How's your family voting?

[angus]

Not to interrupt, but how does everyone know who their family voted for so well?

Depends upon your family.  I'm certain my wife is not a US citizen and I'm certain my son has many years till he will be old enough to vote.  Of course, I never discuss politics with them, but I'd be willing to bet my left nut that neither of them vote.

As for my family, growing up, I'd be equally willing to bet that 100 percent of them voted for George McGovern, then for Jimmy Carter, and then for Walter Mondale, etc.  I don't discuss politics with them, but I know my parents were Democrats.  I grew up thinking that Nixon was a dirty word.  Seriously.  And that Reagan was an even dirtier word.  I was so screwed up.  We all get brainwashed like this.  It takes you till you're about 30 years old to figure sh**t out.  Till then, you just basically vote for who your parents voted for.  This is why I voted for Dukakis in 1988 and for Clinton in 1992 and in 1996.  Just didn't know any better.  I'm pretty sure that not all families are like that, but that a majority of them are.  Your parents don't try to harm you.  They love you.  But if they're both Democrats, it just doesn't occur to them that they're brainwashing you when they always badmouth Republicans.  And if they're both Republicans, it just doesn't occur to them that they're brainwasing you when they always badmouth Democrats. 

Now, if one parent is of one party affiliation, and the other parent is of another, it is probably a bit more interesting.  This is how it is with a small minority of people.  I was never in that position, but my son will be.  FWIW, I'm generally centrist but I align slightly with the GOP, so for all practical purposes, my son can think of me as a Republican.  My wife, on the other hand, although neither a registered voter nor a US citizen, is very sympathetic to the communist party, and generally is greatful to the communist party of the PRC for putting her family in a position that one day would enable her to study in the USA and find a nice job in the USA.  So my son will have one parent who is a Republican, more or less, and one parent who is a communist, more or less.  Maybe he and I will discuss politics, at some point, when he's older.  He's already asking questions like, "Daddy, why can't we carry liquids more than four ounces on an airplane?"  And I have to answer honestly, "Because we're a paranoid society, son."  Of course, he then asks me what paranoid means, and I have a tendency to give lengthy answers, and by the end of it he forgets what he asked in the first place, but nevertheless, we have evidence that he is already asking, and I am already answering, political questions.  Maybe he'll be more balanced and less brainwashed than children whose parents were of the same political persuasion. 

[後援会]

My wife, on the other hand, although neither a registered voter nor a US citizen, is very sympathetic to the communist party, and generally is greatful to the communist party of the PRC for putting her family in a position that one day would enable her to study in the USA and find a nice job in the USA.  So my son will have one parent who is a Republican, more or less, and one parent who is a communist, more or less.

That's actually uh...pretty weird. The CPC doesn't really have an ideology besides self-enrichment. The only Chinese person I know who legitimately believes in Marxism-Leninism despises the CPC for "betraying the proletariat". And is strangely pro-American because America helped fight the "revisionist Muscovite Empire".

Also, it is strange that she is married to a US citizen and retains PRC citizenship. From what I've seen, almost all Chinese in America try to shed their PRC citizenship ASAP. It's actually both a relevant and visible trend, because citizenship matters when applying for patents.
ROC citizens usually maintain dual-citizenship, but the PRC has no provisions for such, so most people try to adopt US citizenship ASAP.

It's also consistent with polling: like that Weibo poll where 90% of respondents answered that if they lived on those disputed isles in the news now, they'd rather be ROC, Hong Kong, or Japanese citizens than PRC citizens. I know a naturalized immigrant from China who actually firmly opposes open borders, because she reasons that "All of us in China would move to America" and thought that it'd be a disaster.

[angus]

The CPC doesn't really have an ideology besides self-enrichment.

And how does that differ from the GOP?  Or the Democrats?  Or the SPD of Germany?  Or the PAN of Mexico?  Basically, if you can show me someone who is convinced that his party's bosses aren't interested self-enrichment, then I'll show you someone who really has been brainwashed.

Also, it is true that the PRC doesn't allow dual citizenship.  It is one of the few policies of that government that I greatly respect.  I wish ours did not either.  But that's a diatribe for a different thread.

[Dr. Cynic]

Mom: Obama
Dad: Obama
Uncle: Obama
Uncle: Romney (I'm guessing. He's a Repub, but he defends Obama more than his usual)
Aunt: Doesn't vote. In fact, that's probably for the best. She doesn't have a clue what planet she's on most of the time.

I do have more relatives, but I'm not on close speaking terms really with any of them, so I couldn't begin to guess the others.

[California8429]

Dad: Romney (Democrat)
Mom: Romney
Sister 1: Romney
Sister 2: Romney
Me: Romney probably

Mother's side (Catholic)
Grandpa: Romney
Great Aunt: Obama (her whole family, including herself, lives in Beverly Hills so they are all Obama folk)

Uncle: Undecided (corporate tycoon, has a lot of friends close to Romney)
Aunt: Undecided (big Obama '08)
Cousin 1: lean Obama
Cousin 2: Romney

Uncle: Romney (priest)

Uncle: Romney
Aunt: Romney

Dad's side (Protestant)
Grandma: Romney (Party elite)
Opa: Gary Johnson (Big Paul supporter)

Uncle: Romney
Aunt: Romney

Uncle: Romney
Aunt: Obama

[後援会]

The CPC doesn't really have an ideology besides self-enrichment.

