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I find myself becoming almost a single-issue voter as I age. If we don't get a handle on environmental degradation, the world we leave our grandchildren is likely to be seriously diminished.
I am in my early 50's and not quite retired. But boy, have my politics changed. All my life I was a liberal Democrat. I voted for every Democratic Presidential candidate since Mondale in 1984. I loathed Nixon, Reagan and all the Bush clan.
However, now that I am older, I have gradually turned into a Republican. I would vote for Donald Trump at this point because I am sick of many of the policies Obama has implemented. Never thought I would turn Conservative, but I have. I'm almost ashamed of myself, but it happened to people like Frank Sinatra and Charlton Heston as well.
Although it may be a natural tendency, we have to try to keep a more open and "liberal" mind - IMHO - as we age.
We individually like to think that, as we age, we are wiser. However, science and experience shows that older folks are more easily duped and preyed upon. I'm sure you like to think that's not you....we all do!
Fact is, FEAR of growing older and death often translates into general fear and therefore into right wing politics. The average age of a Rush listener or O'Reilly watcher is 65-70. That's average! Why? Because they are easier to say anything to...and they believe it.
I say that as a senior myself....but I still have the ability to reason.
Here, for example is a chart done by Politifact. The basics are clear - some pols are completely lying most ALL of the time, while others have more "truthiness"....
If that kind of stuff matters to you - and it does to me - then you have to dig further instead of trying to take the easy way out and voting for "what sounds good".
In my teens and 20s I was a Democrat. In my 30s and 40s I was a Republican, largely because of the influence of my materialistic later-ex and those who surrounded him. Starting in my early 50s, after we split, I became independent/unaffiliated. Now in my 60s I have come full circle and am a registered Democrat once again.
To paraphrase Ron Reagan: "Not afraid of voting for Hillary." ;-)
I've been very conservative from day 1, but as I've gotten older I've loosened up a lot on certain social issues like gay marriage and marijuana---but have become even more conservative regarding fiscal responsibility, religion, limited government and pro-life....and most off all, protect the Homeland against Islamic extremists. I've also become to absolutely detest the emergence of the PC lifestyle----PC folks and Islamic terrorists---my two most hated groups.
I have always been an Independent liberal voter. Only thing that has changed is that age has made me wiser, because of my life experiences and observations of others who struggle because of society's description of who we should be sharing our life with, and what religion we should be following, and what is or isn't PC at any moment while others are begging for a safe place to take care of their families.
Born liberal/progressive in Wisconsin in the 50's.
Also - lost my religion (Catholic) at age 17 and never looked back.
IMO it's only when people lose their religion do they start thinking for themselves.
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