Ok so I love polls. And I love politics. So what political party has the most lapband recipient votes? We'll soon find out!!

Generally, I think there is a big difference between big political morals like abortion and political policy in general that is just for helping people. I don't like political morals. I think abortion should be legal because even if it was illegal women would still have back alley abortions. Those are bad things because those tend to be dangerous and women bleed to death and stuff from them. To me the issue of abortion itself and the merits and morals and all that is completely separate from that fact. To me it seems silly that it has progressed to the big political debate that it is. Abortion isn't about to be made illegal. Neither is alchohol. We tried that. I get gun control as a political issue at least. I think a lot of the times people on both sides of an issue can get bogged down with talking points and stuff and lose sight of what is truly important. I feel that that is advancing the quality of life for everyone in general. Medicine is closely related to that. Right now I know someone who can't get medicaid because she works a few hours a week. She officially makes too much. she is still poor. So no medical care for her until she becomes a senior citizen. Helping oneself and pulling up by the boot straps is a nice idea, but even Horatio Alger's Ragged Dick had plenty of help on the way up. Also, some people just aren't able to help themselves as much. I feel in a civilized society though that our goal is to try and help everyone, even if it means I have to pay a few more taxes.

I'm a Republican and proud of it.

Proud of it? Really? When the current administration and most of the so-called "Republicans" are anything but? The true Republican principles died out a long time ago with our current batch of politicians.

Our leaders have lost their way. I can't say I'm proud. I'm so far from proud I'm not even in the same zip code.

Why are you?

JeninCo and kyethra: I'm pretty much in agreement with both of you. Good to read your posts. Thanks.

I am a registered Democrat but never vote strictly along party lines. The more I think about it and observe, the more I realize that both parties support candidates who are out of touch with the common working-class folks. Most were born into wealth and if not born into it, they have been a part of the elite so long that they have forgotten the struggles of the middle class. I think our whole political system is summed up by saying--

the rich governs the rest of us! JMHO

I remember watching a program on MSNBC during the last election and they were interviewing Kerry and Edwards. One of the questions was-"How much roughly does a gallon of milk cost?"

"How about the price of a 6-pack of beer?"

Both gave guesses and were waaayyyy off! This is the democrats who are typically the party of the working class right? I am sure the republicans wouldn't have answered any better. lol

You are right. And they will continue to govern us until we wise up and start paying attention to what they are really doing to us and stop buying into the stuff that their talking heads tell us.

For intstance, this president is backed by the religious right - even to the point that they have an agenda that is systematically being met the longer the man is in office. They are extreme in their approach to many things and do not operate in the truly Christian way that most mainstream American Christians believe. But because they put the words "Christian" and "moral" and "right" in everything they do, we feel guilty if we don't support them.

We need to take a hard look at what the record tells us (for instance, we have been at war, declared by the president without the using the normal governmental provisions for the declaration of war and have continued to be involved in war practically since the man took office and thousands of Americans have died, as a result; we are in debt as a nation deeper than ever; we are thinking about building an 800 mile wall between us an our southern neighbor but we are considering granting most of the millions of illegal aliens from that country amnesty, including gang members; they have fought the right for medical research to use stem cells in finding a cure for deadly illnesses; they are against any gun restrictions; they have decided that it is okay to hold people in prison, without even charging them with a crime which is against the law, if they decide those people could be connected in any way to terrorism, etc., etc., etc.)

If we as individuals do not make our voices heard, and unify our votes to get rid of this kind of government, we will continue to be governed by the very rich, who are getting richer every day and not only that, we will continue to lose our precious rights that we thought were protected by our founding fathers.

I am a Republican and not ashamed to say it. I may not agree on all my party's actions but the Democratic party is so out in left field they scare me. I would say I am a more liberal Republican. I am not a fan of abortion but at the same time realize sometimes it needs to be done. I am also not the one who has that choice to make.

I also see nothing wrong with gay and lesbian rights. I don't think its right that me and my "soon to be" wife have certain benefits but a gay couple who have the same love and affection don't.

I am also very supportive of our military and our combat actions.

I am a Republican and not ashamed to say it. I may not agree on all my party's actions but the Democratic party is so out in left field they scare me. I would say I am a more liberal Republican. I am not a fan of abortion but at the same time realize sometimes it needs to be done. I am also not the one who has that choice to make.

