Hi folks, today was kind of a momentous occassion for me. My lifelong Republican family today mailed in their registration changes to switch their registrations from Republicans to Democrats. Why are they doing this? The answer is simple - Barack Obama.
This started with my brother, who first registered in 2004 after his 18th birthday as a Republican and voted for Bush. Yeah, I know. Pissed me off as well. He recognized the wrong of his ways about sometime early last year.
Since then he's been following Obama pretty closely, probably more so than me. I continually reminded him that Pennsylvania is a closed primary.. and there's no real way he can REALLY help (read: vote) unless he switches his registration.
I thought it was going to eventually happen, but my parents would stay on the sidelines. Then I get this message today via IM.
"Hey Ed, we all changed, we're all now Democrats."
I would have never expected this at all.. certainly not out of my parents. But its happened -- even among life-long Republicans. It's things like this which validate my belief that Obama will bring far more people into the fold than Hillary could ever dream of.
THIS is how Democrats win elections.. by broadening our base. The GOP has been doing it for years.. while we try the "big state strategy," which has yet to win us an election.
I'm wondering.. has anyone else out in PA or elsewhere seen this???
UPDATE: I really should clarify this a little bit. My parents are Republicans yes, but I think I'd more call them more Libertarian than anything. But after hearing the way they talked about Democrats in general in the past, having them come full circle is all the more shocking to me.
Yes, some may argue this is diluting our party. But the thing is, this is what makes the Democratic party what it is. We aren't bound by a SINGLE message. More of a common interest in the good of all people, you know? :)