Clinton would be president today.

So voting rights are really important to me.

I might as well not vote at all in presidential elections simply because of my geographical location. I understand that the Senate gives people in less populated states a greater voice in our country than I have. Maybe they need and deserve it in the Senate.

But the president is supposed to represent all of us. Because of the electoral college, our current president cannot claim to represent Californians. We did not vote for him. And if our votes had been fairly counted as one person, one vote, he would not be president.

So voting rights are a big issue. Especially for people in big, populated states like California.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population

[NewJeffCT]

59. Reconfiguring the electoral college

or dumping it completely would be a big one as well. It's screwed over Democrats (and therefore most of America) twice in 16 years - Bush in 2000 and Trump in 2016.

Just imagine if Gore had won in 2000? We get more federal judges appointed by Democrats, Democrats control the census bureau, maybe 9/11 doesn't happen, but we certainly would not have gone into Iraq. Not to mention we get action on climate change.

[Sophia4]

64. Precisely.

It also created that "swing states" reality that allows for foreign interference in our elections. It makes it cheaper and easier to target our presidential elections. The math of swinging key voters in a few key states is much easier than the math of swinging people across the country.

And you are so right about the judges. But also the Republicans are destroying our environment in order to protect the wealth of a few people. And maybe the future of Russia (which has a lot of untapped fossil fuels).

[NewJeffCT]

72. With the electoral college

most states don't even matter - how often do candidates visit reliably blue or reliably red states after the primaries are over? Did Trump have a lot of rallies in California? How about Clinton in Idaho or Wyoming?

[Sophia4]

74. True. The electoral college hurts voters in all but a slim ribbon of states.

It discourages people who vote against the majority in their state from participating in presidential elections -- in elections at all.

[bdamomma]

129. yea just

imagine if Bobby Kennedy became President or if his brother didn't get assassinated.

Just imagine.

[Lithos]

158. Equality or Equity?

[Corgigal]

8. Cause I don't hate based on sight.

Nor do I believe anyone is special due to genetics, or anything you were born into. Rich family, politically connected etc, that is just lucky.

[Sophia4]

28. Good answer.

[handmade34]

9. Democrats are more fun?

...I side with the Democratic Party because the platform, most aligns with my values
https://www.democrats.org/party-platform
http://www.ontheissues.org/Democratic_Party.htm

Democrats believe that cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, and bridges are better than walls.
It’s a simple but powerful idea: we are stronger together.

[Sophia4]

29. Is cooperation ALWAYS better than conflict, etc.?

Are there any issues you wouldn't compromise or cooperate on?

[BlueTsunami2018]

10. Because I work for a living.

Pro-labor is my number one issue. While the Democrats haven’t been great on the issue for the past thirty-five years or so, they’re herds better than the gop who are straight up anti-labor.

I also believe in social justice, universal healthcare and education, protecting the environment and general fairness.

[Sophia4]

30. I agree. And I would go beyond the traditional definition of pro-labor to include

professions like programmers and others who work for employers or companies to support employee-rights in general.

[Wwcd]

11. Why would you not be? Why would you need to be anything but a Democrat

I am proud to be a lifetime Democrat.
We would never have had the nation that consistantly cares for & recognizes & negotiates for, had it not been for the Democratic Party through all the years, solidly committed to a society for all. Not just the select self proclaimed purists.

We are one Party for all & we will protect those who carry the Democratic good deeds from the past on into the future.
The Democratic Party has always been the Party that battles the usurpers of our American Gov't & we will always be the Party that carries forward that mantel with pride, determination & co-existence in the name of humanity & human rights

Thank you

[Sophia4]

32. I love your answer.

[DFW]

12. Simple

I like people, including people who are not like me. People who are not like me do not terrify me.

I sympathize with those who have less than I do, and I do not envy those who have more than I do.

I believe that women have the same rights men do.

I do not consider being gay some kind of mutant aberration.

