I come from a "blue collar" working class family. Traditionally Democrat, or so they used to be. My parents would fall into the classification of "Reagan Democrats", though the days of voting for Democrats has ceased. As such, I used to favor the Democratic Party.
The exception was Clinton. My first year of eligibility to vote, I voted for Dole. Over 10 years later and the Party is only beginning to have the first stirrings of consciousness over how detrimental that man was to their majority rule. I have a soft spot for Zell. I understand the disappointment behind his fury over what has occured to the Party he belongs to. I still carry a sense of betrayal from when youthful ideal crashed with reality. I resent the current royaled Democrat echelon, and what they have made of the Party my grandparents believed in.
G.W. wasn't the first Republican Presidential candidate that received my vote as consequence of the Clinton years, he is the first Republican President I was of an age and mindset to take fully to heart. I consider him family. Which means sometimes he'll infuriate me, sometimes he'll fill my heart with pride. LOL I love the soul of this man and share in his vision.
Usually I cringe at change. It is unusual I would embrace it in the enthusiastic manner I have, but times are notably historic. I look upon my time in this period as a gift.
If one can take a moment of quiet to reflect, the signs of massive ideological, economical, geographical, political, and spiritual re-alignments are all around us. Really quite breathtaking. And our President has played, arguably, the greatest role in softening the climate so these movements can have room to spread.
Very well said Soul Seeker.