Do you think it is possible to convert Tea Party Lurkers?

[whttevrr]

I've noticed a few threads about Conservatives coming here to gauge and ridicule concepts in their own cave back on the other side of the web. So instead of inflammatory insults, wouldn't it be better to present logical argument for that which we hope will come to pass?

[brucefan]

1. Nah

They're about tearing the country apart,not making it better

[peace13]

6. Tearing it apart while taking for themselves!

I think a true bagger is on some sort of federal health care and the majority receive some sort of Federal pension check.

This is true for all that I know. In addition, when they used to have people turn up for 'demonstrations' most appeared old enough if not on the cusp of receiving!

[hatrack]

2. Nope, fuck 'em.

.

[oldhippie]

3. I don't think so ....

... but whatever makes ya happy ......

[peace13]

4. No ..not possible!

That would require thinking skills, logic and empathy, things that those folks do not have. Trust me, my mother and sister are total baggers and no matter what I try, I can not get through to them.

Ignore and let the thread drop is the only way to deal. It is sad but after twelve years of trying to cope with my own family members I have had to remove myself from their presence.

[whttevrr]

5. oh well...

It was just a thought... I guess flinging shit is more better?

[peace13]

9. It's not about the flinging...

...it's about realizing that some folks are not open to certain things. It is a waste of breath to try. In addition it is frustrating to spend the energy only to have to listen to the crazy that will come back at you.

If you know any real baggers you will understand this.

Your comment, I guess flinging shit is more better, makes me wonder!

[whttevrr]

16. Wonder no more:

Your comment, I guess flinging shit is more better, makes me wonder!

The first 4 replies dismissed the concept outright, and a couple were actually insulting. So yeah, I kind of see that as shit flinging. You can ascribe to it whatever you wish. But it's intent was to clarify the conceptualization of what flinging shit actually does. It just puts up defenses. I thought the 'more better' was an ignorant grammatical device that sunk to the level of shit flinging as well...

Your mileage may vary.

[Hutzpa]

7. Do you see the Tea Party faithful as

people that reasons?

Majority of them can't even spell and we expect them to understand logic.

Nice try though.

[CrispyQ]

8. Sure, I'll give it a shot.

Last edited Mon Oct 21, 2013, 12:15 PM - Edit history (1)

A Day in the Life of Joe Conservative

Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging liberal fought for water-quality standards.

With his first swallow of coffee, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe to take because some commie liberal fought to insure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some stupid liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance -- now Joe gets it, too.

He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe enjoys reading his local newspaper as he eats his breakfast. He is able to read because some whinny liberal, who believed that the best way to help people help themselves is to educate them, fought for a free public school system.

In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient because some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body.

Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some environmentalist wacko liberal fought for laws to stop industries and government from polluting our air.

He walks to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some lazy liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union.

Its noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FDIC because some godless liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression.

Joe pays his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.

Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards.

He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until-some big-government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

Joe is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some elitist liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host, whose right to free speech was fought for and is defended by wimpy liberals, keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that Joe's beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.

Joe agrees that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. "After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."


on edit: This has been around for a long time. I did not write it. You are free to use it

[Hutzpa]

20. Good post

why don't you makes this an OP?

This reminds me of the quote from LBJ which is;

“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice
you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him someone to look down on and he'll empty his pockets for you”

[ChazII]

26. K&R this thread for your response.

Wonderful response and one which I will be sending to some of my pals.

[whttevrr]

27. That's pretty good...

[CrispyQ]

29. For the record, I didn't write it.

It's been around for a long time. Someone should add something about Obamacare to it.

[whttevrr]

32. Kill 'em with kindness

It'll be hard to hate the people who fought for the right to not be bankrupted by illness.

[Autumn]

10. Convert them to what?

And why would one have the desire to do that ?

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Convert them to what?

They wouldn't even make good compost.

[Drale]

12. Convert right now? No but

if we took away their Fox News and hard right talk radio, they would mellow out and perhaps after a few years they might start to think for themselves again.

[whttevrr]

18. So you would believe that some might be reasoned with?

If not today, then maybe some day in the future...

I know a hard core Republican from work. We've gone at it at times and I notice that given persistent, non threatening, argument based on fact, there can be a change in attitude. It doesn't make an on the spot transformation, nor even a lasting one for all I know.

However, over time this person has had the opportunity to see first hand how Obamacare will directly benefit someone close to him.

If nothing else, the silent acceptance can be peaceful.