I believe that education should be extensive, free from religion and politics, and affordable for all.

I believe in the total separation of church and state.

I believe that we are just one country out of many on this earth, and that we are NOT automatically better than the other 200+ countries on this planet.

I believe that citizenship includes medical care and education in the bargain.

I do not believe that the state has the right to carry out ritual revenge killings.

I do not believe that the Second Amendment means that every person who wants firearms should have the right to buy them, and that "well-regulated" applies not only to militias, but to ALL firearms, and not just muskets.

Oh, and there are about 200 other reasons I don't have time to list. But that should do for starters.

[Sophia4]

35. Wow! Terrific answer.

Makes me feel even prouder to be a Democrat.

[StevieM]

104. Great answer. I would put something about climate change at the top of that list of

200 other reasons.

[DFW]

172. Agreed

Number one is that we have not just the chance but the solemn duty to not leave the environment worse off than it was when we got here. On the contrary, it is our moral (sadly not legal) obligation to rectify and reverse damage done, even if not done by us.

[backtoblue]

13. Compassion

The idea that every man, woman and child are created equally and should be treated as such. Fair working conditions and a living wage. I'm a peace loving hippy. And a ferociously devoted mother who wants my child to have the same opportunities in life as everyone else's kids. There's a lot more, but ya get the gist.

[Sophia4]

36. Absolutely with you on every detail.

[alarimer]

14. Nominally, it's because I care more about regular people than about the rich.

I believe in FDR's Second Bill of Rights:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by
monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
The right to a good education.

And the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

These days, I suppose that makes me some kind of communist. Corporations have too much influence on both parties, because corporate money in politics poisons everything. I want a complete social safety net, cradle to grave, including universal health care that is free at the point of service. I want everyone to belong to a union because collective bargaining is more important than any individual's drive and ambition. I want strong environmental protections, based on real, actual science and the precautionary principle. I want all forms of inequality abolished. I want government truly to be a government of the people, all people, and not government of the corporations.

I'm not sure I can actually say many of those things apply to the Democratic Party as a whole anymore. In short, I want us, through the Democratic Party and others, to move towards the Scandinavian democratic socialism model. Those countries are healthier, happier and more successful, by many metrics, than we are. I want this society to shift away from individualism that is, in my opinion, what has so damaged us, to a collectivism and care for our fellow human beings above all else. Above corporations and above the military in particular.

[Sophia4]

37. Agreed!

Especially in this day of computers and AI, we can move far more quickly toward a society that is economically inclusive and supportive.

Thanks.

[LAS14]

15. I think we should take care of our environment, our societal rules and each other,

and use government as one of the means to that end.

[Sophia4]

38. Great!

[Aristus]

16. Because I'm not an asshole.

n/t

[poboy2]

17. Simple as that these days. They're all fucking assholes. -nt

[Sophia4]

39. Concise -- and says a lot! Got it!

[Blue_true]

19. I am a democrat because:

I believe that anyone that is fortunate in life should help the less fortunate. I believe that no one should go hungry or sleep on the streets.

I am a democrat because I realize that a community and a society requires that all residents take on some shared responsibility for making and keeping the community and society healthy.

I am a democrat because I believe that every person that strives to make their life better should be helped in that pursuit by society.

I am a democrat because I believe that every person deserves protection from abuse and violence, and deserves economic fairness, regardless of their sex, race, sexual orientation.

[Sophia4]

41. Beautiful answer! Really thoughtful and loving.

Good luck in your life. I agree with you.

[bdamomma]

132. nice post

[meadowlander]

20. Because people in this country died for labor rights too

and for civil rights and the right to choose and they deserve to be honored and their legacy to be protected from greedy, selfish, short-sighted people.

[Sophia4]

43. Yes. And because all the rights that those people fought for are in jeopardy every

day if we Democrats don't continue to fight not just for them but for today's more complicated version of those rights.

