I'm part of the "You People" club as well as "The 47 percent" club.

the "Less class than the Duchess of Kolob's dancing horse's toenail"


But hey, if you want to swing by the meetings, I'll vouch for you.

I live in Iowa, so we see a lot of political action.

I love living in a swing state. It makes the election season so much more exciting!

Why????

Prior to a year ago, I had been a registered Dem my entire life.

However, I switched my registration to Republican during Iowa Republican primary caucus. I wanted to participate, and the only way you can participate in the Republican caucus is by being a registered Republican.

I was extremely concerned about the extremists that were running this year. Michelle Bachman had won the Iowa straw poll and Rick Santorum was leading in the polls.

I felt that I had to do my part. So I caucused for one of the other, more reasonable Republicans--who ended up losing, by the way.

I just haven't switched my registration back yet. I am a Dem through and through--and have been all of my life.

We have closed primaries, so if the Republican primary looks more interesting, I'll change my registration to vote in it.

Now you're going to be on someone's 'purity watch list/thread rec' or some such crap.

I like the caller's reaction.

I don't actually condone it. (This is solely my opinion, so don't get mad.)

There are several reasons why I don't think this is a good idea:

(1) I believe primaries are a party's business: we don't want Republicans fooling around in our primaries, and I believe we should let the Republicans decide their own direction as well, for better or worse. Game-playing is never a good idea.

(2) Registering as a Republican only gives them a benefit: the number of registered Republicans is used to tout the party's strength, which can influence independent voters to move towards that party: people often want to go where the "crowd" is going; and it further allows the party to make these ridiculous claims about polling "over-sampling," etc.

Finally, if you're playing interference, I wonder why you would want a moderate and reasonable Republican (I assume you meant Huntsman) to win the primary. Why support a stronger rather than a weaker candidate against our own?

but the third... I love Obama... I love that we have an Illinois Democrat in office, because I've been saying for years... "what we need is an Illinois Democrat in office" LOL--*BUT*, something's to be said for not sh*tting yourself in terror every four years because the other party keeps running the worst people in the world to be their nominee for president of the freaking United States. I would love to see some sanity return to the Republican party.

Considering the ever-present possibility of a stolen election, I'd rather have a campaign of our excellent candidate against their decent candidate than against one of their nut cases.

Last edited Wed Oct 3, 2012, 04:47 PM - Edit history (1)

I used to live in Kansas, and a significant percentage of actual Democrats are registered as Republicans for the purpose of voting in the primary. Unfortunately, that also means that in that state in then becomes nearly impossible to persuade Demcrats to run for offices down-ticket, especially for the state legislature.

I used to have this argument all the time with friends there. The other problem with the Dems registering as Republicans to vote in the R primary, was that about half of them would vote for the more extreme candidate (this even long before the Tea Party) on the theory that if that candidate won the primary, then sensible people would vote for the Demcrat. The other half would vote for the moderate on the theory that if there was no Democrat in the race, at least the moderate would hold the seat. In other words, the Democratic voters didn't matter, since they tended to cancel each other out.

The problem was, that a Republican would still end up winning. Instead, I'd say, register as a Democrat. Go out and support Democrats. Consider running for office yourself. Let the Republicans themselves deal with what they've let their party become. It's not our problem.

fixed typo on edit.

-Laelth

I have no problem whatsoever destroying the Republican party with it's own tactics.

I genuinely like most of the Democratic folks running for office. I genuinely dislike most of the Republicans running for office. This isn't a "break the rules for a win" philosophy, it's a "stand up and defend your candidates" philosophy.

Why would you cede ground merely because you want to take the high ground and let an election be stolen from you? Not on my watch will an election be stolen, and there have been too many. It's not dirty politics, it is politics, period.

where there are extremely important distinctions between Democrats. There are US Senate and House races, state legislature races, state offices like treasurer, judicial choices, (for us at least) water reclamation district, etc. etc. You won't get to vote on these important offices if you pull a Republican ballot.

We're not talking just presidential politics here. If you ignore the rest, it will affect the part in your state and even nationally, perhaps in unseemly ways.

In the past: I voted against Rod Blagojevich in a primary (and for a very decent Democratic opponent). Too bad more people didn't, because it was ultimately an embarrassment for the party. I also voted against Alexei Giannoulis in the Democratic primary for US Senate. That didn't fly either: and he lost to a Republican.

nor do I ignore the importance of high level Republicans showing their asses, being shown up by Democrats, and then Democrats doing so after the fact because it becomes the norm. When it becomes the norm, I expect my Democratic candidates to hit back just as hard and with little regret if their Republican counterparts want to go there.

