Do you find that most of your social circle is from the same political party?

[Anonymous]

I think I'm 65/35 or maybe even 70/30 Democrat/Liberal. I have a solid contingent (in my mind) of extremely conservative friends and family though. And a couple Libertarians thrown in there.

[Anonymous]

My social circle and family is split with supporters of both parties. We all respect each other's views and get along just fine.

This is us - actually, I'm a conservative republican and most of my social circle is dems, so I'm actually the odd one out. I think it really comes down to how extreme you are (and how extreme your friends are). While I'm a rep, I have moderate social views and want to stay out of people's bedrooms, morals, etc. So, I'm not a big anti-gay marriage or a big pro-lifer. I think while I tend to be on the conservative side of these issues, I'm still within a normal range - as are my friends.

So, it is interesting how the majorityof the people we hang with are dems, yet we are staunchly republican. The bottom line is that we all respect each other's views, like pp said.

[Anonymous]

Majority yes, but not all. I am perfectly able to converse with my rational, intelligent friends from the other side. I ignore the wingnuts during election season and try to focus on the positives about them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking at my FB, it's fairly even. BUT -- and I think this is a big but -- my current friends and people I wold consider my "social circle" are all of the same political bent. I think that means that as I have gotten older, I have gravitated towards people who share my values. My "friends" on FB on the other side overwhelmingly fall into two categories: 1) family; 2) high school or college classmates that I either no longer or never considered actual real-life friends.

An interesting question.

I do wonder, is this bad? I don't want to live in a bubble, but on some issues, I really feel that one's stance does reflect one's values, and naturally I have chosen friends who share my values.

Exactly! And ditto for FB.

[Anonymous]

Ours is reasonably balanced, although more D leaning because we live in Bethesda so it's almost inevitable. We are an R and D household but both tend towards the middle. It never seems to be an issue in social situations.

I will say I am finding FB highly annoying right now. While I am a D, I really hate people who say things like "don't need to move to Canada now". Maybe because I have friends with a broader set of beleifs I don't assume that everyone will share the "joy", which comes off as gloating. I look forward to an end to the political posts - which better be today.

[Anonymous]

Didn't you get the memo? Card carrying dems aren't allowed to associate with anyone who might think differently. Just look at all the threads on here that discuss how they refuse to live anywhere that reps might live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't you get the memo? Card carrying dems aren't allowed to associate with anyone who might think differently. Just look at all the threads on here that discuss how they refuse to live anywhere that reps might live.

Hmm. I'm 9:57 and I'm a "card-carrying Democrat." I didn't get the memo, no.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Definitely. Starting with my husband.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Although most of my close friends are on the liberal end of the spectrum, sure, a lot of childhood and college friends, as well as family members, are not. As Thomas Jefferson said, "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend."

This is me too, though married to an R. Some of it is a function of personal preference I'm sure, but it is also highly driven by external factors - I live in the District and am an atheist/agnostic working in the area of environmental science, so the potential pool for my social circle is heavily weighted toward the liberal end of the spectrum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Definitely. Starting with my husband.

+1. I could never be married to someone with different political values.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I both consider ourselves independents. Our family in Texas thinks that we are super-liberal since we listen to NPR and think that Fox News/ Limbaugh conservatism is ridiculous. The other parents at our school are very upfront about supporting Obama, and I certainly would not share with them that ultimately we voted for Romney. In the senate race, however, I voted for a democrat. I think that it is natural to want to have friends who share your world view. If I could, I would love to be friends with a bunch of moderates! They seem to be hard to come by though. Our school and work friends are very liberal and our neighborhood friends are very conservative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. 95% of my friends are liberal. Not rabidly, but liberal. I have acquaintances who are conservative and a few family members who are evangelical, but have a very difficult time reconciling our social beliefs.

This quote from a recent Atlantic article really resonates with me: " I used to know Republicans socially. My parents and aunts and uncles all did. I don't anymore. Democrats and Republicans are beginning to dress differently, to wear their hair differently. Limbaugh really thinks that Sandra Fluke is a slut. You simply can't have both of them to dinner."

Article: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/11/what-if-the-gop-loses-atlas-shrugged-vs-the-fire-next-time/264556/

PP, I hear you, but honestly think this is really sad. I have been so depressed reading my Facebook entries today. People are getting so vitriolic on both sides and it depresses me that we simply can't seem anymore to try to be reasonable and at least listen to other people's points of view. People have different stories, different life circumstances, different ways of looking at things and yet more and more, we all hang out with the same kinds of people, listen to media that agree with us, etc. No wonder the anger level in the country.

And guess what. I'm a Republican. I think we'd have a great time having dinner together. You know, really talking about the issues and why we think like we do. I wish we could all do more of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. 95% of my friends are liberal. Not rabidly, but liberal. I have acquaintances who are conservative and a few family members who are evangelical, but have a very difficult time reconciling our social beliefs.

This quote from a recent Atlantic article really resonates with me: " I used to know Republicans socially. My parents and aunts and uncles all did. I don't anymore. Democrats and Republicans are beginning to dress differently, to wear their hair differently. Limbaugh really thinks that Sandra Fluke is a slut. You simply can't have both of them to dinner."

Article: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/11/what-if-the-gop-loses-atlas-shrugged-vs-the-fire-next-time/264556/

PP, I hear you, but honestly think this is really sad. I have been so depressed reading my Facebook entries today. People are getting so vitriolic on both sides and it depresses me that we simply can't seem anymore to try to be reasonable and at least listen to other people's points of view. People have different stories, different life circumstances, different ways of looking at things and yet more and more, we all hang out with the same kinds of people, listen to media that agree with us, etc. No wonder the anger level in the country.

And guess what. I'm a Republican. I think we'd have a great time having dinner together. You know, really talking about the issues and why we think like we do. I wish we could all do more of this.

I don't think so. And, for the record, I know why you think the way you do, no need to explain.

[Anonymous]

Don't have a single Republican friend. All of my Republican co-workers are assholes. I don't think it's a coincidence. Did I mention that they're also pretty sexist and their racial attitudes are rather unenlightened?

[Anonymous]

There was just a great NPR segment on this- red state blur state if you want to listen.