How my political views have changed

Just as winds can change a landscape, life these past four years since I've started college have changed my outlook on politics. When I was in high school I considered myself a political moderate, a centrist Democrat that could be swayed to either side depending on the issue. I wasn't afraid to buck my party and side with the Republicans if I happened to agree with their stance on a certain issue. This all changed when the presidential election heated up my sophomore year of college. There were a couple Republicans that impressed me in particular that if worse came to worse, maybe they wouldn't be so bad, a definite improvement over the previous administration. Unfortunately as campaigns went on, I saw a different side of them, one that started to turn me away from the Republicans.
My views became even more changed once President Obama took office and it became clear that the Republican agenda was only to stall and fight the president on every issue he presented. It became clear to me that I was no longer a moderate as I could no longer side with the Republicans on anything. I went through a period of searching, trying to figure out just who I was. It wasn't until I read a book by Ed Schultz that I figured it out; I am a Social Democrat. Now don't confuse this with Socialist as I don't believe in the view of Karl Marx. I believe that the role of the government is to protect the people from not only outside invaders, but from the enemies within; the predatory banks, health insurance companies, Big Oil, Wall Street, and such.
I think that everyone is entitled to the right to live, which is why health insurance reform was needed so that more people can be covered and not have to choose between having food on the table or living a long and full life. I have been blessed that I have health insurance through my parents and even more so now that the reform law extended the dependency age to 26 so that if I don't find a job, at least I can still see a doctor. I also think it's a right that everybody get some sort of affordable education, whether it be at a tradional college or university or at a trade or tech school. An educated public makes a better society. I believe that the bailouts of the the auto giants General Motors and Chrysler was not only necessary but the right thing to do since those two companies have been big contributers over the last century for the government. Had they been allowed to go into bankruptcy without the government's help, we would be in a larger depression than the one faced back in the 1920s and 30s. And because the government stepped in, Chrsyler and GM now have a bright future. I also think we need to punish the banks and investment firms that nearly sunk us into the depression through predatory banking. Wall Street fat cats are making record profits while unemploymeny remains high and people are desparate for help.
I think that the government is put there to help the people that elected them to office and if they aren't willing to do so (like the Republicans) than we should take them out of office, it's that simple. My name is R. M. Eller and I am a proud Social Democrat.