Sweet Jesus

[Zombie]

I was listening to the radio on my way home from work this evening and I heard an interview with a Romney/Ryan supporter. She claimed that she supported Romney and Ryan in part because she didn't like that Obama took the work out of welfare. When the reporter told her that this was in fact not the case she replied. "Well I don't know exactly what is true and what isn't, but I trust Romney and Ryan more than I do Obama."
Are you freaking kidding me?! You've just had pointed out that you've been lied to, about an issue big enough that it was the first thing that came to mind when you were asked about why you are supporting who you are, and yet you trust Romney more. Why?!

I posit that this is what is wrong with American politics today. ****ing stupid people.

 

[Siro]

Weiiird. People are usually totally rational!

You should post more by the way. We can be allies.

 

[UB]

I was listening to the radio on my way home from work this evening and I heard an interview with a Romney/Ryan supporter. She claimed that she supported Romney and Ryan in part because she didn't like that Obama took the work out of welfare. When the reporter told her that this was in fact not the case she replied. "Well I don't know exactly what is true and what isn't, but I trust Romney and Ryan more than I do Obama."
Are you freaking kidding me?! You've just had pointed out that you've been lied to, about an issue big enough that it was the first thing that came to mind when you were asked about why you are supporting who you are, and yet you trust Romney more. Why?!

I posit that this is what is wrong with American politics today. ****ing stupid people.

I'm not sure why you're befuddled. Obama is a black Muslim Maoist. He would cannibalize your children if it weren't for the Founding Fathers.

 

[northeast]

If everybody is lying, why is she supposed to automatically believe whatever the radio guy says?
She probably had the Republican side drilled into her many times, and now you expect her to be converted in 20 seconds.

 

[Zombie]

If everybody is lying, why is she supposed to automatically believe whatever the radio guy says?
She probably had the Republican side drilled into her many times, and now you expect her to be converted in 20 seconds.

Where did I say I expected her to be converted in twenty seconds, or at all? I said in my OP that I think she's stupid, I'm sure she and millions like her will continue to vote R for the rest of their lives- regardless of what anyone tells them.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Where did I say I expected her to be converted in twenty seconds, or at all? I said in my OP that I think she's stupid, I'm sure she and millions like her will continue to vote R for the rest of their lives- regardless of what anyone tells them.

The GOP does not have exclusive license to uninformed voters. I believe it's an incredibly small % of voters that could hold a reasonable conversation on even the most critical issues.

As Thomas Jefferson said, we need an informed electorate .. and we do not.

 

[franklin]

Where did I say I expected her to be converted in twenty seconds, or at all? I said in my OP that I think she's stupid, I'm sure she and millions like her will continue to vote R for the rest of their lives- regardless of what anyone tells them.

That's why republicans win. They never change sides no matter what anyone tells them to think but democrats do.

 

[Siro]

The GOP does not have exclusive license to uninformed voters. I believe it's an incredibly small % of voters that could hold a reasonable conversation on even the most critical issues.

As Thomas Jefferson said, we need an informed electorate .. and we do not.

And yet, education and intellect have almost become curse words in the last decade or so.

 

[Dr. Jones]

And yet, education and intellect have almost become curse words in the last decade or so.

Intellect in what context are you implying? I'm assuming you're referring to science and some form of evolution. If so, that is irrelevant to this topic, imo.

 

[Siro]

Intellect in what context are you implying? I'm assuming you're referring to science and some form of evolution. If so, that is irrelevant to this topic, imo.

That's quite the assumption! Conservatives use words like "intellectual" and "elite" like it's a curse. It has nothing to do with evolution or whatever else. We are facing a crisis in education as students learn less and less in school. And yes, that includes science and math education. You know? That concept that created the modern world and gave us all those nifty things we have today like the internet and medicine? There is a systematic and intentional campaign on knowledge and scholarly achievement, designed specifically to disarm the public and maintain the status quo.

 

[Zombie]

The GOP does not have exclusive license to uninformed voters. I believe it's an incredibly small % of voters that could hold a reasonable conversation on even the most critical issues.

As Thomas Jefferson said, we need an informed electorate .. and we do not.

I agree, there are uninformed people on both sides. It does, however, seem to me that the GOP panders to them a whole hell of a lot more than the dems do.

 

[Zombie]

That's quite the assumption! Conservatives use words like "intellectual" and "elite" like it's a curse. It has nothing to do with evolution or whatever else. We are facing a crisis in education as students learn less and less in school. And yes, that includes science and math education. You know? That concept that created the modern world and gave us all those nifty things we have today like the internet and medicine? There is a systematic and intentional campaign on knowledge and scholarly achievement, designed specifically to disarm the public and maintain the status quo.

Absolutely. You can't listen to Fox News for ten minutes without hearing about "ivory tower professors" or "intellectual elitists". If that isn't an assault on education and intellectualism I don't know what is.

 

[Dr. Jones]

That's quite the assumption! Conservatives use words like "intellectual" and "elite" like it's a curse. It has nothing to do with evolution or whatever else. We are facing a crisis in education as students learn less and less in school. And yes, that includes science and math education. You know? That concept that created the modern world and gave us all those nifty things we have today like the internet and medicine? There is a systematic and intentional campaign on knowledge and scholarly achievement, designed specifically to disarm the public and maintain the status quo.

