Liberals are smarter than conservatives

[Edward theurj Berge]

Continuing this thread from Gaia IPS (Google docs link here), here’s what a new Harris Poll revealed about Republicans:

 

67 percent believe that Obama is a socialist.

 

57 percent believe that Obama is a Muslim.

 

45 percent agree with the Birthers in their belief that Obama was "not born in the United States and so is not eligible to be president."

 

38 percent say that Obama is "doing many of the things that Hitler did."

 

24 percent say that Obama "may be the Antichrist."

[Edward theurj Berge]

Scroll down a bit to see White House Director of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle’s letter “what happens next.” This is what the lunatic Republicans want to repeal?

[Edward theurj Berge]

And now the Senate Republicans are acting like children, shutting down all committees after 2 pm? WTF?

[Balder]

Did you hear about this? Sarah Palin publishing the names of Democrats who voted for the Health Care bill and marking them on a map with cross-hairs?

[Edward theurj Berge]

Yes, it's yet another Republican example of using violent rhetoric that incites their mindless base to racial and homophobic slurs and hateful conduct. And in some cases to actual violence. A truly sad state of affairs.

[Edward theurj Berge]

I'm learning about that in the Coffee Party. For example, if someone comes to a meeting and says "Obama is a Nazi" a facilitator might try to get the person to reframe by asking something like: "What would you like to see Obama do on a specific issue with which you coud agree." I must admit though that I'm not likely the one for such facilitation, since I prefer more Olbermann's style in just ridiculing to their face the idiocy that it is.

[Edward theurj Berge]

So now that the healthcare Bill has passed Repubicans are fighting it by claiming it's unconstitutional and filing lawsuits through State AGs. But aren't Republicans the ones always fighting for tort reform because of all those frivolous lawsuits? And here they are, knowing full well that there is no chance in hell of these lawsuits having any legal basis, filing frivolous lawsuits. Why?

Rachel Maddow demonstrated they are doing it to gin up their base for contributions. They know their base will unknowingly respond out of fear to such tactics, that they can manipulate them with such specious demagoguery to open their wallets, shut their minds and blindly react emotionally. Republican leaders have so little regard for the intelligence of their constituents that they even try such tactics. And they work because of that lack of intelligence.

[Mary W.]

Check out this little article on conservative conformity & groupthink -- I came across it via a Facebook friend:

http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1601/groupthink...

[Edward theurj Berge]

Yes, David Frum is just the latest Republican to be banished from the American Enterprise Institute for being critical of their agenda. It's sounding more and more like like another conservative think tank, Integral Institute!

[Mary W.]

A lot of people have probably seen this already, but I thought I'd post it here anyway: Bill Maher's latest rant and riff on Republicans and the right:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/new-rule-you-cant-use-the_...

[Edward theurj Berge]

Yes, I saw Maher say this on his show Real Time Friday night and loved it. He voiced what so many of us progressives are thinking: to hell with the Republicans. You cannot reason with them because they are nto reasonable. Why bother to even pretent to bi-partisanship when they have no intention of doing so?

I remember a bully from high school, Tom Prepubla. He was a State wrestling champion, largely because he was stupid and was held back two years. Because I was tall and a possible threat to his physical superiority he would punch me in the chest hard ever time we passed in the halls between classes. I was not only tall but thin, not yet having filled out, so not the strongest or most confident of adolescents. So I just took the hits and tried to avoid him in the hallways.

One day I saw him coming and clung to the opposite wall, hoping he wouldn't see my in passing. But of course he did and went out of his way to hit me. But something in me snapped this time and my arm shot out and counterpunched him back in the chest, as hard as I could. He got so agry that he threw me up against the wall and threatend to beat me to a pulp. But my anger got the better of me so I said in a loud voice something like the following: "Go ahead, beat me up, but you'll destroy your wrestling scholarship to that college. And if you don't get it you'll never get in because you're so stupid. So come on, hit me, fuck up your future so I can laugh at you when I order my fries from you at Burger King."

He gave me a quizzical look and stormed off. He never hit me after that day. And what I learned is what hopefullly Obama and the Democrats have learned: You have to hit the conservatives in the chest and fight back, down and dirty. It's the only language they understand. You can be nice or civil to them for that is a sign of weakness and will only spur them on. Punch the bastards in the face and threaten to destroy them. And mean it.

[Shashank Singh]

how is this even remotly integral? or does that not matter on this forum?

[Edward theurj Berge]

Perhaps you should tell us why you think it is not remotely integral?