It is ironic that on the heels of this year’s election, a movie sequel is coming out called, “Dumb and Dumber To” (Two). The Republican wave of 2014 is also a sequel to their bigger wave in 2010 (they won many seats but sequels never perform as well as the originals).
In 2010, American voters were manipulated by their fears to vote Republicans into power and as we all know, it produced fantastic results for the American People. A government shutdown and other threatened ones, threats to refuse to pay our national debts that harmed our economy and credit rating, at least 50 votes to repeal the ACA and strip 10 million Americans of health care, witch hunt investigations into manufactured Obama “scandals” and refusal to pass immigration reform, minimum wage increases, jobs bills or pretty much anything that would help the American People. Near total gridlock and dysfunctionality. Mission accomplished.
And how do Republican and independent voters who elected these Republicans into power respond to that in 2014? “MORE!” At least, in a de facto way they are saying that but is that really what they were thinking? Perhaps not.
Looking back to 2010, Republicans used their tried and untrue approach of fear mongering and lies to scare the public into voting for them. The economy was still crippled and the ACA was on the horizon. So of course, Republicans spread lies about both to terrify voters against their new, traitorous and inept black President who was surely leading the nation to its doom. Republicans claimed Obama was in over his head, feckless and unable to rescue the economy. He was also trying to “shove down our throats” a healthcare plan that would use death panels and bankrupt our nation even if it could recover from The Great Recession. Republicans also promised that if given control in DC, they would fix the economy and bring back jobs.
Even though every one of these lies was proven to be a lie, even though they’ve spent four years intentionally damaging and gridlocking our government, even though they haven’t lifted a single finger to help Americans with jobs, health care or a falling standard of living…a majority of voters have rewarded them with more power to further their destruction of government and economic balance. One big difference though about 2010 was at least they lied about giving people a reason to vote for them. This year, Republicans didn’t even give a reason to vote for them, they didn’t feel they even had to, all they ran on was, “Vote Republican if you hate that traitorous and inept Obama!”
Considering that last night, Republicans elected multiple charged felons, adulterers, open racists, misogynists, economic extremists who have devastated their state and religious fanatics who have urged assassinations, there doesn’t seem to be a “too low to go” for Republican voters. They don’t demand to have a reason to vote for their candidates, they just need to vote against the black President no matter how far more horrible their candidate may be.
To get back to the nature of sequels, the rule of thumb is to copy what was done before as closely as possible while taking for granted that the audience from the original will come anyway, no matter how hollow and poor the sequel is.
In 2010, Republicans spread the fear of a permanent economic purgatory for the nation, a Kenyan Islamist overthrowing our nation and a health care plan that would turn the whole country socialist, intentionally kill Americans and destroy the health care system. I remember Pres. Obama initially not responding strongly to all these lies because he couldn’t believe the American People could be dumb enough to believe such obviously politically manufactured absurdity. He learned a big lesson then and last night, that lesson was repeated for Democrats far and wide.
Obama is letting Ebola into the country and we’re all going to die from it. ISIS is coming to kill us all through our broken borders and Obama is the cause of that. The economy isn’t helping most Americans get back to a better standard of living, and it’s Obama’s fault (after all, he opposes the two dozen permanent jobs that the Keystone pipeline would create and slashing taxes on the wealthy which would create millions and billions of jobs). The world is in turmoil in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, etc. and it’s all Obama’s fault. Presidents should be omnipotent (just like Bush was) and should always be held responsible for anything that happens in the world anywhere that’s bad…well…Democratic Presidents should be (if only we had elected President Romney, neither Ebola nor ISIS would have happened!).
Since so many Americans have the memory capacity of a flea with head trauma, most of those voting Republican yesterday likely had no recall of just four years ago when they were again stampeded by fear and outright lies just to be used as tools to give power to Republicans who have no actual interest in improving their lives.
Too many Americans have become “dumb” voters, they vote on little more than emotion. They feel upset at DC so they knee jerk vote for the party that doesn’t control the White House…even though it is the party they’re voting for that has caused the problems that led to their being upset. The simplistic mindset is that of a toddler, just wanting to throw a tantrum because it’s upset. And how are Americans trained to throw their political tantrums? By voting against instead of voting for.
It’s about as open a secret as there could be. There were no policies, agendas or visions that Republican voters were voting for, the GOP has been very clear that they had one and only one issue to run on against all Dems this year, how horrible Obama is. So there was and is no awareness of these Americans of what they have voted for or what will be in store for them and our government over the next two years (putting aside the vague and ridiculous fairy tale BS they’ve been fed by Repub pols, that jobs and money will fall on them like manna from Heaven if only they were put in power).
It’s like voting against the common cold because you hate it with no thought about having instead voted for the Ebola virus which has been spending billions on running really negative ads against the common cold.
The voting in 2010 was dumb. The voting in 2014 was dumber.
