I was at a Move-On vigil last evening to protest Bush and his Illegal Wire-tapping. There were approximately 500 of us signed up and we stood in front of Federal Hall on Wall St. and read the sections of the Constitution that pertain to privacy. While we were doing so people walked casually by us on their way home from work, most paying no attention to us. One man in his 40’s passed by us and screamed at us, shouting ‘W’ is great, ‘W’ over and over again. This of course made us read even louder to drown him out. The thought that 500 of us peacefully reading the incredible document that makes this country possible would threaten him so amazed me.
It got me thinking about the 39% approval rating that never seems to sink lower. Everyone keeps talking about the 53% rating Bush had for so long (even higher after Sept. 11) and how much it has fallen but that isn’t enough for me. I want to know who these 39% of Americans are and why no matter that Bush screws up everything he touches as President, no matter who Cheney shoots, no matter how many lies were told to get our soldiers into Iraq. these people will not demand better. They will neither leave their Party nor reform it, they consistently stand behind inferior performance, subterfuge, lies, cronyism, divisive jingoism and massive corruption.
The 39% show up at rallies and give him unlimited photo ops. They donate to he and the GOP with religious fervor. They defend him with bullying rhetoric devoid of facts. The only conclusion I can come to after 5 years of living with these people is that they willfully live in massive denial of facts and are in some cult of personality where he and the GOP are concerned. No matter how the deficit soars they see him as fiscally responsible. No matter that September 11th happened on his watch and he has never even come close to catching the mastermind he is ‘strong on terror’. He failed in his own service to this country and they seem him as a veteran capable of leading our armed forces. He doesn’t give them the body armor they desperately need as Commander-In-Chief yet they never blame him. He will not fire his horrible Secretary of Defense which exacerbates our debacle in the Middle East yet they do not demand a change, even to help our men and women fighting abroad.
After all we’ve been through together these past 5 years it seems incredible that 1 out of every 2 1/2 Americans is part of this group. I know many of these folks are Fundamentalists who believe he’ll change the laws on abortion. They also portend to believe in Christ’s teachings about the poor yet support a President who has supreme disregard for the poor and a downright passion for helping the wealthy. The rest of his cadre seems to be the wealthy who have access to education and supposedly take advantage of that but use that education soley for the acquisition of more wealth and not for the greater good.
The 39% baffle me and I wonder if it’s because I’m dealing in the rational world and irrationality combined with greed are their currency. The fact that the 39% aren’t going anywhere and are firmly planted frightens me. How do you turn a ship around when it’s hitting the rocks constantly and that large of a percentage of the population thinks it’s smooth sailing?
Wilfred,
Shouldn’t the question be: who gives a damn what the 39% believe and/or why they continue to support him? This is supposed to be a “democracy” in which the “majority rules.” So my question is, why is a 39% minority running the country?
Why does the majority continue to stand for that?
(Note: I also do NOT believe the polls and statistics suggesting that B*shCo even has this much support. I just don’t buy it. But even if you take the 39% as a given, it’s still a pathetic minority. Let them eat cake, tell them to STFU: majority rules.)
And in answer to my own question: I suspect that the answer to this question may be that the majority is actually largely in agreement–at least with the part about ‘getting the stuff’–the majority is in that sense ‘envious’ of what the minority has (and that includes ‘power’), so they put up with the whole rotten system in the conviction that someday, they will be the ones running the country and they will be the ones who get to be the ‘have mores.’
Unfortunately, they don’t realize that this is completely delusional, but until they give up those pathetic “american dreams” that are–and always have been an absolute nightmare to some of us–they’ll keep holding out in the hope that some fine day, they’ll get a bigger piece of the pie.
What they don’t get is that this pie was baked with rotten apples.
Who gives a damn? I do and I think we all should because the best way to counter the opposition is to understand them.
And by the way that 39% just got abortion outlawed in South Dakota and are pretty much controlling the White House, Senate and Congress.
I think trying to “understand” them is an exercise in futility–because they do not make sense. You can spin your wheels ENDLESSLY trying to “understand” them and you will never come to any understanding because they are just what the word says: wingNUTs.
