Quote:
Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
DA, you sounded very much like my dad in that last post. 
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GP, your Dad is obviously a very wise man.
Kidding aside, your post did remind me of my recently deceased father-in-law -- a staunch Republican throughout most of his life who raised a "Republican family."
Until the past few years.
When he voted for a number of Democrats -- including in the presidential races.
Why did he change? Because the GOP was swinging too far right. You see, he was a moderate Republican.
Had he been a Conservative Democrat all of his life, he might have swung GOP if they became too Liberal.
He was one of the brightest men I ever met. A true patriot and WWII veteran, he served on a number of school boards. He was a farmer by trade (with a college degree), who was against big government and taxes -- but fumed against government that imposed standards on the schools but offered no funding. He didn't want additional taxes, but realized that government programs had to be paid for somehow. On a farmer's income, he put four kids through college, including a Masters for one and Law School for another. Although we never discussed it, I would guess that he leaned toward Pro-Choice. He was strongly pro-military, but felt we were being given a bill of goods in the Iraq situation.
By the way, his family (really bright and accomplished people, all) made the same decisions, although not at the same times.
The impressive thing for me was that, while he had a long background under the label of Republican -- when any particular candidate (no matter what the party) crossed the line of moderation, he lost his support.
I see so much "passion" on these boards aimed at one party or another, that it worries me. I simply can't understand how any right thinking person can see politics as a black and white issue.