Many of these voters said in exit polls, they wanted change and an end to gridlock. Yet they vote in the party of “no” to more power. It’s just plain dumb and dumber. The Repubs have proven to America that they are dishonest in elections and even go as far as to prevent people from voting so they can win. And yet these voters think their interests will be better served by putting power in the hands of those who claim that they oppose government having power and using it? Then again, maybe these voters just can’t think like that, they’re just upset and desperate and like many who are in that position, just can’t see the big picture no matter how obvious it is.
One can only imagine what will transpire once the Senate changes hands next year. Will the impeachment supporters in Congress be energized? Will financial and environmental protections for Americans be attacked? Will Congress declare one or more new wars? Will Congress try to restrict entry to the country by those aiding Ebola-stricken nations and harm programs to contain the spread? Will it be open season on immigrants, women and civil rights? One thing we know won’t happen is compromise with Obama on important issues so when it comes to the public’s interest, it will be neglected for another two years in favor of politics aimed at 2016. We can probably expect more intense budget and deficit showdowns, wouldn’t be surprising to see a Republican Congress again blackmail the nation, sending a budget bill at the last minute to Obama that contains an Obamacare repeal provision, Keystone Pipeline approval, etc. so they have politically cornered him into doing their bidding or government shutting down.
And an entrenched political battle in DC that shuts down government or defaults on our debt is really going to help you get that new job or higher pay, Republican voters, good thinking! Who knows, you may even lose your health care or drinkable water supply as a dividend! Well done!
There are segments of American voters who have become smarter and better informed, using multiple sources of information, seeking out truths and facts and not relying on the corporate controlled media. Unfortunately, they don’t represent a majority of those who vote in off year elections. Instead, we appear to have a majority who vote their emotions, insecurity over race, disease, terrorism, finances and the future. Scared people and those who scare more easily (including many seniors) are such easy marks for the cynical and power hungry mercenaries of the elite class to manipulate. And people who vote based on blind allegiance are treated like idiots by their own party which doesn’t even feel it needs to give them a positive reason to vote for their candidates, they know such voters will vote blindly for taking away their own job or health care as long as they can vote for a Republican.
The one silver lining here is that if fear and anger are the main motivators of getting Americans to vote for your party’s candidates, after two years of Republican control and abuse of Congress, Democrats should be in a pretty strong position in 2016.
F.Y.I., my late father also lamented the rise of (what he called) “single-issue voters” or, more colorfully; “featherheads”. Education was once the cure, but — Ailes has reinfected to the heavens. Dunno what the answer is otherwise — all we can do is try and avoid bruising their fragile egos in the process? Ask me if I care about that one.
ADLIB: well-argued, compliments. You will be aware that opposition will take the same circumstances and data and reverse the argument. Harry Reid has buried several hundred pieces of House legislation to prevent them from reaching the Senate floor, and possibly Obama’s desk. I could argue this is obstructionist and at least tie your assertion about “the party of ‘no’…”, etc.
On a constructive note; the asssertion that people who disagree with you are “dumb” sounds a bit nervous. Haven’t you ever run into a plain-spoken person with moderate education and maybe no sophistication whose common sense and wisdom were admirable? If they don’t agree with your politics should you treat them with disdain? Just a thought, no preachiness intended.
Naxos, thanks.
Though the desire for equivocation between the Repubs and Dems is desired by some, they are two different animals (elephant and donkey, for that matter).
It would not be accurate, though of course Republicans generally aren’t interested in accuracy, to try and portray Democrats as a “Party of No” for trying to pass many bills but blocking others. Had the Republicans conducted themselves similarly, calling them the “Party of No” would also have been inaccurate.
Opinion though has nothing to do with it. The record number of filibusters used by Republicans vs. zero filibusters by Democrats over the last 6 years along with a record low in bills passed due to Republicans in the House and Senate blocking anything that they think could be viewed as a success for Obama, has factually entrenched the GOP as The Party of No and there is no equivalence at all with the Dems.
Naxos, the best man at my wedding was Republican as are close relatives of mine. In the article above and other recent articles I’ve written, I’ve expressed my opinion that American voters in general are “dumb” voters.
That is not saying they are dumb people, it is saying that the way they choose to vote is not based on reason, history and an awareness of what is really going on.
Why do you think the Kochs and others spend billions on manipulative and mostly dishonest tv ads? Certainly not because voters are too smart to be manipulated by fear and lies, because they know voters are not smart enough about making choices to make them on substance and truth.
Poll after poll shows that the reason that many voters voted Republican this week was dissatisfaction with DC and a desire for change. Such a conclusion, after witnessing the open admission of Republicans that they want to prevent government from functioning well, is “dumb” voting.
Voting blindly out of emotion, out of primal racial feelings, out of blind faith in a party and most importantly, against one’s best interests and without facts or truth to back up one’s decision, is flat out “dumb”.
For the parties to work together and progress to happen on important issues, there needs to be a shared reality by politicians and the public. As it is now, the Repubs have crafted a false reality, where Ebola, ISIS, immigrants and Socialism is coming to destroy the lives of Americans…along with the US Government…in a cynical ploy to get “dumb” voters to vote them into power.