[Fresh_Start]

33. I believe we should all leave the world a little better than we found it

that means
policies that work for the common good (not just in our country but around the world)
preserving the environment, oceans, planets
helping those who need help
intervening when you see mistreatment

[Sophia4]

44. Wonderful!

[unblock]

40. because i have a working heart and a working brain.

[Sophia4]

48. And???? How do your values align with the Democratic Party?

What do you working heart and brain like about the Democratic Party?

[unblock]

51. there was a time when i was a democrat due to my values.

but nowadays, you have to be a heartless idiot not to be a democrat.

republicans want to loot america and make it rot from the inside out.

can you really say it's a matter of "values" to want something better than that?

[kysrsoze]

42. I possess critical thought and empathy toward others

[Sophia4]

45. The bases of the Democratic Party movement: critical thought and empathy.

That's what really makes us different from Republicans.

[bigtree]

49. Democrats believe in the primacy of the Federal government

...basically the guarantor of my rights, specifically, primarily, under the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments.

That, and the fact that our party rocks the issues that affect most of us out here in our daily struggles to survive and prosper. The Democratic party has always been a coalition of disparate interests from myriad regions of the nation. We bring our diverse interests and concerns to the political table and are challenged to reconcile those to transform our ideals into action or law. Our party is always going to reflect that diversity of interest and opinion.

[Sophia4]

50. Where do you think the Democratic Party should stand on economic issues?

[bigtree]

56. empowerment

...we should focus on empowering working Americans and communities by addressing issues of equity, diversity, and opportunity.

Education, housing, health, and safety, among our priorities.

[Sophia4]

61. Great. I believe in public education.

Every child sits in the same classroom and gets the opportunity to be educated by a teacher who is well prepared.

No amateurs in the classroom.

I have an education degree and did student teaching but other than a little substitute teaching, I did not teach in a public school.

I did, however, take education courses and learned what it takes to be a teacher. I would not want my child to go to a school in which the teacher had never taken a course in educational psychology or in how to plan a lesson.

Public education is important to me. I also wouldn't want to go to a doctor who never took anatomy or gross anatomy, so I support licensing for doctors.

And I remember when I was a child, the reports on weekend auto fatalities. The numbers were frighteningly high. A world without regulation is a world of short lives. I prefer regulations that make life safer and longer.

In other words, agreed. I could go on.

It's campaign season. We all need to know our own message and speak from the heart when we campaign for our Democratic candidates.

[bigtree]

63. mom was a teacher

[Sophia4]

71. Wonderful! So was mine! Hmmmmmmm!

Maybe that is why we are Democrats.

Our moms cared.

Funny story about my mom. At one time, she was teaching in a mostly African-American school in Cleveland.

She liked language so in order to better understand her students, she kept a notebook of the language they used. It wasn't like the language she had learned on a Midwestern farm in a tiny town there, and she was determined to learn and understand it. I think it was interesting that she saw her job as learning from her students, not just teaching them. She saw it as an exchange. And I think she was right.

Teachers are just wonderful people. Most of them choose that profession because they have been given the gift of love. The greatest gift anyone can be given.

No wonder we are Democrats.

[stopwastingmymoney]

169. My Grandma was a teacher too.

And, she taught me many things. Most important was that every person was deserving of respect and opportunity.

Big part of why I'm a Democrat.

[rock]

52. Because my beliefs are liberal

I concur with what the Democratic party practices as ideas. I may agree with some that the Conservative party says are its ideas, the operative word being says.

[Sophia4]

57. What ideas that conservatives espouse do you agree with?

I'm asking these questions because as we begin the campaign season, we all need to be ready to talk to voters.

And the first thing you need to do before talking to voters is think about and express why you support the Democratic candidates.

If you don't know why and can't say it, can't argue for it, campaigning for a Democrat is tough.

We have to be able to say what we believe without getting into a fight or an argument. That means we have to think it through and say it simply. And then when someone disagrees, just let them know that we know where we stand and where they stand is not important to us. We need to be sure of our ideas.