I also see nothing wrong with gay and lesbian rights. I don't think its right that me and my "soon to be" wife have certain benefits but a gay couple who have the same love and affection don't.

I am also very supportive of our military and our combat actions.

Welcome to this thread, Chris----it's wonderful to have another Republican here! :clap2: Keep posting, please...we need you!!

I am a registered Republican. That said, I think it's also necessary for individuals to assess each election/candidates as they come. Voting based on a party line is ignorant to me.

I am conservative in my views, personally and politically, which is why I am a Republican. However, I am deeply saddened by the actions of the current administration.

I also believe that the government shouldn't have any say in who I marry, what I do with my pregnancy, and so forth. Personal issues, religion, etc should not play a role in any political debate. IMO.

Voondabah: I am like Carlene, a somewhat conservative Democrat. And Voon, you and I agree on several important issues.

I believe the only way the Republicans can win this next Presidential election is if they back off from all the religious issues they've brought to the forefront and insist on cramming down our throats.

When I read a post above where someone said that the political left scares them, I wonder what actually scares them? The extreme right wing conservatives have managed to cause much more death to Americans, many more limits on our personal freedom, much more national debt, and much fewer benefits for most Americans than any left wing Democrat has. Under this regime, the rich have been getting very, very richer and the poor have been getting poorer. I would be willing to bet that the gap between the rich and poor in this country has widened by a huge amount since the Republicans took over, and that the middle class is shrinking.

Explain to me why you're afraid of the Democrats. Is it because of something they've actually done or not done, or is it because your party is turning this country into exactly what you think it should be?

Why lib Dems scare me

• loosing core family values
  
• way to socialistic for me
  
• not strong enough on national security
  
• willing to demoralize our country and military for personal gain
  
• want to hand out my money to illegals
  
• George Soros controls them
  
• Move on, controls them
  
• willing to bargain with terrorists
  
• want to raise my taxes
  
• want to take away my gun rights
  
• there against the patriot act (which works obviously)
  
• Flip flop on decisions they make just to appease a poll

Need anymore?

Why lib Dems scare me

• loosing core family values
  
• way to socialistic for me
  
• not strong enough on national security
  
• willing to demoralize our country and military for personal gain
  
• want to hand out my money to illegals
  
• George Soros controls them
  
• Move on, controls them
  
• willing to bargain with terrorists
  
• want to raise my taxes
  
• want to take away my gun rights
  
• there against the patriot act (which works obviously)
  
• Flip flop on decisions they make just to appease a poll

Need anymore?

Um, yeah...Hollywood controls them... Gee, or is it vice-versa? I can't tell.

Although, again, I think family values shouldn't be a political thing. Why do you? (Not asking sarcastically, but with intersest.)

I agree on the socialist aspect. It didn't work for Russia, why are they pushing it here?

Why lib Dems scare me

• loosing core family values
  
• way to socialistic for me
  
• not strong enough on national security
  
• willing to demoralize our country and military for personal gain
  
• want to hand out my money to illegals
  
• George Soros controls them
  
• Move on, controls them
  
• willing to bargain with terrorists
  
• want to raise my taxes
  
• want to take away my gun rights
  
• there against the patriot act (which works obviously)
  
• Flip flop on decisions they make just to appease a poll

Need anymore?

Um, yeah...Hollywood controls them... Gee, or is it vice-versa? I can't tell.

Although, again, I think family values shouldn't be a political thing. Why do you? (Not asking sarcastically, but with intersest.)

I agree on the socialist aspect. It didn't work for Russia, why are they pushing it here?

Poll flip-flopping I think happens across the board. Unfortunately, by the time your political career hits major media, you've already been corrupted. Again, IMO.

Ok. I get it. I don't need anymore of your list of perceived problems with the left wing. I certainly do not agree with much on your list. I doubt if you agree with much on mine.

One thing we can agree on that Voondabah mentioned, is that by the time a person is at the point that they can compete politically on a national level, they've already sold their souls and it doesn't matter which party it is. It's really disheartening no matter who you decide to support with your vote.

The best we can do is to support the person and platform that we find more in tune with our beliefs, and to let our voices be heard as much as possible.

P.S. I, for one, do not wish to take your guns away. I believe everyone in the U.S. should own at least one gun and should be well-practiced at shooting any guns they own.