As long as Repubs rely on warping reality to leverage power by instilling fear and hatred, little constructive can or will happen in this country as long as they are in a position of power.
Dem and GOP operatives understand it is far easier to mobilize voters against something than for something. This is why negative ads work. The coming of socialism on one station is matched by a threat of another Fergueson on another. Neither side is pure, both exaggerate, both sow fear. I am unimpressed by assertions that one side occupies higher moral ground.
Worse, I can’t remember the last time I heard a pol for either side give a straight answer. “How can I answer in a way that will make me look best” is the FIRST impulse. Staightforward and honest don’t even hit the radar.
Re: Dumb people versus voting in a dumb way- understood. A question on voting one’s “interest”. If I feel capable of earning a good living and am willing to give all my focus, energy, drive, intelligence, and application to acquiring wealth, voting Democratic makes less sense than voting the GOP. Is this interest valid?
Being willing to “give all of [one’s] focus, energy, drive, intelligence and application to acquiring wealth” sounds like a valid reason to seek professional mental health care. What a dreadful existence that describes. Which party one supported would be the least of one’s worries.
You might consider two thoughts:
a) Many people just love what they do for a living. Their 18-hour days are bliss.
b) Many people consider it noble to work for wealth. Wealth gives them security, control, comfort, a way to educate kids, travel with them to teach them about the world, get a nice place to retire to, when the time comes. If you fault these goals, think valuing them is a sign of mental instability, this is your perogative.
So, how does family fit into this “blissful,” scenario? What about friends? What about serving, in some way, the community in which these blissful people live?
I worked for over thirty years and enjoyed most of the jobs I’ve had, but never have I ever considered an 18 hour day, blissful. It’s bad for physical health, not to mention psychological well being. When personal wealth is a person’s main concern, they get cheated out so much more in life.
Have to agree with KT on this one.
18 hour work day is bliss? For someone who picks fruit, sweeps floors, works at a fast food chain, does any manual labor?
Or are you just thinking about privileged white collar workers?
Read any statistics anywhere, those working 18 hours are making less than ever…unless they are in the top 1%. And I wouldn’t call what most of them do as comparable to the work that a manual laborer does.
There are those, not you but others, who argue that people should consider that some slaves liked living under slavery.
When you know no differently, you don’t know how bad something is.
If anyone’s sense of well-being is totally dependent on his bank balance, I would suggest that there will never be “enough” then. There’s an empty place in the human spirit that can never be filled by money.
I loved what I did and worked for a huge company. They were one of the few that did not expect 18 hour days and are absolutely a top player. I worked for Visa USA and was never asked, nor required to work 18 hours and my salary and bonuses were very generous.
Any medic in the civilized world will tell you that, working 18 hours/day, will most certainly, prevent your kids from a participating and present parent.It is not healthy.In MY dictionary, if you are better off and decide to kill yourself by working so many hours, it’s indeed your PREROGATIVE.THE MONEY HUNGRY BRAIN,cannot function on a healthy stage since a person so focus unto himself, will become a sociopath.Take libertarians. Read scientists studying the behavior of these folks.They have no human decency nor dignity or integrity.Their focus are on $$$$$$$.Guess what? They will not be able to bury them with it.
naxos, I worked for a living. 12 hours were normal some 18 hour days and sometimes in blizzards or rain storms. Climbing poles and repairing the telephone lines in all kinds of weather. The kind of “work” you are talking about is kinda like the sort of “news” that Fox and other MSM are producing. Fake work! Sitting in a comfortable room and talking on the phone (that you take for granted) is NOT the kind of “work” that normal people do.
Suffice to say that we disagree about the definition of the word WORK.
1. exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
2.
something on which exertion or labor is expended; a task or undertaking:
Regards, Nirek
Naxos there are plenty of successful and wealthy Democrats. How do you figure I fare better as a Republican? I am not a Republican and made 6 figures over my career.
Hey Sue!
The irony is that the majority of rural Republicans are actually below the average income and standard of living of most urban Democrats yet they are deluded into believing the myth that if they work hard and play by the rules, they will be a millionaire one day.
The truth, from which Repubs have completely distracted them, is that they are bound to work harder and earn less than past generations and will end up with less than past generations when they are seniors.
As for this cruel myth to brainwash Americans into working hard and getting paid less and less by assuring them that one day they too will be millionaires, here’s the unbribed facts:
Only around 146,000 households in the entire country, the top 0.12%, and that’s not 12 percent but 12/100ths of one percent, have incomes exceeding $1,000,000 annually.
Putting aside the fact that many of these people inherited their wealth and the actual number of those who have become millionaires by themselves is much lower, that means there is a 99.88% probability that an American won’t be a millionaire.
The Republicans represent that .12% and screw the 99.88% while trying to convince them that one day, they will get to be the one’s screwing the majority. The circus term for people who fall for this kind of obvious deception is “rube”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bhfuioyI5Q
Where’s my barf bag?
