There are those kids that just can’t learn lessons the easy way. Their parents or teachers can invest all their time and energy in explaining to them how to do things the right way but some kids just insist on doing things the wrong way despite the problems and punishments they cause.
Both political parties suffer from this mentality though the dynamic seems reversed in a way, it’s Democratic politicians and Republican voters who seem convicted in their own ways to repeat mistakes. On the other hand, Democratic voters seem to get smarter from their experiences as do Republican politicians.
When in a political cycle where their President is not as popular, many Democratic politicians choose the “Run away!” tactic that has always resulted in their not only losing their elections but making themselves look like pandering, unprincipled cowards…which doesn’t look or fit well on a bumper sticker.
Blue Dog Democrats concurring on their election year strategy.
Has this ever worked? Have Democrats ever succeeded as a party by agreeing with Republicans, “I suppose you’re right, The President from our party IS a dick!”? If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, the Democratic Party may need to hold its next convention in Arkham Asylum.
Here we are in a year when most Americans are better off than they were when Barack Obama took office, we have universal health care, marriage equality in around half of the states, unemployment is down and the stock market is at record highs. And instead of setting the anti-Obama propaganda straight, many Dems, especially those in red states, have jumped over the fence and have joined the Republicans in shouting down the leader of the Democratic Party. And they expect Democrats to rally behind their election or re-election?
On the other side, you have Republican voters who repeat the same self-destructive behavior, dependent on their Social Security checks, using Medicare when they’re ill (and the new benefits of Obama’s ACA like expanded Medicaid) and benefiting from a recovering economy while rabidly supporting Republicans who plan to slash away at all of that.
It’s not exactly flattering to their intellect that the Repub politicians openly declare how they will cut, damage or end such core benefits that rural Republicans depend on for survival yet when their racial, religious, 2nd Amendment or fear buttons are pressed, all thinking flies out the door and they march in lock step to champion their actual enemies. No doubt lemmings watch such Republicans and chuckle to themselves at how ridiculous they are for being such mindless followers.
Rural Republican voters heading to the polls.
Blue Dog Democrat Politicians and Rural Republicans have a lot in common. They seem primarily motivated by fear, they don’t learn from experience, they don’t seem to reason well and given the chance, they will make the same mistake over and over no matter how obvious the mistake is. And most disappointingly, they will work against their own interests.
For both of these groups, you have history and experience heavily weighting the scales against doing the same failed thing again yet these folks have the conviction of their ignorance. They rationalize away the lessons of the past that others would learn from, confident that their lower instincts to respond irrationally to fear will carry the day.
And when they pay the price again for their poor judgment, they simply put on the blinders to avoid seeing the true cause of their troubles and blame the scapegoat they chose at the start…which coincidentally for both groups is identical, “OBAMA! (to be yelled like this):
This dynamic only benefits the GOP, which actually represents a smaller fraction of Americans and thus means it subtracts from our democracy. When both Democratic politicians and Republican voters are both rowing in the same direction, away from the leader of the Democratic Party, they’ve got a much better chance of running aground on the Republican shoals. Hopefully, it won’t happen tomorrow. It’s up to all voters, especially those who may feel a bit discouraged by polls and the anti-Dem behavior of Dem politicians, to step up tomorrow and make their voices heard.
Democracy isn’t defined by money, attack ads or propaganda (they’re actually tools to undermine democracy), democracy happens only at that moment when people fill out a ballot and submit it. That’s what keeps us somewhat sane as a nation, doing the same important thing over and over again and expecting the same result. Democracy. If you truly believe in democracy then for that reason alone, sustain it and participate in it by voting tomorrow.
A great article AdLib that along with other things I’ve read over the last few months, leaves me feeling frustrated and very disappointed.
The best thing Americans have done in the last six years is to elect an honest, intelligent and good man twice to be your President. The worst thing Americans have done in the last six years is to not appreciate or even deserve him.
The Brits voted out of anger about the Iraq war in 2010. Take a close look at what they got for voting for the conservative Tories. If that doesn’t scare people into voting for a Dem, then they must be either very rich, have a great job and healthcare, or they have become too jaded and unrealistic to vote. A vote for anyone other than a Dem, is a vote for the Kochs and their ilk who are trying to bring America down.
