Family and Politics

[Capetan Mihali]

My mom's stepdad, my grandfather, is a diehard Republican and extremely patriotic.  He's not religious at all, but he's enough of a party man to stick with the Republicans even as they took on strong fundamentalist Christian wing in the 90s.  He's young enough that Reagan was the definitive Republican president for him, even though he was well into middle age at that point.  My granddad is an emotional guy, and I think Reagan's must have just resonated with him much more deeply than the Republican presidents of his era -- Eisenhower and Nixon.  He's only an outlier in that he is not religious at all, and doesn't care too much about "social conservative" issues, although he's generally a reactionary; I think he's pro-choice (if only because he is anti-"welfare mothers"), but he's definitely not in favor of gay marriage.

The house was pretty much located at one of the main places Hurricane Sandy made landfall, so it got wiped out badly, but he had a great sense for patriotic/political kitsch.  The US and Marine Corps flags are always flying from the house.  A huge oil painting of John Wayne, c. Rio Bravo, and a big framed photograph of Ronald Reagan (first-term inaugural) were the main decorative features of the living room (along with NY Giants stuff).  He had, in one tiny bathroom alone: a framed letter acknowledging his work for the 1960 Nixon campaign; a framed letter from Barry Goldwater thanking him for his support for the RNC c. early 70s I think; and a watercolor of a smiling Ronald Reagan painted on top of the cover of a November 5, 1980 copy of the WSJ (no photos to get in the way).

[derspiess]

Sounds like a cool dude

I consider myself a Reagan Republican and I was too young to ever vote for him.

[Valmy]

Sounds like a cool dude

I consider myself a Reagan Republican and I was too young to ever vote for him.

I voted for him in my second grade class in 1984.  Mondale won in landslide I think I was one of two 7 year olds to vote for the Gipper.

[Capetan Mihali]

Sounds like a cool dude

Yeah, I might label him a "derspiess Republican."   Loyal to his political party, come what may.  Not particularly thrilled to see Republicans get all worked-up about a bunch of hot-button social issues, but isn't going to let that get in the way of supporting them.  Always substantially too far to the right to have been a Rockefeller Republican, but also not a Tea Partier.  Loathes Obama for being a commie, but couldn't care less about "birther" stuff.

He's probably more of a party man than you, though.  I don't remember if or where they still have this option, but he was proud to have voted in every election by just pulling the 'Republican' lever and walking out of the booth.

Also, I doubt he personally cares very much about gun control, being from New York City and never owning a gun.  But he certainly opposes it if the Democrats are in favor of it.  He's extremely pro-military, but pretty much takes his cues on which American military endeavors are good or bad based on what the Republican line is and/or whether a Republican is in office.

[Admiral Yi]

I didn't know Archie Bunker came in the Jew flavor. 

[MadImmortalMan]

I voted for him in my second grade class in 1984.  Mondale won in landslide I think I was one of two 7 year olds to vote for the Gipper.

We had that too. 

The whole elementary school had an election. The kids voted in Reagan with an 80% majority and the teachers voted Mondale by about the same margin. 

[derspiess]

Sounds like a cool dude

I consider myself a Reagan Republican and I was too young to ever vote for him.

I voted for him in my second grade class in 1984.  Mondale won in landslide I think I was one of two 7 year olds to vote for the Gipper.

I did that, too.  Reagan won in our school by a landslide-- I bet that pissed off our teachers.

[Valmy]

I did that, too.  Reagan won in our school by a landslide-- I bet that pissed off our teachers.

For some reason the kids around me were all convinced that if Reagan won we would all be destroyed by nuclear war.  That would have ruined recess.

[viper37]

On my mother's side, they ain't very much into politics.  My uncle and my aunt are ex-teachers, so they hate the PQ with a passion for their 20% cuts in the 80s.  Their children lean toward my positions but usually don't vote for the same party as I do because of different measures that could potentially affect them.

On my father's side, they mostly lean toward the left, pro-PQ. Exceptions: my two male cousins, my dad and I.

[derspiess]

He's probably more of a party man than you, though.  I don't remember if or where they still have this option, but he was proud to have voted in every election by just pulling the 'Republican' lever and walking out of the booth.

I try to avoid voting a straight GOP ticket if I can.  Occasionally I find a Democrat candidate I like for some local election.  More often than that, though, I may do a protest vote for a Libertarian-- particularly when the race isn't very close.

[derspiess]

For some reason the kids around me were all convinced that if Reagan won we would all be destroyed by nuclear war.  That would have ruined recess.

IIRC, almost every kid I remember idolized Reagan to some degree.  Notable exception was my best friend, whose dad was a die-hard Democrat.  We got in arguments over Reagan all the time until I just decided not to talk politics with him.  He started out 1992 as a Paul Tsongas supporter and volunteered to help in his primary campaign.  Then voted for Clinton in the general election.  Then at some point in 1993 he became throroughly disgusted with Clinton and became a dittohead. 

[Valmy]

Then at some point in 1993 he became throroughly disgusted with Clinton and became a dittohead. 

If he was disgusted with Clinton I would hate to imagine what he thinks of the last two guys.

[MadImmortalMan]

I'm pretty sure the kids were just voting what their parents said.

This was exurban, far western Monroe County NY in my case.

[derspiess]

If he was disgusted with Clinton I would hate to imagine what he thinks of the last two guys.

He'd rather have Clinton back.  He was a huge Dubya supporter but mellowed toward the end.  He dislikes the current president so much he decided it's best for everyone if he avoids discussing him.

[Valmy]

I'm pretty sure the kids were just voting what their parents said.

Yeah Austin is and was a Democratic stronghold.