I know that and you know that, Adlib, not sure Naxos knows that. I am offended that he would make such broad statements. It sounds more like the party line than his own thoughts. I have heard this same meme from dozens of paid Republican posters and it is always the same. I am just surprised they don’t realize how insensitive and superficial their comments sound.
KT, that Romney video…GAG!! Honestly — it looks like a parody. A sick parody. That Thurston Howell III outfit he’s wearing. Did that come from the costume department at MGM?
Gotta love the way Romney consistently mis-characterizes the positions of both parties. The Dems allegedly think that everyone should be poor. And the Repubs try to pretend that everyone can be a billionaire. (Pay no attention to real economic theory.)
They live in a world of lies and it’s gotten to the point where they don’t/can’t/won’t acknowledge the truth — even when their Florida mansions are being washed out to sea right under them.
Good to see you, Sue!
They’d love to represent Dems as being the “taker” party, while the GOP is full of millionaires. But as AdLib pointed out, there are millions of broke, white GOP voters. And as much as it stings them when they’re called “dumb” — well, what else would you call it when the chickens vote for Colonel Sanders?
Perhaps someone who craves authoritarian rule? I have no answer for it, Kes. I am just amazed at the total number of rubes there are out there who push the company line.
An example: This morning I saw a commercial about food, “good food, nutritious food, healthy food. Let’s have a conversation.” Monsanto.com
And rubes will believe it all the while it is killing them slowly but surely.
Yes. Some successful people are wealthy because they chose a career that pays well. Other successful people are not wealthy; they chose a career that does not pay well. All of them and everyone in-between can lead fulfilling lives. That their political outlooks differ is to be expected; people view politics through a very complex lens. If I inferred something different, my post was poorly framed.
Thx, Naxos
Naxos
Apparently you write stuff then forget what you wrote. Your words:
“If I feel capable of earning a good living and am willing to give all my focus, energy, drive, intelligence, and application to acquiring wealth, voting Democratic makes less sense than voting the GOP. Is this interest valid?”
Will you stop with this charade of “socialism”? Perhaps you do not even know what it is. Do you only watch Fixed Propaganda News?Have you ever visited, lived or know about the exceptional Scandinavian system? Canada – BEFORE HARPER-? Israel has a socialist system and many other more educated countries.Do not confuse socialism with Bolsheviks.Peace.
Hear, hear EXFAN!!!!!
Wink wink…I need someone to teach me how to handle the smiley faces.;)
Get a grip, EXFAN. I was referring to the perpetuation of fear-mongering in negative ads. I used “socialism” and “Fergueson” as two egregious examples;in your words, charades. Look what the mere mention of the word just did to you. You flew into a sanctimonious rage, blind to the fact that we are saying essentially the same thing.
BTW I lived in Scandanavia.
Who told I flew into a rage here?
Then you are closer to living with socialism than any of us Americans here.
The question would be why do you feel this way? I for one have no problem with a person acquiring wealth as long as that wealth isn’t stolen from the rest of the population. Republicans want trade deals that cause people to lose their jobs, they want energy deals that are destroying the planet, they want deregulation that destroys the world economy so why would you vote for a republican….unless, the only thing you think about is yourself. News flash….No Man Is An Island. Wake up!
Exactly Ad! I can’t count all the GOP ads I have seen that relied on inducing fear within their base. All the “scary,” things you mentioned have been repeated, over and over again.
The GOP doesn’t talk about what policies they will come up with to solve any of our nations most pressing problems. All they do is point to the problems and blame the dems for their existence.
The majority of mid-term political ads by the GOP were nothing but dog whistle Obama bashing and of course, any candidate that agreed with the president’s policies.
The GOP successfully made this election cycle about Obama, and not Congress. If I am not mistaken, these were Congressional and state governorship elections, for the most part.
I also blame several dem candidates for hiding or running from their past support of the president. That was simply shameful.
I also blame the nearly 2/3rds of the electorate for staying home on a very crucial election day. This too was simply shameful.
Exactly KT,
I believe the confusion in all of this is the fact that the electorate forgets what and sometimes who they are voting for. The republicans made this election about the President and his administration, neither of which are legislators. The people in the mid terms vote for local legislators, local issues, and national legislators, not the President. President Obama will be out of office in 2 years, and so will most if not all of his administration. Senators just elected will be in office for 6 years, four years after the President and his administration have left….however, the dumb and now even dumber electorate appear to think they were voting against the President and even members of his own party seemed to want people to think that way, shameful indeed.
I’ve said it before here on this site and have been taken to task for it, but I’m going to say it again, the people of this nation need to demand accurate information from the MSM if they want to take the time to watch it or read it or listen to it. Forget about the web, some people don’t even have an internet connection. We need to require more from those who have confiscated the airwaves and turned what could have been for public service into a private profit driven way to keep a majority of the nation confused and misinformed while those who own these corporations continue to usurp everything they can get their hands on and then boast as though they have done something to deserve what they have.