[Drale]

21. If we take away the brainwashing

yes they might be reasoned with eventually.

[whttevrr]

25. And financial incentives...

Imagine how hard it is to hate when your worries are few and far between.

I guess I just wish we could see more logical arguments for infrastructure building. People, in general, (haters are still gonna hate) are more agreeable when they are making money and their families are safe.

I just wish there were more logical arguments for what can be done to make everyone's life better.

[Bunnahabhain]

13. I almost think

some folks do not want to convert "the enemy." I think the replies you've already gotten supports my opinion. Humans are built to need "the other" in order to reflect themselves in a more positive light in their own minds and the minds of their group mates. Dehumanizing "the other" is a major part of this phenomena and it goes on here all day long (just like I'm sure it does on conservative websites).

Heck, just look at how left leaning moderates can get treated here.

[whttevrr]

22. Yeah...

And, there might even be a few who will post as if they are flinging shit from the left as a way to muddy the water.

Eh, it just seems like the truth and reasonable argument would work better than ad hominem.

[Bandit]

14. Logic does not apply... Is Racism logical?

They believe they are losing something they never really had except in their mind.

[Coyotl]

15. Anything is possible. Nothing has the same effect as bodacious ridicule.

Nobody wants to be the butt of a joke, much less the joke itself. Logical arguments are good, but a cartoon might be the best method of getting them to reassess their viewpoints.

[whttevrr]

23. Hey whoa...

Cartoons are different.

I never said anything about the cartoons except to thank those that post them. I like jokes too. I'm just writing about the word salad things that get posted...

[CJCRANE]

17. Maybe, but the first step is they have to decide that they want to think for themselves

rather than be spoon-fed by the likes of Limbaugh, Beck, Murdoch etc.

[rrneck]

19. My rule is...

Don't start nutn', won' be nutn'.

[Lil Missy]

24. No. They are not here to learn, they are here to disrupt. n/t

[whttevrr]

28. Then all the more reason to stick to the high road.

It is harder to disrupt honesty and compassion than it is to ridicule ignorance.

[JHB]

30. Your heart is in the right place, but the people you're referring to are not interested

I appreciate efforts to open dialogue with those who will engage in one, but the people you're referring to simply show up here to find new backgrounds for their dart board.

[treestar]

31. Not immediately, but perhaps over time

Especially younger people. I can recall changing my mind over time on things. That's why I don't always jump on the "flip flop" bandwagon regarding politicians right away.

[whttevrr]

36. HAH! Indeed!

I...

Ugh...

I was once a Republican...

But I did not understand the full implications of the southern strategy. I knew Lincoln was a Republican. I knew that Nixon created the EPA... Ok, Reagan did the whole ketchup is a vegetable thing... but history has been too kind to him. But the point is, as the parties evolved, or devolved, my opinion changed.

I would be embarrassed to be a part of what the Republican Party has become. Nearly all former Republican Presidents could not win a Republican Primary today.

Things Change!

The Christian Coalition and The Southern Strategy have changed the Republican Party into an unrecognizable shadow of what it once was. And, my attitude towards helping others has changed. I was born and bread on "Rugged Individualism". But most of the most successful people today did not get to where they are by themselves. Elizabeth Warren is right. We need each other to succeed.

I define success differently today than I did 20 years ago. I still have not got all of mine, but I also do not begrudge a helping hand to those who need it. I've seen struggling. And if we as a country can help the less fortunate to have a modicum of health and respect who are we to not help?

I also remember another thing from my youth that has stuck: We are only as strong as the weakest amongst us. So as a society, it is important that we care for those who need help. It is the right thing to do. Everybody should be able to pursue happiness in America.

[longship]

33. Wonderful thread.

Both positive and negative reactions.

Well worth a hearty R&

[PeteSelman]

34. It's akin to deprogramming a cult member.

Very, very difficult. It would involve months of therapy and some willingness on the part of the bagger in question to want to get out of it.

The short answer is yes, it's possible but it's highly improbable.

[Iggo]

35. Fuck 'em.

I mean...uh...

No, I don't believe it's possible.

[kestrel91316]

37. No. Because if they are lurking here it is to spy and then be trolls.

Teabagger minds are hermetically sealed shut.

[randome]

38. Republicans? Maybe. Tea Partiers? Doubt it. However...

...making logical arguments on a public messaging board means the message will be seen by far more than TP'ers, and it's possible some of those may gain something. So yes, I agree with you, inflammatory insults do not help.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]