Democrats: what changes, if any, would lead you to consider voting Republican?

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by middle-aged mom

For most of US history, the anchor baby meant the entire family automatically qualified for citizenship. This was not lost on Europeans who immigrated on temporary work, tourist and other visas. This stopped in the 70's.

Illegal immigration became a tidal wave in the 80's and peaked in 2006, with the housing bubble.

Reagan gave amnesty to 6 million and promised to secure the borders and crack down on employers of undocumented workers. Instead, the can was kicked. Bush 1 and Clinton continued to kick the can.

Actually, it was closer to 3 million illegals and there were requirements... the amnesty was not for all of them.

Also, it was Congress that was supposed to secure the border and never did.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by carterstamp

Jettisoning the tea party crazies out of the GOP would be a start.

Yeah, asking the government to not overspend and to not raise taxes sure is "crazy."

[TheCityTheBridge]

The OP is a tough question, given Republican politics of the last decades. I would offer the following (incomplete) list of changes I would expect in order to seriously consider a Republican vote:

Social policy:
-Unequivocal support for LGBT rights.
-Support for voting rights--including making it easier for people to vote
-Support for gender and racial equality
-Respecting the boundary between church and state
-Recognizing the humanity and dignity of immigrants
-Stop fighting the right to choose

Foreign policy:
-Treat war as the last resort
-Support rapprochement with Iran
-Find a way to de-escalate the Ukrainian conflict, at the risk of slowing NATO/EU eastward expansion (but without abandoning Ukraine's sovereignty)
-Apply pressure to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian stasis
-Promote fair trade and make it as free as possible
-Seek stability over popularity and perceived relative advantage
-Open up to Cuba

Domestic policy:
-Restrict spying on electronic communications and increase transparency in digital intelligence operations
-Reform immigration, including a path to citizenship
-Create a plan to end the war on drugs
-Plan seriously to close the income/wealth gap
-Slow the defense budget
-Cut carbon emissions
-Promote effective regulation to create virtuous incentives, limit the damage of market failures, and protect consumers and the public
-Promote advanced telecommunications and transportation
-Select judges and SC Justices in the vein of Souter, Ginsburg, Stevens, Marshall, O'Connor, or Brennan.

[DCforever]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

Here's a question for Democrats. Are there things about the Republican Party that appeal to you? Are their certain candidates, ideas or wings of the GOP that you could see yourself supporting if it only weren't for the other aspects of the party that repel you?

I started this thread in part as a spin off to the thread about the GOP's stance on the gay marriage. Are there are other issues in the GOP that keep you from voting Republican even though you could see yourself doing so if these obstacles were removed?

I hope this leads to a serious discussion and doesn't devolve into an opportunity to score cheap points on the GOP (plenty of other threads for that.)

A virus that wiped out all current Republicans.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by hannaranch

Dems need those illegals so they can stay in power forever. Illegals will vote Democratic because they can become illegal citizens.

Illegal immigrants cannot vote. Please don't talk about massive voter fraud, since it's a myth. Most Americans don't even bother to vote when they can do it legally. I'm not saying that election results can't be manipulated, only that actual incidents of voting fraud by individuals is almost non-existent.

I can only assume that people who claim how easy it is to vote haven't personally been to the polls. I was born and raised here and I need to show a photo ID and my signature needs to match what's on file with the Supervisor of Elections office. Once I used a UPS mail box as my mailing address and received a letter asking for my physical address and proof of residence. The last time I moved and got a new driver's license, I had to present my Social Security card, my Birth Certificate from Massachusetts with the raised seal, and 2 current utility bills in my name. I know women who had to show their marriage certificates because their last names didn't match their birth certificates.

Again, the GOP is continually talking about smaller government and yet they keep invading our private lives. I'm surprised I didn't need to have a vaginal ultrasound last time I voted.

[HeyJude514]

Originally Posted by justNancy

Illegal immigrants cannot vote. Please don't talk about massive voter fraud, since it's a myth. Most Americans don't even bother to vote when they can do it legally. I'm not saying that election results can't be manipulated, only that actual incidents of voting fraud by individuals is almost non-existent.

I can only assume that people who claim how easy it is to vote haven't personally been to the polls. I was born and raised here and I need to show a photo ID and my signature needs to match what's on file with the Supervisor of Elections office. Once I used a UPS mail box as my mailing address and received a letter asking for my physical address and proof of residence. The last time I moved and got a new driver's license, I had to present my Social Security card, my Birth Certificate from Massachusetts with the raised seal, and 2 current utility bills in my name. I know women who had to show their marriage certificates because their last names didn't match their birth certificates.

Again, the GOP is continually talking about smaller government and yet they keep invading our private lives. I'm surprised I didn't need to have a vaginal ultrasound last time I voted.

Good lord, don't give the right wing fundies any ideas!