Are your SO's political views different from yours?

[Disney Doll]

We're pretty similar. I tend to be a tad more middle of the road, and he is a tad more to the right. I have found that the older I have gotten, I have gone from the idealistic "we have to take care of people in our society" to "let people take care of themselves and work like I do". Of course, I am not including the poor sad souls who will never be capable of that. Ijust hate the welfare system that makes it more lucrative for someone to hang around and not work than to go out and get an honest job. Stopping the mini-rant now! LOL!

I dislike extremism in either direction. Too far left is just as dangerous as too far right. I also dislike "shock value" type advetising or any other media.

It troubles me that so many folks are going to base thier decision for President on MM's movie. While it's one man's perpsective, and he certainly has the right to publicize it, it probably isn't the whole story. Our country, especially our younger voters, are so media-based, having been brought up with TV all their lives, MTV etc. I truly prefer to look at all sides of a candidate, all the issues, many perspectives and determine who to vote for in that manner.

 

[llebrekniT]

Originally posted by Bichon Barb
I'm thinking about going to see Michael Moore's movie just tick the DH off.

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You wouldn't!

 

[palmtreegirl]

A little different.

DH has become more liberal with age, when I first met him he was just out of the Marines and just back from the Gulf War so he was very conservative. But I corrupted him throughout the years and now he's more of a free thinker. Where before he just voted with a particular party, now he really looks at each issue and decides for himself, he's definitely become more accepting and open minded.

We're both swing voters although I'm a registered Democrat and DH is registered with no affiliation. I'd say I fall towards the liberal side with some conservative views while DH falls towards the conservative side with some liberal views.

 

[Saffron]

I'm about as liberal as they get, yet my SO and I don't see eye to eye at times. If he calls me a "little liberal" or a "little Democrat" one more time why I'm gonna ....

The thing is, he is way more liberal than I am! He's so far left, he's almost an anarcist! LOL! He calls himself an Independent, I call him a "tin foil hat man".

We agree on the major political philosophies and issues, most of the time.

 

[disykat]

Another one here whose dh has veered right. We are both conservatives, but he is "radical conservative" as another poster said. His family calls me a liberal democrat, which is funny considering I almost always vote republican(only voting Dem when I have to to avoid a far right Rep).

I am conservative so I don't really feel like I'm saying liberals are compassionate and conservatives aren't - but with dh and I that is definately the issue. I think that is an issue that can occur anywhere along the political spectrum. It's more a matter of whether you can tolerate people that are different than you and have compassion for them. I've seen tolerance and lack of it on both sides - it's just different issues that bring it on.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Originally posted by jrydberg
I guess my question is how would that open your eyes but not the eyes of the kid's father? Doesn't make sense to me.

Not trying to be argumentative, just an honest question and would appreciate a perspective on it that makes more sense to me

I guess my escaped being victimized by those terrible feminists who are out to make him one of their sensitive males.

I'm just kidding.

I'm generalizing, but I think that when women become mothers, they also become nurturers. I'm having a hard time verbalizing what I want to say. Maybe I'll try again later. LOL.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Originally posted by disykat
I am conservative so I don't really feel like I'm saying liberals are compassionate and conservatives aren't - but with dh and I that is definately the issue. I think that is an issue that can occur anywhere along the political spectrum. It's more a matter of whether you can tolerate people that are different than you and have compassion for them. I've seen tolerance and lack of it on both sides - it's just different issues that bring it on.

ITA. And there is NO tolerance for Republicans by Democrats nor for Democrats by Republicans. That is why I'm not registered under either party. I think the battle between the two parties has gotten so bad, their #1 concern is not this country but to one-up the other.

In any event, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I think a lot of white American Christian males are tired of being made out to be the bad guys in society? Does this make any sense to anyone?

 

[Alice28]

No, we are pretty much the same

 

[rcyannacci]

My DH and I are both Democrats and usually see eye to eye on most political issues.

I dated a consertative once, and although it didn't ultimately work out (thank heavens!) in retrospect it was a defining moment in my own personal politics. He was constantly badgering me about my views, and because I wanted to stand toe to toe with him I struggled to find the words to express my beliefs. I came out stronger for the experience.

 

[Keli]

Dave and I agree on most things political (at least the ones we both consider important) and I've always wondered how people handle it when they don't agree with their spouse if their views are radically different. I don't think I would have been as attracted to my dh in the first place if I didn't appreciate the views he held on important issues and had a lot of respect for him/them.