[rock]

99. Conservation (saving) in the traditional sense

But not conservatism (non change) in the traditional sense. What they say about spending money carefully (well, maybe they don't do that any longer). Family values. Note that in all these cases I'm talking about what they preach, not what they do.

[Sophia4]

100. Yes. I think they are exceptionally weak on all these issues.

In spite of all of Bill Clinton's problems with women, I cannot picture him having a Stormy Daniels type of problem.

And Obama is Mr. Perfect when it comes to his job as a husband. What a great guy!

Trump's "female problems" are really a embarrassment to our nation.

[Drifter]

54. I'm a Reagan Democrat ...

If it wasn't for Reagan, I wouldn't be a Democrat.

I believe my parents were Republicans (farmers), but they were not rabid partisans, and (obviously) did not press political views on me.

Cheers
Drifter

[Sophia4]

55. Reagan was enough to drive any sane American to the Democratic Party.

With you on that.

[grantcart]

58. Richard Nixon

why I stayed a Democrat

Civil Rights
Good Governance
Environmental issues
etc
etc
etc

[Sophia4]

65. Have you noticed that Democratic presidents have fewer really awful scandals than

Republicans?

The Monica Lewinsky scandal was big, but the fact is that the Republicans examined every aspect of the lives of the Clintons and never could come up with anything a tenth as horrifying as the scandals of the Trump administration -- and we are not even two years into this Hellhole of a presidential term.

[Binkie The Clown]

60. Because the alternatives are too horrifying to even contemplate. nt

[Sophia4]

62. Actually, that horror is upon us now.

Democrats have very little power at the federal level. We have to change that this year.

[tirebiter]

67. I'm a Democrat because

I like being in the longest surviving party in the longest surviving republic. We evolve with the centuries. We are the definition of American exceptionanlism.

[mountain grammy]

68. Because my mom, smartest person Ive ever known..

[Sophia4]

73. Same here, but my dad was also a Democrat and just as smart.

I love your answer. My parents were part of the FDR generation. It's pretty much gone now.

[bdamomma]

133. hmmm...

My Mom and Dad were from that same FDR era. They were both Democrats and they instilled that in me. Thank God.

[Iggo]

69. Because I give a shit. (n/t)

[Sophia4]

75. About what? How would you explain it to an undecided voter?

What makes the Democratic Party different from the other choices? For you personally?

[Iggo]

96. The "undecided" voter doesn't give a shit.

They act like they give a shit around election time.

But they don't.

I make sure they know that I know.

I give a shit. They don't.

[GreenPartyVoter]

70. I had to change parties to caucus for Bernie.

[Sophia4]

76. Are you happy with the Democratic Party?

If yes, why?

If no, what would you change about it?

[GreenPartyVoter]

79. I have mixed feelings. No party is perfect, and I do feel that in many

ways I like the overall direction the Dems are headed, which is why I have stayed in for now. But I still feel I am closer to a Socialist or Green and that I am too "fringe" for some folks tastes.

My sig link explains one of the things I would change.

[Sophia4]

119. I agree with your approach to negotiating.

I have done quite a bit of negotiating, and you must always start where you would really like to finish. If you start close to the point of view of your negotiating opponent, you will end up very far from your goal.

I sometimes wonder whether our Democratic politicians have done little negotiations in their lives prior to politics or whether they are really much further to the right than I am.

I suspect the former, not the latter. I suspect they are more liberal at heart than they allow themselves to be. They are just too timid to ask for what they really want.

Start from what you want ideally and then work with the other side to find a compromise from that point toward their's.

[Blue1963]

77. Because I am not crazy...

My mother had me tested.

[The empressof all]

78. Because I like to think I'm not an Asshole....

I prefer kindness and empathy over hate

I prefer sharing rather than hoarding (except my kitchen equipment...don't ask)

Because I have studied history and learn from mistakes

Because perfection is not always possible but doing better is an achievable goal

and because I know the difference between feelings and facts....

