Do Democrats need to be more confrontational with the liars and conspiracy theorists?

[kentuck]

I would not recommend physical confrontation because I am not a violent or hateful person.

But, I do believe that we may need to be more confrontational with our verbal disagreements. They seem to be able to get a free ride with the wildest lies and conspiracy theories that can be imagined.

For example, they want people to believe that the Chinese slipped 40,000 "bamboo ballots" into the AZ election count? They want people to believe that the election was not transparent or legitimate. They want people to believe that against all evidence, Donald Trump won the last election. There were votes hidden under a table in the Georgia count.

All they do is talk crap and they never have any evidence to back it up.

They have shown that they have little respect for our democracy or the rule of law. They act like enemies of our country. And they have been getting away with it. They do not act like Americans.

They do not hesitate to lie. Most Americans are taken aback by their gall. Maybe it's time to show them a little "tough love"? Confront them at every opportunity? Otherwise, they tend to believe all the lies. They need to know that what they are being told is batshit crazy stuff.

Some will say that we are already being as confrontational as possible with this cult. I do not think that is true.

[Paladin]

1. More confrontation, immediately. (nt)

[TheRealNorth]

14. I prefer ridicule

[Paladin]

15. I like ridicule. But it's no longer an adequate response.

We're looking at the attempted destruction of our democracy by fascists. Our opponents aren't smart enough to appreciate ridicule, and we're long past the point where we can piss away time just amusing one another.

[Celerity]

2. absolutely nt

[North Shore Chicago]

3. Oh yes!

Smack 'em up side the head with truth.

[RobertDevereaux]

4. HELL YES!

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

5. Laugh in their faces and tell them they're pathetic.

Tell them you don't have time for their shit; our country has real problems that need real adults to solve.

[snowybirdie]

6. I finally did

before the last election. Finally called a relative a liar on FB. A super evangelical and right winger who posted falsehood after falsehood there. No more contact since then. I'm sorry to be estranged because of family ties, but not sorry to not being in contact with a crazy and stupid person. Life is too short.

[Hortensis]

7. How about firmer in expressing our own principles and beliefs?

The nice ones we need them to understand we do hold, not the fear-driven animosity too often overwhelming our smarts and better natures.

[StarfishSaver]

8. I don't think so

Confrontation works on sane, logical people. These people don't care about facts or logic and they thrive on confrontation, so they won't back down or acknowledge they're wrong. I don't see what good it would do.

[gab13by13]

9. Wish that they were

just liars and conspiracy theorists, they are anti-democratic insurrectionists who want to overturn our democracy and replace it with autocracy.

[Thomas Hurt]

10. Christofascists see not being confrontational as weakness and a win for them.

They have cowed, bullied, persuaded etc. you and they are getting their way.

Life is, at best, a competition for them, at worst a war.

Does it change their minds...no. It does make sure they know we are aware and watching.

[mnmoderatedem]

11. my experience, it is a futile effort

the trump davidians have convinced themselves, among many other things, that trump is Mr Evangelical. If you convince yourself that trump is Mr Evangelical, then you will convince yourself of anything.

Absolutely anything.

[MOMFUDSKI]

18. Agree it is a futile effort

BUT it keeps them out of your hair PERMANENTLY. Just had a used-to-be-a-neighbor guy drop in last week to discover he has gone trump nutty. I called him a trumper and added a few derogatory sentences and he kinda left in a hurry. GOOD. If enough get treated like lepers we might see change. Or maybe not . . .

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Yes. Stupidity and ignorance grow in a vaccuum.

[SmartVoter22]

13. Yes, and always in court.

The liars must be held to account, in courts.
Sue them. Often and with extreme prejudice.

[Delmette2.0]

16. I like Jen Psaki's approach.

Firm, polite and ask for names and/or evidence.

[Lettuce Be]

17. I simply cannot any more. If someone believes this kind of thing, no skepticism at all, just blind

belief -- in fact white hot, never gonna let it go belief. That person is beyond reason and is now a cult member. I won't engage.

[Atticus]

19. Does Dracula have an overbite?

Do squirrels have climbing gears?

Is Trump a maniac?

[no_hypocrisy]

20. Yes.

Instead of government officeholders, say the same thing happened in a courtroom with the lies, the obfuscations, the exaggerations, the vacation from logic, etc. A judge would sanction that attorney on various ethics violations. It just isn't allowed. And shit yeah, the adversarial counsel will certainly call out the other offending attorney on it. Otherwise, being silent is akin to helping your client lose.

[uponit7771]

21. Unnn, more insistent the M$M focus on them IMHO. We can be more confrontational with MAGA

... but part of MAGA Mindset is the dismissal of reality.

It would be more helpful to get those on board who believe MAGA is benign, its not

[scarytomcat]

22. Yes the weight of their lies will become heavier

the more we point them out.

[roamer65]

23. Should they have challenged Nazism and Hitler stronger in Weimar Germany?

Answer is a resounding yes.