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My Journey from Liberal to Conservative
In the last two years I have learned many, many things. Some good and some bad, but all eye opening. I have learned terms like “true” conservative and “RINO.” People are passionate with disdain for those they see as not conservative enough or not what they perceive as a true Republican. That said, this former, crazy, liberal Democrat meets with a great deal of resistance from those who have appointed themselves the defenders of the conservative GOP doctrine.
Yes, I was a Democrat. For 23 of the last 25 years. I could simply say that Barack Obama changed all that but that does not tell the whole story. For me, my adult life of defending all things liberal ended almost a year after Obama took office on Halloween in 2009.
As an adult, I frankly never took care of myself. In my younger days I partied, ate all the wrong things, drank too much and put all kinds of things in my body that I should not have. I disrespected myself and my body and that Halloween day it all caught up with me.
I have a much longer version of this story but let me try the shorter version, I suffered a massive heart attack, and it came with many complications. I spent 6 weeks in Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston. While unconscious, I was moved by med flight 350 miles south to St Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pennsylvania where I would spend another 3 weeks. I had to learn to talk, to write, to eat and to walk all over again. I did in a time period that doctors still today call amazing. According to the experts it should have taken months.
I am sure anyone reading this by now is asking what in the name of God does all this have to do with being a crazy liberal to becoming a staunch conservative. Its simple really: I feel the need to fully explain what so many conservatives try not to allow and don’t want to understand – people change.
During my time at St Mary, in between all the hard work I laid in bed and had plenty of time for my two favorite pastimes of watching politics and dreaming of what I could do to “make a difference.” Since I was little I had 2 goals, being rich and being president. I have achieved neither and that is in part why I wanted to share this story.
As I grew up I developed what many young people and even more adults suffer from – the entitlement mentality. I had determined since my life had been hard, that I was somehow a victim. So despite all the best efforts of my parents to show me a better path, I rebelled. I decided to whine, feel sorry for myself and surround myself with people that would encourage that mindset. Having always loved politics and history, I became a Democrat. I saw it as the perfect home for a self absorbed, whiny, dependent young man.
The Democratic Party is a very good place for people like I once was. They are the perfect partner for some minorities, unions and now the Occupy Wall Street crowd that want to play the role of the victim, the ones that want to only point out the problems of this world, make you afraid and tell you who you should blame for your lot in life.
So as I laid in that hospital bed alone on Christmas Day 2009 I made the decision that I needed to change. Why change? What was wrong with being a Democrat, holding people back and complaining about others? It was simple. I now valued life because God had given me a second chance and my former “pro-choice” position made no sense. I had proven to myself over the last few weeks that no one can rescue you and you must rescue yourself. Right off the bat I determined those two positions have no place in the Democratic Party.
I could go on for hours and in the days, weeks, months and years that follow I hope to share with people more about my journey. This is why I embrace terms like “passionate conservative.” This is why I preach unity, why I embrace a hand up not a hand out. I want to explain how a man that worked so hard for Obama has grown a desire to give my last breath to oppose him and stop him.
All this said, let me go back to how I started, to those that feel you where “born” conservative, to those that see a change in positions as a “flip flop” those that feel only you know what a true conservative or a real Republican is. Don’t be so sure you really do, don’t be so sure that people of deep conviction don’t have that moment when they wake up and realize they were wrong.
I have changed and hope you will welcome me to your side. My name is Marc Grove. I was once lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.
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14 Comments
Very inspiring and true and very well written. Glad you had recovery, very lucky man! Keep “blogging”
Thank you for sharing that. It was a great read and I am glad you recovered. I think many liberals could learn from your experiences.
[...] 13th, 2011 var addthis_product = 'wpp-261'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true}; A long journey. Marc isn’t the only one that has taken this journey. Roger Simon, and many other bloggers I [...]
Wow. Great vulnerability and power in your article. I actually had not realized until I read this that prior to my “born again” experience, those adjectives could have easily described me, although I had no concern for politics.
I must slightly disagree with you on the issue of giving people a “pass” on the flip-flop issue. People DO change absolutely. But history is fraught with those who claimed to have “change” – perhaps they thought they did – but when pressed, crumbled like a 2 alcoholic trying sobriety.
One of the reasons Bush 41 uttered “Read My Lips” was because he had a history of being a “moderate.” Both in speech and action. He claimed that serving under Reagan had shown him the light. Many of us believe he lost to Clinton (who didn’t even get 50% of the vote) precisely because is waffling opened the door to Buchannan who was sick of people who would not stand for their conservative convictions.
It is easy to SAY anything. We know people by what they do. So has Romney suddenly “seen the light” on Global Warming, Abortion and Health Care? We honestly don’t know. I’m not sure even ROMNEY knows. He claimed he stood by every word in his book but indeed deleted that he wanted Romneycare for the nation in the 2nd printing. I’d actually be willing to think that when he told NARAL, GLAAD and the Sierra Club he would be a stealth candidate for their cause he had changed – except he will not even own up to the obvious lie from a month ago.
