I want to throw my opinion out there on this issue before I have people claiming I contradict myself. For most cases, I could care less about what party someone is affiliated with. I look at the candidate’s actions, platform, and overall track record. What they did ten years ago does not concern me as much as what they are doing today. Let’s face it, I was a child ten years ago. (However, I do like to study history and learn from those who were doing things that worked ten, twenty, even a hundred years ago.) Personally, if they are part of the solution today, I want to do all I can to support them. Today is critical.

Most of the time, especially today, my views align with the Republican Party because they are the conservatives (in most cases). Overall, I embrace whichever view that goes with fiscal responsibility, not ridiculously expanding government, and is in line with the Constitution. I’m a power to the people kind of girl.

I am not bothered by democrats who switch to the Republican Party… if they feel that their values no longer align with the democratic platform. Even Ronald Reagan, who most republicans/conservatives adore, switched from the Democratic Party. He claimed, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The party left me.” President Reagan, who I, too, adore, even supported the principles of FDR…at one time. Reagan changed though, and that change turned him into a conservative hero.

My point: if America had the “you can’t switch parities, you can’t change, you can’t grow as an individual” mentality when Reagan changed parties, we wouldn’t have had one of the most remarkable and respectable presidents of our history.

If, at some time, a person’s views change and “the party leaves [him or her]”, by all means, I do not feel as if I should be the one to stifle that development. It would be hypocritical of me to love Reagan as much as I do, while faulting others for doing what he did. My real problem is with people who don’t feel “the party left [them]” but, rather, change a party while holding onto their old views, i.e. calling themselves a conservative, yet voting liberal. I don’t like it when it is done under the radar, just to fool voters who don’t do their homework. That is when it becomes opportunism, rather than a change in thinking. That is when it is done for personal gain, not because the candidate is seeking to truly represent the constituents.

Personally, my party will always be the conservative one. My support will always go to the conservative candidate. If that means supporting a conservative democrat or not supporting a liberal republican, so be it. Either way, my heart is for this country, and I support the men and women who seek to protect and defend her, in all capacities.