(This diary is mostly about me becoming unhinged.)
I don't think this is a new argument, but I first heard it from my family last week. Since then, I've seen this claim pop up in on different websites, forums, Facebook etc. I'm flabbergasted. To me, this is the scariest thing yet. This is true Orwellian 1984 stuff. The GOP says we are at war with Eastasia, then we must always have been war with Eastasia...
To backtrack, after 9/11, my moderate, apolitical family because true believers in the Republican party (previously they voted for Clinton and Gore.) I can't even call them believers. They are Knowers. They Know Obama is a Communist Nazi who will become dictator after he's re-elected (no exaggeration.) The Know everything said on Fox News, Drudge, Newsmax, Michael Savage is the unbiased Truth. They Know that the death panels for old people will be enacted when Obama gets his second term. There is no arguing with these people and any sort of evidence to the contrary is immediately dismissed as Liberal Lies.
I've lived with this for a decade now. I used to fight with them (my political values haven't changed. If anything, I became a bit more liberal as the GOP dove to the right.) I used to argue with them. Then I tried ignoring them (made much easier by moving out.) But it's the gas price claim that sent me over the edge. It's festering in my mind.
Why? They aren't unique. I've run into plenty of other people who think exactly like them and it scares the ever-loving crap out of me.
I can't prove that Obama isn't going to become dictator-for-life and kill all the non-Muslims any more than I can't prove there isn't a monster under my bed waiting to eat me at night. I can point out all ways it is nearly impossible for him to assume full control, but that is ignored.
The gas price thing is different. Why? Because I'm sure we can remember more than 4 years ago.
(Chart provided by gasbuddy.com)
Hey, look at that, the price of gas rose steadily under W. Whoda thunkit? In fact, the highest we ever paid for gas was under W. Granted, the price did plummet right as Obama took office, but that's because THE FUCKING ECONOMY CRASHED!! I still remember the news articles and reports of skyrocketing of gas prices back in 2007. How is this completely wiped out of their mind? Or maybe they think that rampant unemployment is worth getting the price under $2/gallon?
I used my family as a (very frustrating personal example) but the entire GOP at large made me lose hope. I don't know how I can share the same land as people whose belief's and thinking are so far radically different than mine. It's one thing having to argue against their imaginary boogeymen. It's another when they willfully forget whatever is convenient to fit their insane belief system. I'm at my wit's end and have lost faith that their ignorance can ever be fixed.
Anyway, thank's for putting up with my insanity. I need to blow off some steam. I keep reading diaries here about how people's GOP loving family have started to realize how insane the Republicans are, but mine keeps doubling down on the crazy. I'm frustrated with them, but I'm frustrated with my country at large.