Political Hippo Circle Jerk - America, farg YEAH!

[Phanatic]

Can I get an exception too?

[Father Demon]

Poor republicans just dont make any sense.

That was kind of my point...

[General_Failure]

Why the hate towards Middle America?  Is it a location, or a state of mind?  If it's economic, isn't that the very core that the Dems are supposed to be a proponent for?

I seriously don't get the Middle America references, specifically as a derogatory label.

Middle America is a myth, like world peace, intelligent political debate, and sexy female physicists.

[Rome]

and sexy female physicists.

What what?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

i love how thats an issue, yet Palin not knowing shtein isnt.  I really hope black holes swallow middle america. 

That comment is hilarious.  My entire point is that Democrats speak of Palin as if there are hundreds of Republican politicians that would have overall been a much better choice for the Republican ticket.  Those people might want to realize that no pick is perfect.  What Palin lacks in experience, she makes up for in added excitement and VPILFability.  What Biden lacks in tact, he makes up for with long-windedness and hair plugs.

Please learn to take a joke also.  Thanks.

[rjs246]

Poor republicans just dont make any sense.

That was kind of my point...

That's ridiculous. The brilliance of the Republican party is that they have managed to play both sides of the fence when it comes to the economic spectrum of white people.
On the one hand they favor lower taxes for the wealthy, open markets and assistance for major corporations. Clearly making them appealing to rich white folks.
On the other hand they have adopted religious-literalism to guide their social agenda. This appeals, for the most part, to poor white people.

The idea of mixing massive soulless profit-at-any-cost corporations and strict religious conformity is counter-intuitive but I'll be damned if the Republicans haven't figured out a way to appeal to both.

[Phanatic]

That's a damn good summary right there...

[Cerevant]

What do they have in common?  Authoritarianism: both groups want someone in charge with the authority to set the rules.  The Republican Elite want to be in charge, and tell everyone exactly what to do.  The religious conformists want someone in charge to tell them what to do and think.

I think you can explain a lot more if you political continuum has these two axes:
1) Authoritarian / independent: as described above
2) Competitive / cooperative: Competitive assumes the best decision is one that serves the self.  Cooperative assumes that the best decision is one that serves the community.

This makes the connection of social and fiscal conservatives make more sense.

[Father Demon]

Maybe I should have finished my thought instead of ellipsising it out...

I'll try again.

That was kind of my point, to the people on here that that talk about the republican base as rich, old white people.

[rjs246]

What do they have in common?  Authoritarianism: both groups want someone in charge with the authority to set the rules.  The Republican Elite want to be in charge, and tell everyone exactly what to do.  The religious conformists want someone in charge to tell them what to do and think.

I think you can explain a lot more if you political continuum has these two axes:
1) Authoritarian / independent: as described above
2) Competitive / cooperative: Competitive assumes the best decision is one that serves the self.  Cooperative assumes that the best decision is one that serves the community.

This makes the connection of social and fiscal conservatives make more sense.

That's all well and good, but taken individually, they have completely opposing values.

Helping the rich get richer runs in direct contrast to the tenets of every major religion.
Putting restrictions on personal behavior and encouraging the wealthy to help the poor run in direct contrast to the open-markets, no restrictions, earn-and-keep environment that helps monolithic corporations flourish.

[Phanatic]

Are you dunk again? Your making a lot of sense...

[rjs246]

Not drunk, no, but I have been on a 15 day binge. Maybe I knocked something loose.

[Cerevant]

The flaw in the logic is that it assumes agreement on all issues.  A significant majority of Catholics will vote pro-life, regardless of any other issue.

The goal isn't to completely agree with each voter, it is to get the most voters who agree on at least one issue.

[NGM]

Not drunk, no, but I have been on a 15 day binge. Maybe I knocked something loose.

This is kind of like that part of Old School when Will Ferrel answers James Caravel's debate question perfectly and is blacked out when doing it.  I bet you don't remember any of this tomorrow. 

[Rome]

I bet you don't remember any of this tomorrow. 

Sadly for us, though, we will.