Posted on 02/21/2010 12:51:59 AM PST by americanophile
It took only the single tap of a computer key, and just like that I'd exited the Republican Party after 30 years of active membership. The context might sound impulsive, but I'd been thinking of becoming an independent for a long time. I just hadn't expected that a trip to renew my driver's license would mark the end. Just before my photo was snapped, I was asked if I wanted to register to vote. For me, the question was borderline offensive. I first registered after turning 18 in the spring of 1980 and haven't missed an election since. And I'm not just talking presidential races. I mean all elections. Congress, town council, school board, whatever.
"I'm already registered," I offered. Next came the unexpected question of whether I wished to change my political affiliation. I'm not sure why that is asked of someone renewing a driver's license, and I question whether it is even appropriate for most. But in my case, it was the only impetus I needed.
Years ago, I grew tired of having my television or radio introduction accompanied by a label, with some implied expectation that what would then come from my mouth were the party talking points. That was me 26 years ago, when I was the youngest elected member of the state delegation to the Republican National Convention, but not today. I'm not sure if I left the Republican Party or the party left me. All I know is that I no longer feel comfortable.
The national GOP is a party of exclusion and litmus tests, dominated on social issues by the religious right, with zero discernible outreach by the national party to anyone who doesn't fit neatly within its parameters.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
>>>> “I was asked if I wanted to register to vote. For me, the question was borderline offensive. <<<<<<
Now why would this dude find this question offensive...
It is not like it is the Republicans asking him to register, it is the State.
There is something seriously wrong with a dude who would take offense to this question !!!
You should see the CPAC. They went libertine. Just had a youtube debate with GOProud supporters. Libertine want free sex and free drug abuse. None of them ask what that will do to our healthcare costs even if it is under private insurance. STD, HIV, health damage from illegal drugs (like that will go away if we legalize it), etc, etc had created financial burdens on government and private finances, money we cannot afford to burn away on self inflicted ills when our economy need every cent to rejuvenate itself. Libertarians like liberals want to turn their eye away from the costs of their so call freedom with no moral bounds. Libertarians all talk tough when they are healthy, but they will sing another tune when their lifestyle catches up with them and they become sick. As taxpayer and premium payer I am sick of the shortsighted, self centered BS, and now CPAC is embracing these fools.
Wow. You are good.
The headline should be: “Another Axelrod shill has to fulfill his duties to the administration by writing another vomit worthy op-ed.”
I think he was offended that anyone thought someone his age hadn’t already registered. I would’ve been offended by the question about changing affiliation. It’s one thing to get people registered and quite another to try to unregister them from a particular party. Why would that even be asked? Don’t driver’s licence people have enough to do?
It should be illegal to register to vote anywhere but in the Supervisor of Elections office and in person. There are always exceptions but they should be few and strict. It’s no one’s business whether or not you are registered or under what party, just as it’s no one’s business whther or not you own a gun. We don’t need more voters, we need constitutionally educated ones.
dominated on social issues by the religious right
That is a good thing. Abortion is Murder.
Many of us are ticked off at how the party has been operating for some time now.
But, you do not fix it by running away. You fix it by getting involved more in it and vetting candidates better, supporting them and campaigning for them.
You keep fires lit under elected officials and if they don’t listen, you vote them out.
Many here complained about Sarah Palin “quitting,”
Yet, many of them are willing to also quit instead of fighting to straighten the party out.
The detractors wishing to highjack the party love nothing more.
PA “republican”= democrat anywhere else, with few exceptions
Yup.
Another DRAMA QUEEN who wants us to notice that the GOP isn’t the DEM party. Just go away, Michael and find the closest fag to bend over to.
>>I think that in 2008, the GOP was wrong to adopt a party platform that maintained a strict opposition to abortion
I was a lot younger when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe. I didn’t realize at the time that the Court was giving itself the power to amend the Constitution (as this is truly a State issue). Somehow they couldn’t come up with a way to use the commerce clause here and had to go fishing in the 9th amendment.
But the above is a lot harder to explain than simply saying you’re anti-abortion.
I didn’t even finish this trash. Nothing this Obama-loving loser writes is worth the space.
I’m familiar with Smerconish and he’s a POS
I have always registered independent but vote Republican 95% of the time
I recently registered Republican just to vote in an upcoming Republican primary. Then probably I’ll go back to independent
Smerconish is making a big deal out of himself. He should FOAD
The liberals are more honest because they know they’ll need universal health care to get everyone else to pay for their health problems caused by drugs/gay sex.
You got this guy pegged! A bald headed stooge! Just another ratings ho. Making himself seem superior and above it all because now he is an independent.
Charley Varrick was the last of the independents. Not this ho in a girlie man’s body
Hillary has the smartest mouth in the world, that’s for sure. She can spew 4-letter words like no one else. She’s also a progressive which equals communism in my book.
People better beware when promoting this other Alinskyite. Haven’t the drones in this country learned anything yet?
I don’t think Smirk was in the Republican party to begin with. So this is like reading something from a whack job like Max Blumenthal on how to repair the Republican party.
It's plainly obvious Smirk doesn't pay attention, or he would realize CPAC was watered down to appeal to so called independent egg heads like him.
see ya.
No, they are taxation without representation. The use of my tax dollars to fund elections in which I cannot vote is bullshit. The ONLY legitimate reason for a tax-funded primary election is to winnow the field down to two candidates per office in the general election. If the parties want to choose candidates, let'em pay for the activity themselves. If they want an election, re-imburse the state, do it by mail or over the internet...all viable options.
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