Hello everyone,

I am what they would call a NeoCon. I was raised a Democrat from a family history that was Democrat's as long as the party was around. I am also what the left would call a victim. I had an awful childhood and lived through all kinds of abuse and boy did I play the part. I was 28 years old in 1987. I had no job, no future and was living with my dad. I was channel surfing, and there was not a whole lot of channels back then and they all seemed to be covering Ronald Regan's State of the Union so I watched it and it sort of changed my life. I don't want to sound weird but it was almost like he was not so much giving the State of the Union but rather the State of Me. He made me realize that the past was not something to be
ashamed of but a tool to learn from and that the American dream was possable for those who was willing to take the first step and keep on taking the next step.



My new life started on April 1, 1988. I got a job as a security guard at 4.00 an hour and went to work and started hacking at the chains of my past. And you know what? I got a better job and a better job and a better job. I started out as a Regan Democrat but started looking at the Republican party in a new light.   That every person is responsable for themselves. Even though I was still registered as a Democrat, I voted for George H. W. Bush. In 1992, I was rather unhappy with Bush on how he handled the end of the gulf war among other things. I looked at Bill Clinton and what I saw was a JFK wannabe and not a good one at that. But what really chilled me about Bill Clinton was his wife. I looked at her eyes and I want to tell ya, it was like looking into the eyes of a shark. Cold, calculating and very hungry. One thing I have learned is you can force you lips to an upward angle to look like a smile but you cannot force that smile into your eyes.  Anyway I ended up voting for H. R. Parrot.  I sat out the 96 election becaust at the time I thought that Bob Dole was too little, too late and I still was not ready to vote for the Clinton's and I say the Clinton's because a vote for Bill was really a vote for both. But during that I kept working, got better jobs, met a woman, got married and got what I use to think as impossable but the American dream and bought a home.



In 2000, right after I bought my house, I had what I call my last weakness of the Democrate weakness and I voted for Al Gore. I voted for Gore for several reasons which I would be more then willing to tell anyone who asks but seeing this blog is getting lenghtly  I will not discuss right now as it it cutting into my point. We all know how that election turned out. We all know how Gore and his party handled it. I could not help compairing it to Kennedy/Nixon and Hayes/Tilden. I conceded the election before Gore who should have conceded it before me.  When Ronald Regan changed from Democrat to the Republican party he was asked why he left the Demrcrate party and  he replied "I did not leave the party, the party left me".  Because of of the 2000 election and many things before, during and since I also have felt that the party has left me. So in the year 2004 I did something amazing . For the first time in my life I registrered as a Republican, hence my username NeoConOFour.



I'm the tail end of the baby boomers. This genaration as you know was told to question everything. I have gotton onto left wing blogs and did just that. And in return, I have been called a mindless, goose stepping, bible thumping Nazi. When that didn't work, I would be hit on my grammer and spelling. I know my grammer and spelling is not that great but I am working on that and I can still think. I want to find a place where I can share those thoughts with without being called hateful things.  So if you have read this far, I want to say thank you and I 'm looking forward to sharing more thoughts, opions etc.

Hi Neo. Don't be ashamed. My parents were Democrats who hated Reagan and told me Jimmy Carter was a really nice guy. After high school I started watching Fox News and thinking for myself, and I drifted toward the GOP. So you're not the only one from a misguided past.

  

You're right about lib debating. They often attack Republicans for superficial reasons like grammar, appearance, personality, even race/religion/gender - the very things they claim to tolerate. It's easier than talking about ideas. When they fail to humliate you for being "stupid" and you still fire back, they will invariably say either "Halliburton" or "Nazi" and expect the debate to be over.

You can find honest and respectful discussion here. Even when we disagree on the details, we still get along.

Welcome aboard, and great introduction!  Looking forward to your thoughts around the forums..