For decades I voted the party line. There was only one box I shaded in, and it was the one that said “Republican.” After a while, I started to actually think about who I was voting for, not just what. I began making independent decisions — something most of us never do. But I’ll admit, on the issues I wasn’t up on, I still voted the party.

This little note about Charlton Heston — one of the actors I admired — makes sense to me. Not because he changed from being a Democrat to a Republican, but because of why he changed: