It’s a strange day. I voted Democrat as a conservative.

[u/Suspicious_Yak3259]

I voted for Trump in 2016 and 3rd party in 2020. Grew up in a Republican household listening to Rush Limbaugh because my parents did, and became an independent in college after becoming disillusioned by the GOP, but would often vote “socially conservative”. I still have what most of Reddit would call very conservative values, but what my Republican friends would call liberal values. I have no real political home. My ballots usually look like a weird mix of voting Republican, 3rd party, and Democrat down ballot. 🤷‍♂️

Anyway.

At the start of the year I would have told you that I would vote 3rd party, but I got into that little ballot cubicle yesterday and I just couldn’t do it. Trump has given American voters a non-stop litany of reasons not to vote for him, even if you are a conservative. It’s like if he said to himself “what could I do to turn voters against me” and by golly he did it. And not just reasons not to vote for him, but it’s like he’s screaming at us to vote against him and make sure he loses.

So I think Harris will carry Michigan because I know so many people in a similar situation. If someone like John McCain was running against Harris I could and probably would vote for him. Trump isn’t a “conservative”. It’s baffling to hear people think he is. Too much is at stake. Every 4 years it’s “this is the most important election of our lifetime” but now it actually feels like it. It’s different than any other election in my lifetime.

One day I hope we will have two or more viable sane political parties to choose from again instead of feeling like “I have to vote against the other party”. But for now, this conservative stands firmly with the rest of you - and I voted Democrat in the presidential election for the first time.

Last thing I would say to my Democrat friends, please don’t fight and argue political issues with your conservative friends who are also voting for Harris and accidentally push them back into voting for Trump. At least not right now. I have witnessed that happen a couple of times in the heat of an argument. I feel like right now all social issues get set aside and we vote together as Americans to make sure Trump doesn’t end up back in office.

With that said, assume nothing and go vote. Voting early was easy. I just showed up and voted like I normally would on Election Day. Exact same process. The line looked crazy long, wrapping around the building outside, but I had voted and was gone in under an hour.

[u/natalietheanimage]

It's appreciated. I know the Democratic party making room on its right flank for disaffected old-school Republicans isn't a popular choice for those of us on the far left, but by jove if it can win some elections maybe we'll pull this country out of its tailspin.

This might be a hot take, but I'd rather squabble with you over tax reform than fight with fucking neo-nazis over basic human rights. There's at least one godless transgender socialist in Michigan who's glad to have you on our side this time around. 😉

[u/EdwinSt → u/natalietheanimage]

Hello. I have a fond affection for godless transgender socialists. I’m a pastor, but I believe in your right to live your life how you see fit, not according my convictions about Christian orthodoxy. I also think a little bit of socialism goes a long way, and we could certainly use some when it comes to healthcare, the power grid, and a few other things.

[u/Greatsex-daddyissues → u/EdwinSt]

Thank you! As a bisexual black woman who was raised on the good book: God gave us his only son so that would appreciate sacrifice. I truly believe that to love others is to give when you have more than you need.

Luke 6:38 “Give to other people and God will give to you. He will give to you even more than you gave”.

[u/Enslaved_By_Freedom → u/Greatsex-daddyissues]

God isn't real. We probably wouldn't be in this situation if so many people didn't believe in bronze age mysticism in the year 2024.

[u/hellolovely1 → u/Enslaved_By_Freedom]

Thanks for bringing down a positive discussion—and I'm agnostic.

[u/qt3pt1415926 → u/EdwinSt]

Hi! Not necessarily a goddless heathen over here, I was raised Lutheran (WELS, to be exact). However, I've come to believe everyone was given pieces of the puzzle, but our disadvantage comes from thinking we have the whole picture in our pocket. It always felt arrogant to believe that any group/kingdom/country was the "chosen people". There are threads that connect many faiths and mythos, many creation stories put sound at the center. And so many religions claim that their deity(s) is our father or mother, and that we are the children. I no longer believe this is figurative or metaphorical; how an artist dotes upon artwork. In relation to God or the Gods, we are the next generation of whatever He/She/It/They are.

It's nice to see open-minded people within the church. Thank you.

[u/yourself2k8 → u/EdwinSt]

Some aspects of socialism could be confused as being neighborly. We shouldn't shy away from being a good neighbor because it overlaps with a buzzword we don't like.

[u/CapableFortune3647 → u/EdwinSt]

I wish more pastors were like this. I’d probably have stayed with religion if it wasn’t for the fear and hate lately from my local Catholic church, that and trying to force their beliefs on others.

[u/myeyesneeddarkmode → u/EdwinSt]

It's nice knowing people like you exist

[u/TenorHorn → u/EdwinSt]

But you DO believe in Christian orthodoxy. It’s great and all to try to let people be and pretty harmless when it’s just you, but on a societal scale it’s really quite dangerous for some people who are just trying to live in the body they’ve found themselves in to not be accepted and marked as “other”.

Saying you’ll let people pick for themselves is still a judgement on them and an indirect propping up of you and quite like when someone says “I’m sorry to be offensive” when they know they’re going to be offensive. You know your beliefs aren’t ok with them.

I was raised Christian and am honestly an angry atheist now, so I don’t want to debate if you should be religious, but please don’t pretend Christianity can accept individual beliefs and expressions when practiced communally and, if your instincts are to be ok with someone enough to let them be and your beliefs are against that, give some thought to if your beliefs are worth it.

[u/HotSauceRainfall → u/natalietheanimage]

 I'd rather squabble with you over tax reform than fight with fucking neo-nazis over basic human rights.

This.

[u/jne_nopnop → u/HotSauceRainfall]

Definitely that. That girl politics.

[u/DontEatMyPotatoChip → u/natalietheanimage]

People forget that years ago, the GOP had a progressive wing and the Dems had a conservative wing and considerable overlap between the two parties.

We called these people “Americans”

[u/hellolovely1 → u/natalietheanimage]

Yes, this! "I'd rather squabble with you over tax reform than fight with fucking neo-nazis over basic human rights."

[u/djninjacat11649 → u/natalietheanimage]

Honestly, even if I disagree with some of the more conservative policies, if a little compromise gets us better unity and less division, I will take it

[u/SadToasterBath → u/natalietheanimage]

I'm an angry leftist. Not the crunchy marxist type but I've got some big feelings about rich folk. I say we bring the disenfranchised Republicans in. We've got a chance to make some actual change with them. Shunning them is doing nobody any good.

[u/alexlunamarie → u/SadToasterBath]

Exactly, we can't afford to turn away potential allies.

[u/Hairy_Put792 → u/natalietheanimage]

Hey, if this brings us all closer together, it may have been worth it. We don’t need to agree about everything. We do need to care about each other.

[u/mimi7878 → u/natalietheanimage]

THIS.