Revelation!...If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

[nehalemguy]

After being registered as a Republican for 30 years, I'm finally going to come out of the closet........and register Democrat.

Not because I woke up this morning on the Left side of the bed, or had someone substitute a latte for my normally black coffee, but because I'm tired of having my vote mean nothing in Oregon.

My track record for voting in Oregon is 0-22....maybe worse. It is quite clear to me that only under the rarest of circumstances will anyone with a "R" be elected in this state to higher office.

So, with that in mind, I have decided to register as a Democrat.......and then vote against every anti-gun, anti-business, anti-family Democrat that I can find in the primary elections.

I will instead vote for any Democrat (i.e. Betsy Johnson) that is willing to support my rights, or failing that, any candidate that is not an incumbent.

Once the general election arrives, party affiliation means nothing, and I will be once again free to vote for whomever I choose.

Go big "D"!

E

Read More

 

[Stomper]

Based on that, I bet you're glad that Oregon's population isn't 90% practicing jihadi mooslims!

 

[freestoneangler]

An interesting approach. But I'm curious why one needs to register D to vote for whatever candidates make the ballot? If it's so bad in OR now that only D's are listed, can't you still vote for those least offending; candidates more likely to support some key issues important to you?

 

[Goosebrown]

I know it was you Nehalemguy. It broke my heart. You are dead to me now.

 

[Jamie6.5]

It's a sad state of affairs, but I understand where the OP is coming from. Conservatives may not be able to win in a state as blue as this one, but the OP understands the value of sabotaging the "bluest of the blue," and that does have merit with our closed primary system.
It at least has a chance of succeeding where other strategies have failed, by forcing the dems to nominate more moderate candidates, if the anti-gun socialists continually get defeated in the primary.

Better yet, if the worst of them insist on running as a "green party," or "progressive party" candidate in the general election, they may even split the progressive/liberal/dem vote.

 

[Goosebrown]

It's a sad state of affairs, but I understand where the OP is coming from. Conservatives may not be able to win in a state as blue as this one, but the OP understands the value of sabotaging the "bluest of the blue," and that does have merit with our closed primary system.
It at least has a chance of succeeding where other strategies have failed, by forcing the dems to nominate more moderate candidates, if the anti-gun socialists continually get defeated in the primary.

Better yet, if the worst of them insist on running as a "green party," or "progressive party" candidate in the general election, they may even split the progressive/liberal/dem vote.

Actually that is true considering how few democrats vote overall. A conservative wing that showed up would maybe swing them to less toxic candidates.

 

[Medic!]

Why not register as an Independent?

I did. I'm a terrible Republican.
And an even worse Democrat!

 

[PiratePast40]

Why not register as an Independent?

I did. I'm a terrible Republican.
And an even worse Democrat!

Because you can only vote in your own party primaries.

 

[Stomper]

Why not register as an Independent?

I did. I'm a terrible Republican.
And an even worse Democrat!

Same thing I did.... See? You ARE a smart man, afterall!

 

[Jamie6.5]

Why not register as an Independent?

I did. I'm a terrible Republican.
And an even worse Democrat!

If you want to register as a voter that genuinely reflects your politics, I think that's where most of us would end up. Unfortunately, we end up with the scraps in the primary. Not that there aren't decent politicians that often reflect our beliefs, but in Oregon, they aren't going anywhere unless they are considerably left of center. And then they typically get adopted by the dems.
The money is too strong an influence to resist.

What the OP is advocating, is voting for dems with a less-than-socialist bent.
Look, Dems in this state will ONLY vote for the dem in the general election. So a strategy of electing dems less progressive or socialist in the primary, may be the only way to restore this state to sanity.

It's like Kitzhaber. He was actually pretty friendly towards gun owners, for a dem, but he was a dem. In hindsight, looking at what we have in the governor's mansion now, it was a mistake to want him removed. But many if not most republicans wanted him removed, because they couldn't resist the allure of a dem scandal.
Personally. I think the progressive puppeteers knew exactly what they were doing when they went after Kitz. Kitz didn't want another term and he said so explicitly.
But they were afraid there was no way Kate Brown could win, even in the general. She was too far out on the fringe. But they wanted her in the office.
So they engineered that fiasco, and the voters fell for it.
When the two of the three most liberal papers in Oregon, in the largest market in Oregon, turn on a democrat governor and want his removal, you gotta look behind the curtain.
We've been had, big time.
The only way to force the issue in this state is in the primary, which is why the dems will keep fighting open primaries.
What the OP is doing, is advocating a way to beat them at their own game.

 

[NWGlockgal]

I was a Democrat for 44 years, and the last 10 years I did exactly what you are saying. I would vote for the most "conservative" Democrat I could and many times I ended up voting Republican after the primaries. I would argue with liberals, who would accuse me of being a Republican. It was great to watch their faces when I told them I was a Democrat.