Excellent article Ad. There is not a lot more that can be said. But as I sit here in Australia, I cannot believe the apathy, the downright negligence of those who stayed home and didn’t vote. What, did no Democrat or the machine of the Democratic Party not pound into voters what happened in the midterms in 2010? What the outcome of those that stayed at home did to hand the GOP the power to hold the country to ransom. Why didn’t it come out again and again and again that the Republicans said we’re going to do everything we can to make him a failed president. We’re going to block every move –!
I am also struck by the weakness of the Democratic candidates that did not come out swinging about the real consequences of the “do nothing” GOP Congress. They did not bring President Obama’s many accomplishments to the fore, why, because they wanted to distance themselves from The President. So sad and unforgiveable.
Once again those with unrealistic expectations of goodness knows what they expect, have wrought this upon the whole nation.
I can say no more, I’m gobsmaked.
Thanks again Ad.
PPO – There is a standard apathy for the party in power, Repubs or Dems, in off year elections but combined with the overload of bad things going on all around us, ISIS, Ebola, Russia, etc. and the collaboration of cowardly Dems with Republicans to blame Obama for everything including the common cold…and add to that the cowardly Dems insulting and distancing themselves from Obama while not standing up for the many successes Dems have helmed, the Dem Party itself drained so much enthusiasm from its base all on its own.
And when I think about the torrent of emails I got from the DNC and all kinds of candidates, they were all high pitched, shrill cries for help. That’s not very inspiring. If I got an email saying:
“Stand up for Democratic Values like the ACA, Marriage Equality and raising the minimum wage! We’ll fight for these and more!”
Instead, most of the emails I got were titled like:
“We’re in trouble!”
“HELP!”
“The Worst is About to Happen!”
The moronic Dem leadership thought that copying the Repubs and trying to use fear in this way to motivate Dems would work. Idiots. Instead, it was very demoralizing and I think a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. They were practically conceding in every appeal for money, “Only your donation will save us from the near-inevitable destruction we face!”
WTF?
Dems are amateurs and fools at trying to use fear on its base, Dems aren’t motivated by it, they’re unmotivated by it.
If they want to copy Repubs, they should have copied their removed-from-reality tactic of crowing about how they will win even when they don’t have a prayer (Mitt Romney can confirm this). At least presenting a stiff upper lip and a conviction to win would have done better than screaming, “We’re all gonna get killed by the Repubs and nothing can stop it! So please vote and contribute money to us.”
Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Proudly & Loudly Supporting Barack Hussein Obama!!
I am grateful to the backwards red welfare states for giving us a fresh batch of whackdoodles. I still hope for a Palin-Bachmann 2016 ticket for jebus, but we have had years of amusement at their rants and antics. Now we can have the hilarity of a whole new group of religitards and their insane conspiracy theories. Maybe now they can actually locate all the fleets of black helicopters manned by UN mercenaries and the massive FEMA camps. BWAHAHAHA Don’t miss the upcoming BENGHAZI episodes with Howdy Gowdy starting just as soon as they can get enough repukes back to DC to show up for work!
Har,the entertainment value is there. However their not going to do the legislating they should be.
And what happened in FL? Will you survive another Scott administration?
Won for a mere 67k.Paid for with 100 bucks with gift cards to the poorest and the crack addicts. I was very involved with the DEM campaign.This man comes out straight from Dante’s Seventh Circle of Inferno …..
Harleigh, I think some in the comedy world were mourning the retirement of Michele Bachmann but now we have Bachmann Reborn in RW wacko Joni Ernst…and she’s in the Senate!
I was talking about “dumb” and emotion-only voters above, what could be dumber than voting for such a loon primarily because of a commercial she ran bragging about growing up castrating pigs. Yes, that is a very important requirement when constructing a complex foreign policy plan or designing a budget.
Real high level reasoning going on out there in Iowa!
AdLib, thanks again for a terrific article. One of the things that caused me the most dismay when I got home from working the polls and turned on the television was the way that the media so consistently and repeatedly referred to yesterday’s election as a referendum on the President.
This was supposed to have been the reason for all the GOP wins — everywhere.
Not a single word about the power of dark money, the consequences of the Citizens United decision, and/or the influence of people like the Koch brothers. Are they saying that the results of this election had nothing to do with any of that?
How dumb and/or dumber do they think we are??
Kes, the “honeymoon” with corporate media is over. They are now blatant about twisting the “news” into propaganda that serves their bottom line. These corporations all want the tax cuts Repubs have been promising them and they jump on any opportunity to support their corporate bottom line. As you say, the biggest influence and story is how billionaires bought this election. And yet…they describe the election as if it was a grass roots expression of the publics unsolicited opinions.
We have a big plutocratic machine out there that will never go away, we’ve beaten it in 2008 and 2012, we can again in 2016 but it needs to be seen as a never ending conflict.
Exactly, AdLib. The media aren’t even pretending to be objective anymore. As you know, I don’t have cable, but I am able to get the local NBC affiliate, local Fox {{shudder}} and PBS.
