"Is there sanctuary for the disenchanted Republicans in THIS Democratic Party"

[GulfCoast66]

18. I don't want a single damned one of them in my government, in my party, or here.

To quote you.

Well, I was a republican until last year. Voted straight ticket for 28 years except for a democratic tax collector I really liked. But I was not really politically involved. I watched TV, listened to some right wing radio, but had pretty much given it up after 2004 or so since I am by nature an optimist and could not stand all the hate stuff. And I never hated Obama. Was happy to have a non-Caucasian as president. And coming up in Arkansas I did not hate the Clintons.

However, while I really did not feel all that political if I was asked I would proudly state I was a republican. So about 2013 I was feeling like something was wrong and decided to look at political websites. As luck would have it the first one I went to was FR and I was horrified. I thought that surely there are websites for republicans that are not that disgusting. Well, they are pretty much all the same.

During that web searching I came upon DU. And was hooked. I realized that the beliefs I had when I was 25 do not hold at 50. I was against legal abortion until I was personally affected by the lack of safe, legal, private women's health services. I was against gay marriage until I met really good gay friends who I eventually vacationed with. And while I cannot go onto details, I have been blessed in my career but have seen others who have been marginalized and jobs that used to be firmly middle class become poverty wage jobs. But what pushed me over the edge was our president at the memorial service for those killed in Charleston. When he broke into
Amazing Grace I knew I had been wrong.

So last year I became a Democrat. Ironically, fulfilling a prophecy my dad made. He was an FDR democrat and was chagrined at my political leanings. He told me that the way he raised me would eventually lead me back to the party of FDR. He was correct. I am contributing to the party and for the first time in my life plan on volunteering to canvas or make calls. You do not see too many middle class white males down here working for Democrats and I hope I can make a difference.

So please rethink your objection of having republicans joining our party. They have to quit their party before they can join ours.

Have a nice evening.