[Sophia4]

83. Well said!

Poetry!

[woodsprite]

80. Because Democratic beliefs, policies, etc. more firmly espouse how I believe

a good person acts toward other people.

[Sophia4]

84. The consistent theme here is about how we act toward others.

[woodsprite]

91. When I originally registered, it was as a Republican.

I registered Republican because I loved Abraham Lincoln. Studied and collected everything I could find on him. BUT, I had not really paid attention to current politics at the time (Reagan). I didn't vote Repub and only voted a few times in the closed primaries). I stayed a Repub for years, until I started paying a lot more attention to politics. The turning point was the morning I woke up and found GWB had been appointed President. I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under the United States. I became more politically active and went to the first of several marches and rallies (first of many).

That also coincides with my finding DU. The next time I renewed my drivers license, I switched my voter registration to Democrat.

[PoorMonger]

81. I am a Democrat Because

I am a Democrat because I believe we all deserve a chance at success and a happy life reguardless of race, sex, class, religious affiliation , etnicity or orientation.

I am a Democrat because I care about our environment, and our future generations, not just the here and now.

I am a Democrat because I am a student of history and a believer in science. I have an appreciation for what these fields have taught and what they can still teach. I consider myself knowledgeable , but know I am not perfect.

[Sophia4]

86. Good reasons, all -- in my opinion as a fellow Democrat.

[FM123]

82. I didn't choose to be a Democrat, it chose me.

I was just a young kid during the 1972 election, voraciously watching the news with my parents and learning all I could about the candidates in my "current events" class. I remember being just blown away by the amazing Shirley Chisholm standing there with Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug at her side and thinking "that's what I want to be when I grow up - a strong smart woman who can do anything she puts her mind to". At the same time, I also realized that there were other people who didn't like that idea, who felt that a woman's place was in the home and that the ERA was dangerous and they were not about to let little girls like me grow up into liberated and liberal women that would move the world. In that moment a Democrat was born, I had no choice.

[Sophia4]

87. With you on that.

[marylandblue]

85. Go down a list of issues

Health care, taxes, the environment, civil rights, government regulation etc. On all those issues, I take positions that at least some Democrats and no Republicans hold.

[Sophia4]

88. Shout it to the world. Right.

[The Polack MSgt]

89. Same reasons everyone is...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028427761

[Sophia4]

93. Your OP there is just beautiful! Really inspiring!

[3catwoman3]

92. Because I rescue worms from the sidewalk after it rains, and put them...

...back in the grass so they won't dry out and die.

That might sound like a frivolous or smart ass answer, but it's not meant to be. I think it goes to the heart of what Democrats are all about - we care about other life and lives, not just our own. And not just human life - animal and plant life, and the life of our planet.

Another DUer posted this in a different thread within the past 2-3 weeks - "People vote Democratic because they think it is good for society. They vote Republican because they think it is good for them." (possible minor paraphrase)

Many wise words in all the responses here, and it has been invigorating to read them. Thanks, everyone.

[Sophia4]

94. Great response.

I am learning once again that Democrats are just wonderful people.

[pnwest]

95. I didn't know I was a Democrat until 9/11....

prior to that I gave two shits about politics, and did not know what being R or D even meant. After 9/11 - when I was glued to the television for months on end - and began hearing how the left and right understood and explained things, the lefties just made more sense to me, seemed smarter. I became more and more interested in politics, and the politics behind national and world events, and began to see that D's cared about "hippy dippy tree-hugging" stuff like the environment, women's rights, civil rights, critical thinking, community and caring for everyone. And I saw that R's are about misogyny, control, power, hatred and caring for themselves. I am a Democrat because of the environment, income equality, human rights, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, worker's rights - and because I came out of the womb questioning authority.

Edited to add: Oh! And banking regulations, and fighting corporate greed and corruption! Trying to get corporate money out of politics! (Corporations are not people. FFS!)

