Herbert: Voting Without the Facts (Clueless Bush Voters)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/08/opinion/08herbert.html?hp=&oref=login&pagewanted=print&position=

The so-called values issue, at least as it's being popularly tossed around, is overrated.

Last week's election was extremely close and a modest shift in any number of factors might have changed the outcome. If the weather had been better in Ohio. ...If the wait to get into the voting booth hadn't been so ungodly long in certain Democratic precincts. ... Or maybe if those younger voters had actually voted. ...

I think a case could be made that ignorance played at least as big a role in the election's outcome as values. A recent survey by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland found that nearly 70 percent of President Bush's supporters believe the U.S. has come up with "clear evidence" that Saddam Hussein was working closely with Al Qaeda. A third of the president's supporters believe weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq. And more than a third believe that a substantial majority of world opinion supported the U.S.-led invasion.

This is scary. How do you make a rational political pitch to people who have put that part of their brain on hold? No wonder Bush won.

[eleonora]

1. also, many poor people just won't vote

they fuck themselves in the a** by not voting, but somehow they don't think their vote will make a difference. (And I'm slowly beginning to think the same, sad thing)

and

If you don't have cable, all the news you get are your local news, basically.

[cmkramer]

4. Not only that

but many poor and working class voters base their votes on "cultural values" which overwhelmingly favors Republicans.

[krkaufman]

2. This is exactly what my circle of friends has been saying.

The "values" b-s is just right-wing spin, that has again permeated the media. The PIPA study underscores the irrationality of Bush supporters... and anyone chasing after irrational voters will have chosen a most elusive target.

[Skittles]

5. Rove seems to find them easy to court

nt

[krkaufman]

10. Yes, I would agree, but not because they're "Christian"

It's their lack of knowledge or reason, as indicated by the PIPA study, that makes them ideal targets of propaganda.

[bvar22]

3. I don't consider ...

...arrogance, intolerance, self-righteousness, willful ignorance, blind allegiance, and close minded dogmatism to be values.
They are character flaws and personality disorders.

"Doubt is not the opposite of faith.
Doubt is a component of Faith.
Faith without doubt is fanaticism!"


”When voters are given a choice between voting for a Republican,
or a Democrat who acts like a Republican, they'll vote for the Republican every time." ---
Democratic President Harry Truman

[Briar]

6. Wise words

"Some Democrats are casting covetous eyes on voters whose values, in many cases, are frankly repellent. Does it make sense for the progressive elements in our society to undermine their own deeply held beliefs in tolerance, fairness and justice in an effort to embrace those who deliberately seek to divide?"

I hope Kristof is reading this...

[BlueEyedSon]

7. kick kick kick kick

They want the electorate ingorant and "faith-based", rather than "fact-based".

Between the sad state of public education, FOX/CNN fake news, and the demonization of intellectualism........ well, you get the picture.

[struggle4progress]

9. kick

<snip> What the Democrats don't need is a candidate who is willing to shape his or her values to fit the pundits' probably incorrect analysis of the last election. Values that pivot on a dime were not really values to begin with. <snip>

[BlueEyedSon]

8. Why Bush won.

15%: Concerned with progress in Iraq
19%: Want toughness on terrorism
20%: Worried about the economy
22%: Support Legislating Moral Issues
70%: Dumb as a fucking post

A recent survey by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland found that nearly 70 percent of President Bush's supporters believe the U.S. has come up with "clear evidence" that Saddam Hussein was working closely with Al Qaeda. A third of the president's supporters believe weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq. And more than a third believe that a substantial majority of world opinion supported the U.S.-led invasion.


It's the STUPIDITY, STUPID!