A life-long Republican told me today that for the first time in his life he's going to vote straight Democratic.
I've seen a number of other Republicans or former Republicans say they're going to vote Democratic, too.
They are not necessarily joining the Democrats. They are people without a party, longing for the Republican Party of Ford, Reagan, and Bush, Sr. I see no way the Republican Party wins them back without losing the Trump crowd.
American politics is increasingly a game between two parties commanding the support of smaller numbers of people, but without serious potential for a third party because of the structure of our electoral system and because the disenchanted from the two parties are not alike.
I'm increasingly less certain that there will be a realignment, but perhaps just a radical dealignment that leaves us with increasingly unstable politics as people flock to charismatic leaders, one of whom may ultimately dissolve Congress, jail opposition leaders, and run sham elections, to the joy of his followers.
What really frustrates me is that people vote against someone rather than for them. Many voted for Trump to prevent Clinton from becoming president. Many will now vote for the Democrats to try and get Trump out with very little thought for what they are voting for.
If you don't like any of the candidates don't vote.
P.S. I like the thumbnail. It makes a strong visual point regarding the insanity of just bouncing between parties.
I say abolish parties altogether. Let's just vote for what we believe in.
Are you serious about people longing for Gerald Ford. I thought he was friends with Nixon and that evil fuck Henry Kis'ass'inger. Eurghh should I say more.
We need this guy.
He is the people's champion. He has the people's eyebrow. He drops the people's elbow. He would be the people's president. He doesn't need a party. He is the party. He can the lay the Smackdown on Trump on any day.
Maybe we should just abolish elections altogether. Get all the candidates together and let them fight it out Hunger Games style. If that sounds too cruel, we could have a Royal Rumble.
I haven't heard of ANY republicans leaving for the Democratic Party. However, I've heard of dozens of people, irate with the radicalization of the Democratic Party-one that prefers to censor free speech rather than advocate for it these days-leave it for the GOP. Those I've talked to have said, they just can't stomach watching the violence of the left any longer.