Newt’s philandering is a huge concern for me. The reports of many high profile evangelicals like Dr. James Dobson and close family friends that talk about how devoted he is to Calista – make me want to believe him. Frankly, as a pudgy 68 yr old I’m not sure he could GET anyone to sleep with him – but if you are willing to go against your principles in one thing – how do we know he wouldn’t in others?
During the Obamacare debate all thought that the “Blue Dog” Dems would not vote for the bill since it was pro-abortion (or room for it). When I looked up the record of Bart Stupak, yes – he had a very consistent prolife record. But he had caved on so many other issues he had promised his constituents (taxes, other social issues, etc) that we should have been not all that shocked he sold out the deaths of the unborn for a cheap, non-binding letter and an appointment to his brother in law.
No one is perfect. All of these candidates who actually HAVE government experience (and Cain on Tarp) have stuff they have to explain. But we can’t automatically give a “pass” to any candidate who claims they are now FOR something they showed real proof of being AGAINST a few years ago. And much less if they made statements they would use deceit to hide their true values.
Signing up for your articles. Great job.
Although it’s a very short piece, I’d argue you were never really a liberal — you sound more like a selfish schmuck who voted Democrat, who transformed into a selfish schmuck who votes Republican. You went from “I want things for free”, to “I don’t want to pay for anything”.
You never describe what you believed or why you believed it.
A liberal believes that as a nation, we have an obligation to each other to provide for a just and level playing field — and that means things like education, health care, and a safety net so that even those who have fallen have the chance to get back on their feet. In other words, that there are things that SHOULD be done, that the “free market” can’t, that make us all better off.
Now whether that WORKS is another matter, but no one ever wakes up saying “I’m immature and entitled – I think I’ll vote Dem!” I’d be a lot more interested in hearing you fulfill the promise of the headline and explain the evolution in your THINKING and philosophy.
On an unrelated note, I’d like to congratulate you on having an attitude of inclusiveness and engagement, rather than wild rage and venom for those who don’t think exactly like you… the same can’t be said for some bloggers (and commenters) here.
“So as I laid in that hospital bed alone on Christmas Day 2009 I made the decision that I needed to change. Why change? What was wrong with being a Democrat, holding people back and complaining about others? It was simple. I now valued life because God had given me a second chance and my former “pro-choice” position made no sense. I had proven to myself over the last few weeks that no one can rescue you and you must rescue yourself. Right off the bat I determined those two positions have no place in the Democratic Party.”
Marc in an organizational sense, you’ve done an excellent job of giving the history of your political choices, and introducing your current idealogy, all centered around this powerful center paragraph. From this paragraph I can see the catalyst for your change. I can see that your near loss of life made you value life and that your loss of health and strength made you realize the value of what you had, rather than complaining you didn’t have enough. Very well put. A good read. I will be back to see more from you.
Hilarious that Dave describes the “wild rage and venom” of bloggers and commenters right after calling you a “selfish schmuck.” Twice. LOL!
[...] 14th, 2011 var addthis_product = 'wpp-261'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};A long journey. I am familiar with a lot of people that have made the same trek. It takes some thought, and inner [...]
Many staunch conservatives forget that our hero Ronald Reagan was once a Democrat – although his position was that the democrats left him… Welcome to the side of reason.
There is NO compassionate conservatives – conservatives are just self-centered individuals who think that they have an entitlement to dictate how others should live. A progressive/liberal is not whiner or a deprived individual. A progressive/liberal believes in helping people and the community, raising the quality of life for all instead of the self-centered approach of conservatives. I am glad that you have recovered but sad that you have lost your compassion and social compass.
NO compassion whatsover coming from conservatives? At all? Ever? Wow, you must have spent years and years and years doing endlessly extensive research to come to that (false)conclusion. Or you’re just dumb. Thing is, conservatives are big fans of personal responsibility, which ultimately is true compassion and much more dignified than the licentiousness of liberalism. Do you think encouraging society to live as they wish with no regard to the consequences of one’s actions is “unselfish?” No, it’s reckless and costly. Not just to the individual, but to society as a whole. It is not selfishness when hard work and personal responsibility means the desire to keep more of one’s earnings. What is selfish (and downright stealing) however, is govt imposed fake philanthropy which forces a society to pay for the fallout of licentiousness. And let’s face it, most welfare is the result of lack of personal responsibility. There is no honor in being forced to fork over one’s property for the support of those who will not work for themselves. Before you go freaking out and spitting all over your computer screen, note I said MOST of the time. Conservatives are not averse to helping the needy, in fact, research their contribution either through philanthropy and community outreach. I could go on and on. Your statements are so spurious and ridiculous there is really no end in how a logical person can address it. A lecture about social compasses coming from a liberal is downright laughable.
Wow, incredible story!! I had no idea!
Marc,
Thank you for sharing the beginning of your journey. As I read through these comments, it amazes me how unfeeling these people are…..can’t any one understand how you are sharing the intimate parts of your life? I feel you wrote it well and from the heart. Looking forward to hearing more from you.
Happy that Rob and I are in your life and in your son’s life. He has learned well from his father.
Question: Who paid for all of that health care, as well as your living expenses while you recuperated?