Why right wingers have collectively gone insane

Originally Posted By Dabob2

But no one is saying either party is immune to nutjobs, DAR. No one. In fact, some have made sure to say there are crazies everywhere.

It's just that the crazies are, to an uncomfortable degree, dominating GOP politics right now. You have the head of the RNC and GOP congressman cravenly apologizing to the likes of Rush Limbaugh for having the (short-lived) guts to criticize him. Part of it is a leadership vacuum that (let's hope) doesn't last, but right now the most powerful voices in the GOP are the radio and Fox News crazies; meanwhile, the most powerful voice in the Democratic Party is of course Obama, who is always calm and measured. So it's weird trying to pretend it's an equal situation right now. Eventually it may be, but right now it's just not.

And mawnck is right that we dismiss some of this nuttiness (like the teabaggers) at our peril - they have some very powerful backers.

<a href="http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/13/corporate-lobyists-raising-money-for-tea-parties/" target="_blank">http://firedoglake.com/2009/04...parties/</a>

"FreedomWorks is run by ladies' man (and registered lobbyist) Dick Armey, and if they're not "organizing" the Tea parties, it's news to them. "

(snip)

" As Krugman notes, their money comes from the Koch, Scaife, Bradley, Olin and other reliable funders of right wing infrastructure including Exxon Mobil.

I don't know which is sadder -- the fact that the Teabaggers don't understand that it would be impossible for them to do what they're doing without this kind of infrastructure behind them, or the fact that they're being manipulated by the very people they appear to be raging against who are only looking to channel their anger for their own purposes."

 

Originally Posted By DouglasDubh

Blinders on.

 

Originally Posted By mawnck

My point, and the article's point, is not to say that there aren't liberal loonies, but that the Dems are making a big mistake if they think that the craziness from the right is (1) something new, and (2) something that will permanently damage the GOP's chances.

You'll never lose elections by underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

 

Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder

"Blinders on."

Good that you admit it.

 

Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan

>>You'll never lose elections by underestimating the intelligence of the American public.<<

Hmmm. Not so sure about that one anymore. Palin?

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

"Once again neither the Republican, Democrats, Conservatives or Liberals have any type of monopoly on loonies, nutjobs, freaks or people who are plain Bat-crap crazy."

You seem to be hung up on this point. No one is saying that.

Nothing that the conservative right have said about Obama have proven to be true, yet they continue to their own demise, laying more unfounded claims as each day passes. The general public must not be buying it though, since Obama remains very popular with Americans despite the desperate attempts by the far right to bring him down.

 

Originally Posted By Dabob2

<<"Blinders on.">>

<Good that you admit it.>

No kidding. Note there was nothing of substance, just the dismissive (!) comment. Because it's hard to deny that Steele and others DID kowtow to Limbaugh, since, you know, they did. Or that Dick Armey's FreedomWorks is organizing the tea parties since, you know, they are.

 

Originally Posted By gadzuux

You can't very well have mass teabagging without a dick armey!

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

*gasp*

 

Originally Posted By gadzuux

I already regret it . . .

 

Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan

LOL!

 

Originally Posted By plpeters70

I'm sad to say I was thinking something very similar with all this talk of "teabagging"...

 

Originally Posted By DyGDisney

The people attending these teaparties are being told by their right wing nut-jobs, er...I mean leaders, to make posters saying in large letters, "The person standing next to me is not part of the movement". They are told that "left-wingers" will be infiltrating their protests with signs that say threatening things like "Kill Obama" and similar things to make them look bad/crazy.

I say, the right-wing media KNOWS they have caused so much hate that there will be people who truely want that, and they are afraid it will make them all look like the nut-jobs they are, er....I mean seem to be.

 

Originally Posted By Dabob2

It's also a little hard to discern what these people think this "movement" is about, or just what they're protesting. Taxation with representation? The fact that almost all of them present (though perhaps not the organizers) are having their taxes CUT under Obama?

Or maybe it's just, as Jon Stewart said, they're confusing "tyranny" with "losing."

 

Originally Posted By DyGDisney

Bingo, I think Jon Stewart has it.

Of course, they SAY it's a non-partisan rally. If that were some of their t-shirts would not have a huge picture of Ronald Reagan on the front.
Was that the guy who made the government so small just like the Republicans like??!!

 

Originally Posted By DAR

But aren't we being told on these very boards that there's no moral equivalency between the right and left. That what the right is doing these is much worse than the left ever did. Sorry but it doesn't work that way in my book.

 

Originally Posted By DyGDisney

Oh man, I was looking for the specific Reagan shirt, and found this:
<a href="http://www.cafepress.com/BaldEaglet/6546866" target="_blank">http://www.cafepress.com/BaldE.../6546866</a>

Warning, it's very scary, so proceed with caution.

 

Originally Posted By DyGDisney

Here's what bugs me. They are calling for a recall or impeachment or whatever of President Obama. There are even shirts, bumper stickers, etc. that say, "Silent Majority No More" for this tax day thing.
But the majority of the people in the United States voted FOR President Obama. Isn't that the way the republic-democracy process in our country, which is the very thing these people say they are fighting for, works? I mean, the majority of people vote in a candidate, but 25% of people don't like that candidate so they think he should be recalled?! Makes no sense. I voted against the recall in CA a few years back but it passed. Guess what, things are NOT better!

 

Originally Posted By DyGDisney

>>the majority of the people in the United States voted FOR President Obama. <<

Unlike the 2000 election......

 

Originally Posted By plpeters70

"Silent Majority No More"

Silent?? When have they EVER been silent???