Why I'm Not a Republican: Confessions of a Reagan-era Refugee

drakonyx

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Sat Jul-30-11 11:44 PM
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Why I'm Not a Republican: Confessions of a Reagan-era Refugee

Ronald Reagan was president, and all was right with the world. That's what I really thought. Back then, I was a bright-eyed twentysomething who had plenty of illusions about the world. I believed it really was "morning in America" and I looked to the Republican Party as the guardian of the American dream.

How could I not be happy? My parents had put me through college, and now I had a good job that didn't pay much but gave me health insurance and enough money to live on. Plus, I was having a blast. At least a portion of my work day consisted of going to sporting events and then writing about what I saw there. It was a dream job for a guy who had grown up glued to the TV set all weekend, every weekend during the hallowed fall football season.

... Like many Republican refugees, I don't honestly believe I left the party so much as the party itself abandoned its principles, and I blame much of that on the very fundamentalists who initially reinforced my own support of the Grand Old Party. Reagan's policy of deterrence through strength gave way to Bush II's policy of pre-emptive strikes. And the party that used to talk so fervently about keeping government out of people's lives gradually began to insinuate itself into our most intimate affairs. Instead of focusing on keeping us secure, it began to tell us whom we should marry and what religion we should practice. Big Brother was watching us.

http://www.theprovocation.net/2011/07/why-im-not-republican-part-ii-reagan.html

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Waiting For Everyman

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Sun Jul-31-11 12:32 AM
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1. Good article! And a good one to send to Repubs we know.

Thank you, and welcome to DU! :)

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drakonyx

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Sun Jul-31-11 02:52 AM
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2. Thanks!

I'm enjoying the site.

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MedicalAdmin

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Sun Jul-31-11 08:44 AM
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5. Welcome. Understand that DU can be played rough.

Enjoy but watch your offside.

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66 dmhlt

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Sun Jul-31-11 08:57 AM
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6. Sadly, repubicans only deal in Bumper Sticker thoughts ...

That is if they think at all.

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Enthusiast

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Sun Jul-31-11 06:40 AM
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3. K&R

Nice. Welcome to DU.

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txlibdem

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Sun Jul-31-11 07:22 AM
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4. Thanks for posting -- welcome to DU

eom

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bonzotex

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Sun Jul-31-11 08:51 PM
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7. welcome to DU! n/t

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