I believe republicans are just plain dumb

[Philosoraptor]

It isn't said much, but I'm convinced that people who vote for republicans are attracted to stupidity. They themselves are stupid, and they like to see stupid people like themselves in office. That's why we had bush for 8 years, and reagan too. That's why they are so smitten with palin and that's why they've broken off into the tea bagger party.

A smart person upon hearing palin screech and ramble on incoherently shakes his or her head in disbelief, while a republican finds it refreshing and motivating. They are the dumbass party. They are not too bright. They are a quart low mentally. Their little red caboose has gone chug chug chuggin' around the bend. They ain't wrapped too tight. They are in fact, retarded in the truest sense of the word.

That's why they love glenn beck and rush limbaugh, 'that man speaks for me, cause I'm a dumb fuck'.

We should remember this fact, and consider it when dealing with republicans. They are the dumbasses among us, there are smart people and there are dumbasses, and the dumbasses all fall in line to vote republican every time.

I know this is no great revelation, but it should be the starting point when dealing with our millions of republican dumbass Americans. And we should never ever let the stupid become too powerful, we should keep the dumb fucks at bay. They are dumb, the shit they believe is dumb, their candidates are dumb and they are easily manipulated in their dumbassness. This wouldn't be so bad, but dumbasses in large numbers are extremely dangerous to us all.

I don't call them dumb as an insult, but as a scientifically proven fact.

[jimlup]

1. This is only partially true...

There are much darker forces at work within the elite power structure of the Republican party. The dumb-ass thing is only true of the working class constituency.

[Philosoraptor]

2. Getting the stupid to vote republican is so easy

And that's all they need, votes.

[Wednesdays]

24. Exactly. The ones at the very top--pulling the strings--ain't no dummies

As long as there's the smell of money, there will be plenty of "smart" people in the conservative ranks. The social scientists at the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute are miles above your average teabagger on the street. They've spent billions of dollars on focus groups, surveys, and polls...and billions more on public relations, spin doctors, and radio shows, in order to find just the right "message" to fool the public.

While I'm sure we'll prevail, this election will be no slam-dunk for the Democrats...and the GOP will still be a force to reckon with for a very long time.

[reggie the dog]

42. not totally true either

you can be working class and vote republican because they are anti helmet laws for motorcycles, if you have a job which gives you health care and dont give a shit about those without a job and you like riding your harley with no helmet then you vote republican, my own father who was sent to vietnam by johnson and brought home a few weeks early by nixon is working class and voted republican up until 2004 with the exception of voting for carter in 76. he is a union mechanic but had so much anger about vietnam that he voted repub because as i said, nixon brought him home a couple of weeks early. people have many reasons for how they vote. my buddy jarrid is a postal worker who votes republican, he has no college degree like me yet he is still married to the mother of his 4 kids whereas the "smart" college educated me is going through a divorce....he votes republican because he wants the usa to build a strong empire and had no problem with invading irak yet thought we should take their oil as a spoil of war. that is not stupidity, it is just vastly different from how i see things.

[Cosmocat]

49. Right ... It isn't intelligence ...

Someone else had a good quote down the string ...

"There is a huge difference between stupidity and sociopathology."

I have more republican, and I mean strong republican, friends than democrat friends, and I would not characterize any of them as being stupid ...

The republican party over the last 30 years has found a way to tap into soft spots with certain groups of people and cull them in ... I don't get it, it just leaves me scratching my head, but many of the kindest, most community oriented people I know, people are are GOOD friends to me, are dyed in the wool republicans ...

I find that I have to set this stuff aside and compartmentalize it ... I don't get it, and there really is no way to talk people out of it ...

[Swamp Rat]

3. The idiots who continue to vote for them certainly are, and rather crazy too.

[Canuckistanian]

4. They certainly seem to be easily played

Beck or Limbaugh can say the most inane, false, absurd or hateful things and they immediately start nodding their heads in agreement. They'll even take to the streets with badly spelled signs repeating those same things.

Can you imagine if some progressive figure had that kind of power?

[KharmaTrain]

5. They Want Certainty

You rarely ever hear a rushpublican vacilate on an issue...they're rock solid...no matter how wrong they are. For some, this is a sign of "strength" and many have grown up (especially in religious environments) to believe there are absolutes; answers to everything. It's a world of black and white...and one many love to live in as they feel they are in control despite the contrary. This is what's used to make people vote against their best interests as they been conditioned to believe in the mantras and endless spin and talking points. When "conservatism" fails its cause the government wasn't conservative enough.

It's not stupid, it's arrogance and ignorance. These people are hellbent on what they've been conditioned to believe and no amount of fact will convince them otherwise. This now extends to their disdain for any and all education. Academics rain on their parade. Think about it...without those blasted Harvard professors we could drill baby drill, drive 100mpg, smoke like chimneys, pollute and exploit without any care. It's a worldview limited by design and attractive for those in times of uncertainty.

[Philosoraptor]

10. They also dislike intelligence, & they're WILLFULLY ignorant

[COLGATE4]

20. They feel intimidated by intelligence and/or education so they

pride themselves on not having it. These are the people who call college graduates "educated fools".