[Sophia4]

97. Welcome! It's been a long time, but welcome.

You are a great addition to the Democratic Party.

[pnwest]

121. Thank you!

[RandomAccess]

101. It's hardly a conscious choice, really

I did not vote when I was first eligible to do so -- I was pretty cynical about politics in general, and hated it as well. (Still do.) And didn't really know a lot about it, especially any differences in the parties.

However, when George H.W. Bush was running for President, I started noticing that Gary Hart was saying things that not only made sense to me but that I believed as well. A lot. So I took notice that he was a Democrat, and I registered to vote as a Democrat.

That may sound like a conscious choice, but to me it wasn't: The Democratic Party - esp. that candidate at that time -- clearly aligned with my core values, the ones that came with the Real Me from the day I was born. So there was no "choice" to be made: I'd been a Democrat all my life, I just hadn't known it. It just took Gary Hart to tap me on the shoulder and show me the open door.

ETA: I believe in fairness, fair play, justice, compassion, helping others and not taking more than your fair share, and in the inherent goodness of human beings. (I don't think humans, as a generalization, need to be beaten or punished or coerced into doing right.)

[Sophia4]

105. Best of reasons!

"I believe in fairness, fair play, justice, compassion, helping others and not taking more than your fair share, and in the inherent goodness of human beings."

Why we are Democrats.

Reflected in every answer on this thread. Thanks.

[wolfie001]

102. Because repukes suck and are heartless! nt

[Sophia4]

106. Yes.

[Initech]

103. Because... fuck Trump! That's why!

[Sophia4]

107. Short, sweet and the truth.

[Initech]

110. Also, fuck the Christan right! And the NRA!

[Sophia4]

114. Agreed!

[StevieM]

108. At the top of the long list: I believe climate change is real and is a threat to the future

of humanity. Only Democrats want it addressed.

[Sophia4]

113. Good reason!

[HopeAgain]

109. Because I have a heart AND a brain nt

I believe our mission as human beings is to serve others. Humanity and true sanity depend on our dedication to this simple principle.

[Sophia4]

115. Good reasons.

[Lobo27]

111. Because of hope!

Most people that I know, and most democrats think like me. They give me hope. I'm a dreamer, in the sense that I believe we can be so much more. Progress. Perhaps its why I love Star Trek. Chase the stars. I believe Democrats share my ideals and want to make us better. That is why I'm a proud Democrat.

[Sophia4]

116. Thanks. I'm with you on that.

[Exotica]

112. Because I believe in a positive, inclusive future, not a regressive, hateful return to a failed past

[Sophia4]

117. Me too.

[barbtries]

120. natural born bleeding heart.

i care about everyone, that's why i have to be a democrat in this country.

[Sophia4]

140. Me too! You're great barbtries, whoever you are.

[barbtries]

153. thanks Sophia4

i can't take it when people say both parties are the same.

[Sophia4]

154. They aren't.

[Skittles]

156. better a bleeding heart than no heart at all

[A-Schwarzenegger]

122. Democrats Love Animals More.

If you love animals, it means much more
than that you simply love animals.

[Sophia4]

150. I know what you mean. It means you care and that is the kind of person you are - caring.

[mvd]

124. Because I have common sense

That about says it all.

Common sense tells me that we should stamp out poverty, give people affordable health care, give peace a chance, not be hateful towards any sex, race or sexual orientation, that we should protect a woman's right to choose, that state/federal killing is not a solution to any crime, that we should not let religious extermists make laws favoring their religion, that we should be compassionate when it comes to immigration, that we should not let corporations own our government, that we should control guns in order to improve safety, etc.

I also strive to be a good person. Many Repukes are not.

[Sophia4]

151. A wonderful answer too.

Republicans are not striving to be good people. I agree with you on that.

