Thanks for the comments. Not only do I appreciate LGF and Charles, there are some posters here that have challenged my thinking.

Although I could have added a lot more my story spanning 20 yrs is fairly mundane. What is interesting to me is how I was able to make a transition and how it came about.

I was concerned about saying ‘I feel like I’ve left a cult’ thereby trivializing people in that situation. My situation was not as serious or dire, but I keep thinking I’m still ‘in deprogramming.’

I’m not blaming conservatism or the GOP for this, it’s mostly my fault for allowing the comfort of self affirmation to supplant critical thinking. Most people believe the BS not because it’s such awesome BS, but because they want to believe it.

I do blame the GOP for specific campaigns of propaganda that history will be unkind to.