Observe wrote: ↑Tue, 30. May 23, 01:37
Vertigo 7 wrote: ↑Tue, 30. May 23, 00:10
The whole damn party needs to go.
I don't think you are referring to everyone who subscribes to a conservative philosophy. Keep in mind, the Republican party has those on the left, center and right of the party, just as Democrats have right, center and left. Actually, conservative liberals are very similar to liberal conservatives and they make up the greatest percentage on the distribution curve.
Nothing wrong with being a conservative. In fact, we need both conservatives and progressives (liberals) at different times to counterbalance each other. It is the extreme on both sides that cause most of the problems, but those groups are a small fringe minority.
I remain a registered Republican, primarily because I live in a heavily red state where the winner of the Republican primary is almost guaranteed to win the general election. Staying registered Republican allows me to at least influence the election.
My views are a mixture of both typically conservative and liberal viewpoints. Neither party represents my views perfectly, and though my views are more conservative leaning, I don't define myself in conservative or liberal terms.
I did vote Republican most of my life, up until 2016, when I recognized Donald Trump to be a liar, bully, narcissist, and generally a clear and present danger to our nation. Since then I have voted mostly Democratic, even when their politics do not always align with my own, because I feel that the Republican party has largely lost its way and is entirely controlled by the extreme, fanatical populist fringes. The Democratic party, while not perfect, is not as far gone and has a larger share of responsible leaders remaining.
To me, the number one, overriding factor in who gets my vote is character. Are they an individual with integrity, compassion, a good work ethic? These factors are far more important than whether they advocate for a specific policy position. Donald Trump fails spectacularly on the character issue, and Biden does quite well on it, so even if I do not agree with Biden on all issues, or even if I agree with Trump on certain policies, I will vote for Biden every time. A serial adulterer like Trump, who cannot be relied upon to honor sacred vows in his private life, should never be entrusted with public positions of power and responsibility.