And how does that differ from the GOP?  Or the Democrats?  Or the SPD of Germany?  Or the PAN of Mexico?

Because the top 50 members of the CPC made more money in 2012 than the entire combined networth of all 535 members of Congress, President Obama, Vice President Biden, and all nine members of the Supreme Court. In a country where the average person makes 1/20th of what the average American makes.

That's your god damned difference.

[LastVoter]

Updated totals:

Romney: 168
Obama: 139

Looks like an easy Obama win if all of your family is white and lives in Ohio.

Mother - probably SPD
Father - No idea, either SPD or CDU though.
Maternal grandmother/stepgrandfather - probably NPD
Maternal grandfather - I'd guess CDU
Maternal stepgrandmother - Not sure if she'll be able to go out and vote next year. Seems to be moderate CDU.

Uncle - probably Labour

No Die Linke voters?

[timothyinMD]

This has been a surprisingly interesting post.

Mother: Romney
Sister: Romney
Me: Romney
Harford MD


Mom's side:
Aunt Alice: Obama (San Diego CA)
Aunt Eileen: Obama (Orange CA)
Aunt Ann: Obama (Queens NY)
Aunt Nancy/Uncle Tommy: 2 likely Romney (Broward FL)

Dad's side:
Uncle Bob/Aunt Joan: 2 Romney (Harford MD)
Cousins Ray/Sherry/Rob/Barb: 4 Romney (Harford MD)
Cousins Linda/Bruce/Micah/Ben: 4 Romney (Dorchester MD)
Uncle Pat/Aunt Dot: 2 Obama (York PA)
Cousins Teri/Donna: 2 Obama (York PA)
Uncle Bill/Aunt Ginger: 2 Romney (Harford MD)
Cousin Bill/Beth: 2 Romney (Anne Arundel MD)
Aunt Teresa: Romney (Baltimore MD)
Aunt Lorrie/Uncle Jim: 2 Romney (Baltimore MD)

[All Along The Watchtower]

We're Democrats, thank you.

[Reaganfan]

Updated totals:

Romney: 214
Obama: 158

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Updated totals:

Romney: 168
Obama: 139

Looks like an easy Obama win if all of your family is white and lives in Ohio.

I think he's totalling this thread, not just his own family.

Mother - probably SPD
Father - No idea, either SPD or CDU though.
Maternal grandmother/stepgrandfather - probably NPD
Maternal grandfather - I'd guess CDU
Maternal stepgrandmother - Not sure if she'll be able to go out and vote next year. Seems to be moderate CDU.

Uncle - probably Labour

No Die Linke voters?

Not in a million years.

[opebo]

...my son will have ... one parent who is a communist, more or less.

Lucky little chap!  Actually I would say that my parents were 'different' politically, though they voted the same: one was a very bright autodidact who had terrible instincts, who voted Republican from a kind of Goldwatery viewpoint, and the other a person who despite existing in almost perfect ignorance understood politics and voted for 'better reasons' (in the sense that her reasons were more reflective of reality) from purely instinctive motivations.

It worked this way - one could think but was completely deluded, and voted for X for well-thought-out reasons which had no real application to X, while

The other could not understand any intellectual argument, and voted for the same party out of vicious deeply held hatreds, fears, prejudices, and bigotry.

Now, the interesting question is - is this a false dichotomy?

[Хahar 🤔]

Not to interrupt, but how does everyone know who their family voted for so well?

No one in my family ever says who they vote for. Ever. Apparently its 'private'.

I don't know if it's a British thing or not..

Nobody in my family would ever vote Republican, so that makes things pretty simple.

[AndrewTX]

I dunno.. my Dad will vote for Romney, and my mom will probably either vote Romney or Johnson. I don't know about my brother or sister.

[angus]

Now, the interesting question is - is this a false dichotomy?

I guess it would be, in the sense that it excludes other options, if you had claimed that there could be no other possibilities.  You didn't make such a claim, though, so it is not a false dichotomy.

It may be more of a false distinction, if you will, depending upon your own views.  I'm sort of Kantian in my thinking about these things, so I see a real distinction between the two.  In my humble opinion, the former is operating on a higher sociological order than the latter.  

My parents may be described by your analysis as well.  My father voted for Democrats because his parents did.  He was actually fairly apolitical, but always voted and even held elected office (two terms city council).  My mother, on the other hand, talked to me at great length about things like public education, workers rights, capital punishment, wealth redistribution, and the like.  She voted for Democrats because she genuinely believed that they were more likely to share her views.  

