What presidential election would you say was THE election...

[perdedor]

I suppose, in a historical sense, in 1980 when the Republicans took a turn toward the far-right with Reagan. Then again, my being a Democrat was always more about disdain for the GOP than any sort of emotional attachment to the party. McGovern and Carter were good, that's about all.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Lech Walesa, Poland 1990

[Sasquatch]

From personal experience 2000.

[Хahar 🤔]

'64

Lech Walesa, Poland 1990

Heheh.

[segwaystyle2012]

Well I used to be a far-right conservative but disregarding that and using my current set of beliefs, I would have probably been a member of the Libertarian Party until about 2008, when I would have woke up and realized there was no hope for the Democrats and put 100% of my effort into stopping Obama and his destructive policies with all the strength I could muster from my relatively small frame.

[DS0816]

...that made you associate with whatever party you associate with? (Note that it's not required that your answer be an election in which you actually voted.)

For me, 1972. That's not to say that I would be a Democrat before then, but 1972 was THE election that contributed the most to my being a Republican today.

Neither. The corporations own both the Republicans and Democrats. It's money. Big money.

In my first presidential election — in 1992 — I didn't relate to either Team Red or Team Blue. I wasn't conscious of them. And I liked Ross Perot and voted outside the two major parties (with no regard nor regret). And afterward, I went with performance, and I voted for Bill Clinton's re-election in 1996. Figured Al Gore would be fine in 2000 — but wasn't pitting Gore-vs.-Bush like so many. In 2004, I was believing the Dems not being as serious as the Repubs on war, I went with re-election of Bush. Then Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, and then I got tired of the excessive failings and embarassing, hypocritical scandals of the Bush/Cheney administration (and the party especially on many fronts), and I wanted the Democrats to win back the White House in 2008. Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton. Whomever.

Now, with Obama having Rahm Emanuel and Tim Geithner and Larry Summers and continuation of Ben Bernanke and Republican Lite policy (and the needless bipartisanship) — and their ignoring the progressives (who have gotten little or nothing in the past year, including with this thus far health bill) — is turning me. At this point, I don't care if the Dems — shockers! — lose the midterms. If this health-insurance "reform" bill doesn't have the public-insurance option, I will vote outside the two parties in the 2010 midterms. (I'm wondering if Obama and the Dems wouldn't mind losing them!) If I find myself further disappointed by Obama in 2012, he won't get my vote. But certainly neither will the Republicans — unless that party's platform, and the sounds of their loudest voices, changes. Right now, they're obsessed with power and I won't be supporting them with my vote. Pure and simple: I'm not required to assist a political party with my vote just out of this "lesser of two evils" allowance.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

...that made you associate with whatever party you associate with? (Note that it's not required that your answer be an election in which you actually voted.)

For me, 1972. That's not to say that I would be a Democrat before then, but 1972 was THE election that contributed the most to my being a Republican today.

Neither. The corporations own both the Republicans and Democrats. It's money. Big money.

In my first presidential election — in 1992 — I didn't relate to either Team Red or Team Blue. I wasn't conscious of them. And I liked Ross Perot and voted outside the two major parties (with no regard nor regret). And afterward, I went with performance, and I voted for Bill Clinton's re-election in 1996. Figured Al Gore would be fine in 2000 — but wasn't pitting Gore-vs.-Bush like so many. In 2004, I was believing the Dems not being as serious as the Repubs on war, I went with re-election of Bush. Then Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, and then I got tired of the excessive failings and embarassing scandals of the Bush/Cheney administration (and the party especially on many fronts), and I wanted the Democrats to win back the White House in 2008. Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton. Whomever.

Now, with Obama having Rahm Emanuel and Tim Geithner and Larry Summers and continuationh of Ben Bernanke and Republican Lite policy — and their ignoring the progressives — is turning me. I don't care if the Dems — shockers! — loses the midterms.

If this health-insurance "reform" bill doesn't have the public-insurance option, I will vote outside the two parties in the 2010 midterms. (I'm wondering if Obama and the Dems wouldn't moind losing them!) If I find myself further disappointed by Obama in 2012, he won't get my vote. But certainly neither will the Republicans — unless the party platform changes. Right now, they're obsessed with power and I won't be supporting them with my vote. Pure and simple: I'm not required to assist a politicdal party with my vote just out of this "lesser of two evils" allowance.

You voted for Dubya in 2004? LOL

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

1920. Before that, I probably would have been a Bourbonite.

(Though I would've voted for Smith in 28.)

[Padfoot]

My answer to that question is Bill Clinton. I just cannot get over the lack of family values in the democratic party.

I agree. The party of Mark Sanford, Larry Craig, and Mark Foley is the true party of family values.

It is not as bad as the democrats.

Actually Republicans are way worse because they're being complete hypocrites.  When you run on a platform with traditional family values as one of its major planks having a sex scandal is completely unacceptable.  Republicans take a double-whammy on sex scandals because of their party's prudish platform.

[Conservative frontier]

Presidential? 2004.
Midterm? 2006. (Mainly this)

[WillK]

My answer to that question is Bill Clinton. I just cannot get over the lack of family values in the democratic party.

I agree. The party of Mark Sanford, Larry Craig, and Mark Foley is the true party of family values.

It is not as bad as the democrats.

GOP is worse.   Difficult to take you seriously if that is why you support the GOP over the Dems.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

My answer to that question is Bill Clinton. I just cannot get over the lack of family values in the democratic party.

I agree. The party of Mark Sanford, Larry Craig, and Mark Foley is the true party of family values.

It is not as bad as the democrats.

It's actually much worse.

[Antonio the Sixth]

1932 I guess.

[CPT MikeyMike]

1932 and 1968

Both were clearly the realigning elections.

[Bo]

1932 or 1980. If I lived back then, I probably would have voted Democratic most of the time since 1932 (but I might have occasionally voted for a Republican, such as Ike, Nixon, and/or Ford). Since 1980, I would have very rarely voted Republican, unless of course the Democratic candidate was a total screwup.

[HappyWarrior]

Looking back 1928 but in my lifetime 1996.

[BlueSwan]

In Denmark: 1987 (I was 12 years old)

In the US: Clinton in 1992, but that's basically just because I wasn't paying enough attention in 1988. I would never support a republican as I'm firmly to the left of the democratic party.

[CultureKing]

For me personally: 2000. Bush literally made it impossible for me to even consider the Republican party on the federal level.

Historically: 1932. Go Roosevelt!

[phk]

In my lifetime, I liked Bill Clinton in 1992 when I was 6 so I was a Democrat from the young age of 6 to 21, wherein I switched.

It was not a Presidential Election that did anything for me.

2003-mid 2005 was an era of radical hard leftism for me and than slowly but surely drifting rightward to eventually culminate into an R by early 2007.

Influenced heavily by certain events in the world.

So I switched allegiances from D to R sometime in Bush's 2nd term.

[yougo1000]

either 1984 or 2000

[Badger]

In terms of my actual life history, 1980. I wasn't a fan of President Carter, but Reagan's campaign (and subsequent presidency) confirmed I'm proudly progressive.

In terms of inspiration from history, 1932.

[Marokai Backbeat]

1932, and from personal experience, 2006 mid-terms.

[LastMcGovernite]

As a student of history, 1972.

As someone who is only 26 years old, 2000 was the first time I substantively supported the Democrats, although I was still about 8 months shy of being able to vote.