Party affiliations

[cookie]

just curious about the political statistics of GR...

what party or parties are you most inclined to support or affiliate yourself with, if any?

republican, democrat, libertarian, green, independent... etc  

[bronto]

my parents would like to be green but they know they have no chance in hell, so theyre republican. i do not wish to take part in governmental elections due to an overwhelming amount of stupidity that could be elected as president (ex. george bush).

[alaric]

I decline to comment because people shouldn't affiliate themselves with any particular party. Candidates and issues should be considered individually. I believe that the founding fathers themselves were concerned that the growth of political parties would eventually destroy our democracy. I see this as being more and more the case. I mean really, what's the difference between dems and repubs anyway? They're all politicians, they're all greedy and self interested, and none of them do anything for the public good unless they think it will get them re-elected.

[Flame]

I'm too young to know what the hell all that shit is.

[tasty]

I am a left leaning Green/Democrat, but as Alaric said it depends on the candidate and cirucumstances surrounding the election. For example, here in Iowa we are having a gubernatorial election this year among other things. The Green Party needs to get 2 % of the vote in the Gubernatorial race to keep their "official party status" in Iowa. I have been working hard to support Jay Robinson, the Green candidate for the governor position, creating fliers for him in photoshop and campaigning for him around campus. However, when I went to vote yesterday I was torn by internal conflict, as the governor's race is very close between the incumbent Democrat and a very conservative Republican challenger. The incumbent Democrat has an excellent record on education, an important issue for me because almost everyone in my family is a teacher. With the polls being so close, I knew I couldn't risk letting the Republican win, especially since both of Iowa's legislatures have a Republican majority. So in spite of all my external posturing for the Greens, I voted for the Democratic candidate. It was a win-lose situation for me either way, and I'm still not sure I made the right choice, since my values align almost perfectly with the Green candidate. However, as Machiavelli proved the ends justify the means? so good luck Iowa Green Party I guess.

So anyway, to answer your question I am Green? I also support non-US parties like the Democratic Socialists in Germany and smaller parties in the US like the New Party. I have what many may consider a radical agenda? (it isn't all that radical to me though )

I apologize in advance for the oversharing of information.

OH BTW COOK- you should make this a poll, that way we can see the actual numbers? some people have political opinions but don't actually like to post, too.

[cookie]

while i've never supported classifying oneself as being one thing or another as mandatory, i do think that MOST of the individuals comprising our population have needs that one party or another attempts to cater to. Anarchists being the absolute exception Also, I agree that the parties are nothing but politicians and are congruously greedy however i think that they each keep up the fascade of truly wanting to address some issues and thats what creates the affiliations. In my case, a whole mix of parties caters to the blend of values i hold as i have mixed feelings about issues, and this is the reason i included the word "inclined" in the question to imply that while you may not support a party 100%, you have a proclivity to agree on the prima facie issues of that party. I think i'm a healthy blend of libertarian, republican, and democrat, in the order of prominence. I agree with different parties on certain issues, odd as it seems.

[cookie]

and yeha, i should have made this a poll. it seems as if it is too late now, though.

[Jeb]

the only party worth being a part of is the "drunk chick/keg" party

[iBeer]

i would be inclined to vote for the frat party! or maybe the rave party       WORD

[KoS PY.nq.ict]

I heard a story recently that has spread around campus that some guy got ass raped at a frat party. Literally. He was just drinkin and having a good time when some guys pulled him into the back and ass raped him.

Sort of funny but disturbing at the same time.

As for political parties. Cookie's right about how each party caters to its followers needs. But there are major differences between each. It boils down to before the U.S. was formed. Half of the country wanted less government (Republican), while the other half wanted the government in their lives (Democrat). Then came all the seperate parties.

Personally, I lean more towards Republican.

Every party has thier downsides (corruption, etc.), so i agree with Alaric fully.

BAH TO POLITICIANS

[Bondo]

Not true Py, in addition to generally agreeing with their platform, the main reason I consider myself a green party supporter is because unlike other parties, they do not take donations from corporations or any other form that would make them work for the interests of a company rather than the populus.

On the other hand I'm not registered to vote yet, mainly because Colorado, and Colorado Springs in particular are not exceptionally interesting places where the green party will win (Boulder aside).  I'll register before the 2004 election though...but I'm hoping to be employed in a different country and at some point change my citizenship, assuming things work out.

Either way, I hope the US gets over its current frame of mind and adopts a socialistic democracy in the style of the Scandinavian countries, or at least a moderate one like Germany or Canada.  The US would be catorgorized as a rudimentary social system, the worst defined category of social set-ups.

I think having nationalized health care and free education through college, not to mention better job laws (less hours, more vacation, more job security) will raise the quality of life.  Will we be as rich a country...no, but we will be healthier and happier.

[Jeb]

shame on you bondo,
aren't you 19 and still haven't registered to vote? Are you scared of the selective service or something?
I like voting, and i like it when pat gets his absentee ballot in arizona cause he just writes my name in (since he doesn't follow politics in washington).
I really don't think i have a political party of my own,
do you know any that are...
Pro athiest (hard core separation of church and state)
Pro abortion
anti RIAA
and pro teen drinking
I guess washington is a pretty libral state, we have a shitload of women in government (i'm not sure if thats a good thing though), but anyways what party would acept my beliefs?

[Bondo]

Scared of the selective service?  Not really as I'm signed up for it, I just haven't bothered with the registering to vote...I'll do it when I renew my driver's license in Jan 2004, and then I'll go drink my sorrows away at the thought of the US government .

Anyway, if there is another draft, I wouldn't go to fight, I have to many issues that they would spot (feet, eyes, etc.)...although my spectacular FPS skills may make them ignore that  

[Ace]

I'm generally a Republican, although I have some Libertarian leanings.

Bondo, how can you really talk politics if you aren't even registered to vote. Anyone who is over 18 and doesn't vote should shut up and live with the government that is chosen for them.

[Bondo]

That is something that might be true if every vote counted in our elections, but they don't, my vote doesn't mean shit and I can't influence anything with it.  Our goverment was set so that there couldn't be radical change...unfortunately it has pretty much prevented change at all.

The only way to make any changes is not through voting, it is through getting involved in other groups, non-profits, lobbying for causes and such.  But no, I guess I have to go vote for the losing candidate to be able to talk about it.

[Ace]

Bondo, voting is a responsibilty. Yes, a responsibility, not a right. That's great to get involved like tasty did, but cast your damn vote too. People died for that right. You just have to punch a few holes.

[|MP|Cringe]

my family is almost always democratic, except that in the most recent presidential election, we had a whiny guy who was aready vice president, and another guy that cant say "nuclear" that ends up looking like a n00b with big ears saying nucular,
 so we kinda went for Nader
  interesting note: the presidential election dispute was decided by the florida votes, and Jeb Bush (George W's BROTHER) is the governor of Florida.  hmmmm  any connection there?

[(SiX)Ben]

Republican... Doesn's mean I don't agree with certain Democratic viewpoints though! (But Republican pwns you!)

Ben

[Jeb]

bondo,
you register for the selective service when you register to vote, i don't know how you managed to avoid registering to vote, while in the selective service (i got a shitload of voter registration mail when i turned 18). Also, its against the law to not register.
After seeing bondo play MOH, i wouldn't want him defending our country

that brings me to another issue,
Women always complain about being treated equal. If they want equality, they should be going to war when there is a draft along with the men. EVEN THE FAT ONES

[?TF6_lionpants?]

I agree with Flame!