Fox locals used to be a bit more restrained than that cable “News” channel. Now they’re much more in-your-face GOP propaganda purveyors. NBC is almost indistinguishable from them. And PBS is a few notches above both of them in integrity, but still nary a word from them on the Kochs or dark money in elections. Too much Koch money in PBS these days.
When they’ve succeeding in buying more of the econ and history departments in a few more universities, it will begin to seem as though women and minorities never did have the right to vote, the Civil War was fought over states rights, labor unions have always been a communist plot, the free market and unregulated capitalism were designed by God Almighty, and Social Security is contributing to the growth of a whole parasitical segment of society that is growing fat and lazy off the work of others.
Do you need to ask???? They think we cannot see.
They do indeed, coveark, and we really have to prove them wrong.
Exactly
Massive corporations dominate the U.S. media landscape. Through a history of mergers and acquisitions, these companies have concentrated their control over what we see, hear and read. In many cases, these companies control everything from initial production to final distribution. Why would they inform the citizens? What profit would there be in their telling the truth?
Our media which is controlled by the same corporations we despise in many cases are the benefactors of that dark money of which you speak. Do you really think they are going to speak against their own best interest the way some of the citizens of this nation do during elections?…not likely.
Corporations are benefiting in so many ways through the unquestioned purchase of the U.S. government. First they use their own media outlets to disarm the citizens, they pour money into them, money that btw goes right back into the profits of the corporations when the elections are over, so as it is said, it is an investment, not a donation or a purchase. How dumb and or dumber do they think they have successfully made the population, that’s a good question..answer…VERY DUMB. I submit they are not satisfied with the result yet, the elections were too close this time, I’m sure someone somewhere in a smoke filled backroom is plotting and scheming, just as the republicans did to stop Obama, to figure a way to make elections nothing more than something we think as tradition, not actually expecting to elect anyone of our choosing. Corporations IMHO want to get everyone eventually to believe picking the actual winners in elections is something better left to the more wealthy, the more intelligent, the corporate owners, the job providers, you know, those who actually rule. After seeing the results of this election, I believe they have made inroads into accomplishing that feat.
A humble view from one of your friends from the north.The Dems had a chance at this election,They lost for 2 outstanding reasons I can think of,3 actually.1-When Allison Grimes would not even acknowledge having voted for the President,I saw that the Dems were going to take the cowards way out.
2-Instead of running on their own and the President’s record,which is good,all things considered,they reacted to the fear sewn by the R’s over ISIS and Ebola,and the Presidents so called lack of leadership on those issues.They ran AWAY from that,instead of fighting.
3-They reacted cowardly because they too are beholden to the powers that be;Corporations and special interests.The system is rigged.
I have never seen the like of this in the 40yrs I have been following American politics.The only shows we got here back then was the McGlauglin Group and Washington Week.I literally took it as comedy,the partisanship then was funny somehow.I stopped laughing when the administration of GWB cynically lied your country into war.That spawned groups like ISIS
I think the war in Iraq is the worst foreign policy decision in American history.And delivered the mess that is over there now.And the R’s have done a lot to squander the promise that was the election of Barrack Obama,a man I believe who truly wants to help his country.
** More in another post**
A lot of good points, Beatlex. Cowards indeed and corporatists too, the Dem leadership is. Right with you on Grimes showing utter cowardess that exemplified many other Dems, they didn’t deserve to win after running away from their party’s leader and accomplishments.
One thing about the Repubs, they don’t run away from even their craziest platforms. Dems could learn a lot from that. Had they responded aggressively in favor of Obama instead of agreeing with Repubs that Obama sucks, they could have done far better and undermined the anti-Obama scheme Repubs rode to victory.
American Politics now closely resembles the last days of the fall of the Roman empire, where so many of the politicians are corrupt, even criminals, and the public seems not to care, where we are falling behind the rest of the world in almost every category. We aren’t even the world’s number one economy. I feel like a kid completely disappointed at Christmas. Not only did I not get a single thing that I wanted, everything that I did get is bad for me. The only reason we are still a superpower is we have lots of money and bombs, and lots of poor souls willing to sign up to get their asses shot up in the next unnecessary Republican war. Will it be Iraq? Iran? The Ukraine? These wars only get fought so the GOP can puff out their collective chest and say “Look how powerful we are!” And for the people who voted republican I can only say that you get the government you deserve. It’s not gonna be just democrats who suffer from this next government, its gonna be everybody. Except the rich, of course. They’ll be just dandy, same as always.
jjgravitas, it was a bad reflection of America, what has been happening after 2008 (which was, you have to admit, a very proud moment for the nation) in our government. But to be fair, this has been cyclical. Government was so corrupt in a variety of periods, including the late 1800’s and early 1900’s (pre and post Teddy Roosevelt).
Can we dig ourselves out of this deep hole we’ve found ourselves in? I think so but it will take a number of things to happen including a new Progressive SCOTUS majority, a brave and aggressively Progressive President and a redistricting in 2021 that fixes the terrible gerrymandering that went on in 2011.
