Did you always have your current politics?

I've never bought the idea that class, race, or gender hierarchies were fair or valid, at least not in and of themselves. I used to think homosexuality is sinful, but that sorta went away when I left Christianity. My descriptive understandings of things have generally shifted hard to the left though, as a consequence of K-12 education being overwhelmingly controlled by conservatives.

I'm a lifelong independent. I've voted for Democrats, I've voted for Republicans, I've signed petitions to get Green Party candidates on the ballot, and I score as a libertarian on the political compass. At one time I thought anarchism was viable. At others, I've defended communism.

Deep down, I don't believe that any one ideology has all the answers. I'm always learning about different nuances of different policies, and there is still a lot that mainstream politics leaves out, which is unfortunate because the American people are only being presented with only two deeply flawed options.

Even in this midterm, my support for this senate seat has wavered between the Democratic incumbent and the Republican challenger. As someone that really tries to be as factually accurate as possible, it's kinda disheartening seeing the state of modern politics.

That said, the modern GOP is completely untenable for me given how they've devolved into a party of conspiracy, anti-intellectualism, and utter contempt for logic. Liberals have always been pretty insufferable, but the conservatives you talk to these days are completely unhinged. They don't care about reality anymore, they're just foaming at the mouth looking for a liberal idea to attack.

I went from moderate left to radical left back to the moderate left to radical left again.

Social Democrat dad - student politics - engaging with the 'real' world - lives through the Corbyn movement and realises how rigged the system

I’m on the libertarian side of conservatism. This sums up much of what I believe.

I have always been registered independent. I would say that I was pretty much dead center overall out of high school, but for some reason Republican candidates appealed more to me personally so they got my votes. Then as I grew older and paid more attention to the real world, I realized that on many social issues the GOP platform didn't agree with the reality I saw. One example is that I grew up thinking that women who sought abortions were mostly teenagers and early 20s who weren't careful, so I was okay with some pro-life ideas. I later learned this is not true, and that the young "oops" women made up a small minority of those seeking abortion, my views changed. Same goes with gay marriage. Once I actually came out of my childhood bubble and met people in those situations, I became much more socially liberal. From an economic standpoint, I still lean right, but am willing to consider other viewpoints. I now understand that there are good reasons for some government control over industry.

The one thing I cannot buy into are conspiracy theories, and platforms that aren't based on any logical reality, or a progression of facts. There are a few GOP candidates on my ballot whom I think would be ok, but because of their belief in the 2020 election lie, it tells me they are mentally incapable of governing in a free society. As a result, the past 3 elections I have voted almost exclusively democrat, and the way things are going I doubt I will be voting for any Republican in the foreseeable future.

I have always valued equality, justice, and peace. I definitely have always leaned more left than right, but I don't consider myself Democrat. I consider myself more of a Progressive.

I learned a lot about politics because my family was eaten up with it. The more I learned and put things together the more I thought the system wasn’t that great. I turned 18 on an election year and by then had zero desire to vote from a list of people I couldn’t stand behind. Eventually I stopped paying attention to politics all together. The ever present drama of it was more than I wanted to be involved in. I just try to be self sufficient, community minded and not wasteful. I always consider silence an honest answer.

i was a republican.. kinda ended when dick cheney said torture was ok.. against the geneva convention. and put up black sites around the world .. Guantánamo is one of them
[image deleted]we are supposed to be better than this..

Yes, there are issues I stand by, but the older I've become the more to center I've become

I maintain a train of thought.. i'm mostly right wing but not a trump fan 😒

I think I’ve always had empathy for the weakest members of society. Understood that trickle down economics only works for rich people. And have always been savvy to Demagogues.

I have believed in social and economic liberalism since I was old enough to articulate a political opinion. My fifteen year career in finance has coincided with one of the most turbulent periods of economic history and led me to conclude that a free market is incompatible with a just, humane and stable society. I am now firmly of the opinion that a command economy and benevolent state intervention (by competent and legitimate governments) are necessary to prserve social harmony and persobal freedom.

Ignoring me as a teenager because I just didn't know shit then.

Broadly yes, but my politics have become more defined and meaningful over the years. But once I figured out I was an anarchist I've just been increasingly convinced of it - but getting a better sense of what I'm about.

I was never a Reagan fan as either Governor or President, but one thing he said I agreed with: "I didn't leave my party (Democrats), they left me". I feel my general positions on political issues haven't changed very much but the parties keep flopping and swirling like dead fish, chasing whatever is trending. So I've never really felt affiliated with any particular party and have voted Green, Libertarian, and whatever other flavor candidates were available as well as the two main parties. It is the candidate and what they say they stand for, and then hope and pray that (1) they can get elected on that common sense approach and if so (2) they live up to their word.

Once the kids get older they become conservative

I was more left wing until like 10 years ago, now more right wing, but switched to more left wing on some issues

Ive always felt each citizen should have an equal opportunity to be prosperous in their pursuit of happiness. Ive long felt conservation was key, to reaching that summit, and i dont think anyones non harmful libirties should out way another's. My perspective is im a conservative leaning Libertarian, ive disliked both major parties, but out of blue, or red kool-aid, red.

i read both sides of the American political base and i call BS on both sides.

I haven't switch. My first and Always Independent

I have always been an independant, but more aligned with egalitarian libertarianism. I usually vote for the person who I believe is the best person for the job and who aligns the closest with my ideology. However, I have made some mistakes in the past which I do [b]Not [/b]wish to discuss. LOL

Sort of and sort of not. I was raised in a Conservative/Republican household, still consider myself a Conservative/Republican, but with some more Libertarian views mixed in. I’m trying to be less polarizing per say, as in trying to not let politics be the only thing I think about

Yes, for the most part. Although my views on some things have changed slightly, I've always been liberal-leaning.

Serving in the military took me from liberalism to seeing communism as being viable.

My kids are lefties too.

I consider myself an independent, but more socially progressive but economically conservative.

My beliefs have never really changed much, I just became less vocal about them.

Yep.

The heart of a liberal citizen and the mind of a tyrannical ruler.

My life has been a gradual drift leftward.

yes. My dad was conservative and so am I.

I've never really been political

Yes, I've [i]always[/i] had my your current politics.
I've never cared one bit.

No, I switched

Pretty much.

That's a tricky one to answer. My core ideals have largely been the same for most of thoughtful life. The direction has remained fairly consistent I've just been able to mark off certain dead end or wayward paths to get there if that makes any sense in trying to keep it short and sweet.