All the best for today.
“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.”
Winston Churchill
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Abraham Lincoln (a Republican)
Back when the GOP was made up of decent people. Ike was the last of those.
Adlib, I’m hoping for the best. GOP seems to have dominated the airwaves (yes I still call it that) this week. Just because they’re getting more attention doesn’t mean their opinions carry more weight (except among the weak minded).
jjgravitas, right with you. most polls differ from actual results, not by wide swings usually but by a meaningful number of points so keeping that in mind, it is far from certain what tomorrow’s results will be.
And part of what can impact that is getting out and voting.
Ad, the lemmings never seem to learn. Memories seem to be short. The people who have benefited from President Obama being our President have piss poor memories if they vote for any republican! That is my opinion!
Sad but true, Nirek, when people burrow down into their primal holes, it’s hard to drag them out. They become so invested in a mindset, they can’t afford emotionally to ever accept they are misguided.
But those are a minority of voters which is why turnout is everything.
HI Adlib You make a good point. there is all this below to consider!!
There is a 4 point GOP bias high above the standard 4 % error.
Subtract 4 points from every republicans candidate.
Kentucky is not a shoe in and neither is Colorado from the GOP
New Hampshire now Brown is losing by 2 but by 5 to 6. North Dakota may very well be a democratic win with all the indian tribes backing the dems. The independent voters 18 % have all been given to the republicans by the press. NO way that happens.
the GOP party needs to cheat to win.
Of course here are some of the results.
75 % of the nation does not trust the GOP to run the government.
THe GOP can not shutdown the government again they will not win the presidency that way.
THe GOP has a problem the dems are running White candidates in 2016.
THe gop has a 100 point dis advantage in the e college they can not make up.
too Republican women will vote for the dems
Too many republicans women will vote against Pro life/death
TOo many republicans in college will vote democrat.
Minorities will not vote GOP by 70 %
The LGBT community even the republicans ones will vote Democrat.
debt by tax laws GOP 12.5 trillion
Republicans averages doubling the debt and Reagan tripled the debt.
Federal taxes lost on Pro life over 2 trillion.
Over spending on the military 5 trillion since 1960.
The national debt would be 10 Trillion eliminating the above all those yrs
Job creation, republicans presidents are lowest job creators by far. on the last 4 presidents
Bush 1 smashes the lowest rating to 0.51
Clinton rating at 2.9
Bush 2 pulverizes a new low rating at 0.01
Obama rating at 4.1 and climbing.
Bush 2 has the largest recession in history costing the avg person to lose 40 to 50 % of there stocks, 401k’s and Ira,s
Forbes: The 10 poorest states are republican and follow the tax the rich less. Incomes are the lowest also.
Mississippi is the poorest… followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama and North Carolina.
Texas, where one in five people lives in poverty.
Red states use the most federal funds also.
NO GOP admin has ever balance a budget not even one month or made a penny for the USA for 60 yrs.
Also the red states are the highest polluting states in general.
Red states have the worst education in general.
More red states have credit rating down grades making their state debt larger every yr.
By the median income definition the gop is slight higher but that means they have more low income families.
the GOP use more fd stamps money.
The GOP uses more welfare money.
Republican farmers use 70 % to 80% of the total farms subside in each state.
More republicans conservatives are making minimum wages
Women make 30 % less pay for equal pay. The GOP supports this.
Seniors are worried about SS pensions and 65 % are not voting GOP
SENIORS NOW HATE THE GOP!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.dailykos.com/….
Republicans have the most abortions.
The war on women by the GOP grows 8 fold since the tea party.
The far right Christian worship the most liberal Jesus and god but do not practice almost all of their beliefs and teachings.
The median and avg income for the republicans are falling like a rock and the Dems and independent are holding.
So they cheat to win and the USA get in worse shape every time they do win.
There is nothing good on this list for the two lower income republicans or any other party.
———christy
http://www.nj.com/…_
NJ debt downgraded for fifth time under Christie | NJ.com
http://www.nj.com…nj_debt_downgraded_for_fifth_time_under_christie.html
http://www.wnyc.org…new-jersey-sets-downgrade-record-under-christie
Sep 11, 2014 … As S&P and Fitch both lower New Jersey’s bond rating, agencies say the state’s difficulty balancing its budget, heavy debt …
oody’s downgrades Kansas issuer rating to Aa2 from Aa1 …
https://www.moodys.com/….
