Born in 2000, it seemed to be when Republicans and Democrats actually wanted to take the country forward instead of fighting over the latest culture issue. Al Gore thought that the move needed was to stop climate change, while George W. Bush wanted to fix education (even though NCLB was one of the worst policies in recent history).
By the time 2012 came around, I was a 6th grader in somewhat rural, somewhat urban West Virginia. I believed President Obama wanted to coal and end the state I was growing up in. In 2016, I was in 10th grade supporting Donald Trump against Hillary Clinton because I saw Hillary as part of an establishment that wanted war, while at the same time was corrupt and didn't do anything for the middle class. I supported the border wall while supporting an infrastructure bill. I also supported gay marriage, raising the minimum wage by inflation, cutting federal spending, ending the wars, and lowering taxes.
COVID happened, and I was woken up to the need that the government needed to spend money for the lower classes to get help. By the election, though I voted for Trump again, mainly because of believed of no new COVID lockdowns with the vaccine on the way, and the belief that at least Trump would finally get us out of Afghanistan and infrastructure with Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy getting the message that America wanted one.
I would leave the Republican Party after January 6th with the insurrection at the Capitol. I was stunned with the clear moves to support Donald Trump even with no evidence toward election fraud, even they were just doing it to make sure their own jobs were secure in a primary, a true politician's way out. I don't regret that move at all, both with Mitch McConnell not allowing bills to hit the Senate floor for debate, and the Majorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, and Madison Cawthorn's of the world and their idiotic statements.
I also don't support some of what the Democratic Party wants to do. I support mental health funding, criminal justice reform, police reform, a watchful eye on Wall Street and new regulations if needed to prevent another 2008, tax hikes for those making over a million/year, and closing corporate tax loopholes at least. I also still support looking to see if taxpayer dollars are being wasted or take be used better, and look at regulations to see if they are effective, need modified, or are burdensome in general.
