In my lifetime I have paid about 50% for a democratic Presidency and 50% for republican.
I am a democrat, not because I believe everything that democrats do are so noble. Politics are not noble. Congress is a process. In my lifetime the political party that does more for the human beings has switched from the Republican party (the party of Lincoln) to the Democratic party. I'd have to say the first president to make me stand notice (as I finished high school) was Ronnie Reagan. All his bull about making corporations more powerful than people. The trickle down economics thinking that NEVER occurs. His talk of war on drugs was a war on lower class. Alcohol is a drug. Cocaine and crack are different forms of the same thing. Putting more people in prison has not helped people. And it probably was highlighted in business school as I learned about financial theory that pushed me to believe the way I do (explain).
Naturally - I'm happy when we win. Maybe not 100% happy but generally happy enough. Of course I don't like when my President is a man whore, when he (or she; hopefully one day) trades money for the corporate agenda, or overlooks the growing corruption in congress (more on this later) and outright lies about his or her successes.
What I have hated under Republican rule is the growing support of Corporate welfare above our citizens welfare, sending us to an expensive war that doesn't really make us safer (Iraq) or claiming we are funding a war to make us safe when it is actually preserving profits for particular industries that have become something we used to avoid - monopolies (Oil, Finance, Real Estate). I have not liked when our leader pretends to play hard ball but is really favoring certain leaders (i.e. those who rule the oil industry). I have hated when our President is just a dope and doesn't read his teleprompter - no names.
Regardless the blue or red of it - the President is being paid by blue and red and all the independent parties. You don't get to do whatever you want.
I was particularly fond of Barrack Obama. I know he was not perfect - but he did not have thin skin as the majority House fought him for 8 years. He did not Tweet, he did not dominate, he did executive orders when he was not getting the support he new was necessary. He accomplished less than half of what he wanted to and wouldn't spend time on a goal he knew he couldn't win with an opposing congress (like racial issues)
I dont know how Donald Trump became the nominee in 2016 - I do not understand how he became the President for this next term but he did. I don't argue that because apparently we don't want to look into all his conflicts of interest and possibly the support other countries supplied.
What I do care since January 20th is that we have a liar, a dictator, a thin skinned child and that Trump is really listening to and supporting the rich, the elite, building a bigger gap between the very rich (let's say the top 20% to be fair) and the 80%. He fed his party all sorts of theories along the trail - that we have the worst economy, that we have greater threats from outsiders than from within our own walls, that we need to take back something.... like jobs.
We gave jobs to China, Central America, Canada, India - over the last 20 years. Our overall economy is better than it was in the last 8 years (in part due to the Obama administration) - and the reality is we're so short sighted (yes democrats and repbulicans) we are unable to grow slowly because Corporations are greedy wanting big profits now compared to steady and sustainable growth. Don't blame any one President - blame corporations and their lawyers and major contributions to members of congress... and a whole lot of other things.
I especially am in a twist over the roll out of this regime in trashing the very industry that lead to their imminent rise - the media. If it were not for the media - Trump would not have received some $2M of free advertising.
I cannot stand that Trump's administration wants to trash science and ignore what we have been doing to the earth - polluting and warming the atmosphere with our transportation output, potential destruction of lands and animals, over harvesting of lands and waters - and all to turn a blind eye to these industries which are largely under managed.
I reject that all Republicans believe that Planned Parenthood is an abortion house. I can respect that they want to reduce its use but the road to get there is no outlawing it. My very own doctor and local hospitals perform abortions. Our Federal dollars do not fund abortions... only private dollars do.
I can respect that Republicans dont want to restrict guns too much - but the reality is we have sooo many guns out there. Are we concerned for the livelihood of gun manufacturers? What is the real issue?
I care about our poor, our needy, our children, our seniors. Trashing programs to support our bottom 10% is futile. If we are a great nation, we take care of our own people.
I care about our relations with other nations. Putting up expensive walls that the 80% will pay for when we need to feed, educate and get our own to work is a better expense. We already pay a ton for war, for border patrols, for airport security. We have a bigger gap in our open oceans. Don't cut our Coast Guards as we have.
Trump has the opportunity to either convince Democrats - or create a bigger divide between the 2 major players. Sad.