[tonyt53]

126. I'm a Democrat because I feel that ALL people matter!

[Sophia4]

138. And they do!

[Dawson Leery]

128. Democrats made capitalism work for the masses.

Democrats defeated the Nazi's and the USSR (Truman-Containment).
Democrats build the modern liberal world order.
Democrats passed Civil Rights laws.
Democrats do not give reactionaries/theocrats the same considerations.

[Sophia4]

152. "Democrats made capitalism work for the masses."

I think we need to focus more on that one now.

[MaryMagdaline]

131. I am a Democrat because every single program to

Help people was created by Democrats and passed by Democrats. Every single one.

[Sophia4]

143. True, and a good reason!

[bdamomma]

135. Wonderful thread

I enjoyed reading every post.

K&R

[Sophia4]

146. I did too. Yours too.

[Devil Child]

136. Necessity only

I have been registered Democrat since I was 1st able to vote. I registered as a Democrat, I have always voted for D's. Not for love of the Democratic Party, but disgust of the Republican Party platform. Out of two choices, the Democratic Party is a sensible option that aligns more with my values and beliefs.

[Sophia4]

148. Good. Keep voting Democratic.

And work to make all of us Democrats better. Thanks.

[kimbutgar]

139. Because I want everyone to succeed, be happy, take care of their family

Have humanity but also have a functioning capitalist environment to supply goods and service for slight profits. The pyramid style doesn’t work but the inverted one does.

[Sophia4]

145. You make a good point! (Was that a pun? I'm really not sure. Maybe a visual one.)

Anyway, good reasons.

[AnnieBW]

141. Because I'm a woman, a Pagan, and have a brain

n/t

[Sophia4]

142. A have-to-be Democrat is a true Democrat!

[Jakes Progress]

144. Three reasons.

One: I believed all that stuff that they told me in Sunday School

Two: My mother always said she was never rich enough or mean enough to be a republican.

Three: My father. He was the most honest, hard-working, caring man I have ever met. He was a Democrat.

[Sophia4]

147. Three great reasons. Thanks.

[Skittles]

155. because I actually care about people other than myself

[Sophia4]

159. That seems to be what differentiates us Democrats from Republicans.

That's the most common theme in these answers.
Thanks.

[Skittles]

161. it's the difference between a bleeding heart and no heart at all

[50 Shades Of Blue]

157. I was raised to believe in the golden rule.

Democrats exemplify that a hell of a lot better than Republicans.

[Sophia4]

160. Excellent!

[bottomofthehill]

162. Taken from an earlier post

I am a pro education, pro environment, pro science, pro choice, pro union, pro equality, pro diversity, pro progressive tax code, anti poverty, anti hunger, anti hate, anti war unreconstructed Liberal Democrat. I worked on the Ted Kennedy Presidential Campaign in 1980 before I was old enough to vote and cast my first vote for Fritz Mondale once I was old enough to vote. I am not a bible thumper, or pious faker, I think of myself as more spiritual than religious, but I believe that the greatest political speech ever given was by Jesus Christ, the Sermon on the Mount.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

I always believe that we are ALWAYS BETTER with a Democratic Majority.

[Sophia4]

164. Yes. You've said it all!

[Cracklin Charlie]

163. Because I work for a livin.

Just like my daddy said.

I have never voted for a Republican...it just wouldn’t occur to me to do so.

[Sophia4]

165. Good reason in my view.

[TygrBright]

166. I have a grandson. I want his world to be better than it is now. n/t

[Sophia4]

167. Agreed! I also have a grandson. And that is one of the reasons I care so much about

the environment. I want my grandchildren to have a good life. That's not looking certain at this point politically at least.

[Fla_Democrat]

168. Closed primaries

My county had less than 100 voters registered as other than Democratic Party when I turned 18. All local elections were settled in the primaries.

[Spider Jerusalem]

170. Because the Republicans are racist, evil, and stupid, and voting third-party is pointless (n/t)

[Sophia4]

171. Yes. And we need to make the Democratic Party which at least isn't racist, evil,

or stupid even better than it is.