Republicans in a bubble...

[kentuck]

Bill Maher showed one Republican in a bubble on his show the other night. The guy could hear nothing outside his bubble. He hears Rush Limbaugh. He hears Sean Hannity. He hears Sarah Palin. He hears Rick Perry. They are all inside the bubble with him.

I wonder how many Republicans live inside this bubble? They never hear the truth. They never hear the facts. They never hear anything that might puncture their bubble.

How is it possible to communicate with people that are so isolated in their partisan little world? They do what they are told. If they are told to go and vote for so-and-so, they don't question why? They are like brainless robots. It is scary for everyone that lives outside this bubble.

One would think they would read and listen to other sources of information? But they have no idea of what is happening in the real world. They believe Obama created all the problems we now have. They believe Obama created all the debt. They believe he is a socialist. They believe he was not born in this country. They believe everything they hear on talk radio and nothing can penetrate their bubbles.

It is scary and it is dangerous. How do we burst those bubbles?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9kKiCvWdbxE

[opihimoimoi]

1. They act as kids when dealing with someting abstract...ya gatta demonstrate

with the truth and examples of the undeniable kind...

[Claudia Jones]

3. a good start might be....

If the goal is, as the OP states it, to reach Republican voting people a good start might be to stop talking about them in such condescending and derogatory terms.

[kentuck]

6. I'm not sure I agree with this...

Sometimes I think the truth hurts and most people recognize the truth when they hear it. They don't close their ears to it. Many would close their eyes and ears and reinforce their bubbles, I would agree.

[Claudia Jones]

7. again, this is not limited to one side

Regardless of the facts or the truth, treating people with contempt - and certainly many Democrats do exactly that - is counterproductive. Counterproductive, that is, of the goal is truly to stop the right wing. If, on the other hand, the goal for people is to identify with a team and portray that team as comprising the better people, the superior ones even if it costs elections, then treating people with contempt will serve that purpose.

[kentuck]

8. I don't think the truth is contemptible.

And saying they live in a bubble is not showing contempt, in my opinion. It is more a call for a little self-examination. I agree it is not all limited to one side. However, there are facts that are indisputable and should be stated as such and not tip-toed around, in my opinion.

[Claudia Jones]

9. right

I was responding to the "they act as kids..." remark.

I agree with the not tip-toeing around. Too bad we have to within the Democratic party.

I know we are supposed to pretend that it is not happening, and are not supposed to say this, but there is a concerted effort going on now to eliminate voices from the left by those who wish to drive the party to the right. They say that is in order to win, and that any other opinion is hurting Democrats or helping Republicans. Others of us hold that this effort will not only fail to arrest the progress of the right, but it will also lead to Democratic party losses. If we had an administration that was moving to the left, the same people who are now demanding party loyalty would be the most outspoken critics of the administration.

[kentuck]

10. I agree with this analysis:

"Others of us hold that this effort will not only fail to arrest the progress of the right, but it will also lead to Democratic party losses."

I think it hurts the Democratic Party and helps the Republicans if we do not stop the "drive to the right". I understand why they disagree but I do not think they have thought about it a great deal.

[Claudia Jones]

12. there is probably no stopping it

It has started earlier and is more aggressive then in past election years. By posing as super-partisans and insinuating that critics have ulterior motives or are working for the opposition, the third way Dems consolidate their grip on the discussion within the Democratic party and exclude left wing points of view. This has led to a "bubble" and a lack of information among Democrats. That bubble we can do something about. The tea party bubble we cannot. If we break through the bubble that Democrats are living in, we have a greater - not a lesser - chance of drawing everyday Republican voting people away from the tea party and the Republican party, and a much, much higher chance of motivating non-voters. But that is unlikely to happen this cycle, and it may never happen. The third way Dems have too much money behind them. The third way Dems will see the Democratic party lose before they will allow the left into the discussion.

[Claudia Jones]

2. it is "bi-partisan"

The entire country lives in a bubble and has limited access to any information the ruling elites does not want us to hear.

[kentuck]

4. I think that is true to a large extent but...

Republicans are not exposed to basic generic facts. They are under total illusion.

[Claudia Jones]

5. that is fine

As I said on another thread, we can hold all of this is a very narrow partisan horse race context - "Democrats smart! Republicans stupid!" - OR we can get more people to vote Democratic. We cannot do both.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

11. I was told that I'm not to correct Repubs when they tell lies.

Because that is confrontational. These self appointed experts weren't there and don't know what I was saying or how confrontational I was.

I was told that saying "I correct them" was confrontational. I have asked them what is wrong with the word "Them" and I have not gotten an answer, here on D.U.

[mainstreetonce]

13. Intelligent people

The people living inside the bubble are not all stupid.
I have family members who are well educated and intelligent and they live inside that bubble.
I tell them they do not know Obama. They know the Fox image of Obama. They don't get it.


Really sad

[YvonneCa]

14. Keep trying to reach...

...them. Respectfully. Share articles with them from sources they trust that paint a different picture. It may eventually reach some of them. ;)

[ThomWV]

15. Its a real problem around here, both TV, radio, and the only paper are right wing

People here that listen to the local radio stations just get bombarded by right wing shit. Its not just the limp balls, its the little swarmy local DJs who toss in their own personal little jibes every chance they get. They think its clever and it connects them with their audience, or maybe they're just assholes in general, but they are omnipresent.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. Saw that the other day

Very clever.

[Fire Walk With Me]

17. It is a cult tactic, to isolate/alienate/create dependency. How do you deprogram cultists?