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I was born and raised in New York City to Democrat parents. Growing up I really never gave politics any thought. I remember when Reagan was president, I didn't dislike him, but I also really didn't care either way. When Bush Sr was running I would laugh at how Dana Carvey would immitate him on Saturday Night Live, making him look like a complete idiot. It had a little impact on me, but not much. The first time I was able to vote, I happily voted for Bill Clinton, and he won. My parents really never talked politics, but they just always voted Democrat. All my relatives did. I remember as a teenager I once asked them why they were Democrats. They told me because Democrats are more for the middle class and the poor, and the Republicans really only care about the rich. I was like "hmm, well I guess I'm a Democrat!" But it didn't make much sense to me how one of the two parties we had in the United States could just be for rich people (who are probably less than 5% in the nation), and still manage to win like Reagan did. But I was young, and I didn't give it much more thought than that. Fast forward to 2000 when Bush Jr was running against Gore. I was really hoping Gore would win. I didn't know much about him at all, but he was Clinton's VP, so that was good enough for me. Plus I wanted to help the middle class, as I believed. I voted for Gore, and remember how the election decision was held up by some hanging paper chads in Florida. I was so annoyed when Bush won. Then 9/11 happened. Living in New York and working that day I called my wife and urged her to pull our 6 year old son out of school, being that it was within 5 miles of Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. I was stunned as I watched my favorite buildings in the city fall, taking thousands of lives with them. The patriotism that followed warmed my heart, and I proudly put out my American flag, even took a road trip to Shanksville, PA. When I watched Bush Jr speak at Ground Zero with the brave New York firefighters and police I didn't feel any contempt in my heart because I hadn't voted for him. I was proud to hear him calling for revenge for what happened on our home soil. (little did I know back then about the truth behind 9/11) Still a proud Democrat though, my mind was slowly opening up to the other side. How could these Republicans who don't care about the middle class be so open about wanting to help Americans? More so, I saw countless videos from everyday blue colar Americans rallying behind Bush. It wasn't enough to push me over the edge though, and in 2004 I still voted for Kerry. I waasn't truly upset when he lost though, but I still believed Democrats had our best interests at heart. Then a few years later I took a day trip with my son (then 12), and his friend, and friend's father. We went to West Point, which was actually only 20 minutes from my house, yet I had never been. Being former military, he took me on a tour of a lot of it and showed me all the Army facilities, their dorms, their gymnasium....and then he showed me what they used to have under Clinton...it was decrepit. He told me Bush made sure they had the best, and how Republicans care much more about our military than the Democrats do. This was shocking. In my 30's by this time, I decided to do some digging on the internet after that. What I found threw me for a loop. It seemed that everything I had previously thought of the Democrat party was a myth. I didn't even realize that Democrats always want to raise taxes, when Republicans try to lower them! And being a young man who became a father at only 20 years old, I was dead against abortion, as was my wife. I had no idea how the parties stood on that issue either! My head had been truly in the sand. Then in 2008 I came across a great quiz online. It advertised "Are you a Liberal or Conservative?" I really didn't know. So I took the quiz, which had about 50 questions if I remember correctly. I wish I could remember where I found it. Anyway, when my results were tabulated I was stunned that it said I was 97% Conservative! The first thing that ran through my head was "why the heck am I a Democrat?!?" I went to the polling place a week later and filled out a change of party form. I remember the old woman who handed me the form with a smile asked me, "switching to Democrat?" I corrected her, and the scorn on her face still sticks with me. I watched the debates that year with my eyes finally opened, and while everyone fawned over Obama, and how he was such a smooth talker, I saw a snake in the grass. I had a very very bad feeling. That was the first year I voted Republican but knew it was useless. Obama was going to win, and he did. My parents voted for him, as did my sister. My brother fortunately had also woken to the truth, actually a little before me. Years later the fear I had on the day Obama won has completely manifested itself. Racism, which was completely dead and buried, is all over the place in the media now. It's called out against white people everywhere if they don't like what you say. I don't have a racist bone in my body. The economy tanked. The blacks he promised to help were ignored. It was a complete disaster. In 2014 I wrote a letter, not expecting it to be actually read by the addressee, but I did anyway, because I didn't like the direction our nation was headed. I wrote to someone I admired growing up, knowing that he had the money and influence to help turn this country around. I knew this from seeing years of interviews with him and his love for America. He reached out to all Americans, all races, even won an award from the NAACP. In the letter I pleaded with him to run for president. To help this country before it was too late. I wrote the letter to Donald J. Trump. I doubt he ever saw it. But the day he came down that escalator I knew my prayer was answered. And unlike practically every else, I knew he would win. It's been years since then and once again our country is falling apart under this Democrat leadership. How some people don't see it is truly unbelievable to me. Lastly I want to inform you that my parents are now Republican and support Trump, as do the vast majority of my relatives. We were all once Democrats. My sister however, is still stuck with her head in the sand and refuses to discuss anything political with us. I pray she will wake up someday as we all did. Anyway, that's my story and I'm glad to be here. God bless America.