[nhmagic]

Me: Romney (McCain 2008)
Mom: Romney (McCain 2008)
Mom's BF: Romney (McCain 2008
Brother: Non-voter

Aunt 1: Romney (McCain 2008)
Aunt 2: Undecided, but likely Romney (Non-voter 2008)

Uncle: Undecided, 50/50 Romney Obama, hes union (McCain 2008)
Cousin 1: Romney (McCain 2008)
Cousin 2: Undecided, 50/50 Romney Obama (McCain 2008)

Dad's Side of the Family - Nonvoters

[Peter the Lefty]

Mom: Obama
Dad: Obama
Me: Rocky Anderson, if I could

Dad's side:
Grandmother: Obama
Uncle: Obama
Aunt 1: Obama
Aunt 2: Obama
Cousin 1: Obama
Cousin 2: Obama

Mom's side:
Grandmother: Former Republican for Obama
Uncle 1: Former Republican for Obama
Uncle 2: Former Republican for Obama
Cousin 1: Politically apathetic, Obama if she does vote
Cousin 2: Same

[Donerail]

If Gary Johnson is not on the ballot, here is my family:

Mom: Barack Obama
Dad: Mitt Romney
Me: Undecided

IF he is,

Mom: Barack Obama
Dad: Gary Johnson
Me: Gary Johnson

He will, but he'll be Gary Johnson (Americans Elect), not Gary Johnson (Libertarian).

http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/americans-elect-submits-gov-gary-johnson-to-oklahoma-presidential-ballot

[Jerseyrules]

Mom and Dad: Romney

Mom's side:
Grandma: Romney
Aunt and Uncle: Romney
Aunt 2: Undecided (Democrat, Obama voter in 08)
Uncle 2: Lean Romney (Democrat, Obama voter in 08)
Aunt 3: probably doesn't give a damn; voted Obama in 08 but has a lot of personal stuff to figure out before she's capable of making a decision like that IMO

Dad's side:
Grandma: Romney
Uncle and Aunt 1: Romney
Uncle 2: Romney
Aunt 2: I'm not sure if she has full citizenship yet; she's Fillipino and has lived here a few years but I'm not sure if she's been naturalized yet, or knows/cares about US politics

[Barnes]

Mom: Obama
Dad: Obama
Elder Brother: Obama
Middle Brother: Obama


Maternal Grandmother: Obama

Dad's side: All Obama
Mom's side: Most likely all Romney; my aunt says she's undecided.

We all live in Georgia, with the exception of one of my paternal uncles who lives in Hawaii.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Me: Romney
My Mom: Obama
My Grandma: Romney
My Maternal Aunt: Romney

Just about everyone whose votes I know is voting for Romney, except my mom, who's voting for Obama (she also voted for him in 2008.)  I have another aunt who is a teacher and a liberal for the most part, and though she doesn't like Obama that much, I think she will probably vote for him.  However, I believe she voted for John McCain in 2008, which would be the first time she ever voted for a Republican for president.  My other aunt mentioned above was a very liberal Democrat for many years and voted for all Democrats from 1984-2000.  But after my convincing, and more personal experiences, she has become more conservative.  She voted for George W. Bush in 2004 and McCain in 2008, and she's voting for Romney this year.  As I mentioned, however, she voted Democrat for president in every election before that, starting with 1984.  This is the first presidential election since I have been old enough to vote, but I would have voted for McCain in '08.  One of my cousins (from the first aunt I mentioned) who is also voting for president for the first time is undecided but is leaning Obama because Obama is supposedly "better for teachers."  
As for my mother, her voting patterns have been very erratic (she couldn't stand Clinton).  I believe she voted for Gore in 2000, but I'm not so sure about 2004 (I seem to remember her saying she didn't like John Kerry but her significant other voted for Kerry).  Since then, she has become more and more liberal and was the only member of my immediate family that I know of who voted for Obama.
But, to my knowledge, all Romney except my mom.  (Interstingly enough, most of my family that I know of who could vote voted for Carter over Reagan in 1980, but have been relatively independen-minded, voting for whoever they thought was the best person rather than the best leader.)

[Smash255]

Me- Obama
Mom- Obama
Dad- Obama
Sister-Obama
Cousin (who lives with me)- Obama

My parents are in S.C outside Charlotte, my sister is in R.I, my cousin and myself are in NY

Aunt in S.C (down the block form my parents)- Romney
Uncle in S.C (mom's brother down the block from parents)- I think Obma, but not sure
Cousin in N.C- Romney

rest of family not sure

[Politico]

I am closeted about my support for Romney when it comes to my family, but I sense there's a strong probability that a few of them will sit this one out. I know getting a good turnout is going to be tough for Obama when some members of my staunchly Democratic family are talking about sitting this one out. These are people who backed Dukakis and Mondale.

[The Mikado]

All Obama.

[BaldEagle1991]

My father and I are going for Obama

Mom - Romney

Sister - Third party (she won't tell me who though)

Uncle and all of his family (Father's side) - Romney

My cousins (Mother's side) - Obama

The rest are in the Philippines, Australia, or Canada, so they can't vote. But they prefer Obama over Romney.