Eye Opening Conversion

[NowISeetheLight]

Becoming a Democrat over the last few years has been a real eye opener for me. Not so much in politics... but in the politicians in each party. Back when I was a "Reagan Republican" I didn't care much for the Democrat policies... but I always thought they were good people... just misguided. I didn't care for President Carter, but I never once thought he was a bad person.

It's different now. I can honestly say there are BAD PEOPLE in Republican politics. When I look what Trump has brought about, and the damage he's caused to America, and those who follow him. I have such disdain for Trump and others like MT Green, Goetz, Boebert, I mean they're just mean, spiteful, hateful, they're horrible as people.

I can disagree with someone on policy. I'm still a fairly "fiscal conservative" type. But the people who don't think like me about finance aren't bad people. But these Republicans today and people like McCarthy, Graham. DeSantis. They have no moral compass as human beings . They're just evil.

[Scrivener7]

1. Even if you are a "fiscal conservative," though, you have to disagree with republiQans.

I'm a fiscal conservative. That's one of the reasons why I vote Democratic. There hasn't been a republiQan administration in at least a generation that didn't blow up the economy, and leave it to the Democrats to fix it. Which Democrats always manage to do.

[NowISeetheLight]

2. Agreed

My fiscal conservatism comes from wanting a balanced budget. Unlike the Republicans though, I think you need taxes to do that. Wanting taxes and opposing the Bush and Trump tax cuts makes me a heretic to the Qfanatics now.

[wnylib]

13. Regan's "trickle down" economics were not fiscally responsible, either.

Tax breaks and deregulation for the rich while the only thing that trickled down to the rest was a heavier financial burden to carry while Republicans encouraged people to blame the poor and the foreigners for their increased financial burdens.

[gibraltar72]

17. They worked on the back of a napkin.

[wnylib]

18. They worked in smoke and mirrors

behind a curtain in Oz.

[calimary]

22. We used to say it's not "trickle-down," it's "pee on."

Thank you, ronald reagan.

[OMGWTF]

8. Democrats have been cleaning up Rethuglican messes since 1933.

[jaxexpat]

19. Did you mean 1873?

[Samrob]

3. Join the club! Thanks for the post.

[brush]

4. Agreed. Many of them are just plain evil and not focused on making things better...

for all the people. Somehow their empathy genes never developed to understand how effective governance can be a force for good when it passes bills designed to improve the welfare of all people, instead of ones focused on obstruction of Democratic Party policies, suppression of Democratic voters, focused on denying their own obvious election losses, obtaining tax cuts for the wealthy and snatching back rights from women.

[housecat]

5. Good points

[BOSSHOG]

6. Hello, thanks for the post

One thing, Democrat is a noun, Democratic is an adjective. We can thank Limbaugh for attempting to make a pejorative out of a good thing.

[peppertree]

7. Well said.

To me the GOP's biggest problem as far as its public faces, is that the party, since Gingrich, has become hard-wired to promote sociopaths.

The main reason for that, I think, is that they choose to represent elites - and not just any elites; but those who see people in general the way fascists do: as threats who must be put in their place, lest they become "a problem."

Of course, not all GOP officials see things that way - but those who don't, jeopardize their place in the party.

They get labeled RINOs - which is tantamount to career death in today's GOP.

And certainly, not all billionaires see other people that way either - but those who do, know which of the two parties represents them.

So it becomes a vicious circle for both the party and its backers: each pushing the other further and further right.

That said, welcome to DU, NowISeetheLight. I hope you find it as timely, informative - and dare I say, as much fun - as I do.

[harumph]

9. Trump has done so many wrong things - it all beggars belief.

I think the worst thing so far though is taking top secret materials back to Mar-a-lago and
who knows where else. Just think about that - the former commander-in-chief did things that
would have landed a service member in prison fast, and for a long, long time. There is simply NO
LEGITIMATE REASON imaginable that would excuse his possession of those documents. That only leaves
NEFARIOUS REASONS - FULL STOP. I'm actually surprised he hasn't faced non-judicial
action (read that as you like). It's so absolutely goddamn insane, the whole sordid episode.
And the sycophancy and deference directed by the R's toward that unholy piece of human excrement...
unbelievable. I hope the DOJ can stop this narcissist before he gets us all killed.

[Martin Eden]

10. Politics needs to be civil discourse in the realm of ideas where facts matter

Performance culture war generates a lot of heat without casting light on the issues, and truth is the first casualty.

The vast majority of American citizens have a lot in common when it comes shared interests which truly impact our lives -- economic and physical security; essential freedoms; quality affordable education & health care; a sustainable healthy environment; and strong institutions of democracy & justice.

For our system of self government through elected representatives to function properly we need to identify shared goals & priorities, then have a rational discussion to find practical solutions.

I agree in principle with fiscal conservatism. Paying huge interest on the national debt starves programs that need funding, and increase the risk when that "rainy day" arrives.

