For most of my adult life, I would describe my politics as liberal regarding social support and libertarian regarding government bureaucracy. Mostly, I want the government to leave me alone, but I do want it to help provide a baseline of support for society that includes: military defense, poverty support (food/shelter/education/medical care), local defense (cops), and some regulation against monopolies, corporate greed, environmental destruction and other large societal harms.
I’m not a big fan of aggressive foreign military intervention, especially when we are neglecting domestic issues that affect a large number of Americans at home. I don’t support ridiculous pork-filled omnibus spending bills and running up the national debt. I generally don’t support using tax money and government policies to further enrich the wealthy while letting the lower and middle classes pay the bills.
In terms of voting, I often voted for third party and independent candidates. Sometimes, when there were none, I voted for Democrats because their political platforms were usually closer to my ideals vs. Republicans.
Although I no longer vote, I still follow politics. I am seeing an interesting shift in the Republican and Democratic parties. Setting aside the performative “culture war” posturing from the loudest politicians on both sides, I’m observing a shift.
I’m seeing more Republicans who come from working class backgrounds who have work their way up through the military, trades and state colleges before moving into politics.
I’m seeing a preponderance of Democrats who grew up in wealthy, privileged families who went to private schools and elite colleges before following a path paved (and subsidized) by their wealthy parents into government and positions of influence.
I’ve got a soft spot for anyone who had to work their way up. I admire resilience. I believe people who have come from lower/middle class lives have something in common with most of the people in the US.
I feel the opposite about elites who were raised in a life of privilege. How can they possibly relate to the lives of most of the people they govern over?
When I was younger, the democrats were the people who worked their way up, lived in my neighborhood and understood my life.
The Republicans were the rich elites who didn’t.
Now, the parties seem to be shifting sides.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. Around the Civil War Era, Republicans (aka Lincoln’s party) represented the Union and fought against slavery. Democrats represented the Confederacy and fought to keep racism and slavery.
If I studied political history, I wonder if I would see other times the parties “shifted sides”.
It’s interesting to observe this shift playing out in real time.
Now, do I think that Trump and his Republican Party really care about the working class? Nope. Not a chance. Nor for one second do I believe Democrats care about the working class either.
The rich and powerful have always taken care of themselves, regardless of which party they belong to.
I don’t expect anything more from any political.
In fact, I expect far less.
But occasionally, I’m surprised when a politician, at any level, does what I think is “the right thing”. I kind of like to see that, regardless of which party they belong to.
I think that party affiliation for politicians has much more to do with getting money, getting elected and remaining in power vs. any sort of moral or strongly held political beliefs. Those concepts are simply what are used to manipulate the citizens.