I grew up a JW, so I didn't have political inclinations to leave behind by becoming one. And being a JW, you were supposed to not be involved or probably not even have opinions for that matter. But when I was a JW, I couldn't help but being very pro-republican, because those ideals seemed to jive up most with the JWs.
With the republicans, there's sort of an elitist mentality and screw everyone else attitude. Social programs? Against them. The insinuation was that those people need help only because they were bad in some way (drugs, premarital sex, etc), so they don't deserve sympathy or help. If they change their lives around, they can improve themselves, but help them do that? Not out of our budget. Much like the JW view that doesn't promote any charity and sees things as black and white. You sin, you get what you deserve. Not love, caring, or sympathy, but punishment. Same for their war on drugs. Punishment, not sympathy and treatment. There's also this attitude that you have to live some moral code according to their definition. From drugs to what should and shouldn't be aired on TV and radio stations to what women can and can't do with their bodies, rather than freedom to choose. I also saw a black and white justice system, never taking into account circumstances, but only the fact that crime A was committed, so punishment B must be enforced - no compassion. A forcing of your beliefs on others and laws to punish those that don't conform. To me, the republicans seem to also have this us/them mentality, promoting the US interests as if we are the only ones on the planet. We were the only religion with the truth, so we were the only ones that mattered. So, back then, Reagan throwing his military weight around thrilled me. And it thrilled me that we could force others to do what we wanted and they'd have to conform to the way we liked things or else. And screw the environment. God's system is coming anyway, so who cares how much we trash the earth. And not to mention (as implied by the very word "conservative") a desire to resist change or even turn back the clock.
In retrospect, I think my love of the republicans was right in line with this elitist view I had as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Having things in black and white and calling things right or wrong and not showing sympathy, but only scorn for sinners. Seeing the political party work these days, I can draw even more parallels that I didn't see then. Like supression of criticism. Accusing critics of being anti-US. Same as JWs and accusing everything anti-JW as being tools of the devil. The taking away of due process and checks and balances. We now have military tribunals, held in secret, without a jury. Can you say "judicial comittee"?
Since leaving the JWs, my views have gone a lot more over to the left. I started meeting more people who didn't fit that June and Ward Cleaver mold of the ideal republican family and didn't even try to. People who were into alternate lifestyles, some gay, some bi, some poly. Some pagans, wiccans, and satanists. I saw things that were important to them. Mostly the freedom to express themselves and not feel discriminated for being different. During the Clinton years, I saw things heading in that direction. More people seemed to be brought in to participate at an equal level. People more open to be themselves. Whether that means being openly gay, openly pagan, or whatever. I've seen advances in diversity and more acceptance of other cultures. I've seen us make laws to bend over backwards to help others, like those with disabilities and welcome them to participate.
Not that republicans are specifically reversing things, but real or imagined, there seems to be a different climate now. We've seen our freedoms taken away. We've seen things like the rave act be used to threaten and prevent things like a marijuana reform law fund raiser. We immediately saw the cutting off of funding to groups that have anything to do with funding or recommending abortions. We see a push towards Christian values in attempts to fund religions to do social work (and preaching along with it). We see it in school vouchers which help kids move over to private, (mostly) religious schools. The seperation of church and state is weakening. We see the attempts to cut social programs to ensure that those living in poor, unhealthy environments will remain there and that these social ills will be passed on to the next generation. We see vicious backlash towards anybody who questions the administration as anti-US. (Where were these people when Clinton was getting all the heat for a hummer)? We see continued plans to help the wealthy, like the new legislation limiting class action suits.
I can't say that my left-leaning politicians don't let me down, but at least they seem to be concerned with helping people. The right normally votes as a pack. It seems they do not consider issues, but are told by the think-tanks what is best. The left seems to at least look at the issues. Sometimes they vote with the right, sometimes against. But at least I see that there is an opinion being formed, not just following the herd.
I took a political quiz a couple of years ago and it put me strongly to the liberal left.
