- How do you identify yourself politically (or what group(s) do you personally identify with)?
- How has this affected your conception of the role of government or your relationship with the government?
- Who or what has affected your personal views about politics specifically or social or moral issues in general (people, institutions, media, personal experiences, etc...)?
- Why do you do feel the way you do about various political groups (both similar and different from you)?
- How does the time and place in which you live impact your political views?
Gaining a more critical understanding of what you feel and how you have developed these views will help us as we look at the social and historical construction of American political culture in general.
Remember: Your responses should be approximately one long or two short paragraphs and no more (around 150 words). No research is necessary but think carefully about what you want to write and respond to the ideas presented on the blog, not the people. The goal is to use these prompts to start a dialogue that can evolve through the week. This week's blog is more of a self reflection than those coming up. Ideally you should comment on and relate your comments to others in the class as much as possible. You should post your comment(s) by 8pm on Wednesday. Everyone should skim the discussion before class on Thursday.
Remember: Your responses should be approximately one long or two short paragraphs and no more (around 150 words). No research is necessary but think carefully about what you want to write and respond to the ideas presented on the blog, not the people. The goal is to use these prompts to start a dialogue that can evolve through the week. This week's blog is more of a self reflection than those coming up. Ideally you should comment on and relate your comments to others in the class as much as possible. You should post your comment(s) by 8pm on Wednesday. Everyone should skim the discussion before class on Thursday.
Am I doing this right? Anyways, I personally very much identify as a liberal, being pretty far to the left on several issues but also finding myself leaning more towards the center on monetary issues, which may just come from me being a very stingy college student. I grew in a suburban county in Michigan, which was primarily white religious people, and while my parents would sort of be included in that demographic, they did not pass views onto me that would theoretically be associated with that group. Politics was never really discussed at all in my house growing up; my parents just let me come to things on my own. As such, I think I adopted these views from my friends, figures on the Internet and that I look up to that aren’t entirely demoralizing, and the fact I just naturally found myself caring a lot (perhaps too much) about other people, so I’ve come to understand that government exists not only to create order, but to help people. That may be kind of naïve of me to say, but I still believe it’s true and hope I can come to agreements with people on the other side of the spectrum about that view.
ReplyDeleteI identify myself as liberal and a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. My parents have not caused a major influence on my political views or biases, but nevertheless have steered me in that direction. Both of my parents consider themselves as Democrats, but my father was more involved influencing me to support the Democratic party. Most of the views and party support I adopted mostly came from media and discussions with friends, family, and/or classmates. I was fortunate to be taught by parents (and some of my professors) that dialogues with those who hold different political views are not only important, but also introduce new ideals for you to learn from. Lastly, I know that living in Chicago has an significant impact on my political views. I am surrounded by others who have similar political views in my neighborhood, which creates a stronger comfort for me to openly state my views.
ReplyDeleteI’ve identified as a Democrat since I could understand what a Democrat is. My parents were large influencers in how I came to this party, since they were my first introduction to politics. While my father’s more of a moderate, I’ve followed the same liberal path as my mother. I grew up in the notoriously liberal Bay Area, California, and that undoubtedly shaped my political views. I would say I was definitely more liberal while living in California, but coming to Chicago and working in the political scene here has brought me to a more pragmatic moderate view of politics. Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out where I land — it’s somewhere between liberal and moderate, but consistently Democratic. A big reason why I haven’t found a comfortable label for myself is definitely due to the political climate: on the one hand, I think there’s value in sticking up for the more liberal values my friends support and that I would like to theoretically see happen. On the other hand, I’m struggling with the effects of divisive partisanship. I think a middle ground is possible, but only if we take a pragmatic approach in our political discussions.
ReplyDeleteI identify myself as a leaning left independent, I can be very liberal on certain issues, but also conservative on others. This forces me to not identify truly with one party. I have campaigned for candidates associated with the Democratic Party, but for the most part identify with independent movements. Raised in a fiscally conservative, but socially liberal house in the middle of Waukesha county one of the most conservative areas in the state. Now living in one of the most liberal cities in the midwest, this has created two opposite ends for me. I think this in part has helped me find solace in both sides views, but not complete agreement. Finding out about The Centrist Project has been a heavy influencer when realizing that I don’t fully associate with any of the two parties, there was still a group out there I could get behind and fully support.
