I'm having lunch with a Republican friend today.

[LWolf]

He's an "old" Republican, like I am an "old" Democrat. It's amazing how much we find to agree about.

I know that will surprise many DUers, who view me as a "purist," etc., etc., etc.; and, at the core of things, I am. I freely admit to being a purist on issues. That's just another way of saying I'm an idealist, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Here at DU, which is supposed to be a community of like-minded people, I don't soften my positions. I freely admit, and always have, that I am not a partisan. I'm about issues, and when my party is wrong on issues, I'm going to call them out on it.

So how can I have a Republican friend? It's not hard.

Believe it or not, underneath all of the political propaganda, we agree on almost everything. He's been appalled by his party in recent years, and the tea party terrifies him. He told me recently that he hasn't changed his registration because it gives him some political cred when he talks to Republicans, especially elected Republicans. And he does. He's quite active. He thinks it's important to reach any sane Republicans that might be left, to encourage them to take back their party. Still, he no longer votes for them.

It's funny; I can tell him all of my harder-left, socialist-leaning opinions on policy, and he isn't shocked, and agrees with much of it. Unlike some Democrats at DU, he is actually open to those ideas.

So, I'm having lunch with him today, and sprinkled in among the personal chat will be conversation about his current actions in our local community, and how I can help. I won't be proselytizing party or politician, and neither will he. I won't be going to lunch armed with all kinds of talking points that parrot the party line, and neither will he.

It's amazing how well things go when we leave political propaganda and party and personality defending out of the mix. It seems so much healthier and productive, at least to me.

[clarice]

1. + 1000. nt

[Revanchist]

2. But I thought all Republicans were racist, baby-eating, puppy-kicking homophobes

Seriously though there are decent people out there who consider themselves to be Republican. I also think it depends on where you are in the country and the age of person you're talking about, I currently live in Virginia but I'm from Rhode Island and there is a world of difference between the two. A RI Republican (or much of New England) for that matter, would be considered a RINO in other parts of the country, just like a Democratic politician in a red state is sometimes considered a DINO or blue-dog to those in liberal areas.

I have never liked broad-bush stereotypes of an entire segment of the population and choose to judge each person individually based on their actions.

[LWolf]

7. My friend admits freely

to being a RINO. He also calls me a DINO for being too far left for the mainstream Democratic Party.

It's seems like we get more done when we can just leave the party bickering behind.

[Egnever]

3. This board does not reflect the real world

Politics is a small part of most peoples lives. I know plenty of people that identify as republicans that are very nice people in general. I also know several that identify as democrats that are complete asshats.

[GalaxyHunter]

11. "This board does not reflect the real world"

I wonder who would agree with you?

[Wait Wut]

4. My best friend is a Republican.

So is her husband. I love them both like brother and sister. We're close enough to discuss politics, get in heated debates, and still kiss each other good-bye.

Our friendship goes beyond politics. Besides, I've brainwashed 4 of her 6 kids. She keeps telling me to quit turning her kids into little hippies.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

5. I married one (although he's not a fan of the GOP as an establishment).

Did you know they also like sex? For fun even! I mean, can you imagine?

[Warpy]

6. I know a handful of those

but that's the problem: they're only a handful.

I'm not a fire breathing socialist in real life. They're not foaming teabaggers. We're all sane.

And we're all frightened of the teabaggers. They are well funded out of proportion to their numbers and all that money might get them into power and once in, they'll stay there.

Fortunately, they've forgotten Falwell's admonition to be stealth nuts. They're all right out there in the open. That's the one thing that gives us all a glimmer of hope, that people will be more frightened of them than they are turned off by a mud covered Democrat.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. People, I am finding increasingly, are getting over the divide

And at least in Cali the parties are losing registrations.

[EC]

9. I too have republican friends

but I do not trust their judgement nor ever ask them for advise.

[woo me with science]

10. [phone]

I recently agreed with someone else here that we need to become the 99 percent, and was immediately met with the stale, accusatory, "So you want bipartisanship"! response from one of the predictable, relentless defenders of corporate policy.

Finally we have bipartisan outrage over the NSA spying, and I hope it will be followed by bipartisan outrage over everything else these corporate scum are doing to this nation. I think people are finally realizing that the demands for rabid partisanship above principle, above values, and above all else have become little more than a cudgel used by corporatists to keep us divided and unable to unite against what they are doing to all of us.

Thank you for this post.