It can work the other way too.

Me, for example (yes, life revolves around me. I prove this every time I overindulge in the sacred beer).

I was a hard-core GOP/RNC supporter. Loudly defended Bush, the Wars, all of it. Loudly, nastily and with great keyboard warriorness.

I was that kind of stupid.

Now, politically, I see myself as an American. No other party. Parties, imo, now, simply mean divided loyalty. I'm done with that. My loyalty is to America and not a particular brand of this or that.

But, I also believe I now see the Political Party System for what it is. It's a method and means of testing professional political class members as they rise through the system to ensure their loyalty is to the party and party only and that they are corruptible enough to be controlled. Any among them that don't meet those marks are driven out. Political Party System is corruption on steroids. All of them.