Moody’s Investors Service
Apr 30, 2014 – Likely reduction in ending fund balance as enacted income tax cuts take … bonds was The Fundamentals of Credit Analysis for Lease-Backed
Illinois has lowest credit rating of all 50 states
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-has-lowest-credit-rating-of-all-50-states/
Nov 19, 2013 – Chicago’s recent triple-notch downgrade by Fitch Ratings is a stark … Wisconsin is one out of 15 states that have an S&P credit rating of AA.
Wisconsin governor tweaks Quinn over credit downgrade …
articles.chicagotribune.com/…/chi-wisconsin-governor-t…
Chicago Tribune
Aug 29, 2012 – Illinois’ credit rating was downgrade by Standard & Poor’s on Wednesday, a move that came after Gov. Pat Quinn has been unable to persuade …
Senate 48 to 52 dems or 49 to 51 dems & independents
count on it.
The GOP will lose governors. They already have.
the GOP will look stupid filibusters for 2 more years even if they get 51 they can not get by a filibuster by the dems or a veto by the president. THe gop may have to filibuster their own bills.
This is the last gasp of the GOP in congress and the GOP has about ZIPPO chance at a president for the next twelve yrs in 2016 the GOP has to defend 26 senate seat will the dems 10 and all are blue states.
There are no good candidates for the GOP party in 2016. TOO many are under federal investigations.
who will vote GOP under the above evidence.
Hey Ghost, I can tell you that one old man is defiantly against the GOP. Me!
I like your post. It has lots of sense to it. People are not as stupid as the republicans want us to think they are. At least not most of them. We just have to get people to vote!
Agreed Nirek old friend on your whole post.
Sorry i had no musical analogy for this one.
sayings from the ( child of nature )
“see thru eyes of mother nature and time will pass seasons will come and go. For the count of the seasons is tale of your life and in that tale protect mother nature”
RSGMusic, excellent comment, loved all the POVs and info. You’re very right, it is not a fait accompli and though the polls show what they do, they are usually wrong.
That said, I think all of your descriptions of who the Repub voters are will be the reason that if they win control of both houses of Congress, they will alienate a chunk of their base.
I predict we will see power go to their heads and even worse behavior than we’ve seen so far. And worse legislation. They will peak in their offensiveness just in time for the 2016 elections and as Funk noted on TO/OT, many more Repub Senators will be up for re-election than Dems in 2016.
We’ll see what happens tomorrow night, I have not accepted anything as a done deal yet and I do expect some real surprises and victories favoring Dems so I look forward to tomorrow night.
HI Adlib i agreed with this post all except one i do not think the GOP will get 51 senators.
sayings from the ( child of nature )
“see thru eyes of mother nature and time will pass seasons will come and go. For the count of the season is tale of your life and in that tale protect mother nature”.
RSG, this is one meaty post!
Two thoughts:
1) The angriest electorate wins.
2) As long as the GOP keeps their voters angry, all they need to do is mouth the words and they will be elected.
Conservatives everywhere have shown an eager willingness to vote agains their economic self-interest in order to vote for the candidate that mouths the secret passwords
In 2006 it was just too much. Conservatives were discouraged and confused, and liberals and moderates were pissed.
In 2008 everyone was freaked out about the end of the world, conservatives were confused and rattled, and liberals and moderates were pissed.
2016 you would think would bring another wave Democratic election, but for 1 secret weapon.
Obama will be in office and a Clinton will be running for President. That will bring furious insanity from the right never seen before in the history of the world since the 1930’s.
That is when we’ll find out whether the fever breaks before everything else breaks. Right now I am betting the under.
Hi funksands you could very well be correct. If you are correct? look for another recession in america.
Remember this at the top of my post. There is true bias to republicans of 4 point above the uncertainty rate due to the media since DDE.
SO if you look at subtracting those four points. The GOP has a very hard to getting to 49 let alone 51.
sayings from the ( child of nature )
“see thru eyes of mother nature and time will pass seasons will come and go. For the count of the season is tale of your life and in that tale protect mother nature”.