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I agree that it isn't fully describing to term yourself a "liberal or "republican," at least generally. However, unless you're in academia, you generally don't have that luxury. While I understand people who vote for non-major parties, I don't buy into their theories that George W Bush=John Kerry. Also, just because you pay attention to special interests (as you should, to a degree) doesn't mean you are ignoring your constiuency. I agree that groups hold too much power in politics, but that is the public's fault as well. We live in a completely apathetic nation, and while it frustrates me, I frankly don't trust the general public's decision making ability, so I'm not really praying for a shift. Furthermore, if you desire to make some change in politics, you generally must join a party. It is so incredibly difficult to get elected as a third party or independent, and I think there comes a time when you might need to simply bite the bullet if you truly wish to make change from the inside. I personally do not agree with everything the Republican party does, but I do agree with much of it. I therefore consider myself Republican, but would be open to vote differently should I see a viable candidiate. I don't really think being a member of a political party makes you a tool or a lemming, because the people who generally will call you that, are also the people who generally will never have any significant impact on American society or it's politics.
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