.........................

[genius118899]

You are young - like 18 or so. I am interested in knowing what about Palin you find compelling. Seems like a lot of young people are going the other way and voting Obama.

I'm not Soarin, but I'm 19 years old and figured I'd jump in on that one. There are a lot of reasons I'm voting for McCain, and here are some of them:

1) I'm Catholic and believe abortion is wrong. Period.

2) I'm in Navy ROTC, and will commission as an ensign in the Navy in 2011. I think McCain will do a much better job looking out for and caring for the troops than Obama, because he's actually been there.

3) I support the Global War on Terror.

4) When I get out of the Navy, I plan on actually making money and I don't much feel like paying more taxes.

5) My dad's a doctor, and I've worked in his office. I've witnessed government health care programs being seriously abused, and I don't think Obama's health care plan will help that at all, but only give rise to more abuse.

6) I like that John McCain doesn't toe the party line. Many Republicans dislike him for that, and I don't always agree with it either. What I do like, and this is probably the most important reason, is that he's an honest man, which brings me to...

7) His character is absolutely amazing. No matter what anyone else thinks, he'll honestly do what he thinks is best for the country. I didn't get that feeling about anyone else in the primaries, and I sure as heck don't get it about Obama.

So, there are my opinions. I'm up for polite debate.

 

[Colleen27]

So instead - I'll ask the people here.. For anyone who has typically voted Republican all their lives, why do you think this election has swayed people to vote Democratic instead?

What has done it for my DH, a lifelong Republican who now votes Democrat for president, is a combination of the abandonment of fiscal conservatism and the way the party had embraced the causes of the extreme Christian right. He feels there's no room in today's Republican party for an atheist who believes in small government, and he thinks that the party leadership focuses more on winning and retaining power by catering to special interests than on the best interests of the nation as a whole.

All of this is encapsulated rather succinctly in this year's election - as the candidate, they offer John McCain, once a man known for standing up for his beliefs but now someone who will compromise every principle to gain the support of his party, support he couldn't get by being genuine in 2000. And along with him comes Sarah Palin, chosen regardless of her inexperience and her questionable background in order to pander to religious voters who were unconvinced of McCain's dedication to pro-life causes. It is all about the win.

 

[Uncle Remus]

What has done it for my DH, a lifelong Republican who now votes Democrat for president, is a combination of the abandonment of fiscal conservatism and the way the party had embraced the causes of the extreme Christian right. He feels there's no room in today's Republican party for an atheist who believes in small government, and he thinks that the party leadership focuses more on winning and retaining power by catering to special interests than on the best interests of the nation as a whole.

All of this is encapsulated rather succinctly in this year's election - as the candidate, they offer John McCain, once a man known for standing up for his beliefs but now someone who will compromise every principle to gain the support of his party, support he couldn't get by being genuine in 2000. And along with him comes Sarah Palin, chosen regardless of her inexperience and her questionable background in order to pander to religious voters who were unconvinced of McCain's dedication to pro-life causes. It is all about the win.

Many, many conservatives share your husband's position.
Hopefully, this Democrat victory will wake up the GOP.

 

[C.Ann]

Interesting.. Thanks for taking the time to respond..

 

[kydisneyfans]

Do you believe that republicans are more morally sound?

There are bad apples in every bag. Palin represents the conservative values that my family lives day in and day out, thus the ticket she is on won our vote.

 

[ChristmasElf]

He came up here to the lake last night to bring all the stuff I had managed to get packed up back to their place for the winter.. The tv was on and a political commercial was running.. He asked me who I thought the likely winner was going to be and I replied that based on everything I had seen so far, I suspected it would be Obama..

He then went on to tell me that his dad (a staunch Republican all his life) had revealed to him that he was voting Democratic this year.. Quite frankly, I nearly fell off my chair.. His parents are very well off and his dad is not a "warm and fuzzy" guy when it comes to helping anyone out other than his own family..