And we need to keep up following and exposing the nasty things the GOP is up to…and Dems need to put them front and center in front of the public instead of frequently running away from doing that and promoting Dem successes.
Ad, excellent article! I agree 1000000%
This may be the wake up call the voters need. After the GOP takes over in January they will have to produce some legislation or the people may remember in 2016.
Loved the comment by a close friend:
Avatar
trickydix2000 • 3 hours ago
sarcasm alert sarcasm alert
Hello boys and girls and welcome to the New United States brought
to you by uninformed Voters of America paid for by the 1%.
Loins don’t feed sheep they eat sheep, the 1% brought and paid for both parties and now the dinner table is set step right this way kind Sir and review the 1% menu.
1. 1st up Social security new age limit of 99 years old before you
can collect to include retro-active implementation starting from 1975.
2. EBT reduction to 10% only redeemable for bread and water.
3. The new homeless hunting programs for every homeless person you kill you receive a 2 loafs of beard per month bonus.
4. Mandatory imprisonment for anyone with a home garden, AM radio,more the a month’s worth of food, zero credit card debt, car older than5 years, rain water tanks and analog TV’S.
5. All women under 40 years old will cost 10 dollars for ten minutes to include zero consent by the women, all women over 40 years old will be relocated to Antarctica never to be seen again.
6. Millionaires only will be allowed to vote and own property.
7. No need to hide you money anymore because, only those making less than a million Dollars, will be taxed.
8. All minorities will be relocated to work farms, for breeding and labor with the following age limits 10 to 99 years old before retirement age.
9. All persons except the minorities, women, gays and anyone with less than a million dollars are to be provided with arms and ammunitions, anyone not meeting these standards will have their guns forcibly removed.
10. You’re free to kill any poor person attempting to run away and leave the country.
11. The country will be divided up by the top 1%; anyone living on this new allocated land will become indentured servants until age 99.
12. All young men not related by blood to the 1% once they reach the age of 12 will be inducted into the military and serve until 99 years old.
13. All hand-capped persons will be killed at birth.
Nirek, yep, we know the true identity of these Repubs and all the lip service they give to wanting to work for the American people is such transparent BS. They will act exactly as they have, to cut taxes for the wealthy, kill restrictions on banks and oil and push for more wars.
I sure hope the majority of American voters respond as they have in the last two Presidential elections and punish Repubs for their not working in the people’s interest.
Spot on Adlib! I can’t disagree with your point of view. I can’t understand what has happened to the people in this nation. I’d like to blame it on the MSM, or on the dog whistles and scare tactics of the republican party, but when I think of how the democrats ran from supporting our President, when I look at footage from materials that democratic candidates put out that did not tout the accomplishments of the Obama administration and what congress had accomplished before the republicans took control of the House and gridlocked the Senate, when I see how the President was not invited to speak at rallies for DEMOCRATIC candidates, and even one candidate that refused to say she voted for him, I am left to believe that both parties participated in this disaster we just had happen yesterday, this “election.” Democrats got what they deserved, and republicans got what they did not deserve.
My fears have been realized, something I did not want to believe about this nation, Americans are so divided in so many ways by corrupt politicians we can no longer have what we think of as free and fair elections. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” Last nights election proved he was correct.
I also like this by Ben Franklin: The deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was provided immediately. A Mrs. Powell of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”
If we continue to allow politicians to misinform, under-educate and lie to the citizens of this nation with impunity, we will get what we deserve, the monarchy Mrs. Powell spoke of in the aforementioned quote. The American dream appears to be converting into what some might call a nightmare. 🙁
AND….Where were the millennials? Many did not show up to vote. Why?
Spot on,Monica. The stupid and DUMB…..
This is a terrific video, monica. (Although the severe Obama-bashing in the last three minutes did go over the top, imho.)
Thanks for posting!
I don’t believe they are bashing the President, I believe they are making a great point. In this election the President stood alone. He gave up the Hispanic vote to appease members of his own party and they turned their backs on him anyway. Where is the loyalty in the democratic party? The truth about the matter is, the President has too many times made promises that neither party would let him keep.
It appears to me he has joined a game where neither side really wants to play with him, and although he is considered to be a member of one of the teams, the players on that team would rather he wasn’t playing with/for them. Sort of like the kid on the playground who gets chosen last because everyone else has been chosen and the team that gets him/her is more or less stuck with that person.
So even though there is bad language in the video, and a bit of ire when the one panelist is speaking about the president, which is IMHO disrespectful, and as you say over the top, but I can’t find anything wrong with the facts he laid out. The President has a habit of making promises and then reneging on those promises once he’s off the soap box. The President had so much potential when he first ran, and had four years to realize that stump speeches and promises made during those speeches are not only recorded and remembered but can come back to haunt you. It doesn’t appear he learned that lesson.
Making promises and not keeping them or using them as bait has caused him to lose the respect of many who would support him if he kept his word or did not make the promises in the first place. Consequences, that is what happens when you allow yourself to make promises you cannot keep.