ReplyDeleteI identify politically as a liberal, usually with the democratic party. I think that my relationship to government was shaped by my education. Prior to college I held some political beliefs but they became more thoroughly molded during my time at DePaul. This university tilts to the liberal side. I think that time and place has an enormous impact on the political beliefs we form. My childhood included 9/11. The aftermath created many suspicious millennials. The distrust many voters hold for the government is formed by political events from their childhood or during their early adult years. Place is also essential in forming political beliefs. Chicago is an urban city, mostly liberal. A rural area in the South is far more likely to form political beliefs which are more conservative and conservative-leaning. Because I live in Chicago I am more likely to have peers that side with the democratic party.
ReplyDeleteI identify myself as a moderate liberal and associate myself with the Democratic party. My parents had a huge influence in shaping my beliefs. I still remember at age 8 my parents and other family members would take me to volunteer in John Kerry's presidential campaign when we lived in Cleveland, Ohio. Later on, they would volunteer for President Obama's in 2008 and 2012. Attending their campaigns and rallies started my interest in politics. When moving to Rhode Island, there were a majority of people that associated with the Democratic party since it is a “blue” state. As I was learning more about the differences amongst political parties, I developed my beliefs and found to be more liberal than conservative. After living in the suburbs of Chicago for a few years, I found that I live around a great amount of people who share the same beliefs as I do.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't identify with either party. There are some things where I lean left and there some things where I will lean right. If I had to choose, I guess I would say I lean a little more towards being a liberal. My parents tried to keep things unbiased when talking about politics growing up, but I could always sense a little bit of it. My dad, along with most of my best friends growing up dads' participated in military service and now work as construction workers. So real blue collar Americans, so obviously I've been hearing certain biases and hot takes all my life. I would say since coming to college I've learned a lot about politics in general, but not enough yet for me to sway completely to one side or another. I think what's most important though is that I keep an open mind on everything. Regardless of what someone's opinion is, I've learned that if you speak to everyone intelligently and respectfully, even if you completely disagree with them, you'll always walk around with a profound respect for one another.
ReplyDeleteI identify myself as a Libertarian, specifically I identify as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. In having these views, it has not shifted my beliefs and has not affected my conception of the government. The institutions I have attended since I was younger has played the most significant role in shaping my political views. In having such a great schooling path, I believe that it set forth many opportunities that I have today and will continue to be one of the concreate reasons I am as fortunate in life. For politics I tend to have an open mind and I try not to lock myself into certain believes and ideas. Just like anything people and ideas change over time. The time and place in which I live impact my views due to the fact politics now are more important than ever and are becoming more relevant than ever to society.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my political affiliation, I’m liberal in my social and fiscal views and have voted democrat in the past couple years. My liberal ideals are heavily influenced by other groups that I identify with, for example being a Black, queer woman has made me a much more liberal person. Having those identities have given me a very complex and difficult relationship with the government. While “big government” has been the reason why I have many of the rights I have been given (ex. ending of slavery, integrated schools, voting, and marriage), these rights were granted for after years of begging for them. To me, the people who always stood on the other side of my rights has been those who are conservative. I feel as those I can’t afford the ability to not label myself because many of the policies and beliefs of conservatives often seem to negatively affect me. Standing with a political party means standing up for not only myself, but other who are being oppressed or ignored in this country. My beliefs are closely tied to my other identities, and those identities more than anything have shaped how I feel about politics.
ReplyDeleteI do not identify with any party in particular, but I do lean towards the republican party regarding economic issues and more-so toward the democratic party regarding social issues (I consider myself a Centrist over anything else). I honestly did not talk about politics that much within my family, and my parents never tried steering me in any political direction. A large majority of the political conversations in my house growing up were related to the current economic/political situation in Greece (my whole family except me and my parents lives there). Most of my personal views come from my own opinions as well as the people around me. Many of my friends from back home are Republican (some of them very conservative), however most of my friends here in Chicago are very liberal. I try not to let one side dictate how I feel about an issue over an other; I listen openly to even my most conservative friends in addition to my liberal friends.
