I'm not sure all DUers understand Rushicans

[malaise]

Put simply, the social good and a people friendly government must be stopped at all costs because they are greedy selfish individualists who want everything for themselves. More importantly since they hate those policies, and the majority of citizens know they hate those policies, once the government is socially responsible they cannot win an election.

So to hell with the majority of citizens - suffer, die, starve, remain unemployed. Nothing matters as long as Rushicans have a chance to rule and loot the treasury.

[ashling]

1. I don't know about that...

I think that's pretty well understood around here.

[patrice]

2. I know a few. I think some are motivated by getting absolutely everything they can get and others

are motivated by being sure that anyone who isn't who/what Rushicans think they should be, should be PUNISHED severely and often, until they comply. These people are strongly driven by the fear that someone is going to get something they "don't deserve".

[OnyxCollie]

14. The Authoritarians.

Read The Authoritarians by Bob Altemeyer.
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey /

Authoritarian followers usually support the established authorities in their society, such as government officials and traditional religious leaders. Such people have historically been the “proper” authorities in life, the time-honored, entitled, customary leaders, and that means a lot to most authoritarians. Psychologically these followers have personalities featuring:

1) a high degree of submission to the established, legitimate authorities in their society;
2) high levels of aggression in the name of their authorities; and
3) a high level of conventionalism.

[KharmaTrain]

3. The "Me" Generation...

...or as I remember someone calling this in the 80's...the "all for me, screw you" society. The GOOP rose to power by catering to the selfish...using a combination of pie in the sky, hate and victimhood as their calling cards. By associating with the rich and putting all faith in the corporates, you were assured of being rich, too...as their interests somehow became yours...their riches meant that you, too, could be rolling in dough...the only thing that prevented you was (put your minority here).

[patrice]

4. I hope people notice the similarity between "the nanny state" and "give the rich tax breaks so

they/corporations can do for you what you need in order to survive".

[KharmaTrain]

8. Nothing Drive A Wingnut Crazier Than Confronting Them With Corporate Welfare

At least with the "nanny state", the money went to people who were truly in need. Yep it boiled the right wing's butt to see poor people getting some scraps to survive...as if they were financing these "freeloaders". They never looked at the conditions that created this need...the destruction of our cities as they moved their factories offshore to exploit the cheapest labor they could and left neighborhoods and towns that used to have a healthy economic base totally devestated.

But mention the corporate welfare system the GOOP clings to and watch the spinning. We're told the billions squandered on defense contractors somehow created jobs and made us safer. Yep, that sure proved itself in Iraq. Or the billions in "outsourcing" that was nothing more than a rushpublican scheme to fleece the treasury...shoveling money through special laws and tax breaks to their big money benefactors. For every $1 "squandered" to help a poor family pay for groceries or a roof over their head, $10 was squandreed on some fat cat contractor who kicked back money to the party.

We've witnessed not smaller government, but a kleptocracy.

Cheers...

[patrice]

24. Re squandering money on the poor: Do you think it possible that $ome are intuitively AFRAID

of the Competition they'd experience if the poor had basic necessities, such as a complete and appropriate Education and comprehensive Health Care?

I don't really think that there are people who consciously seek to DENY others Human Rights, but, after lo these many hundreds of thousands of years, the Subconscious could be quite a robust Threat-calculator.

[KharmaTrain]

27. It's Human Nature...

Greed made it into the seven deadly sins for a reason. It's programmed in the human animal to hunt and gather...and horde. We're supposedly intelligent enough to realize this basic instinct and "overcome" it...putting society ahead of personal interest. But the GOOP tapped into the instinct but not the reason...in fact all of their actions or positions are visceral, the less thinking you do the better.

I'd like to share your optimism that not all those seek to deny Human RIghts, but we've seen that's not the case. It's also impossible to create a fully socialistic world as we, by nature, will always have elite...haves and have nots. Be it with money or intelect or experience or connections. The hope is that eventually we can find a balance...it was a delicate one the founders tried to take into consideration in building this country and constitution...and one very lost on the rushpublicans.

[malaise]

10. Oh yes, they believe in socialism for the rich

aka fascism. Any attempt to discuss fair play is then twisted into a discourse on class war.

[malaise]

6. Perfect

and if you haven't become rich it's because you're lazy, incompetent, whatever.

[patrice]

9. When, in fact, you may just have a different kind of value system that is not for sale.

[malaise]

17. Excellent point

They do believe everyone has a price. Of course that's because they will do anything for money.

[ananda]

5. What's not to understand?

Hate.. racism.. bigotry.. narrowmindedness.

These are simple views and emotions...

What's hard to understand are supposedly
openminded and tolerant people buying
into capitalism, free marketism, and
bailouts for the criminal and unaccountable
rich and corporate interests over the
interests of people and the public good.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. I have a theory about it being a club(team) for them.

Not naturally inquisitive enough to gather easily available facts, yet competitive enough to want to be involved in the game. There's only one side you can be on in that game.

[malaise]

12. You are never interested in facts when they all show

that your world view is proven bullshit.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. I've also found that they typically are only versed in subjects

that directly involve themselves. Which is probably where, ultimately, the ideological rubber meets the road (read: selfishness).

