Comments on: Split-Ticket Families

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:58:42 +0000

I can’t imagine the relationship dynamics of a Liberal/Wingnut partnership.

It would never work for me. Its not just about party identification or ideology. There’s an underlying social conscience there. There’s a different world view in play. I’ve never had a serious relationship with a Con. First, there would be too many arguments. And I don’t like arguing or fighting with my partner. And, honestly, I don’t know if I could respect anyone who voted for George W. Bush.

But, I tend to take politics and public policy seriously. Maybe that type of relationship works for people who aren’t as emotionally invested in it.

By: sotonohito

sotonohito — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:58:02 +0000

My family is composed pretty much entirely of radical to moderate liberals, political discussions usually turn into singing to the choir.

I do have to disagree with the ‘your vote counts’ line though. I live in the panhandle of Texas, and while I (and the rest of my family) will be voting, I suffer no illusions that my vote will matter in the slightest. The Electoral College elects the president, not the people, and barring a miracle the EC votes from Texas will go to McCain. My vote is little more than an upraised middle finger to the 85% of my neighbors who voted Bush in 2004.

My political participation is mostly in phonebank work for Obama in the few “swing states” where people’s vote really does matter.

By: David Thompson

David Thompson — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:54:40 +0000

“I am the peacemaker and ask them to not let our family differences in politics put a wedge between any two or more but it is a constant battle.”

I’ve never understood families that argue about politics all the time. To me, it seems like arguing with the minister during the middle of her sermon. When I was growing up, everyone was entitled to their own opinions, entitled to declare those opinions, and that was the end of it.

By: The Heretik

The Heretik — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:08:33 +0000

As a radical moderate, I am partial to what is right, or what is left when all the blathering is over.

By: Angelia Sparrow

Angelia Sparrow — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:55:36 +0000

My formerly-liberal father listens to too much Sirius Patriot and is sliding right. My formerly-wingnut mother is taking stock of her life and sliding leftish. They’re divorced. I talk economic politics with Mom, not social.

My husband has hit the “Pox on both their houses” stage and I’m at the “I’d vote for Satan himself if he wasn’t running Republican.” (The kids are coming out liberal, three for Obama and one holding his peace)

It’s…interesting around the house.

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:04:19 +0000

Sometimes the best household to live in is one that is truly independent of left or right wing politics. My African-American parents were working class folks and always voted for the candidate whom they felt best represented their views as a whole. For me that won’t be the case. I’ve heard about as much rhetoric as I can stand and quite frankly, I’m not pleased. So as an independent voter, I’ve decided neither presidential candidate will get my vote in November. I know some here will think I’m committing political suicide by doing this, but I can’t, not in good conscience, support a presidency for either Senator.

In short, they give me the willies!!!

By: Kate J.

Kate J. — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:59:40 +0000

Yeah, I can’t talk a lot of politics with my family of origin either. My liberal mom has become more conservative over the years, and my dad is a “broken glass Republican” (would crawl over broken glass to vote Republican). My brother has arch-conservative views too. There are some things that they are really liberal about, though. My dad is actually a feminist, believe it or not. What’s hilarious is the way I was raised led me to be liberal, not as a reaction against them. When I was a teenager and would argue politics with my dad, mom would tell him, ” You cried around and wanted kids who would question authority!” When the presidential race began, I announced my position and said that I was done talking about it for the duration, and so we talk about other things. We get along really well, actually.

By: Cara

Cara — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:23:28 +0000

And even if it were about “canceling out,” isn’t it important to cancel out wingnut votes? You have to match their numbers before you can beat them!

I also come from a family with a wingnut father. We stopped discussing politics when I was about 17. Honestly, I don’t even know his views on abortion — only that I stopped talking to him for a week when he laughed at a joke about bombing an abortion clinic, and that he has never said anything critical about my working at Planned Parenthood. But my knowledge on his views on foreign policy, health care, “socialism,” affirmative action, and so on are more than enough. The good news is that things are much more harmonious in my family. The bad news is that they still think I’m a crazy feminist and I have nothing to talk to them about.