However, as the Democratic party kept getting farther and farther to the left, I started having second thoughts. Inertia basically kept me from re-registering. Then along came SB941 which changed the entire ball game. I no longer wanted my name associated with Democrats, so I re-registered Republican. However, after watching what is going on in Washington DC I'm very disappointed in them. But, the lesser of two evils.....

 

[Jamie6.5]

I was a Democrat for 44 years, and the last 10 years I did exactly what you are saying. I would vote for the most "conservative" Democrat I could and many times I ended up voting Republican after the primaries. I would argue with liberals, who would accuse me of being a Republican. It was great to watch their faces when I told them I was a Democrat.

However, as the Democratic party kept getting farther and farther to the left, I started having second thoughts. Inertia basically kept me from re-registering. Then along came SB941 which changed the entire ball game. I no longer wanted my name associated with Democrats, so I re-registered Republican. However, after watching what is going on in Washington DC I'm very disappointed in them. But, the lesser of two evils.....

But as a dem, in Oregon anyway, your opinion carried more weight with dem office holders. They have to fear other dems.
They don't have to fear republicans. Not as long as they have the PDX metro and Lane county on their side. The only competitor they have to fear is the less offensive democrat.
Without that threat, they know they can move as far to the left as they want.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

After being registered as a Republican for 30 years, I'm finally going to come out of the closet........and register Democrat.

Not because I woke up this morning on the Left side of the bed, or had someone substitute a latte for my normally black coffee, but because I'm tired of having my vote mean nothing in Oregon.

My track record for voting in Oregon is 0-22....maybe worse. It is quite clear to me that only under the rarest of circumstances will anyone with a "R" be elected in this state to higher office.

So, with that in mind, I have decided to register as a Democrat.......and then vote against every anti-gun, anti-business, anti-family Democrat that I can find in the primary elections.

I will instead vote for any Democrat (i.e. Betsy Johnson) that is willing to support my rights, or failing that, any candidate that is not an incumbent.

Once the general election arrives, party affiliation means nothing, and I will be once again free to vote for whomever I choose.

Go big "D"!

E

I have been thinking about doing that exact thing. I am registered as not affiliated with any party so I do not get to vote in primary elections so this way I can at least throw a vote against the leading Democrat, Betsy excluded.

 

[defending fathers 1787]

It is a common practice in dominant one party states to vote in the other primary. Politics is about pluralities.
A recent example the other way is Sen. Thad Cochran of MS. He would have lost his primary in 2014 if Democrats had not crossed over to vote for the less conservative candidate.

 

[slimmer13]

I realize this is a state level discussion, but seeing how Paul Ryan, CMR and other RINOs kept up the Boehner status quo yesterday of bending over for the Dems on the budget deal, I firmly believe the Libertarian party gaining a real viable seat at the table is the only hope for this country.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Have you in Oregon noticed that since the GOV made mail n ballots mandatory that fewer R's have been elected?

 

[NWGlockgal]

But as a dem, in Oregon anyway, your opinion carried more weight with dem office holders. They have to fear other dems.
They don't have to fear republicans. Not as long as they have the PDX metro and Lane county on their side. The only competitor they have to fear is the less offensive democrat.
Without that threat, they know they can move as far to the left as they want.

I don't think so. Most Democrats I have met-with exceptions of course-are not hard core lefties.
They have always voted Democratic and usually do so because that's they way it's always been.
Many actually agree with some of my stances. But they will forever vote Democrat...kind of as a reflex. I know, because I used to be the same way. If the person had a "D" in front of their name, I voted for them. Without really researching what the person stood for or what type actions they had taken so far.

I think the hard core leftists are running the Democratic show now. And I don't think they probably really worry about what Joe Average Democrat does or thinks, because they know he
will vote Democratic, no matter what.

I think getting more people to register Republican, and getting them out to vote, will be far more effective in the long run than simply changing sides.....that is if there is any hope for this state at all.

 

[nehalemguy]

Had coffee with a liberal friend (Bernie supporter) of mine this morning and announced to him that I was going "D".

After he quit spitting coffee, he says with astonisment "Really!?" I then explained why. I also told him that I had convinced two others in my circle of friends to do the same.

"I don't know that it will have the impact you think" he says.

"I'm voting for Bernie" I reply.

His attitude changed after that.

E

 

[etrain16]

Have you in Oregon noticed that since the GOV made mail n ballots mandatory that fewer R's have been elected?

All the more reason for those of us in Oregon to get Dennis Richardson elected as Secretary of State in 2016. Between the elections and the "failed" recalls, we need to be sure we can get a set of eyes in that position that doesn't continually fall in line with the current ruling party.

 

[Koda]

Have you in Oregon noticed that since the GOV made mail n ballots mandatory that fewer R's have been elected?

thats because the too lazy to get off their arse and go to an actual voting booth also want free handouts, a nanny [state] and a living wage.