In attempting to understand them, you actually “fuel” them, you give them attention (which is what they want, what they feed on), you make them feel important, and essentially what you end up with is “reactionary” politics and discourse–reactionary in the sense that it is constrained by the need to “react” or to “respond” to this minority.
The way to ‘starve the beast’ is to ignore the beast–and concentrate instead on MOBILIZING THE MAJORITY.
Unfortunately, large sectors of the majority (I’m thinking mostly about NON-voters) are situated much further to the left than most people care to admit. And the mistake the left makes is that it keeps pandering, pandering, pandering to the right–all this “politeness” bullshit, all this “nice-iness” is exactly what keeps many of the non-voters out of the political process because they look at it and see two sides of the same forked tongue speaking.
In attempting to understand them, you actually “fuel” them, you give them attention
You should never stop trying to understand other human beings. That’s the same argument the right uses to try to jail pedophiles after they have served their time. If you fund research we might be able to stop the recidivism rate. One must continue to try and reach out to all people or every situation will just get worse. Knowledge is power.
As far as pandering to the right, i’m in complete agreement.
I frequently lurk at Freerepublic just for this reason. I not only want to understand them better, I need to understand them better. That doesn’t mean that I’ll be able to see them as any less a bunch of wingnuts but it does at least mean that I’m aware of where they are, why they think the way they do, and where they want to go next. Any field commander knows that it’s wise to know your enemy.
I’ve done the same thing for the same reason for several years now. It helps prevent tunnel vision.
At this point, for me it is a matter of prioritization. Believe me, I have invested decades into attempting to understand these people.
Right now, my focus is on attempting to undo the damage they have done in their persistent and belligerent refusal to make any serious attempt to see beyond the narrow constricts of their own little world (which is utterly incomprehensible to most of the rest of the world).
I’d be the last person to set generalized prescriptions for what is right or wrong for other people to do–if you feel the need to continue attempting to understand them, if you feel the need to continue “dialoging” with them….I wholeheartedly wish you the best of luck, sincerely, but they are no longer my business. They’ve already sucked up far too much of my limited time and resources on this planet.
My only concern and the only I have left to say to these incomprehensibles is: YOU ARE NOT IN THE MAJORITY. You are entitled to believe whatever the hell you want, but you are not in the majority and it’s time for you suck up and face the facts. You lost. That’s the breaks.
MOVE OVER, not MoveON.
Again, MOBILIZE THE MAJORITY.
Damn straight. 39% is a lot – especially when they all go out and vote.
That’s the disturbing part, those 39% are mobilized to vote.
I agree with your sentiments. But, we must come together as a single entity, politically speaking, to be this overwhelming majority. Dems, Independents, Greens, Libertarians, Socialists, non voters and the like create many choices for the 61% majority. In the end, too often we lose some independents, go to war with ourselves at primary time, then say f— it on election day. Surprise; we lose 51-49% again!
39% + GOP owned electronic voting technology + the GOP owned media = a majority.
Do the algebra.
Have you seen this piece yet?
Why do Diebold’s Touch-Screen Voting Machines Have Built-In Wireless Infrared Data Transfer Ports?
No, but thanks for the link!
When that 39 percent flys naked to the heavens then we’ll know why they so fervently supported him.
Me, I’ll be glad to see them go. Besides, last time I checked, they won’t need any of their earthly possesions. Which means we get all their stuff ;o)
If their taste in politics is any index, I don’t think I’d want any of their stuff! 😉
In fact, I’d like to demand that they take all their shit with them. First and foremost, the Hummers and Tahoes and their six thousand dollar shower curtains and toilet seats!
Agreed-just having them leave would be enough for me.
Yeah they can keep their shit.
Wilfred I have wondered the same thing. I’ve talked to others who have wondered the same thing. What is with the 39%? Its scary.
Yeah, if they don’t need their earthly possessions, hell, I’ll take ’em. BTW, I’ve run into a couple of them. I jsut tell them to STFU and stop crying for tax breaks!