He then went on to tell me that his mother's side of the family (also staunch Republicans) were all voting Democratic this year too.. That was even more shocking because compared to his parents being "very well off", his mother's side of the family is "extremely well" off (specialty doctors; corporate lawyers; Wall Street moguls; multi-million dollar real estate investors; etc. - with not a one of them making under $400,000 a year - not including their spouses who are also professionals making an additional minimum of 6 figures a year..).. The majority of them live in places such as Manhattan; Boston; California; etc.. (Not exactly low-cost areas to reside in..) And again, these are not "warm & fuzzy" people who are inclined to help out anyone other than their own family members (with the exception of charitable donations of their choosing)..

So why the sudden, dramatic change? I really have no idea - but I think it's very interesting that they are not among the groups who are overly concerned with the tax issue.. Obviously Obama is proposing something that is appealing enough to them to override the proposed tax increases - I just wish I knew what it was.. (And wish I had the nerve to ask them - LOL - but unless they were to approach me and voice their reasons, I would never come right out and question their choices..)

So instead - I'll ask the people here.. For anyone who has typically voted Republican all their lives, why do you think this election has swayed people to vote Democratic instead?

And no - I'm not revealing who I voted for..

Hate to say it, but anyone that is making well into the 6 figures a year would think that Obama's tax plan will ever help them. It is estimated that 37% of people make up their minds at the POLLING BOOTH!
Pretty pathetic that people don't bother to find out all the issues, where the candidate stands on taxes among other things, before they get to the poll and vote. Or when they announce to people who they are voting for when they obviously are not familiar with the tax plan that Obama has.

 

[C.Ann]

Hate to say it, but anyone that is making well into the 6 figures a year would think that Obama's tax plan will ever help them. It is estimated that 37% of people make up their minds at the POLLING BOOTH!
Pretty pathetic that people don't bother to find out all the issues, where the candidate stands on taxes among other things, before they get to the poll and vote. Or when they announce to people who they are voting for when they obviously are not familiar with the tax plan that Obama has.

-------------------------

They are all quite familiar with Obama's plans - "political junkies", if you will.. They just don't see his tax plan as being the end of the world for them..

If I had to venture a guess, it would be more about their displeasure with the Bush style of doing things than anything else.. I know I have heard my DD's FIL complain bitterly about him and the kicker is, he voted for Bush!!

I think they're ready for a change - and if it costs them a few bucks, in the grand scheme of things it just isn't going to have that big of an impact on them - or their lifestyles..

 

[ntsammy5]

Consensus from my parents' "fairly well off" community:

Palin.

I would tend to agree with that. Bush too.

 

[Notatourist]

Former Republican, Now registered Democrat, MCCAIN voter!


Interesting though, after making more than 500 calls in the last week or so to UNDECIDEDS( on behalf of Mccain) , MANY had already voted, (they wanted to avoid lines) Of those that TOLD me they voted only 1 said O, the rest were McCain, 1 hang up (no need to be rude, I assume he voted O) and MANY MANY that said McCain, many messages left as well on a/m. Nothing scientific but interesting none the less. .
My calls were ONLY to FLA and Va, Pa with very few to Co.

Honestly, it PLEASANTLY surprised me how many said "McCain" supporters. I think it may be an interesting night ahead.

Whoever wins, we'll all deal with it ....I say WAIT till the last vote is counted!




DEMOCRATS FOR MCCAIN

I'm sorry, but if you voted for McCain, you're not a Democrat anymore, you're republican.

 

[genius118899]

I'm sorry, but if you voted for McCain, you're not a Democrat anymore, you're republican.

I disagree... maybe the PP agrees with the Democrat platform, but doesn't agree with Obama.

 

[LisaR]

There are bad apples in every bag. Palin represents the conservative values that my family lives day in and day out, thus the ticket she is on won our vote.

It just seemed odd to me that you were a "lifelong" democrat that suddenly switched to the other party because of the moral value issues. The republican ticket has always been anti abortion, against stem cell research, anti gay marriage, etc.

 

[cruellababy]

I voted for McCain and primarily because he picked Palin. And if Hilary would have been the dem pick- I would have voted for her; she didn't make me nervous like Obama does. I have always voted republican-but even I was willing to switch sides for Hilary.