ReplyDeleteI was raised in a family where both of my parents identified themselves as liberal democrats so naturally, I considered myself a clear left-leaning liberal as well. It wasn’t until college that I started paying more attention to politics, and learning about more of the intricate parts of political science, and I finally started to develop more independent views on politics of my own. When I first started attending University about five or six years ago, I considered myself a liberal. However, now I would consider myself more of a Libertarian. Socially, I hold mostly liberal views, but Economically, I lean more to the right conservative side. After studying the teachings of various different political philosophers, speaking with others who hold different political views as me, and experiencing more real world events first hand, has caused my political views to change over the past few years. My feelings towards our government have changed as well. I believe that the powers of government over the people should be limited and that we should preserve the natural and individualistic rights of the people within a free capitalistic economy. I believe that the environment I am surrounded by has greatly influenced my political views. I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago in a white, middle class town where the majority of people were liberals. And now living in Chicago, a predominantly liberal city, and attending an overwhelming liberal university, has created an echo chamber of sorts, which led me to seeking out other viewpoints and trying to be more understanding of why they believe what they believe. I think understanding and being more open-minded is very important especially in today’s political climate, where everyone is so divided and hostile.
ReplyDeleteI have always identified as a "bleeding heart" liberal. I attended Bernie Sanders rallies, phone banked for him, and have spent the past six months trying to get progressive candidate Daniel Biss elected Governor. I think this belief mainly steamed from my mother and grandmother, since both of them raised me. My mother is a hippie from the 70s and has always been very left leaning. One of my first major memories was seeing my mom scream at the television during the 2000 election, so I guess this viewpoint was something I was exposed to for as long as I can remember. I'm originally from the south side of Chicago, so the political culture there tends to be rather liberal, except for the white majority neighborhoods (ex: Mount Greenwood). I went to a pretty conservative high school, where we couldn't have a gay straight alliance, because the Christian club protested. I was known as a radical and voted most likely to be a politician in high school, so I guess it's safe to say that my upbringing at home and the school environment I faced were drastically different. I think that clash in ideals has pushed me to be more confident in what I believe in and think is right. I also understand both sides to political arguments, even if I completely and utterly do not agree with them.
ReplyDeletePolitically I identify myself as a left leaning person in regards to both social and fiscal issues, though I am still learning a lot about different issues, and thus my personal view on it. This combined with the 2016 election have caused me to look more into my own personal stances and what I can do to support them. Also, I have now recognised what little government can do for you if you do not speak out and stand up for the issues you believe. Growing up in a very conservative suburb I was surrounded by people I did not agree with and I recognised that almost immediately. I was also a volunteer with foreign exchange students in high school and thus was always interested in and learning more about their views of politics both in their homes and in America. I think post the 2016 election is the best time I could really come into politics because it is now so widely accepted to discuss politics more often and also people recognise what action means so you know those who you agree with based on the actions they are taking part in.
ReplyDeleteI identify myself as a Democrat. My parents discussed politics at the dinner table regularly. My mother is a Democrat, and my father is a Republican. My parents’ influence has helped shape my political ideology to that of a Democrat because I often disagree with my father’s political ideology. My parents always wanted me to have an open mind to different political ideologies and come to my conclusions on how I feel about specific issues. The time we are all living in right now has impacted my political beliefs due to the nature of rising nationalism among other aspects of the political landscape in the United States and abroad.
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ReplyDeleteWhile I am probably a bit more right leaning than most students at DePaul, I am the opposite when I go home. I grew up in Texas, and was affected by the overwhelmingly conservative views that are present in that state. However, it didn’t necessarily shape me to just be another member of the conservative base. That is the one place where I feel like I lean left because of the different views people have there. This has shaped my own views that place me somewhere in the middle. While I took some of the views of smaller government and more states rights from home, I still myself influenced by a lot of the views I have seen here that support social justice and programs that help those who need it. My beliefs end up making me view each issue as a case by case basis, with no real candidate supporting every view that I have.
ReplyDeleteWith today’s political culture it seems that the left and right are getting farther apart and I’m still stuck in the middle with a lot of Americans who still hold their own independent views. But at the end of the day that is what it means to be American. It means holding on to your individualism and your own independence and forming your own views of the government and who you support.
I identify myself as a liberal democrat. At a young age, my political leanings were shaped by my feelings towards social issues, such as immigration, race discrimination, and gay rights. My views were also shaped in part by family. However, my parents never explicitly stated their views or suggested their views were the ‘right’ ones, because they wanted me to develop my views independently. From second through twelfth grade, I attended a small school in Sarasota, Florida which was characterized by an upper-middle class, white, and conservative student population. Though I was one of the few liberal students, the faculty was mostly liberal which allowed for relatively open discourse in class. Taking college courses has allowed me to better understand my views concerning the role and scope of government. As a liberal democrat, I believe the government should promote social equality and do not think it should restrict individual liberties. My current views are also influenced by my environment. DePaul and Chicago are both predominantly liberal. While I enjoy being around like-minded people, I hope to still engage with others, in person and on social media, who have vastly different views than me.
