The election is over?and that's good for relationships, voters say

Cheryl Anne Molle and Ramon."The end of the presidential election is a wonderful thing for my relationship," Cheryl Anne Molle says.

The 21-year-old Philadelphian and her boyfriend, Ramon, also 21, sparred for weeks over Romney vs. Obama?bouts that fanned annoyance, ignited short fuses and ended, at least once, in bedroom-door-slamming.

Two days before Election Day, when Cheryl Anne was tired after work and school, their dinner conversation drifted toward the election and Ramon remarked, "You wouldn't have to work as hard if we had a president that can fix this economy."

The conversation spiraled downward: Cheryl Anne said Romney outsourced jobs. Ramon said Romney's business experience would help. Cheryl Anne said Romney wants her barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. Ramon said votes should not be based on gender issues.

Cue: door slamming.

"We barely spoke the rest of the evening," she writes in a first-person story for Yahoo News.

But they're recovered since Tuesday. And in spite of all the political rhetoric spilling into the home, there was a surprise ending: Ramon voted for Obama. Cheryl Anne said he admitted to his choice after "looking more objectively at Romney's plans."

"We laughed at the thought of such an intense argument eventually being without reason," she says. "Because we're not used to fighting there is still some tension to overcome, but I have no doubt that we will be absolutely fine."

Yahoo News invited voters to share their stories of relationships scarred by politics, and to tell how they've tried repairing them. Many wrote about minor tiffs and friendships on the mend.

But some deep wounds, like Jason Tanamor's, haven't healed.

Republicans and Democrats decide length of friendship

Jason Tanamor, right, and his friend, Pat."I've been friends with Pat for 33 years," Jason writes. "We grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and one of the things we loved doing?from age 12 to 35?was go to rock concerts."

Jason grew up a Democrat. Pat's family was Republican. But that made little difference when they were kids. A friendly rivalry developed during the Bush-Gore election. The banter started on election night 2000 with text-message salvos sent each time a candidate secured a state.

"It was friendly and fun," he says.

After Bush won again in 2004, Pat texted relentlessly, including: "Why don't you get a real contender?" and "Hail to the chief."

Jason says he responded with: "At least this time his brother didn't give it to him."

They remained friends, and after Obama's victory in 2008, Pat texted: "Wow, he is magical." Harmless, Jason notes. In 2010, they saw Queensryche together in Chicago. (This photo, right, at the concert, is the last time they saw each other in person.)

As the deficit rose and employment stalled, their friendship, Jason says, crumbled:

"I texted Pat in 2011 about a guy we went to school with not having a job and he replied with, 'It's because Obama caused high unemployment.' Before I could respond, he texted, "Spend as much money as you can doesn't fix the country." I never thought it wasn't fun and games until I responded, 'That's OK. We'll have another four years to fix it.' "

They haven't spoken since 2011, despite Jason's texts, calls, and Facebook messages.

"This past election I didn't get to banter with him about the election," Jason says. "I began to miss my friend. If politics is going to ruin a 30-plus-year friendship, I guess 30 years is how long a friendship lasts."

A perfect match?despite that whole liberal, tree-hugging thing

Elizabeth Danu and her husband, Tom, met in late 2007, when they were both in their mid 40s.

"It was a perfect match from the beginning," Elizabeth writes. "On our second date we were singing sappy show tunes and having a ball, delighted that we both knew the same ones."

There was political foreshadowing, though. When talk turned to politics, Tom asked her: "You're not one of those liberal tree-huggers, are you?"

She dubs herself a "die-hard liberal." So are her kids, their father from a previous marriage and most of her friends in San Mateo, Calif. They favor gay marriage, reproductive rights and universal health care, and share the notion that a President Romney would've meant a return to a time akin to the Dark Ages.

Elizabeth Danu, left. "Poor Tom was completely outnumbered," Elizabeth says. "Normally we might have a little good-natured sparring about politics, but Tom always remained calm. We drove him to lose his cool these last few months. It wasn't easy because Tom has tremendous self-control."

This year, Tom voted his conscience, Elizabeth says, marking the Libertarian ticket. She told him he threw his vote away; he said voting against his conscience would be a throwaway vote.

"We have treated him as if he had one eye and drooled," she notes.

Life goes on, though and, meanwhile, they're performing together in a local production of "Narnia." (See the photo, at right.)

"He's good, I'm bad," Elizabeth says. "The show is over this weekend, and now the election is behind us. Time for us to be a family again!"

Giant Obama sign divides mom, daughter

The photo of the huge pro-Obama sign came in a text from a high-school friend: "Um, I think I just drove by your parents house and saw the biggest Obama sign I've ever seen. I thought you were a Romney fan?"

And then another: "Your parents live near Brookfield Elementary right? Oh my gosh, that yard sign is huge!"

A 4-foot-by-2-foot sign that screamed support for the president: That's how Leigh Andersen found out her parents leaned a little more than slightly left.

Leigh, a Romney backer, said she talked to her parents several times a week during the election, but they never mentioned constructing the "monstrosity." Confronted head-on, her mom said it was to counter the large pro-Romney sign across the street.

She told her mom: "I'm not coming over until that yard sign comes down." She says, "Immediately, guilt overwhelmed me. Making her choose between a yard sign and her own flesh and blood."

Their relationship survived?thanks to Hurricane Sandy, which blew the sign away, Leigh says. It wasn't replaced.

"And thankfully as her child, neither was I," she says.

Election tests friendship, on and offline

Jori Sams, right, and her friend, Sarah.Jori Sams says a friendship that soured on Facebook will be mended off Facebook.

She and her friend Sarah have been buddies for nearly 30 years. Jori, who regularly attends her Chicago church to be inspired and challenged personally, doesn't appreciate it when the pulpit points voters toward particular politicians.

"Please, do give me details and resources for me to do my own research," Jori writes. "But because I am religious does not mean I must be loyal to a specific political party."

Sarah disagrees. And she took to Facebook during the election to espouse her views: "Stop abortion! Vote Republican!" and "Come on Christians! Romney is the right choice!"

Any true believer, Sarah says, will vote Republican.

"I definitely have my personal views on tough issues like abortion. But what if I don't support the rest of the Republican policies or the man himself? Does this make me 'unsaved?" Jori asks.

Jori acknowledges they've offended each other and the election drove a wedge between them. But they haven't wrecked their friendship.

"This is something we will have to sit down like adults and discuss?rather than chat on Facebook," she says.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/relationships-soured-politics-worth-saving-voters-231800826.html

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