So What Are Your Political Deal Breakers?

I was reading another thread on ATS and it occurred to me that most everyone has at least one issue on which they have no flexibility. My issue is fairly easy to define. I have no room on the 2nd amendment. If someone threatens the second amendment and gun rights in any way then I am done with them. I have written letters to politicians of both major parties telling them that this is the one key issue on which I will decide my vote.

If I had to pick a second issue it would probably be 'climate change'. I usually won't vote for any candidate that actively supports a climate change agenda. I am not saying it is 100% logical or reasonable, but many political issues are more about emotion than they are logic. People can get downright indignant on issues like abortion, war or gay rights.

What is your political deal breaker? Do you have one? Do you have more than one?

Mine is to keep the NHS in the UK in public hands, never to be privatised. It has kept me alive for the past 20 years and it would be totally hypocritical of me to want sell it off to private interests. That's the only really important thing to me, the rest is up for debate

a reply to: Metallicus

The Bill of Rights. It was so controversial when it was conceived that it wasn't added to the constitution, remaining a separate document.

a reply to: Metallicus

I would agree with woodwardjnr on the NHS, although I only say that because I am being asked to pick ONE deal breaker. In actuality, a party which is not prepared to meet all my expectations will, from this point forth, only ever get a vote from me, to keep another even worse bunch of bastards out of parliament.

Frankly though, that is pretty much every party that currently exists in my country. None of them are running for public office on a ticket containing a promise to distribute power out from the centre toward the counties and the towns themselves, which is where it ought to be, and none of them are prepared to deconstruct the Westminster power bases, and hand power to the great mass of the people, and no party which has not got such an intention, will ever receive my heartfelt support and activism on their behalf.

a reply to: Metallicus

I've got a few but, this time around, it's a short list of things that will make a candidate completely non-viable for me:

- Any notion supporting the drug war. If a stand on legalization isn't made, I will not consider the candidate.
- Any candidate who does not support equality in marriage is a no-vote for me.
- Any candidate who does not have a strong platform on alternative free energy sources (even solar would work) is a tool in my book.


I've got a few dealmakers, as well. These are things that could potentially make me overlook other flaws:

- Strong platform for decentralizing government power and placing more autonomy in the states. This includes supporting succession attempts.
- A candidate who welcomes back Cuba and acknowledges the many things they do properly.
- The candidate is a witch (hah hah).
- The candidate is named Ron Paul (example of a guy who's good sense makes me overlook his many flaws).

None of us are going to see a candidate the represents us perfectly but it would at least be nice to not have to vote for the lesser of evils and, instead, finally vote for the better of goods.

a reply to: Metallicus

Simply to close the borders and begin an historic purge.

That alone would change our country for the better.

Oh-and stop paying people to reproduce.

a reply to: Metallicus

Any politician that messes with the Constitution or Bill of Rights get no vote from me.

I would agree with the Climate Change thing as well. A Pol that is on that band wagon is a serious jackwagon just looking to pad his/her pockets.

I also love how the anti gun lobby idiots have a hard time understanding 27 simple words. And they want to make more laws when they can't even understand a law with 27 words!? That's right there shows me that such idiots should not hold power of any kind.

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

It's pretty straight forward and simple to understand in my view. 'Nuff said.

I have so many issues though...

Marginalizing groups in this country is a deal breaker. You don't like gay people? Tough! Don't try to make laws to alienate and punish your fellow Americans for being who they are.

Gun control. Don't like guns? Tough! You can't have mine and you'd better be willing to die to take away my God given right to effective self defense.

Free Markets. Like to give corporations subsidies and bailouts? Tough! You either make it on the merits of your products and services ON YOUR OWN, or you die off and another company or individual that can do it better than you will take your place. No more corporate welfare.

a reply to: tavi45

And yet...that IS my deal breaker. Deal with it.

ETA: I considered making the entire Bill of Rights my deal breaker. What was your deal breaker? Somehow you ended up attacking my position instead of responding to the question I asked in the OP.

Political deal breakers? I haven't voted for a candidate from one of the following groups in nearly 40 years:

1) No Democrats
2) No Republicans
3) No Incumbents
4) No Career Politicians

I have voted for Green Party, Libertarian Party, Communist Party and write-in candidates (when the only option was from one of my embargo list). My reasoning is first we have to get the entrenched, bought-and-paid-for politicians out and then we can get back to worrying about specific issues. It won't happen in my lifetime, if ever, but at least I'm not contributing to the perpetuation of the problem.

Edit: I think I've voted for Taxpayer Party, too.

Any politician who hides behind the constitution.
Anyone who intends to run the government as a business owner would run a business.

a reply to: kreinhard

I have a tremendous amount of respect for if you've managed to vote every election cycle without voting for any of your listed groups. Not that I agree with it, but that you're still voting against those seemingly insurmountable odds.

a reply to: Metallicus

Star and Flag!

My deal breaker starts with any representative democracy and or politicians.

a reply to: Metallicus

The 2nd Amendment is mine. Also, Obamacare.

Raising taxes.

Why can't government just spend less?

Hell, they've been making us spend less for decades.

originally posted by: beezzer
Raising taxes.

Why can't government just spend less?

Hell, they've been making us spend less for decades.

Good point, Beez.

However, I don't think they need to tax us at all to spend money. They can print it whenever they want and taxes don't do anything, but pay off old money bankers.

a reply to: Metallicus

I've just got a couple of lines in the sand, is it a politician and is it breathing? My vote goes with the long time or recently deceased, at least they can't do any deliberate damage ;-) LOL

Cheers - Dave