I never thought I would leave the Republican Party, but I'm voting Biden-Harris this fall

[UpInArms]

Last edited Mon Aug 24, 2020, 08:59 AM - Edit history (1)

Four and a half years ago I considered myself a Republican, but then Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for president. Once his nomination was secured and it was clear the GOP would welcome his rhetoric with open arms, the party as I knew it was long gone.

This is the first year that I watched the Democratic National Convention without a Republican lens and found myself agreeing with the issues, speakers and most of all the positive rhetoric. The Democrats spoke of love and family, showing just how personal this election is for so many. Despite the doom and gloom that surrounds us, somehow the DNC was able to showcase the best of America and convey that the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket is fighting to not only restore America but to make her more equal and just for all.

... snip ...

But, after a week of watching virtual convention speeches, I couldn’t be more hopeful that on Election Day, America will do the right thing and vote like our lives depend on it. I recognized just how many of my views of the Democratic Party were shaped by the talking points of the GOP and just how wrong that was. Over the past four years, my eyes have been opened and my views forever changed. I have come to realize that all along, I aligned more with the moderate wing of the Democratic Party.

I used to have some friends who joked that I was a closet Democrat or a bleeding heart liberal because I did so much community service and volunteer work, as though service to others was a bad thing. Well, I guess they were right — deep down, the Democratic Party has always aligned more with my values; it just took me a while to get there.

More at:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2020/08/24/trump-ruined-republican-party-for-me-choosing-biden-2020-column/3424095001/

eta:

Independent Ashley Pratte, a former Republican, is a communications strategist and a board member of Republican Women for Progress. Previously she was director of media relations and a consultant for Better for America. Follow her on Twitter: @AshPratte

[soothsayer]

1. K&R

[SharonAnn]

13. Me too. Reagan's first term drove me to Independent. Then Gingrich to Democrat

[LonePirate]

2. This op-ed is authored by Ashley Pratte, a board member of Republican Women for Progress

[klook]

7. "Republican Women for Progress"

sounds like “Democrats for Racism.” Still, I appreciate the support, temporary though it may be.

[lagomorph777]

3. Please include the author's name in a post like this. It's meaningless without it.

[UpInArms]

4. I edited to add that info

Thanks!

[lagomorph777]

5. Thanks!

I don't mean to pick on you, but it's becoming a pet peeve that people aren't including the bylines in editorials.

[UpInArms]

6. I generally don't post editorials ...

but what you say makes sense... will do so in the future

[BComplex]

8. This is due to 30 years of the media spewing hate toward democrats. Our media is 100% responsible

for what is going on right now: for donald trump, for the white nationalism, for the pandemic, for the lopsided economy. This is what happened since the Fairness Doctrine was trashed. It needs to be reinstated, and it is clear that our Freedom of Speech needs a few rules besides yelling fire in a crowded theater. We need to start with some laws about telling the truth and true representation of events, and labeling opinion as opinion.

The media acts like one idiot's opinion is equal to 320 million other people's beliefs, and that makes it all "fair and balanced". It's insane, not to mention deliberately divisive.

[UpInArms]

9. Robert Bork wrote the white paper for the dismantling of the Fairness Dictrine

and Raygun granted special citizenship to Murdoch to own Faux ...

This has been a disgusting plot to destroy a fact based society.

[mitch96]

10. I think the name is Biden Republicans, yes? nt

[UpInArms]

11. Actually, they are Biden Democrats

... comparing them to the Raygun Republicans ... those who crossed over and, then, stayed with their new Party.

[WhiteTara]

12. she didn't become a Democrat

she just now calls herself "independent" so she really hasn't come very far in her evolution to human.

[SharonAnn]

14. I went to Independent first. Then Democrat. It happens in stages.

[WhiteTara]

15. Thanks. Good to know!

[Gothmog]

16. Biden campaign releases list of Republicans that are endorsing @JoeBiden today

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

17. MORE NEWS from AZ: Huge list of Arizona Republicans endorsing Joe Biden

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

18. "The Republican National Convention opens with a flurry of brand new GOP endorsements, for Joe Biden

Link to tweet