[Philosoraptor]

26. Educated fools exist of course, I call em' republican politicians

[reggie the dog]

43. i have a masters and know many educated people

who are indeed smart and some "educated fools" who are out of touch with the reality of life that most people struggle through. also in the usa people can be vexed because their dad couldnt drop 35 000 dollars on college like mine could so they lash out at people like me because they did not have the same chances.

[Enthusiast]

16. Arrogance and ignorance is a bad combination.

I've seen it many times. It usually results in disaster.

Arrogance + ignorance = stupidity.

[treestar]

32. +10000

that's it in a nutshell. They are afraid of gray areas. They want to believe they will always be employed and always middle class and that it is in their control - they just have to work. If no jobs are available, they'll just start a business. It makes them feel secure.

[harun]

6. Their backers are not dumb. They need people they can manipulate

in office that don't have the capacity to govern. They also need voters they can manipulate. Their propaganda to accomplish both is far superior to the best Communist regimes of yesteryear and they were certainly not dumb.

Look at the task in front of them, get voters to vote against their own economic interest, against the interest of a healthy environment, against their interest of affordable education for their children, against their interest to not deficit spend on a military that is not needed, against their own health, in terms of health care and the food they eat, etc.

They have that task in front of them and are accomplishing it handily.

[stray cat]

7. More republicans can name the current vp compared to dem voters

[reggie the dog]

44. where did you read that?

[SPedigrees]

8. Not dumb, altho blinded by greed and devoid of ethics...

They worship money and power.

---A smart person upon hearing palin screech and ramble on incoherently shakes his or her head in disbelief, while a republican finds it refreshing and motivating.------

Actually Palin lost the election for McCain because most republicans don't find her refreshing or motivating. She's too over the top and brainless even for the neocons. The teabaggers vote for this type of crazy but they are a small faction of the republican party, and one that the mainstream repub party will ultimately regret allying themselves with.

[whistler162]

9. So you admit to being a Republican!

OKAY!!

[zbdent]

11. dumb? not really. Ignorant? YES. Stupid? Depends ...

Ignorance is curable ... stupid is fatal. Stupidity is choosing to remain ignorant.

And Repugniconvicts embrace, if not encourage, ignorance and "anti-intellectual" ideas ...

[wuvuj]

12. It's politics as a religion....

...you don't need to really think....and reason....you just need to BELIEVE....and you will get what you want.

So irrational economic policies will work...cause that what they believe....and what the "preachers" tell them to believe.

Those behind the scenes (as in Rove...et al) are the preachers and the congregation just gets up and sings and yells hallelujah!!!!

The people I know who vote the Rugpug way usually have "religious ideas"...as in the Lord works in mysterious ways. Fortunately they tend to keep these mostly to themselves...not the evangelical types. Even though you can lay out some facts for them...they are not moved. They regress to a "magical world"....a child's world...as part of their belief system.

I have some direct experience with the spiritual side of things...some of it is strange...but not necessarily magical.

[Philosoraptor]

14. Blind faith

[madmom]

13. They are not really intelligent and when they see/hear the likes of

palin and beck they can commiserate. If they feel they are like them, they, themselves don't feel so dumb. That's why being intelligent is elitist to them.

[DCBob]

15. Not necessarily dumb.. but their brains are just wired differently..

they think in very simplistic terms, black and white, right and wrong, good and bad. The problem with that kind of thinking is that the world does not work that way... the truth is always somewhere in between.

[Enthusiast]

17. They embrace the misinformation.

They never question misinformation and they are quick to voice their opinion (repeat talking points).

[DirkGently]

18. More like a coalition of the greedy & the fearful, but there's an anti-intellectual theme as well.

Consider the modern American conservative's Enemies List: Journalists, teachers, college professors, scientists. "Intellectual elitists." Anyone who threatens ideology by bringing information or analysis to bear.

[Philosoraptor]

27. The Nazis hated 'intellectuals' too, & murdered thousands of them

[DirkGently]

30. Wasn't the Khmer Rouge known for executing anyone who wore glasses (and thus likely read books)?

[reggie the dog]

45. i believe you are correct

[uponit7771]

19. Most are either MISinformed or underinformed PURPOSEFULLY due to mental issues

[Brewman_Jax]

21. Education is no guarantee

I've met some college grads that are freepers to the core (also, note that College Repub organizations are found on most campuses). The ignorant and uninformed, I can see, but what excuse do these educated assholes have? I've found most to be some amount of greedy, narcissistic, and racist.

[Philosoraptor]

28. Absolutley true, many repubs are educated, but still dumbfucks

[w8liftinglady]

22. in my area,they fall into three catagories,Smart,dumb and fanatical

smart-...want the cash-know they can manipulate the dumb and fanatical(see Joe Barton)

dumb-redneck,racist,lower middle-class,no insurance...could really benefit from progressive legislation,but they are racist to the max.

fanatical-religious right. No abortion, Abstinence education only.No gays.Not voting for any heathen democrat.

[Ron Green]

23. They're smart enough (and invested enough) to understand the benefits of the Free Market,

but not smart enough to understand its perils.

