In July, on a message board I have since left, I asked a question to all the American members. I was curious in finding out if an how one's political beliefs have changed with time. I asked because several messages I came across were stated that such and such person voted for Bush in 2000 but wouldn't be voting for him in 2004. Likewise some said they voted for Gore in 2000 but would not be supporting Kerry in 2004. About fifteen minutes ago I read a comment by Gideon mentioning why he wasn't a democrat anymore, and again I became curious.
At the old message board I frequented, almost all of the members that responded were between the ages of 21 and 35, and many didn't even vote in all the presidential elections for which they were eligible. Fortunately the crowd appears much more diverse here, and more poltically conscious.
So now here are my questions to all previous voters:
A. What is the year of your birth?
B. What state do you live in?
C. Which presidential candidate did you vote for in each election over the course of your life?
D. If you've had a major shift in political beliefs, is there any particular reason for it?
I will answer first, so here I go.
A. I was born in 1970
B. I live in Illinois
C. 1988 Election - Michael Dukakis
1992 Election - Ross Perot
1996 Election - Bob Dole
2000 Election - Pat Buchanan
2004 Election - George W. Bush (with great reluctance)*
D. When I was in college, I was a teaching assistant for a very very left wing history professor (who has since died). I didn't choose him, I got stuck with him, by the way. His beliefs were basically no matter what it was, whitey was responsible.
I had always gotten a certain kick by taking a dig at the establishment while I was in high school, so I'd occasionally spout out diatribes against whitey in history essays or group projects. And this was coming from the most WASPy guy around. Here I am, a protypical Anglo-Saxon specimen; blue eyes, blond hair, Protestant heritage, bad-mouthing other blue-eyed, blond, Protestant, Anglo-Saxons. I guess it was always a sort of Devil's Advocate thing for me. I'm not sure I really believed it in my heart. When the professor demonstrated to me that he actually believed his drivel, I felt obliged to contradict him. It almost cost me my tuition deferment.
Since then, The LA Riots, the Chicago looting in the Aftermath of the Bulls Championships, and the social disorder that arose in my neighborhood from the influx of illegal aliens from Mexico and Central America changed my views on a lot of things.
Then finally my marriage and the birth of my kids permanently molded my social beliefs.
* I don't really criticize too harshly people who voted for Kerry in the 2004 as part of the "anybody but Bush" sentiment. I voted for Bush simply because I
thought Kerry was worse. I didn't know the procedure for write-ins, and the only other name on the ballot was Badnarik (I'm not really into the Libertarian
thing), so I settled for Dubya. It really wouldn't have mattered, since Kerry won easily here.