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to identify with a specific party in today's world. They both have ideas that I can get on board with, but they also have many that seem ridiculous. Some of the personalities that represent their given party have grown to become very unlikeable people. I wouldn't say anyone has really influenced my opinions on politics. I grew up in a liberal neighborhood but went to a predominantly conservative school. I got to experience the differences between the two frequently. Both sides had views that I could appreciate but also some that seemed wrong. Even after moving to Chicago, my views remain the same as they did back home. Neither party has convinced me that they represent everything I believe in.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the entirety of my life, I have always identified as a Democrat. Although, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I actually had any knowledge as to what my party stood for. Prior to further exploring my political identity, I had assumed my role as a Democrat due to my parents support for the party. But as I have developed a greater understanding and interest into the political spectrum and what each party and ideology represents, I have come to recognize myself as a liberal Democrat. My views on most social issues have always fallen in line with more of a liberal ideology. The suburbs I resided in for the majority of my existence was embodied by a more affluent ambiance, and a lot of my peers were raised with political views quite different than mine. The biggest factor that set myself apart from those in my community was the difference in our financial situations. The majority of families I knew were very fiscally conservative and although I didn’t necessarily share those same values, I’ve always kept an open mind regarding other peoples political beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI identify as socially liberal. The biggest thing that has affected my personal views has been my college education. Before coming to DePaul, I had always heard the same political views and thought of myself as “not political” because I didn’t agree with/didn’t feel I knew enough to stand up to the opinions I was hearing. I think this is because the town I’m from is mostly a white, affluent suburb. Once I got to DePaul, I was able to surround myself with a diverse group of people and a course of study that could help me better shape the ideas that I believe strongly in. Time and place also affects my political views in that political values and movements are always evolving and changing. Even though Chicago has always been a more liberal city, 1950s Chicago was significantly different than 2018 Chicago.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I identify as conservative, though not too extreme. My view has been shaped mostly by my parents, as I learned that I did not side with their beliefs, and thus formed my own ideas. Coming to DePaul, as many students have noted, has also sculpted me in a political sense as I have been exposed to lots of people's beliefs and different levels of political knowing. While most of my life I have been around more liberal minded individuals, I think this is what shaped me into the conservative minded individual I am, because it helped me realize what agree with and what I disagree with. Thinking about politics and getting an education in politics at this particular time is different than it might have been a handful of years go, and this ever-changing climate is what makes politics so interesting.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a conservative family. Everyone in my family identifies as a republican. This has been the greatest influence on my own political ideology, but since going off to college, I have shifted more to the center. Today I struggle to identify as a republican or democrat. Though I am conservative by DePaul standards. While my parents are Reganites, I never viewed government “as the problem”, but always viewed it as a positive force for doing good, which could change lives. I am open about other people’s political opinions, and don’t really harbor negative feelings toward one group or another. I only take issue with people who ignore or neglect to understand why people believe in one ideology or another. An openness is needed to discuss politics. This time and place has a great influence on my views. Normally I might identify as a republican, but under Trump and the way he goes about things, I tend to agree more with democrats or “NeverTrumpers”.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I come from a very liberal family. However, after many years of studying, learning, and researching, I have found myself closer to the middle of the spectrum. I like to think of myself as a "moderate" but to be frank, I sometimes lean to the right when it comes to certain societal or international issues. Again, to be frank, I do not quite trust the "system". I think it is flawed and very corrupt. I think most sovereign states are corrupt, I believe. Something that has definitely molded some of my views is my Israeli mother, who I identify very closely with. I take the good and the bad from her and extract my own opinion. I consider myself a very open-minded person. I am willing to listen and absorb narratives from all sides. I think listening is a lost art. People talk too much these days.
