Have you ever actually been persuaded/persuaded someone else in an argument?

[後援会]

Yes, I have changed my opinions on many things. And I have the changed the opinions of many other people.

I've grown to solidly oppose the death penalty. I've grown to support the TARP bill. I grew to support the America Invents Act. I opposed the Medicare Modernization Act at first, but I eventually grew to support it. I've grown to support keeping the tax rates where they are. I've grown from being pro-choice to relatively centrist on the issue. I've grown from being pro-gay marriage to be completely apathetic/conflicted. I've grown to oppose the "Russian reset" policy. I've grown to oppose the Afghanistan surge. I've grown to oppose expanding gun control. I've grown to oppose Cap and Trade.

And of course, I've switched parties.

As for persuading, well, my ring of family friends has slowly morphed from 90/10 Democrat/Republican to 10/90. We used to have only two Republicans - we now have only three Democrats.

And again, on local politics, I've been persuaded and persuaded others many times. But then again, local politics is a lot less ideological. So it's to be expected.

[後援会]

I've grown from being pro-gay marriage to be completely apathetic/conflicted.

May I ask why? I'm about to get married to my partner and would be curious to know what made you become less supportive of them, not as an 'idea' (because gay marriage is no longer in the realm of theoretical) but as actual event taking place between two people. What is it about gay marriages that puts you off them? Do you think that now that people have financial and next of kin rights that these are bad things and should be taken away from them?

I think Gavin Newsom put it best in that gaffe the Prop 8 guys jumped on. "IT'S GONNA HAPPEN, WHILE YOU WANT IT OR NOT."

Looking at the demographics of how people view gay marriage, I've come to the conclusion that legalized gay marriage is inevitable in the United States regardless of what happens. If someone comes up to me and says "yo we're going to have a referendum on it", I'd probably vote in favor. But otherwise, I don't think/care about it.

[後援会]

I'm talking about actual marriages between people. I am a person about to commit to another; why go from support to indifference on that? I am not indifferent to other peoples marriages, to my parents or my friends. They all mean something.

Sorry if I may not have been clear in what I meant. What I'm trying to say is that in the past, a candidate's stance on gay marriage would be something I would take into account when voting for them. With what I understand about political demographics, it is no longer something I take into account because it seems like an inevitability, untethered to the success of politicians.