Republicans have long claimed the mantle of fiscal conservatism, but budget deficits increase under Republican administrations. Tax cuts primarily serve to increase the wealth gap between a few at the top and everyone else. Trickle down never works.

Are Republicans too blind to see their policies actually increase budget deficits? I've come to believe they know very well the effects of their policies. They've wanted to destroy Social Security and Medicare for generations, but they know these programs have broad support and can’t be taken down by direct assault.

Instead, they point to the huge budget deficits (which their tax cuts helped create) and solemly declare we can no longer afford these "entitlements" -- which working Americans already paid for with deductions from every paycheck.

Anyway, that's how I see it. Congratulations for having the critical thinking skills to escape the darkness the GOP has become.

[erronis]

16. Thanks for bringing up the biggest scam of Repuglicans: trickle down economics

The same old players from the supply-side theories who wanted to steal from the poor to pay the rich.

[grantcart]

24. Actually a single word encompasses your wise points

Comity

Unfortunately it is almost archaic in use.

[NowISeetheLight]

30. A New Law

My idea for a new law is that any future tax cut must result in a balanced budget. We are already in a huge annual deficit hole. So they'd have to cut to balance both the results of their cut and the existing deficit spending. The only way to do that would be to slash social security and Medicare. It would be suicide.

None if this "It'll grow the economy" garbage they slwsys claim. This "Growth will pay for it" has never worked.

[Leith]

11. Welcome to the light side

We have cookies and soft drinks.

[lindysalsagal]

12. Thanks for posting. Hopefully, you are representative of many more voters!

[Doremus]

14. "Democrat policies"

As a new Dem, you may want to start using correct nomenclature.

Democratic policies

Welcome to the party.

[Traildogbob]

28. You beat me

To it. No such thing a Democrat Policies. Our policies are tied to and what creates a “democracy”, not to a Democrat.

[ECL213]

15. "Democratic Policies" or "Democrat's Policies", please.

[Joinfortmill]

20. Amen

[wryter2000]

21. We're very glad to have you

But Republicans always wanted to do away with Social Security. That’s not fiscal policy. It’s cruelty

[okaawhatever]

23. Welcome to the party. nt

[Lonestarblue]

25. I too tend toward fiscal conservatism, though I don't demand a balanced budget.

I look at our national debt the way I look at a mortgage. I could not have afforded to buy a home if I had to save all the money for its purchase price in advance. The more important aspect was my financial ability to make my mortgage payments. So too with the country. There are things we need to do that we can pay for over a number of years. The trick is not to get beyond our ability to repay our debts and not to spend the nation’s money on frivolous or counterproductive ventures.

But as a Democrat, I also believe in personal freedom that does not harm others, in the fairness of policies and laws, and in leveling the playing field so that those born to privilege do not prevent others from having opportunities to advance themselves. I am not anti-religion, but neither am I religious. I have a moral code that has nothing to do with a specific religion but rather with the idea that we all have the right to personal freedom and to live productive lives without interference from politicians who want to tell us how we should live according to their beliefs, not mine,

I truly fear for our democracy because I have observed the ever-more-radical changes in the Republican Party since the days of Ronald Reagan. Reagan is the one who began the anti-government nonsense, and he is the one who began the transfer of the nation’s wealth to the 1%. We are one of the most financially unequal economies in the world as a result. The US has declined significantly in the world democracy index, and Republicans are hurting democracy by making it more difficult for people to vote—and to have their votes fairly counted.

In addition, the outsized influence of right-wing billionaires on our country’s policies and our ability to address issues that require immediate attention, like climate warming, keeps our government in a perpetual cycle of stagnation as Republicans cut taxes when in power to starve the government while Democrats play catch up when in power but never seem to have enough time to make a big difference before voters want change. The reason FDR accomplished so much for the people was because he had over three terms in office. Though God forbid that someone like Trump could get even two terms in office!

We Democrats have been painted as screaming radicals who want a welfare state where no one works and everyone lives off the government, but that is far from the truth. We all have differing opinions of what we want our country to be, but mostly we want it to welcome diversity, to treat all people fairly and equally, and to allow people to live productive lives. So welcome to the Democratic Party because we genuinely want to hear other people’s sincere ideas.

[grantcart]

26. Welcome

[NQAS]

27. When you were a Reagan republican...

The other party was the Democratic Party, and their policies were democratic policies. We still are.

Not democrat policies.

Just sayin’.

[yobrault1]

29. I sometimes think it's not "evil" per se, it's

inhumane indifference. Remember, all the people you mentioned are backed by billionaires except for the 2 shemales. Billionaires are backing their play and the more indifference they show towards the 99% the more billionaire funds they get. Not sure if this is what Roberts intended when he oversaw the inclusion of dark money into politics but this is where they are now. Dark anonymous money is fueling hate and division on a scale people in 17 or 1800's never could have imagined. Did they even concieve of billionaires in the 18th century?