Unfortuantely the 39% include members of my own family. It is very depressing. It seems nothing George screws up registers with them. What explains it?
The power of — cheese?
Unfortuantely it’s the same with my family. They’re in their own little world as far as George is concerned. It’s like a force field around them that can’t let any of the bad new in.
Since my family are also part of the “kool-aid” set (of the Christian fundamentalist variety) – I can say from the experience of having been there myself, the forces are pretty powerful. It took me over 10 years to “break free.”
I think what drives the religious variety of wingnuts is that they are taught from the day of their birth that they are inherently evil at their core. And their only hope to save themselves, is to import the rules for life from outside of themselves. This sets up a house of cards that has to be attended to with all the energy one can muster. Its also where the fear comes in. If one card is removed, the whole house collapses and you are destined for hell.
BushCo have been grafted into the house. And their eternal lives are on the line if his card falls.
someone should tell them that Tex Colson, G. Gordon Liddy, Tex Colson, and John Dean are frequently seen on television and heard on radio, and their books sell quite well. They don’t have to go to hell, they can get rich off their crimes.
And who says crime doesn’t pay?
It not only pays well, it will get you into powerful government positions. . .just ask all our current criminals . . .Negraponte, Poindexter, all the Reagan gang of thugs have found homes here, and will also be the beneficiaries of multi-million dollar corporate positions and Lobying firms when they move out of office. Yep, crime by the wealthy always pays well.
Never been able to figure out the fear thing. If they believe in their own dogma, then if they believe that JC is their “personal savior”, that is all that counts. They will be among the chosen ones. So where does all the hate come from? God is supposed to be a loving God. JC was a champion of the oppressed and the poor and the sick and the like. Right? What similarity to the foundation of their belief system do they see in BushCo run amok?
Let me share a couple of my experiences that might (or might not) shed some light on your questions.
In a Bible class I took at a fundamenatalist college the professor told us that we shouldn’t be trying to raise the self-esteem of non-Christians. That’s because they are going to hell – and they ought to feel bad.
My dad once told me that my work at a secular program for drug addicted teens was a waste of time. He said all the kids were going to hell unless I convert them – so helping them do so comfortably was just a waste of time.
You combine the insecurity that is fostered by believing at your core you are evil with the strict lines of “who’s in and who’s out” that is the basis of their dogma – and the religion they are practicing bears absolutely NO resemblance that I can see to what Jesus’ life was all about. That’s why so many of them (ala “The Passion of the Christ”) focus oh his death and resurrection and rarely talk about his life. Those beatitudes are pretty troublesome.
Hmmm.
Best explanation I have come up with is one that stands in direct relation to addictive behavior. America is not just addicted to oil. It’s addicted to any kind of “fix” it can find. And it is in serious DENIAL over this.
So, if you’re hell-bent on finding an explanation ;-), even if only by virtue of the fact that you must find a way to understand your own family, I would look into scientific, medical studies on how DENIAL functions in the context of addictive personalities and behaviors.
What do medical practitioners do to break down the denial of addicts?
You might find some answers there that could be transferred to the political process, on an individual or collective basis. Dunno.
I think many of them are just in denial. They refuse to believe that they’ve made a bad choice because they would be partially responsible for the mess we are in now.
OK, let’s assume the problem is indeed denial, and that it is related to some form of addiction (there may be some disagreement as to what these people are addicted to: personally, I think they are addicted to “the American dream”, to the myth of American greatness, blahblahblah, but I don’t know exactly what these folks are addicted to, maybe those of you who have more ‘intimate’ contact with them can figure that out), at any rate, if we take this thesis seriously, here are some links on addiction and denial, none of which I have ‘vetted’ for usefullness of content, but here they are….maybe you can find some insights there….
Denial and Addiction
The Family Role in Addiction: Denial, Enabling and Codependency http://www.drugfree.org/Intervention/HelpingOthers/TakeAction/The_Family_Role_in_Addiciton]
Denial — of Reality and of Freedom — in Addiction Research and Treatment
The Behaviors of Addiction
Unfortunately I’m all too aware of addiction and denial and it’s causes. So I’ll pass on the links. Thanks. And though I have a need to know, I like myself too much to get intimate with a wingnut. They don’t make soap strong enough to wash that kind of filth off.