[malaise]

19. I disagree

They aren't versed in a damn thing, but they do parrot their propaganda rather well.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

21. Hard to argue that.

[patrice]

23. One must never under-value that difference in temperament: The naturally inquisitive : The naturally

un-inquisitive.

[OHdem10]

11. Yes, Individualists who believe each person is responsible for himself

and his family. Remember the late Tim Russert(RIP) was always saying
"No one owes you anything". Therefore, any government type program
is anathema. If Democrats could understand one thing, you could better
understand Republicans. When they discuss Freedom Liberty they are
speaking economics. I am not being sarcastic here. In early times
in our country, the reason we did not pattern our country after
France (who was our friend then) was Economic Liberty or Freedom.
For a Republican the Freedom to make as much money as you want,
spend your money the way you wish and not have this intereferred
with, is the ultimate goal.

Therefore they see any taxation as coercion. Doing or having to
contribute to a group effort is anathema.

Furthermore, they are inordinately concerned with "man's fallen
nature". It is natural for them to be suspicious of people's motives.
This is how they come up with and believe: Poor people are lazy or
given to bad habits (Alcohol and Drugs,) and these are the reasons
they are poor. Therefore, any welfare is just rewardomg
bad behavior.

The more Conservative a Republican is the more he strongly
believes. Unfortunately, we only hear from Conservatives.

[malaise]

13. Apparently GENBC believed that they owed

Tim's son a nice cushy job. Nepotism is not a problem among the elites.

[patrice]

25. The "cream" rises until it sours.

[patrice]

22. Individuals ARE responsible for their own existence.

Each person MUST accept the necessary consequences, the necessary effects upon his/her own existence, of his/her own choices.

But to the extent that any given individual is incapable of independently producing ALL of the necessities of existence, part of an Individual's responsibility IS his/her relationship to a Group. Because Individuals have responsibilities to their Group, their Group has Responsibilities to each Individual. To the extent that any Individual abides by, cooperates with, and supports the mores, values, culture, and systems of a Group,

the Group OWES that individual compensation for what the individual contributes to the group.

Otherwise, there is NO group, which brings us to where we are right now: Is there some collective known as "America"? What are its mores, values, culture, and systems? And if there is something called "America", what are its responsibilities to each one of its members? Nothing but Wars? Debt? Consumption? Environmental Degradation? What IS The Deal? Do Individuals buy-into The Deal?

Inherent in this perspective is the assumption that since INDIVIDUALS are responsible for their own existence, that existence MUST be the Individual's OWN/unique existence, because it is only in that individual authenticity that we can say that an Individual MUST accept the necessary consequences, the necessary effects upon his/her OWN existence, of his/her OWN choices.

[MADem]

15. They aren't all that complex or thoughtful. A lot of them just like his attitude.

They like his "I'm sticking up for YOU" schtick. They don't have that understanding about the way government is run, most of them. For them it's like a football team--gotta cheer for yours, and call the others bums!

That Social Security is FINE for their own Aunt Sally. That Unemployment Insurance is just the ticket for their out-of-work brother. That SSI for the disabled niece is certainly an "entitlement." The job retraining for the wife who got laid off is 'only fair.' Medicare for Gramps? Of course, HE "earned" it.

However, it's those "other freeloaders" who "abuse the system" who need to be stopped.

It's red meat for 'The Little Guy.' Have a shitty job? Work lousy hours? Don't feel that you're getting your just due? Underpaid? Under-RESPECTED???? Well, then, all you need to do is turn on your radio, and listen to someone who "understands" you and "appreciates" you!

His ultimate appeal, aside from those who listen in to chuckle and laugh with sheer delight because they are easily amused at his offensive comments, or horror because they are justifiably appalled, is to losers. Patheitic, whiney, annoying losers...that's his target market.

He's gotta be eating up all this outrage over his outrage. He's like a Coulter--all they can do is shock and offend. If people stopped paying attention to them, they'd stop doing it. Everytime we get excited about the jerk, he wins. I prefer to just laugh AT him, because Franken was right....he's just a big fat idiot.

[malaise]

20. Well stated

[Tommy_Carcetti]

18. Note they often use the word "achievers"

And to them, "achiever" is exclusively based on how much money one earns.

To them, someone earning $40,000 or $50,000 a year but is happy with what he or she has in life--the personal relationships, the accomplishments whatever large or small they may be, the good they've done with their life, that person is not an achiever.

Yet a trust fund heir/heiress living in a mansion their parents bought for them, or someone who makes millions based on lies, deceipt and/or immoral or unethical behavior, or someone who wishes to eschew all reasonable laws and regulations that protect the general public just to make an extra buck at their expense, that person is an achiever.

I don't get these people. I really don't.

[malaise]

26. Everything is about money

They hate people who value life and community over money.
Million dollar sixteenth birthday parties for their children are more important than health care for the poor.

[onlyadream]

28. my parents love rush

and my dad is a retired firefighter getting 3/4 his salary for the past 25 years - wonder what rush would say about him?