Reply #110: It really stems from the fact that Americans love them some delusion,

[stopbush]

some scapegoats and somebody, anybody, to tell them "it's not your fault."

We're the most-religious country in the Western world. Pure delusion elevated to a state of quasi-realism.

We love a scapegoat - blacks, Jews, hippies, Muslims, terr'ists, lib'ruls, whatever. He who defines the scapegoat controls the argument.

It's never our fault - war, poverty, job loss, etc. It all happens to god's chosen nation because "they" are against us.

The RW memes all play upon these deep-seated fears. No amount of hope will change them. No amount of progress is enough, especially when it's so easy to deny actual progress simply by stating "that didn't help anybody," as do the Rs on any D program, the companion of which is, "that used to help people, but now, it's a drag on the economy (SS, unemployment insurance, etc)."

Fear truly is the greatest motivator. The Rs know this, and they use it at every turn.