I originally titled this diary entry "Republican 'Beliefs'", but decided I preferred the current one. Yet, this post does come from my trying to "get my head around" what those beliefs could be. And I'm not talking about "fiscal conservatism" etc. I'm talking about the recent poll Kos commissioned on certain ideas that the average republican holds as being true or valid...
Edit: link to the poll [thanks to Kossack cee4]
By now, 99.9% of Kossacks are aware of these poll results, things like:
- 39% believing Obama should be impeached
- 63% (!!!) believing Obama is a socialist
- 64% (combination) not believing or unsure if Obama was born in the U.S.
- 57% (combination) not believing or unsure if Obama wants America to lose to the terrorists...
- 23% believing their State should secede from the nation
First, I have to comment on what a blazing hot red flashing signal this poll is in regards to how effective the G.O.P. has been in dumbing down the populace over 50+ years of anti-intellectualism. (A potent combination effort of starving the average American intellect on the one hand, by fighting against proper funding for public education at every turn, and then filling the void created with uber-consumerism and allowing the reign of corporations. Over the long term, one must look no farther than this poll to see how exponential the results can be.)
Trying not to get distracted by this point though, I have to share something I was thinking as I was watching Rachel Maddow's broadcast about this poll. I couldn't help but wonder to myself "how many of G.O.P. elected officials and operatives actually believe such things?" And my immediate response was "none of them" (except maybe Michelle Bachman but I'm not sure even with her). I just have to think that no sane adult capable of getting elected to national office could possibly be so obtuse, but instead willingly use the misinformation for political gains.
But then I couldn't help but follow up with an earnest if naïve thought: "But what would they have to say if such vomit helps push just one lunatic far enough over the edge to actually attempt an act of violence against the POTUS, to 'justifiably', in their mind, protect the nation"? Of course I am not so naïve as to think most would have the slightest bit of remorse or feel any culpability whatsoever. Most have probably dealt with at least one serious case of fearing for their life because of some threatening letter or angry citizen, and would likely view it as par for the course for anyone who enters public service. Well, that, and having long ago destroyed any sense of ethics or integrity they may have ever had. They are sheep too, in the end - granted, they are in positions of authority over the rest of the flock, but they are ethically incapable or unwilling to actually embrace that responsibility. They play along toward their own advancement, and rarely question the "way the game is played" other than to lament it as a sobering reality, before they proceed to do nothing to change that fact.
Waiting for the rare species of Republican who would truly own up to the irresponsible and irrational nature of this situation will be a long one indeed... as in never. Yeah, lip service, maybe, perhaps, on occasion when it is unavoidable. But nothing real.
Anyway, so I'm wondering, and wanting to ask a pointed survey question of my own, only directly to G.O.P. leadership, including the likes of Steele, Gingrich, McCain, even Palin, any and all of the above and more: "If the POTUS were to be harmed by some lunatic preaching the swill he/she heard on Fox, convinced like so many others of the ideas reflected in the poll results, do you think it would be bad for the country, and how?
Of course, I know better than to think it possible to get a straight and honest reply, but I can imagine the core of it, should any of them have the courage to reveal what lies in their selfish nihilist hearts:
"I think the country will be just fine. It's sad on a personal level, sure. But the country? We're not gonna miss a beat. No one man is that important to the nation. We'll be fine - and personally, I think even better off, now that it's likely we'll have the upper hand going forward, just like we did after the younger Kennedy was eliminated. And just like then, one the one hand, things will be better because we run things, while at the same time we'll have this great moving story that everyone, regardless of their political beliefs before, can rally around and share. The facts don't matter, just the emotion, and how it can be channeled toward rebuilding the great capitalist State that made us great. So, if I have to be brutally honest, I think it's a good thing, the best thing that could have happened. I am sad it had to happen this way, but glad it did."
If they didn't say this, they'd be lying. Of course, that's all they do anyway. .
I just had to say it though. And maybe the reason is because I am not sure which is worse, that the average Republican views are so despicably reliant on ignorance they cultivate to insure their future, or that the average response, Democratic and otherwise, is to pretend it's not as bad as it really is... or that it's "too political" or "too partisan" to go there, or it's borderline "conspiracy theorist" or inflammatory, or perhaps worst of all these: that there's nothing we can do about it, "it's just politics"...
On one more specific point though, namely the whole "Socialism" dreck: I have to say that I wish Maddow and Olbermann and Matthews et al would invite a few important elected officials from around the world, who happen to be socialist in a democratic society, like in Spain, Italy, France etc (I could deliver a few Italians if the offer were made), to come onto their show and address that point once and for all. The reality that should be stated very clearly is that any real socialist, even a social democrat in most cases, would consider it an offense to them and their beliefs to have Obama called a socialist. It would imply somehow that his policies are ones that represent their ideas. And for the most part, that's a complete fallacy. By true standards, Obama is a centrist. He talks from the center, but he also walks the walk.
If/when America lets itself be dragged way over to the extreme right over the course of 50 years, and all the while convinces her self that we are the great keeper of the "true center", reforms toward the middle just might look like socialism in comparison. But saying it doesn't make it so, and only stokes dangerous fires in the process. To me, helping the American people better understand that seems an important starting point going forward, and we are all responsible toward this end. My own modest efforts include this diary.