I think it was the part that went something like: “He’s a gutless, cowardly motherf**ker” on immigration (the guy in the middle) that made me wince, monica. Ouch!
Yep, I know exactly what you mean. I didn’t care for that comment either. He was a guest on the show and as I said was very disrespectful where the President is concerned. However I do believe he could have said the President should have shown fortitude and kept his promise without taking into consideration the 2014 election. After all, what good did it do him to go back on his word, it appears many in the democratic party didn’t appreciate the gesture.
Many are frustrated with the President for some of his actions, I am not one of them. I realize the tough job he has and the manner in which he is trying to appease everyone while trying to do the best job he is being allowed to do. I don’t believe I could walk around on eggshells the way he has this past six years. He has done a lot for the nation, but hasn’t been able to breathe long enough to explain it to the citizens who are benefiting from what he has done. I do believe he should keep doing what will be good for the country and stop trying to appeal to other politicians. My belief is that if he does the thing that is best for the nation, he will win out over them all, dems and repubs alike. I’m waiting for him to decide that the country and it’s citizens are more important than politics and political parties. I thought he would realize appeasement and congeniality will not work when the stakes are as high as they are. I’m still trying to keep hope alive. Maybe he will surprise us in these last two years before he leaves the oval office…I truly hope so. 🙂
He really has been in a tough spot, hasn’t he? I think it may take a long time before history delivers a more balanced verdict on this presidency. Along with Paul Krugman, I think he will be found to have been pretty effective in very difficult circumstances. Not perfect of course. But nothing like the GOP portrayal of him.
Too bad history takes so long to be written! 😀
Reply to your last comment on page:
History is NOW being written , with changes, in Texas by our text book writers
I hate what they have done to our president. The GOP and their bosses and minions were just plain evil.
monicaangela, I mentioned in a recent post how the Dem Establishment is run by cowardly, ignorant pols who think they know it all. This is the second straight off year election they’ve lost by joining the Repub chorus attacking Pres. Obama and running away from his policies.
Do you think they’ve learned anything from last night? I highly doubt it, they’ll do it all over again in 2018.
The Tea Party took over the GOP, we need Progressives to take over the Dems.
I couldn’t agree more AdLib. We need a third party or a very intelligent progressive wing that would steer the democrats back to the center and then more to the left.
Citizens United will prevent any action of this type within the democratic party, dark money is going to both sides of the aisle, and I believe there will always be those in both parties that prefer their job in congress over what is good for the nation, after all, the majority of them are millionaires, over half of those in congress. Many were not millionaires when they got there, that should tell the citizens of this nation something.
Ad, this post is being shared like heck on FB!
Cheers, ExFan!
Everybody in my group – those living in the US OF Corporations – are sharing this!!!!
Even cooler, ExFan!
I am so disgusted…….my friend says we are living in Dumbfuckistan. Name calling won’t help but I feel like we have a country infected by the Stupidola virus……….I know, infantile, but…..too pissed to write calmly.
cover, Dumfuckistan is Scandinavian in comparison with what this country has become!
I know……I am pretty old and never thought I would see this day.
Nice to see you, coveark!
It does seem that the dumbest voters outnumber the smarter voters in off year elections but we can’t let that obscure the victories we had in 2008 and 2012. Let’s do it again in 2016!
“The one silver lining here is that if fear and anger are the main motivators of getting Americans to vote for your party’s candidates, after two years of Republican control and abuse of Congress, Democrats should be in a pretty strong position in 2016.”
Spot on,AdLib. I was thinking how destructive they will be from January onwards….which could easily revert the case in bringing another Democrat President.
Extraordinary work.Kudos…Sharing!!!!
Thanks so much, Ex-Fan!
We do need to look big picture on this,meeting a Dem as President and picking up seats in 2016 is more important than having won the Senate by a few seats in 2014.
Ask me and I’d put Warren/Sanders/Grayson on the ballot…..Alan Grayson won BIG on his district in Floriduh! Just like Anthony Winner, he is is a fighter. Not a pussy like so many democrats…..I am beyond pissed as you can imagine. Effing Voldemort won by a meek 65k voters by buying out with 100 dollars gift cards the poor and homeless ones like he did before….and the crack addicts…
I see that Hillary has suddenly started doing an Elizabeth Warren impression, no doubt to try and block her from reconsidering a run. Big fan of hers.
Sanders is great but I don’t see him as having the persona that could win a Presidential election. I do hope he runs in the Dem primary though, his position on the issues is solid Progressive.
Been here and there on Grayson but he can be a strong voice for Progressive values.
If the Dem base is as infuriated as I think it will be by 2016, they may not accept a corporate conservative like Hillary as their nom so there may be a real opportunity for a Progressive like Warren to win.
I’d vote for Warren, her values are those that most progressives/liberals/democrats claim to admire. I would also vote for Sanders given the opportunity. I believe Warren and Sanders would make a good team for President and Vice President in the 2016 elections, too bad so many in this nation fail to be able to value their viewpoint.
From your keys to gawds ears!!!!