tl;dr

Registered republican (it's not what or why you think), Donald Trump is a fool who only cares about Donald Trump. At this point I would vote for Sanders.

long version: (what happens in B&B stays in B&B, right?) (also, this is obviously my opinion, so I will refrain from using the term "in my opinion" in the places where I normally would.)

Yep, I'm a card carrying registered Republican. Not only that, I have been an officer within the local and state Republican party. I am currently a voting member of the local (county level) Central Committee of the Republican Party.

Prior to moving to the community and state (Utah) I call home, I was registered as an Independent (It was Arizona, and as an independent you are able to cast votes in any party primary you choose)

I registered as an Independent when I first moved to Utah, only to discover that I was unable to vote until the general elections. The first year I voted, there were exactly zero (zilch, nada, none) non-republican candidates on the ballot. I was also approached by a few friends who where member of the Republican Party and asked to serve on the parties Central Committee. They were in need of some administrative help and I was intrigued about learning the inner workings of the political process (it's much more boring weirder than you would ever imagine) so I agreed changed my registration and was "elected" by the other members of the Central Committee who bothered to show up to that particular meeting. That was 5 years ago. It's been an interesting experience.

For a lot of reasons, at the next Central Committee meeting, I will be resigning my post (I've debated changing my party affiliation back to Independent, but may keep it as Republican so I can continue to vote in the local Primaries, where the real elections happen)

As I've served the Republican Party (and the members of that party within my state), I've learned a few things that have persuaded me to leave. Among the bigger issues I have is knowing that while on paper and in the respective charters of the Republican and Democratic parties there are key differences in core beliefs, there is virtually no difference when it comes to governing and legislating.

Both parties have their rallying cries and key issues, but the key issues never change. Any republican who thinks a Republican president would do anything about the cutting the funding Planned Parenthood gets is delusional. Just like any democrat who thinks a Democratic president would "stick it to the 1%ers" is delusional as well. Sure, they may be something passed with wording that looks like a big hit happens, but the money will just get moved around enough to throw off "low information voters" and there will be loopholes written in so people taking a hit in one spot will get a break in another.

Another issue I have (and it's one I've had for a long time) is that Republican voters often times think they are supporting "freedom, liberty and a return to Constitutional values".

Well, no, you're not. The republicans are saying "we'll give you freedom, so long as it aligns with our party values". The Democrats do the same thing.

It's hilarious. I live in one of the most republican states in the U.S., Utah. I have met thousands of people in the Republican Party who claim to stand for "liberty". These are people who just want the government out of "our lives". Yet when I bring up our current state liquor laws (3.2% beer, restrictions on advertising, no alcohol sales outside of state run liquor stores, "mixed drinks" poured behind a divider to "protect the children") nearly all of the get up in arms and say, "we're trying to protect children" or "that's a place where the government should be involved".  A majority of residents support the current laws.

So much for the government being out of our lives. They just want the Democrats out of their lives. They have no issue with Republicans bossing them around.

There are some other issues where I find myself at odds with the Party. My wife is a recently naturalized citizen so I have some first hand knowledge of how messed up the immigration system is. It needs to be much simpler and easier to get into this country legally.

As the parent of a child who needed a $50,000+ surgical procedure within months of birth, I have witnessed how badly the medical system is in need of reform. The care provided is excellent, but there is a lot of room for improvement in administration and preventative care. (I'm almost ready to support a single payer system)

As far as current candidates go, I can't believe that Donald Trump is still in the race. He is a fool with no credentials, no plan and no ideas.

Any time he is pressed to give details about his ideas his response is "I'll make it so because I'm Donald Trump". The only thing he has going for him in confidence. 
Mike Huckabee needs to go away, forever.

Ben Carson? His claim to fame is twofold. 1. He's African American. 2.  He's a doctor who thinks the Affordable Care Act is a bad idea.

As far as the others, there are things I like and dislike about most. I don't think any of them would do anything to change the current system or make any decisions that are that much different than what Obama, Bush and Clinton have done before them.

As I listen to them, I don't think any of them care the people as a whole. I don't feel that anyone currently running would put the interest of the American People above the interests of the American Machine, except Sanders.

I don't know how he would do it (the systems is stacked against change), but I truly think he cares about the People.

For the record and before anyone makes assumptions about my position on other "republican issues", here they are.

Abortion - not my body

Gay Marriage - not my life

The "Gay Agenda" - bitch, please.

Common Core - I have more influence on my kids educational experience by virtue of being the kids parents. Get involved in your kids life. Teach them to read and write before they go to school.

God - Nice guy. Keep him in your heart and home. Let school be about math, science, etc.

The Affordable Care Act - well intention, poorly executed. The model has been trending towards single payer for decades. Do or get out of the health care business all together. There has never been a "free market"

Sean Hannity - A bigger moron that Donald Trump, but at least he finally stopped talking about Natalee Holloway for 2 hours a day.

Rush Limbaugh - Not as funny as he was in the 90's, just sounds bitter and angry these days.

Glenn Beck - Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not after you.

Megyn Kelly - Hot.

Hillary Clinton - Not.

NPR/PBS - Every "conservative republican" should listen for an hour a day (kids shows don't count)

Socialism - not the same as communism.

Everything else - Do I have to be there? no? then do whatever you like.

nice race, Jason

Good read, BDubs.

It made me think of the old Michael Moore directed RATM video Testify which argued that Gore and Bush were actually the same person.

I also thought that was an excellent read Birdwell, thanks for sharing your experience!

One of my major issues this election cycle is that whoever ends up in the White House is likely to make Supreme Court appointments. I don't want someone who's going to appoint more conservative justices.

2 issues I hate hearing about are global warming and taxing the rich. Both sides waste too much time talking about GW rather than other issues. Both sides can cite lots of scientists. I like Al Gore but will never watch that boring film.

 

Raising taxes on the rich will never get enough votes no matter how much whining my fellow Dems do on it. I would rather they raise taxes 1% on all or just shut up about it.

Climate change is actually kind of a huge crisis; all the science supports this. While climate change deniers can find scientists to cite who say that it's not a problem, that doesn't mean the data backs them up in any way.

I don't want to "raise taxes on the rich" in a generic sense: I want to see estate tax guidelines tightened, I want to see capital gains taxed the same as earned income, and I want to see the *corporate* tax code revised in a major way.

I also thought that was an excellent read Birdwell, thanks for sharing your experience!

One of my major issues this election cycle is that whoever ends up in the White House is likely to make Supreme Court appointments. I don't want someone who's going to appoint more conservative justices.

 

 

Climate change is actually kind of a huge crisis; all the science supports this. While climate change deniers can find scientists to cite who say that it's not a problem, that doesn't mean the data backs them up in any way.

 

I don't want to "raise taxes on the rich" in a generic sense: I want to see estate tax guidelines tightened, I want to see capital gains taxed the same as earned income, and I want to see the *corporate* tax code revised in a major way.

Great points. I agree with you on GW. I just think it gets debated by pols and talking heads too much. I have yet to hear any of them say they changed their mind on it as they may on other issues.

Interesting perspective from Kareem Abdul-Jabar in yesterday's Washington Post.

 

I was thinking more along the line of the Simpsons, when aliens took over Clinton & Dole in '96.

 

I remember that one.  My first presidential election.