[Erose999]

25. The thing I get from them the most is narcissism and mean-ness.

I have a few right-winger friends... all obsessed with guns and thinking some boogey-man criminal is gonna invade their home. They are convinced they need AK47's to defend their homes.

I asked one of them one time "You really think somebody is gonna come into your home, when you are THERE, and try to rob you? What do you own that they would want to take, your 27" picture-tube TV? Your obsolete video game consoles? Some greasy old car parts? Is any of that stuff worth shooting somebody over?

And then one of my friends did have a break in, when he wasn't home. Maybe $200 worth of stuff was taken... a guitar, some video games, a little cash. All my other friends had this big pissing contest about who had the most guns and what they would do to an intruder if somebody were foolish enough to break into their home.

I don't think any of them realized that criminals target homes when people aren't at home. Criminals aren't that dumb to just bust into a random house while the owner is sleeping. Not saying it doesn't happen, but the odds and the likelihood of the "home invasion" is slim to none. If a criminal really were to break into my friends house they would hit him when he wasn't home and take his guns because those are the only real "valuables" he owns. But thats not the narrative the GOOP, the NRA, and the gun lobby WANT people believe.

[Philosoraptor]

29. Dumb AND mean, these traits go hand in hand with the republicans

[treestar]

31. Yes, and it may be time to stop catering to dumbness

Campaigns cater to that. Instead of getting people to wake up and realize what is going on and take some responsibility, we are urged to "win them over" and just tell them what they want to hear.

[alterfurz]

33. "Conservatives are not necessarily stupid...

...but most stupid people are conservatives." -- John Stewart Mill

[thereismore]

34. Add mean to stupid and you've got it. nt

[Warren Stupidity]

35. I believe the dumb are just plain republican.

[librechik]

36. Not all stupid people are Republicans, but all Republicans are stupid

at least nowadays, when even the most clever of the breed are stuck defending stupid and implausible policies.

[reggie the dog]

41. not true

smart people can indeed vote republican, i doubt many smart people take part in the tea party but there are still reasons that smart people will vote republican, for mayor of chicago the democratic candidate if it is mr emmanuel will not even be a resident of the city so many will vote for a republican who LIVES in chicago, also for governor of illinois blago got booted for corruption so many smart people will vote for the opposition out of spite (which ironically is how blago won his first term running against the corrupt republicans) we should not dismiss those who disagree with us as simply stupid. we may indeed think their political ideas are stupid because they are so opposed to what we stand for but that is really just a difference of opinion and not clearly stupidity.

[librechik]

56. they have different opinions all right

different from smart effective ideas. Lazy, stingy, turn back the clock ideas. I could detail their stupidity, as you demonstrated, but it's easier in this case for me to go for a cliche'd quip.

[RagAss]

37. Deranged Slapdicks !

[ThoughtCriminal]

38. I used to think it must suck to have idiots for followers

Day after day, of "I can't believe I have to say this to get elected..."

But I have come to realize a few things:

1. Leading stupid people is WAY easier. Smart people are a pain in the ass.
2. GOP leaders themselves are almost as dumb as the people who vote for them. Really.
3. There is a positive feedback loop of crazy/stupid. It makes itself worse every year.
4. Even if they do realize how stupid their supporters are, they don't care. The cash keeps flowing in.

[Kablooie]

39. It's all about gathering votes to support your own self interest.

And the super rich puppeteers have found a treasure trove of zombie voters that will dance to their every toot.
They simply have to push "All American" mouthpieces that trumpet Christianity and patriotism in a simplistic but inflammatory way and they have masses of votes at their Glen Beck and call.

[BigBearJohn]

40. Yup. That about says it all.

[eridani]

46. I don't agree.

There is a huge difference between stupidity and sociopathology.

[old mark]

47. Yes. They are addicted to easy answers and too lazy to think. They have no compassion or

sympathy for others and feel no love or respect for this country at all.

They are willing to mock and ignore science and reality for mythology and magical thinking, and many of them are prone to violence.

Great bunch of people, huh?

mark

[stuntcat]

48. "They .. ignore science & reality for mythology & magical thinking, & many.. are prone to violence.

100% :headbang:

I grew up surrounded by these people, I know where their hate and fear is coming from.

ANYONE trying to say these are educated, thoughtful people is either lying or kidding themselves.

[old mark]

50. They also love to believe their own bullshit....nt

[PassingFair]

51. Stupid, Scared, Superstitious. Selfish.

Pick one or any combination and you have
the basis for a Republican.

I call it the "4S System".

[ClassWarrior]

52. "A scientifically proven fact??"

:rofl:

Now THAT'S dumb.

Sorry to ruin your superiority trip, but it's about having a different worldview, not a different level of intelligence. Read some Lakoff.

Peace.

NGU.

[Lost4words]

53. They stole an election, started phony wars, began to torture, raided the Treasury

and the Democrats let them do it, who are the stupid ones?

[ClassWarrior]

54. This from someone who can't even punctuate a simple six-paragraph post properly.

:eyes:

NGU.

[Philosoraptor]

55. kan't we just kiss und make up?