My post above was a joke really. I’m sure there’s a certain percentage of that 39 percent that is behind Bush because they believe he will hasten the coming of the Rapture. And I don’t really want their stuff out of jealosy of them attaining the American dream when I have not. I’ve got more than I deserve I suppose. Three beautiful, independent, healthy, and righteously left wing kids. I am blessed.
I think the majority of the minority is addicted to the myth of American preeminence and projection of moral superiority and power. In the end, they have a rude awakening in store.
hehe. The “intimacy” part was to the folks who have relatives in this sorry lot.
But I do think there is something to the notion of looking toward denial and addiction as a way of breaking the cycle that some of these folks are in.
There is always going to be a small minority that will cling to Bush the same way a small core of “believers” clung to Hitler and joined him in the bunker (think Mrs. Goebbels, who went so far as to KILL her children in her blind faith)….but really all you can do with those folks is make sure that they have a comfortable bunker!
Denial is defintely a key factor here because the facts are opposing them at every turn.
Bush represents their whole world view and when he falters their whole world falters. Can’t have that now can they? One day they will have to see the trail of wreckage that he leaves behind him and they are part and parcel of that.
I wonder what their rationale will be now that we have ‘liberated’ Iraq into a Civil War?
I think most people agree that “denial” is an element, but have people been thinking this denial in terms of ADDICTION?
What I’m saying is: what are they addicted to (if you accept my thesis that it’s a denial of addiction, not just garden-variety denial)?
P.T.Barnum said that there’s one born every minute, so I must assume an exceedingly high rate of reproduction. Either that or two much kool-aid. But it’s not worth worrying about. There will always be some foolish people who will support anything.
two should be too.
thirty-nine percent plus the military equals fascist dictatorship.
My gut feeling tells me the military will vote against the Republicans more than the general population will. They see firsthand the dire consequences of the Bush Administration.
Look for all kinds of voter fraud there in the next election.
My father-in-law. A warm family man, a doctor, a good son, and a complete wingnut. And not a religious person either. Pro-choice even.
As far as I can tell it has to do with a few things.
(1) He hates taxes with a white hot passion.
(2) He thinks it is OK to lie about foreign policy, because the President has to fool the enemy and do whatever it takes to protect us.
(note: I notice that this slack applies much more to Republicans . . .)
(3) It is not OK to lie to the American people about your personal life. It is certainly not OK to cheat on your wife.
(note: as far as I can tell, only Clinton ever cheated on his wife. Those are just mean rumors about Republicans)
This man is a life-long hunter. I know that if practically anyone other than a Republican politician had shot another hunter in the face, he would have been outraged. As it was, he was more outraged by the outrage. Something about those reporters made themselves ridiculous, and I bet none of them have ever hunted.
So he has reasons for his support, even if they aren’t entirely logical or evenly applied. I really can’t think of what would ever shake him loose. He’s a smart guy, but when it comes to politics he is stubborn and narrow minded.
For what it is worth. . .
thanks for that profile emma,
i love that he hates taxes with a white hot passion. how does he think the US pays for all those bombs, destoyers and F 16’s? All the Republicans want to cut all spending but military, which grows by leaps and bounds.
You know, I just can’t answer this for you. I don’t get it myself. He hates everything about taxes like I hate everything about torture.
He must be one of those INDEPENDENT mericans..huh? The kind of guy that doesn’t use publicly constructed roads and bridges, schools and universities, fire and police protection, 911 services, garbage pickup, water treatment systems and the like.
Selling Bonds to China??
His ignorance has been weaponized on an emotional level. This is a fundamental thing about the wingnut rhetoric; it operates on emotion first, and then uses the emotional intensity it arouses to subdue both the desire and the ability to reason.
It’s why their idiotic lies and distortions are so successful. All cults, all swindlers and con-men understand this elemental dynamic. It’s a ot easier to control someone through emotion than it is through reason.