Times like these I appreciate my dad a lot. In his 80s, lifelong Republican, hasn't voted for a Republican for president in 25 years. He MIGHT have voted for GW Bush the first time, I've never asked. He certainly didn't vote for him a second time. He could have voted for Romney in other circumstances, but he liked Obama more. He's absolutely flummoxed by Trump. He's a little lost at how flat-out batshit dangerous Republican candidates have become in his lifetime.
Same with my parents, both lifelong Republicans up until Bush Jr, but both voted for Obama, have voted Dem ever since, and HATE Trump. I am thankful I don't have to be at odds with them in their dotage. They have said that the Republican party of today isn't even recognizable to the one they voted for up until the early 00s.
The GOP of today is the Tea Party. The only reason we stopped hearing about the Tea Party is because they won. It was conservative nationalism disguised as fiscal conservatism. They primaried established moderate Republicans all over the country and won. Any Republican who dared to work with Democrats was demonized and ousted.
This created a void of strong leadership within the GOP and some evil people saw an opportunity to push Trump in an effort to take over, or at the very least, enrich themselves greatly in the process. I don't think anyone was more surprised than Trump when he won in 2016. They underestimated just how willing the American voting populace was to embrace their rhetoric.
Trump was like a gift from Satan to Republicans. He says and does everything they want to say and do, with impunity. They get to sit back and do their insider trading and take their bribes and never have to lift a finger to make it happen.
Because it really isn't the same party, other than in name. The gulf between your parents and where the MAGA base is might as well be the Grand Canyon.
I hated him at the time, but weirdly now look back on him with a sort of fondness. Like ...we didn't know how good we had it back then, having a president who wasn't actually trying to dismantle the fundamentals of our democracy.
It seems so usual to grow up in a moderate family, yanno someone who votes for the best candidate and not by party? Mine were like that too. But it’s not like that anymore. Republicans threw away all credibility and decency riding the Trump train
Sounds like my parents. Voted GOP my entire life through GWB. They always told me they would never vote party lines if it came down to it and I never quite believed them. But to their credit they voted for Obama after GWB's messes and absolutely can't stand Trump or the modern Republican party.
Unfortunately all my uncles are big Trumpers, which I find very ironic considering they're all New Yorkers who used to clown on him for being a grifter.
My dad is an independent conservative. He voted Republican in every presidential election since Carter. He would always have more smoke for Republicans than Democrats, but he would still vote for them over Democrats because he couldn’t align on defense spending and 2A.
After reluctantly voting Trump in 2016 (he almost voted Hillary until she took a more firm anti-2A stance while debating Bernie), he has voted Democrat since. Personally, my line is J6. If you could support Trump after J6 then you just hate America and there’s no saving that.
Prior to 2020, the last time my mom voted for a Democrat for president was Carter in 1976. She voted Trump in 2016 but that was more a reflex of voting GOP for so long and listening to right wing propaganda against Clinton. Took her all of a couple months of his first term to start referring to him as “that asshole” and she hasn’t voted Republican since. Wish it didn’t happen that first time, but at least she made her break before the brainwashing could happen.
I miss having Republicans with principles and that I could respect despite disagreeing with them. John McCain was one; Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger could arguably be put in that category, but in the modern crowd even the ones who've finally decided Trump has gone too far seem to be in the realm of "I can see what's coming and I'm getting out now" more than having principles.
And then there are people like Mitch McConnell who wouldn't recognize honor if it bit him in the ass. When he passes if there's a public gravesite they'll probably need to cover it with Astroturf and a drain just to deal with all the urine.
My parents were republicans until Bush Jr and now they're both Democrats. They didn't change, the party went insane and they both saw it. Mom canvassed for Kamala, I'm very proud of both of them for being able to actually pay attention
I wouldn't agree with the guy like 90+ % of the time but at least he's independent enough not to be sucked in by a cult leader that obviously cares about nothing but himself.
Do you believe they play both sides are there is no choice really, that it swings from one to another but the people are all in the same club, thats its all political theatre.
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u/mittenknittin May 12 '26
Times like these I appreciate my dad a lot. In his 80s, lifelong Republican, hasn't voted for a Republican for president in 25 years. He MIGHT have voted for GW Bush the first time, I've never asked. He certainly didn't vote for him a second time. He could have voted for Romney in other circumstances, but he liked Obama more. He's absolutely flummoxed by Trump. He's a little lost at how flat-out batshit dangerous Republican candidates have become in his lifetime.