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ReplyDeleteI politically identify as a Democratic Socialist, and my parents, as college-educated Pakistani immigrants, have directly influenced my political views. My siblings and I grew up watching MSNBC over dinner instead of MTV, and our parents always involved us in political discussions, believing that we should be aware of the environment around us as Muslim-Americans. This leads me to maintain a complex relationship with the government-even though I have been granted many freedoms unavailable in other countries, it has historically been an uphill struggle to establish equal rights for minorities. When interacting with people of different political persuasions, as I often did while growing up in a white, conservative suburb, I attempt to hold an open mind and treat them with respect, though I stand my ground on issues of morality and refuse to compromise on those beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI personally identify with the Democratic Party, and one of the reason I favor the Democratic Party is because when I was a child my father told me about some of the people within the Democratic Party such as Al Gore and Bill Clinton. My dad would talk about the accomplishments and ideals of some of the people within the Democratic Party, and as a kid I agreed with some of the Democrats’ beliefs. Another reason why I favor the Democratic Party is because of the 2012 election season when the video of Mitt Romney came out about how Romney was bashing on 47% of Americans. I disliked Romney’s opinion, and Romney's opinion made me want to support the Democratic Party more. Although I consider myself a supporter of the Democratic Party, my friends have affected my personal views about politics because they showed me that there are other political opinions that have good points. Thus, I always accept and respect other people’s political views.
ReplyDeleteI personally identify as a moderate, and find myself leaning increasing to the left in the current political cliamte, and I currently do not identify with any party. For the most part my family is fairly conservative, but I have many far left leaning liberals family members as well. My family certainly had an impact on my political beliefs in my life during high school and prior, but after I left high school I began to truly formulate my own ideas and find out what I really believe about certain issues. The years I served in the Marines and my time fighting overseas greatly affected my opinions on many issues, just as returning to Chicago and going to DePaul has affected my beliefs as well. Currently I find myself being influenced through the news and social media, in which political issues have been impossible to avoid, specifically due to the current administration and the hostile political climate that our country is in. Living in Chicago, a very liberal city also has a great impact on my political beliefs, in ways that are both pro-liberal and pro-conservative.
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ReplyDeleteI identify as an independent. I lean right on some issues and left on others. I'm not sure I identify with any groups in particular. I do my best to educate myself on most issues, I have family and friends all across the political spectrum which helps me to gather a wide variety of perspectives. I personally tend to give more credence to the federal government than state and local governments. My upbringing had some impact on my beliefs but most of my political opinions come from my own reading and interest in topics. I like to hear what other people's opinions are even if they're different from my own because it helps me to adjust my own views and it encourages me to either find more cause to justify my beliefs or to alter them. I think the current political climate has had a large impact on most people's views, but I still find it important to at least listen to both sides of every debate.
ReplyDeleteI identify ideologically as a liberal, but I do not prefer to identify with either political party. I suppose I mean liberal in the classical sense and not in the contemporary sense as I think that carries a lot of baggage in today's culture. People will assume many things about a person based on just one label. I do typically align with the Democratic party, but I've found that neither party represents my views in a large enough way for me to identify with either. In fact I think that it is impossible for one party to encompass an individual's views. Of course there is room for a spectrum of world views under the umbrella of each party. Yet this is where the current political climate has come to shape how I feel as an individual. I do not feel either do a good job of representing my beliefs in regard to the issues they choose to continually harp on and the way in which they carry out these beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI think my independent nature was forged in part by coming from a politically split household. I often heard each side of an issue being debated and often felt drawn to each argument. In addition, probably the most influential people in forming my political identity were teachers and people in the media. High school teachers and college professor obviously shape the way we view history and contemporary issues and contributed to how I view issues. I think if I had to label my beliefs based on these influencers I would say I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative.
I would identify myself on the moderate left side of the political spectrum. I have voted for both republicans and democrats, but through the years of my higher education my stance has started leaning towards democrat. This is due to my beliefs on the need for social justice reform, lack of equality in out society, and the economic income gap. Currently I am an environmental studies major so my overriding concern is for the health and preservation of our Earth and I don’t believe that is part of the conservative agenda. I was raised in a household with a liberal mother and conservative (fiscally conservative) father; I believe this is what led me to not completely swing left; especially on some fiscal issues. But I find our current political climate very flawed, with only a two party system I do not believe the American people are being adequately represented. A reform to introduce a multiparty system may be what America needs in the future to stabilize our democracy.