I'm not aware of that conspiracy theory, nor am I suggesting you're wrong. My question was sincere.

I have no fear of science or math .. seems strange to even have to say that. I am a HUGE believer in education. I am an unbeliever in having educators telling kids how to think. Share facts, share theories, but be sure your audience knows which is which.

Personally, though I am more conservative than liberal, I believe large corps have too much power, which in turn creates too much corruption (I am not using that word in the legal sense, but more from the moral standpoint). Media is irresponsible/reckless with the facts. The lies, the spin, the greed .. all these things have their hand in producing what we have today .. a ridiculously uniformed voting body. I quoted Jefferson earlier .. he actually considered being educated/informed as a prerequisite for self-government. I can't disagree. We need an informed electorate and political leaders that have 'true' integrity. I sadly feel we are not even close to having either.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I agree, there are uninformed people on both sides. It does, however, seem to me that the GOP panders to them a whole hell of a lot more than the dems do.

I respectfully disagree, but am not passionate about debating it .. so, moving on.

 

[Zombie]

That's why republicans win. They never change sides no matter what anyone tells them to think but democrats do.

Actually I think both parties have a substantial number of people who will vote for them no matter what. I suppose I should have included "and millions of people will vote D no matter what anyone tells them." I just wanted to ruffle some feathers I guess. And I get really sick of the whole "both sides are bad, so vote republican" thing. The fact that so few people do think about the issues that face America and instead are focused on "their team" winning elections is why the Republicans and Democrats have had a strangle hold on American politics for as long as they have.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Absolutely. You can't listen to Fox News for ten minutes without hearing about "ivory tower professors" or "intellectual elitists". If that isn't an assault on education and intellectualism I don't know what is.

I don't watch Fox so I can't reply to this post, specifically. However, I have spoken with so many kids in college that seem completely brain-washed by their egomaniac professors. They are teaching theory as if it's their own baby and that it is factual beyond reproach. Okay, a bit of hyperbole there, but I have many times left a conversation with that feeling..

 

[UB]

That's why republicans win. They never change sides no matter what anyone tells them to think but democrats do.

To speak pejoratively on both of these parties' apparent styles:

Republicans never changing sides could mean not adapting to the times. Currently, our gay and lesbian friends need to be equally as empowered as the heterosexual community. Republicans are having a very hard time doing that.

Democrats being flexible and changing could mean being "wishy-washy," or worse, molding to the whims of the zeitgeist. Someone once told me, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." This is true, but it's in the eye of the beholder to determine what it means to stand for something.

Do you stand for traditions, culture norms, or dogmatic hand-me-downs, just because they have "stood the test of time?" Or, do you seek to understand how current cultural vestiges are depriving minority groups of an equal chance to succeed in a society that is in place because those in power created it this way?

Being a fiscal conservative is wise, in the sense that being a frugal family means buying only what you truly need. However, the USA is one of the largest, most culturally heterogeneous countries in world history, and humanity has yet to experiment with such a mixture of ideals, backgrounds, and the compounding factor of instant communicative technology. Summarily, social conservatism is rending the fabric of the nation from the top (that's some biblical **** fo' yo' ***).


PS: I'm way hopped up on goofballs.

 

[Siro]

I'm not aware of that conspiracy theory, nor am I suggesting you're wrong. My question was sincere.

I have no fear of science or math .. seems strange to even have to say that. I am a HUGE believer in education. I am an unbeliever in having educators telling kids how to think. Share facts, share theories, but be sure your audience knows which is which.

Personally, though I am more conservative than liberal, I believe large corps have too much power, which in turn creates too much corruption (I am not using that word in the legal sense, but more from the moral standpoint). Media is irresponsible/reckless with the facts. The lies, the spin, the greed .. all these things have their hand in producing what we have today .. a ridiculously uniformed voting body. I quoted Jefferson earlier .. he actually considered being educated/informed as a prerequisite for self-government. I can't disagree. We need an informed electorate and political leaders that have 'true' integrity. I sadly feel we are not even close to having either.

Conspiracy theory? This isn't a conspiracy. This is an obvious observation on the mentality of conservatives nowadays. Like Zombie said, watch FoxNews and other conservative media and you'll hear an attack on scientists, educated elites, intellectual professors, and such. This is one conspiracy you can verify yourself within the hour!

And by the way, your audience does NOT know best. Those who studied the subject for a good portion of their lives know best. This idea that some shmuck who doesn't know the difference between a log function and a log cabin gets a say on the validity of math is absurd. Just because someone happens to exist doesn't mean their personal pet theories are just as good as legitimate knowledge. But the very fact that I'm having to defend this shows how far we've fallen. So far down from the mid 20th century when the United States ruled the world through their intellectual achievement. So much science and technology, so much social progress, and so many contributions in every field imaginable. Back then, it was a child's dream to become an physicist or an engineer or an astronaut. Now an intellectual is someone who wants to steal your kids and teach them all kinds of evil unamerican ways.

 

[northeast]

LOL, I was implying fault with the elitists in both academia and the law in other posts just now.
By the way, people in those professions are influenced by politics and money and media and biases like everyone else, maybe more so.

 

[northeast]

Those who studied the subject for a good portion of their lives know best. This idea that some shmuck who doesn't know the difference between a log function and a log cabin gets a say on the validity of math is absurd. .

I think we need more non-lawyers making our laws.