How or Why did you become a Republican?

[Balta1701]

You should also get a lot of that back.

I counted my refund in the numbers I quoted you. I pay about 12% if you count the payroll tax, and 17% if you count the fact that my employer is also chipping in a large chunk of payroll tax funds that I never see. If you count that hidden 2nd half, the payroll tax is by far the largest portion of the tax I pay. My income tax rate is ~5-6^, but that's no where near relevant to the total amount I'm paying to the federal government.

 

In this country, the middle class pays the payroll tax, the upper incomes pay the income tax (to first order).

 

So, if you can do things like cut social security benefits or raise social security taxes, and those wind up generating a budget surplus, which you use to cut income taxes, you've effectively conducted a long term transfer of money from the middle class to the upper class. This is effectively what happened with the Social Security reform in the 1980's, which generated a large surplus of social security tax receipts, which was then treated as a full government surplus and used to fund upper income tax cuts.

[Reddy]

Haha what's the one thing this thread seems to be lacking ATM?

 

any sign of a republican.

 

hilarious.

[southsider2k5]

Haha what's the one thing this thread seems to be lacking ATM?

 

any sign of a republican.

 

hilarious.

 

With the ignorance being displayed here, I know I am not wasting my time.

[StrangeSox]

ss2k5 is so much smarter than the rest of us

 

eta: unless you meant kap's claim, then I take that back.

Edited December 12, 2012 by StrangeSox

[southsider2k5]

ss2k5 is so much smarter than the rest of us

 

For avoiding the inevitable 50 page go around over nothing in filibuster that Reddy has been trying to goad people into? Sure, if that's what you want to call it.

[Reddy]

For avoiding the inevitable 50 page go around over nothing in filibuster that Reddy has been trying to goad people into? Sure, if that's what you want to call it.

i honestly just want to know why people decide to be Republicans. I'm curious. But for some reason y'all are scared to come out with it.

[southsider2k5]

i honestly just want to know why people decide to be Republicans. I'm curious. But for some reason y'all are scared to come out with it.

 

First of all, this has been done before in the filibuster. Second, at least be honest. I read your posts in this thread. Not a single one screamed "intellectual curiosity", including this one.

[Y2HH]

First of all, this has been done before in the filibuster. Second, at least be honest. I read your posts in this thread. Not a single one screamed "intellectual curiosity", including this one.

 

...this is a fair point.

 

Reddy is trolling in this thread, and it's pretty clear. Obviously people have reasons for being republicans, since republicans exist. I simply disagree with them these days, but I also disagree with the democrats, too.

[Jenksismyhero]

I'm a Republican generally but differ a lot from the current party, which has gotten to be a little too extreme socially for my tastes.

 

That said, I have zero interest in starting the circle jerk that would inevitably ensue from participating in this thread.

[vandy125]

I'm a Republican generally but differ a lot from the current party, which has gotten to be a little too extreme socially for my tastes.

 

That said, I have zero interest in starting the circle jerk that would inevitably ensue from participating in this thread.

 

^^^ I echo this as well. Great to see how the thread started off with an immediate attack... Showed exactly which direction it would go.

 

Usually I enjoy a lot of your posts Y2HH since they are generally thought out, but that was ridiculous. There is no way that you can get any type of creative conversation with that type of an attitude.

[Y2HH]

^^^ I echo this as well. Great to see how the thread started off with an immediate attack... Showed exactly which direction it would go.

 

Usually I enjoy a lot of your posts Y2HH since they are generally thought out, but that was ridiculous. There is no way that you can get any type of creative conversation with that type of an attitude.

 

What I said may be a bit unfair when it comes to the religious aspect of what I said, but it appears to me that the majority of the republican party has been hijacked to an extreme position...a position that's purely political. I do not buy their sudden drive for accountability on spending after a decade of them blowing through borrowed money AFTER lowering taxes.

 

Democrats: Tax, borrow and spend.

Republicans: Borrow and spend.

 

I like neither option.

[Reddy]

ok so maybe this thread has zero potential, but all trolling aside, i really AM CURIOUS about what drives someone to identify with republicans if it ISN'T religion-based. otherwise, unless you're rich, it seems to me like it's a vote against your self-interest.

[mr_genius]

I counted my refund in the numbers I quoted you. I pay about 12%

 

well well well

 

looks like someone isn't paying their fair share.

[Texsox]

I'm disappointed this thread never took off. I could easily be a REP if they went back to truly trying to balance the budget.

 

The trouble I see is the difference between the GOP in media (Rush and the rest) and conservatives I know. Socially most (but not all) reject the party platform concerning women's rights and gay rights, yet the party leadership clings to it. The Tea Party types also drive me away. If SS2K5 ran the party, I'd be more comfortable. But from the leadership whose base is extreme religion or the Tea Party, it seems really racists, bigoted, and hateful.

 

At the same time the DEM leadership that rejects religion irritates me as well.

 

 

[Reddy]

I'm disappointed this thread never took off. I could easily be a REP if they went back to truly trying to balance the budget.

 

The trouble I see is the difference between the GOP in media (Rush and the rest) and conservatives I know. Socially most (but not all) reject the party platform concerning women's rights and gay rights, yet the party leadership clings to it. The Tea Party types also drive me away. If SS2K5 ran the party, I'd be more comfortable. But from the leadership whose base is extreme religion or the Tea Party, it seems really racists, bigoted, and hateful.

 

At the same time the DEM leadership that rejects religion irritates me as well.

What dems in the leadership reject religion??

[LittleHurt05]

ok so maybe this thread has zero potential, but all trolling aside, i really AM CURIOUS about what drives someone to identify with republicans if it ISN'T religion-based. otherwise, unless you're rich, it seems to me like it's a vote against your self-interest.

 

For reference, what does my income level have to be to be considered rich enough to be Republican for non-religious reasons?

[witesoxfan]

ok so maybe this thread has zero potential, but all trolling aside, i really AM CURIOUS about what drives someone to identify with republicans if it ISN'T religion-based. otherwise, unless you're rich, it seems to me like it's a vote against your self-interest.

 

With the amount of taxation, spending, and lack of job creation that I see going on, I believe that Republican fiscal ideology will positively stimulate the economy by breeding competition and innovation and thus private job creation, which will then decrease unemployment and help tp more quickly stabilize an economy that is failing. Thus, even as an atheist making $30k a year, I believe in the Republican way because I believe it will provide more opportunities for me in the long run.

 

I'm more Libertarian than I am Republican, but it's conservative and, push come to shove, I align myself moreso with R's than D's (and perhaps the title of the thread should not be "why did you become a Republican?" but instead the more general "why did you become a conservative?" because there is plenty to disagree with from the Republican and the Democrat party).