I Switched and So Can You

It’s done. It’s in the envelope. Now I just need some government workers to enter it into the system.  I am now a registered Democrat.

Decades ago I first registered to vote as an Independent.  The flawed ideology of both parties did not accurately reflect my beliefs and values.  I preferred to cast my ballots based on my own study and analysis, not according to a preset, reflexive party line.  After a few elections I realized that my Independent status in New York kept me from voting in primaries.  I wanted to participate in selecting our representatives so I faced my options: Democrat or Republican.

At the time, the late 70’s or very early 80’s, I no longer recall precisely,  “Rockefeller Republicans” still existed or at least were rumored to exist.  My understanding of their philosophy- a social conscience with fiscal responsibility- fit my beliefs better than Democrats who appeared to simply throw money at problems, an expensive and not necessarily effective approach. So I changed my status from Independent to Republican.

Despite the change in name, I kept my independent approach to candidates. As the years passed I realized I did not vote in that many primary elections.  Frequently the reason was that the outcome was predetermined before NY had a chance to vote.

I watched as what I once thought were Republican values morphed into something different. Something meaner, something lacking understanding and compassion, something fueled by big money, something manipulating power instead of serving the people.  Ronald Regan made me nervous.

In the 90’s, I listened to radio news reports on my brief morning drive, furious that Newt Gingrich shut down the Federal Government: to what end? To simply prove a point?  His actions were a simple demonstration of power not meant to serve the public.

I increasingly chafed under the self-designated Republican label.  I never voted solely along party lines. My only regular act as a Republican was signing petitions proffered by neighbors to nominate people for local offices.   Why was I still a Republican?

My distaste swelled as the Republicans openly thwarted twice elected President Obama.  Indeed, that was their sole stated strategy and purpose.  Who was being served by this intellectually corrupt means of governing?  Not the American people.

And due to this negative, obstructive philosophy the President was forced to use Executive Orders to get things done- anything done.  Yet this proved to be more fodder for the Republican obstructionists as they screamed that the President was a dictator, usurping powers he was not meant to have, accusing a Constitutional scholar of acting unconstitutionally.

In this election cycle, the primary race was not over when New Yorkers were able to vote.  I eagerly selected John Kasich over Donald Trump.

Now Donald Trump is our President.  My mind spins when I read that many voted for him because they were looking for change, and that President Obama did not deliver change.  He did not deliver the change he promised because he had to work with legislators best described as children with power.  By electing Donald Trump, Americans rewarded Republicans for their bad behavior. By throwing an eight-year tantrum, by refusing to play at all, they now have the keys to the car in the form of the Presidency, both Congressional houses and perhaps the Supreme Court, and I am afraid- very afraid- the change we will see is not the change many had hoped for.

I cast an absentee ballot for the first time in my life this year because I volunteered to assist with voter protection in Florida.  As I filled out my ballot, I selected Clinton-Kaine and worked my way across the ballot, gleefully filling out every Democrat bubble along the way.  I may not always vote this way, but I will for the foreseeable future.

The Republicans are serving only themselves. They serve their ideology and not the American people.  I believe in serving others.  My beliefs no longer align with the Republicans, my beliefs no longer allow me to identify as a Republican for any purpose.  So I switched, and you can too.