It's too late to cry "Uncle" after you have been bested in a contest you started.

That's truth, and you can't spin it any other way.

Republicans have been "fooling around" in our elections since 1992 and the H. W. Bush loss to Clinton. This is not a party that has been anything resembling honest since D. D. Eisenhower was in office.

You can't fight fire with fire, I agree, but if someone is burning you out by trying to wreak havoc, you DO fight back. I don't apologize for being a feisty Democrat, and don't expect any of us to do so, either, merely because you are offended by a lack of fair play against a party that has shown it has none.

We haven't done it enough, on our side. Always taking the high road - and more often than not, it takes us straight over a cliff. I believe in fighting back in any way possible. I've stated many times here - I'm as machiavellian as the next guy. No going to the gun fight armed with a feather duster for me.

Taste of their own medicine, see how they like it. And preferably either up the back end or down their miserable throats.

No mercy for republi-CONS. NONE. With what they want to do to this country? NONE WHATSOEVER.

I live in a totally red state and the Democratic Party has pretty much been neutered at this point in time. After the November election I will re-register as a Republican so that I have a chance to vote in the Primaries. It is time that more progressives infiltrate the Republican Party here in order to try to promote change. At the minimum, I can vote for the weakest candidate in the primary. In the general election, it is Democratic Party all they way.

before for the same reason. If I thought. I could help get a weaker rethug candidate elected, I'd change my registration. Now CA is an 'open' primary state, so it i.sn't as much fun

Is it for the entertainment value of phone calls like this? Is it to mess with the GOP in their primaries?

I was serious about participating in the Republican caucus--because there was one candidate that I thought was very reasonable. I was terrified that Michelle Bachman or Rick Santorum would win the caucus--and I felt obliged to do my part.

I was not messing with their primaries. I actually had some respect for the Republican candidate that I supported in the Republican caucuses. I felt that the General Election would be more respectable if this person had been the Republican nominee.

I guess it's no big deal to say who it was---John Huntsman. I hope that Obama puts him in his administration somewhere. He's a decent guy and I wanted him to win the Republican caucus--and not some extremist.

So that's why I participated.

but I agree with you that Jon Hunstman was the best of the group. I doubt that Obama will have him in his administration again after the remarks he made about him. I don't recall what they were, but I do know that they were not positive.

Now his daughter? She is a Democrat...at least she sounds that way.

All of which are presumptive disqualifiers for the Repuke base. He was the only Repub I felt could provide a credible challenge to the President. And you saw what happened to Huntsman. What more needs be said about the open-air lunatic asylum that is today's Republikkkan party?

I want the Republican party to burn in flames. The extremists already run it. Let the go full idiot.

Let the extremists move to the front. Their party will be marginalized quickly after that.

Since his website says this:

Today I am suspending my campaign and supporting the candidate who is best-equipped to defeat the president and return conservative leadership to the White House: Governor Mitt Romney.

how to take and keep money. And not for survival, as that would be understandable. For obsession with money. It's insanity. Ugh!

I've been a very good regular donor to them, but told them to keep me on the list, but that I was sorry since all my donation money was going to Pres. Obama until the end of the year.

I didn't say it in snarky way, and the lady was very polite and nice up until I told her that. As soon as I said it, she hung up on me.

Guess she's voting for Romney.

Some people think giving to a politician instead of a charity is somehow awful.

I mean, you could have said "No, I'm saving my money for a new big screen TV" and that might have pissed her off too.

Still, hanging up is not cool, if they want any money from you in the future. Besides, it's your money.

Guess they weren't going for intelligence.

The party left them.

I got to listen to him speak on Monday Night here in St. Louis and he is a very interesting and thoughtful individual. I found myself in agreement with many things he had to say.

and I am talking aesthetics here, not subject matter.

There are three houses in my neighborhood that had signs for Republican candidates including Romney. A few days ago, i noticed that the Romney signs were gone but the other R candidate signs were still there. Me thinks they is unhappie.

there will be a high percentage of republicans voting for the president that the so called media are not picking up which will change the numbers significantly.

Just so I can tell the repigs, as often as possible, "No, I changed my mind after examining the facts. I'm voting a straight Dem ticket this year."

This is what happens when you declare 47% of the country to be losers.

less nervous about this election....
Thanks...you and your husband sound adorable!

is that a metaphor for something else?

Enquiring and (frankly) sophomoric minds want to know...

Dance like no one's watching!
Dance like no one's voting Republican!

========================

First a campaign volunteer reveals a bunch of registered republicans have gone Obama.

Second you made me think of Snoopy.

Snoopy just about solves all ailments instantly.

message received?