[analog31]

I'm a terrible debater. Perhaps like you, I steer clear of debates and think about things slowly on my own. I do have an ideological leaning, but I try to keep it separate from parties, so it's not a "they," and I can weigh one against the other.

One thing I can do is take stock of things in between election cycles, and ask myself if I regret my previous voting patterns or not. So far I haven't ever felt a reason to switch sides. This includes both primary and secondary elections -- local and national. So far I have never regretted my votes in secondary elections, but in practical terms, partisan gerrymandering renders my vote irrelevant. I have changed how I think about primary candidates, over the years.

I listen to my kids. They are quite smart and critical minded, plus they have more at stake than I do. I'm willing to support their interests. I once took my daughter to a protest march because she was too young to go by herself, and I was worried about her safety.