Democrats

  • Read Literary Fiction
  • Eat Sushi
  • Watch Netflix
  • Prefers weekends away to weeklong vacations
  • Own Cats
  • Ride Bikes
  • Like Roses
  • Listen to Jazz
  • Are Night Owls

Republicans

  • Read Science Fiction
  • Eat Salmon
  • Watch HBO MAX
  • Prefer weeklong vacations to weekends away
  • Own Dogs
  • Ride Scooters
  • Like Tulips
  • Listen to Classical
  • Are Early Birds

All members of the Democratic Party adhere to all these things, and all members of the Republican Party adhere to everything on their list. Right? I mean, we all know that if you belong to one of these parties, you are exactly like every other member of your party. You believe the exact same things. You stand for the exact same things.

Right?

Wait?

What’s that?

You’re a Democrat who owns a dog? And you listen to classical music? You hate literary fiction? You hate going away for the weekend?

But…

How can that be?

You identified as a Democrat?

I mean if you are a true Democrat, you must agree with everything that “they stand for”…

Can you imagine a Republican that’s a night owl or rides a bike? I mean, that’s just crazy talk….

Blasphemy…

Once you assign yourself to a party you are locked in to every single thing they stand for. You must vote for the candidate that they put on the ballot…

You are no longer allowed to think individually as per issue or person…

Group dynamics baby…

I’m sorry…what did you just say?

You say that we are all allowed to have whatever interests that we want? That we are allowed to choose the issues that we believe in? It doesn’t matter what party we belong to?

hmmmmm

Nahhhh…

That can’t be…

Democrats are one way. Republicans are another. That’s just how it is.

Right?

Or Left?

77 thoughts on “The List”

  4. I hate all the rules and all of the bullshit. I dont know why some people follow it to a t. I voted Republican but I dont fit it to their rules nor do I call myself a Republican. I just vote for the lesser of the two evils.

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  6. It’s similar in Canada.

    Once a far left leftie 🙄 accused all those who have a 🇨🇦 flag next to their twitter handle “must be conservatives”. And it was meant as an accusation. I mean, the presumpuousness of some people…

    Or “all conservatives don’t accept/approve/tolerate homosexuality” (or whatever, take your pick) etc.

    I wish, really really wish there was a party at all levels that represented the center. Lean a little this way, or that, but mostly just hovers around the center.

    Why isn’t there?

    “You’re either with us, or you’re against us” mentality can suck it.

    Liked by 4 people

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      1. Because there are no other choices. How many hardcore Republicans voted Democrat just to get rid of Trump?

        Canada has more parties at the federal level than the US but I can’t imagine voting for any of them at this point. The two main ones, left and right, don’t even come close to my political views.

        It’s a problem.

        Liked by 1 person

  9. For a long time now I’ve simply labeled myself as an independent. I find it typically will stall anyone from attempting to start political conversations; keep an air of mystery about my beliefs unless I want to share; and actually help me to remember to look to more than just one viewpoint.

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  13. So, I guess, “let us reason together”… will find no purchase here. Is it politics we hate, or the current state of the political play? Is it theater in the ground round that’s just got you down, or is the narrative structure just to hot to handle and burning down the stage? I feels your outrage.

    The center can no longer hold, in fact it’s imploding, and we’re left with floating from pole to pole pleading for a totem or token or some such semblance of truth.

    But you can’t hate politics. If you do you will eventually hate pluralism. And then you can forget about even, this side or that side. You’ll be left to find a way to live with one side fits all.

    Personally, I’m tempted to favor a democratic lottocracy. Yep, like our jury system. Folks randomly pick to find the facts and remedy without fear or favor.
    And who take an oath to kinda… ”Reason Together.”

    Just don’t give up…learn more about politics. Interesting post and responses, LA.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. This has become a witch hunt. It’s no longer even close to politics. It’s they don’t agree with me so they are bad. Or because they think A, then they must think B. This is only dividing us further. I’d prefer not thinking if my neighbor as my enemy. I watched a really stupid movie over the weekend. It did say something interesting though. The secretary of defense is trying to start a war because he thinks we all need an enemy, and the enemy shouldn’t be each other

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      1. That Sec Def in that “really stupid movie,” LA, just expressed a long touted understanding of how many view the governing motivation of managing a republic as varied and populous as ours. The Post World War II Great Consensus came apart after the fall of the USSR, and many worried then, we’d end up eating our own.

        And a lot of political grifting since has been about setting that table. and putting “the other” on the menu. And a steady staple of the American political diet has always been how best to reheat “a witch hunt.” It’s been a solid hack-attack wayback and prior to even Plymouth Rock.

        And the difference between your neighbor in Brooklyn, and your compatriot in Bismarck, North Dakota is, face it, the distance between a city/state republic and a damn continental divide. And running a government that large, that complexed, and that ripe for the picking is prove positive why we the people should embrace a politics of inclusion and participation by all.

        I’m sorry. I think politics noble. But I am aware that many who practice politics are crass. And that goes for those left, center, right, and straight up crazy.

        I’m a cynic. But I believe, the American people can beat the historical odds and find a way to live together successfully in a vast and diverse democratic republic. Peace.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I think we can work together, if we weren’t so quick to blindly follow someone. We are
        Ike the unpopular kid at school who just joins a group to feel like they belong, and then every other group is bad because they didn’t let you in. Politics is all spin….but yeah…movie based. That statement though made me feel like I hadn’t wasted my time watching it.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. EXACTLY! I was just having this conversation with my husband, while watching John Oliver. It seems quite blatant that the producers believe anyone who isn’t vaccinated belongs in X group, and Fox News seems to believe anyone who is vaccinated belongs in Y group. We really need to get it together in this country.

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. Ironically, there really is no opposing political parties. The idea of democrat and republican is lip service. We have a uniparty here. Do people really think they are not working together to benefit a group which includes all of them and not us? Blind obedience to the tribe is exactly what they need in order to keep us blind and compliant.

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      1. It’s quite incredible how easily and quickly so many people fell in line. Remember, they can’t “make” any of us do anything. All this nonsense that is happening in our country…it’s all on us. I fall into the habit of blaming politicians, but that is lazy. We allowed this to happen. And many of us cheering with thunderous applause along the way.

        Liked by 1 person

  16. Love the dripping sarcasm! I am a registered Independent even though I agree that we need the two different parties I sometimes think it might be healthier to have no registered parties and have everyone vote their conscience! The wholesale confusion that would occur.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I’ve actually considered the following: a list of issues which we choose where we stand and then get assigned a candidate based on what we choose and we actually don’t know who we are voting for. Or, the winner of the popular vote is president, and the runner up is the veep. The cabinet choices are 60% of prez choices and 40% of veeps.

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. You are one of those people that actually does listen to others, and doesn’t judge, so you are 100% ok in my book no matter what you like!

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  23. or neither…Yet as an unaffiliated voter, I tend to get a lot of election junk mail leaning towards Republicans. I find that funny. As unaffiliated I don’t really care about any party, yet Republicans are the only party that seem to make an effort to sway my vote their way.

    Liked by 1 person

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  28. A very clever and very timely topic LA! I’ve decided now that instead of being an advice columnist that you should have your own talk show….or at least be a guest host on The View.

    Liked by 2 people

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  29. Sadly because Covid I can’t Travel anymore for my blog that I just started. Feels really sad that I have to wait before planning a new travel journey 😦

    Like

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