Should I become a Rockefeller Republican?

[TheManWithAUsername]

I had this thought after the 04 election, and it recurs periodically.

As a rough label, I'm a socialist - a real one. Failing that, I'd be happy with a Scandinavian system. Personally, though, my wife and I are economically well above the national average.

Looking at the 04 election, and worse the development of the Tea Party, I have the question: Why continue to support programs for those less fortunate when they're too foolish to support them as well? Sure, I can - and do - say that many of these people are manipulated by powerful and cynical interests, but ultimately there's SOME personal responsibility. So why should I argue with some dipshit TPer in support of a policy that will hurt me personally?

I say "Rockefeller Republican" b/c if we went the full libertarian route, it would come back to hurt my family - environment degradation, unsafe food and drugs, crime and disorder, economic impact of poor public education, etc.. But regarding, say, healthcare, why should I keep opposing poor and middle-class people who want the government entirely out of it? They would suffer, while my family would be marginally better off with the lower taxes.

It sucks that the most foolish portion of the poorer people would be ruining it for the rest, but the lower economic classes have had plenty of chances to support their interests. And its not like there's some broad support among poorer people for things that would really help them. Instead, we have poorer people who support lunatics and poorer people who support those who "compromise" with lunatics, so I'm disagreeing with just about everyone.

Add the religiosity to that. The poor and religious are more than willing to screw agnostics like me when it comes to social issues, so it's hard not to lump together poor white evangelicals supporting Perry with poor black baptists supporting Obama and poor Latino Catholics supporting Obama.

Take a poor rural white guy, a poor urban black guy, and me. The first is voting for Perry, who talks a lot about Jesus but who is bad for him b/c he actively opposes most of their interests. The second is voting for Obama, who is black and a Democrat but who is bad for him b/c he only cares about...I don't know what, but it sure isn't the poor. And the upper-middle-class white guy who has health insurance, lives in a crime-free area, can afford private schools, and shops at Whole Foods is derided as crazy as he writes in Bernie Sanders or Al Sharpton.

These are my thoughts in darker times. Any other leftists struggle with this?

[jsteele]

You can become whatever you want, but your presidential choices remain the same. What difference does it make if you are writing in Bernie Sanders or Bill Bradley?

Where people of your ilk, which also happens to be my ilk, can make a difference is in Congress and at the state level. I have the honor of living in the District and can keep my hands full working to improve government at the local level. At the Congressional level, my options are pretty limited. But, if you want a more progressive President, elect a more progressive Congress. The path to a more progressive Congress may well lead from more progressive state legislatures. And, of course to get more progressive state legislatures, work to elect progressive city council and school board members.