 

[tar heel]

My dh and I are together on most issues although we came from radically different backgrounds as far as parents' political views. My parents are blue collar lower middle class Repubicans. His are upper class liberal Democrats. It makes absolutely no sense -- by stereotype his parents should be Republicans and mine Democrats.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Keli, we just blame it on the in laws.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Originally posted by tar heel
My dh and I are together on most issues although we came from radically different backgrounds as far as parents' political views. My parents are blue collar lower middle class Repubicans. His are upper class liberal Democrats. It makes absolutely no sense -- by stereotype his parents should be Republicans and mine Democrats.

Not necessarily true. The very wealthy can AFFORD to be Democrats. Meanwhile, your parents are concerned about how much of their paychecks are going to Uncle Sam.

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by Bichon Barb
Not necessarily true. The very wealthy can AFFORD to be Democrats. Meanwhile, your parents are concerned about how much of their paychecks are going to Uncle Sam.

Funny you should say that. My dh used to be dyed in the wool Republican. Only one in his family. His older brother and s-i-l are quite well off and are complete 'limosine liberals' as dh calls them. True bleeding heart types. Now, my dh has recently come to the 'dark side' and changed his party affiliation to Democrat. I would say that we are both more the conservative liberal type. But he used to be quite condescending to me...he was right, not me...uh huh, so why is he now a Dem??

 

[rcyannacci]

Originally posted by jrydberg
I guess my question is how would that open your eyes but not the eyes of the kid's father? Doesn't make sense to me.

Not trying to be argumentative, just an honest question and would appreciate a perspective on it that makes more sense to me

Actually, I think this is a great question, although one without an easy answer considering the wide variety of experiences out there. I also don't want to be too argumentative (certainly not in a mean spirited way), but I did have some thoughts...

I think it's obviously true that having a child will change the perspectives of both women and men. Women, however, are more likely to be tuned in to issues of social equality. I'm not saying that there haven't been serious and wonderful strides forward in terms of female equality, but a sincere assessment of global events reveals the the continued marginalization of women socially, economically, and politically. I think about how different my life would be if I were born in China, India, Afganistan...

So wouldn't it make sense that women are more tuned in to social or "compassionate" (agreed, not the best term) issues? That we would look at our daughters and wonder what opportunities will be afforded them? Or look at our sons and hope that they will contribute to solutions rather than problems? Or look at any of our children and hope that if they fall in love with someone of the same gender that they will be given the same rights of citizenship as their friends and neighbors?

I do not believe, of course, that these thoughts are the pure province of women. I just think that on a day to day basis, perhaps our thoughts gravitate toward issues of inequality and look for politics that tend to address these problems.

Sorry if I've strayed too far from the OP's original question.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Very eloquently said, rcyannacci.

This isn't a debate, it's an exchange of thoughts and ideas. I like straying off of the subject. And I usually learn a lot from these "chats". My errands aren't getting done, but I am being educated.

 

[jrydberg]

Thanks for the replies I think you're probably right in that men and women have different approaches.

Though I would add that I think men tend to think more in terms of teaching their children to be independent.

I don't think men are necessarily looking at different issues, but are looking at them from a completely different perspective, if that makes any sense?

Anyway, appreciate the perspective. Thanks.

 

[disykat]

Originally posted by Keli
Dave and I agree on most things political (at least the ones we both consider important) and I've always wondered how people handle it when they don't agree with their spouse if their views are radically different. I don't think I would have been as attracted to my dh in the first place if I didn't appreciate the views he held on important issues and had a lot of respect for him/them.

It sounds like I'm not the only one here whose dh's political views CHANGED as they got older! We also both became firmer on issues we didn't care about so much when we were younger - but our opinions went in different directions. (I would actually say I stayed the same and dh changed - but he would disagree!)

 

[rcyannacci]

Originally posted by jrydberg

I don't think men are necessarily looking at different issues, but are looking at them from a completely different perspective, if that makes any sense?

Make complete sense- I agree.

And, I also believe that teaching children independence is extremely valuable, equal to teaching them the value of community. I'm so thankful to my own parents for encouraging me to be independent, especially since so much of what I saw growing up in my small town encouraged the opposite. I didn't see too many women with politics different from their husbands, probably becase politics wasn't a "polite" subject.

 

[LindaG4458]

DH and I are moderate independent voters tending toward liberal on social issues and conservative on fiscal issues. The disagreement right now is gay marriage - I am in favor and he is opposed. We choose not to discuss it in the interest of marital harmony.