ReplyDeleteI identify myself as a supporter of the Democratic Party. I also was a big supporter of the socialist party when Bernie Sanders was running for president. I consider myself a liberal, however left from the center. I took this stance mostly because of my experiences and values. I was born in America however both my parents are immigrants. My dad has definitely affected my personal views about politics in many ways. I look up to him so I trust his judgement but not always. The media and my friends influence me as well. Every minute on my phone I spend talking to friends or reading the news is all biased. When engaging in conversations with people who have opposing views as me I like to hear them out. I think everyone having an eye for eye is counterproductive. I live in an urban area and the majority of the people around me are more on the Democratic side. I experience that more which inclined me to be the person I am today. Times are changing, as a woman living in the 21st century I have more of a voice than I would have in the 1960s. Nevertheless, there is still discrimination and racism around us today.
ReplyDeleteI identify myself as a liberal democrat, though growing up most of my family veered towards the right so at first, I didn’t really understand where I stood on politics because though I didn’t agree with my family I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant. It wasn’t until I was on my own in college that I really realized that I was more so on the left and started calling myself a liberal. I feel that being in Chicago, the very urban city that it is, and going to school at DePaul are two great influences that impact my political views just because both tend to be more so liberal than conservative. Especially going to school during the 2016 election was something that really impacted how I saw politics in my daily life.
ReplyDeleteIt is very difficult to identify where I stand politically. Growing up in a religious household, I have many conservative views. Seeing my single mother raise my brother and I has also altered my views to a more right of center view. However, growing up in this era, I have a very liberal view on certain things. Environmentally I see my self as a liberal.. Economically I tend to lean as a conservative. I feel as a first-generation college student in the United States, anything is possible with hard work. I saw my mother work her way into middle class, coming to a country with nothing…. I feel that many times the government is too giving to those in “need” and not those who need it. This all might fall into the independent category, I have yet to figure out where I stand politically. Having only voted once, in this recent election it really came down to what candidate I agreed with in more areas. Not that I am confused as to where I stand, I simply think the two parties that represent us currently are not adequate for.
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ReplyDeleteWhile examining my political ideology, I find myself maintaining a mental framework most-similar to a republican in regards to economic policy, while I sway more in the leftward direction when discussing the realm of social issues. I believe that my political identity can be attributed, first, to the home and region in which I was raised. Being born in Glencoe, IL, my family abruptly transitioned to Bloomfield Hills, MI - both of which are regarded as conservative. Additionally, my family mirrors the same political ideology - that of a republican. During my childhood, however, I was never exposed to a Chicagoan-type diversity, and as a response I have come to appreciate a more liberal mentality when discussing social issues. During the developmental era, it's essentially inevitable that children will be influenced by those surrounding them , predominantly family an teachers, as they share a great deal of time with both demographics. Furthermore, the media has a great deal of impact on political identity, whether the viewer is 16 years young, or 50 years old. Following the most-recent presidential election, it presumably goes undisputed in saying that there now exists a hostile partition among our two-party system, thereby setting a precedent for today's political climate - which is also a contributing factor to political ideology.
ReplyDeleteI identify as a liberal Democrat. Neither of my parents are particularly concerned with politics so my family is not a huge influence on my political views. My political leanings started through my personal investment in social issues such as gay rights, and then from there I formed a more crystallized sense of partisanship with the Democratic party over time. Living in Chicago my whole life has certainly shaped my liberal leanings, being exposed to diverse groups of people and ideas. Yet, I would say the current political climate has impacted my views the most because of the result of the 2016 election. I was politically aware before the election, but during the campaign and after the results I felt a need to do better. I consume more political news and try to form more nuanced views rather than just focus on the hot-button issue of the news cycle.
ReplyDeleteFor as long as I can remember I’ve strongly identified as a liberal Democrat. My parents encouraged me to be politically active and engaged from a young age, which was fairly easy to do growing up in New Hampshire. I think the function of our legislature is to represent and serve the public, with an emphasis on serving constituents whose needs have historically not been represented. Since I’ve started studying at DePaul, my perception of both the Republican and Democratic parties has shifted. While I’m steadfast in my party affiliation, this Fall I began volunteering for one of my professors (Professor Thomas) who is running as a Republican for Congress in 2018. The reason I decided to volunteer for a Republican candidate is because I realized that the Republican party can’t be changed by Democrats, but only by progressive, forward-thinking incumbents within the party itself, like my professor. Our current political climate and deeply divided legislature has forced me to consider how essential bipartisanship is to not only passing important legislation, but in trying to heal the party divide.
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