General Discussion

Journeyman

(15,445 posts)

66. It opened my eyes, too. And if she can pull it off, how much easier is it for the likes of Cruz. . .

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 11:04 PM

Mar 2015

or even Paul? Just because they sound like an idiot and speak like one too, doesn't mean they are one.

Why, here's a song about someone who was arguably one of the more intelligent politicians of the 20th Century. He skipped through most of his formal education and passed the bar exam at age 21 without ever earning a single diploma. He was revered as a champion of the common man and demonized by many as a dangerous demagogue. Yet in 1935, he stood poised to potentially take the Presidency from FDR. He was Huey Long, known as the "Kingfish," and he was no one's fool. . .

Lyrics for Kingfish By Randy Newman

There's a hundred thousand Frenchmen in New Orleans
In New Orleans there are Frenchmen everywhere
But your house could fall down
Your baby could drown
Wouldn't none of those Frenchmen care

Everybody gather 'round
Loosen up your suspenders
Hunker down on the ground
I'm a cracker
And you are too
But don't I take good care of you?

Who built the highway to Baton Rouge?
Who put up the hospital and built you schools?
Who looks after shit-kickers like you?
The Kingfish do

Who gave a party at the Roosevelt Hotel?
And invited the whole north half of the state down there for free
The people in the city
Had their eyes bugging out
Cause everyone of you
Looked just like me

Kingfish, Kingfish
Everybody sing
Kingfish, Kingfish
Every man a king

Who took on the Standard Oil men
And whipped their ass
Just like he promised he'd do?
Ain't no Standard Oil men gonna run this state
Gonna be run by little folks like me and you

Kingfish, Kingfish
Friend of the working man
Kingfish, Kingfish
The Kingfish gonna save this land

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It's only taken me 9.5 years, but I'm finally making my 2000th post. A serious question for DUers... [View all] MANative Mar 2015 OP

Sadly, yes, they are that crazy. JaneyVee Mar 2015 #1

:( MANative Mar 2015 #4

I think we have fallen that low. Katashi_itto Mar 2015 #2

Dragged down to the lowest common denominator. MANative Mar 2015 #8

Pretty much. Mankind Killed by it's hordes of stupid. Sort of like zombies. Wonder if thats why Katashi_itto Mar 2015 #16

Either that or AI. It's a race to the end of the species, or it sure seems that way. MANative Mar 2015 #24

i think many know they are spouting lies. Liberal_in_LA Mar 2015 #3

There are a handful whom I strongly suspect fall into this category. MANative Mar 2015 #6

The problem is... Blanks Mar 2015 #19

I'd like to think I would stick to my principles rather than sell out for the money ala Beck, et al MANative Mar 2015 #22

I expect it seems harmless at first... Blanks Mar 2015 #113

Hosts may not believe it but their followers take it to heart & certainly believe it. God help us. appalachiablue Mar 2015 #33

That's what I believe is happening... Blanks Mar 2015 #114

I think beck does marym625 Mar 2015 #49

Beck is different... Blanks Mar 2015 #115

agree marym625 Mar 2015 #116

I think most don't when they start marym625 Mar 2015 #5

There is that old saying about telling a lie often enough that even... MANative Mar 2015 #7

Very sad marym625 Mar 2015 #15

Thank you! It took me a while, but I go through long periods of lurking. :) MANative Mar 2015 #20

I think, after I stopped lurking, marym625 Mar 2015 #42

Thanks - I do tend to get more verbal in the run-up to elections. MANative Mar 2015 #48

Have a look at Bob Altemeyer's work on the authoritarian personality. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #9

I think the Authoritarian Leader is probably closer to what I believe of most of these clowns. MANative Mar 2015 #10

Jack, do you think marym625 Mar 2015 #46

I really don't know, but from having dealt with other psychopaths Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #117

Good point marym625 Mar 2015 #118

+1 zeemike Mar 2015 #56

Dean's book title says it all, has been around for a while but I need to remember it. appalachiablue Mar 2015 #119

IMO, we're at about half-and-half jeff47 Mar 2015 #11

The very definition of "conservative" behavior. MANative Mar 2015 #12

Pray that this is the last throes of the Reagan Rev.! although a stronger, more unified front appalachiablue Mar 2015 #120

Awww. babylonsister Mar 2015 #13

Yes, very much the "Authoritarian Leader" to which Jackpine Radical referred. MANative Mar 2015 #17

That's a good question. Rex Mar 2015 #14

I don't know whether the answer is material to anything; it just frames how I deal with... MANative Mar 2015 #30

Well that forum has actual republicans on it that are not scared to say what they want to. Rex Mar 2015 #31

I haven't paid enough attention to Cruz yet to draw my own conclusion... MANative Mar 2015 #34

Yes Cruz is scary and highly intelligent, educated. Fortunately his personal demeanor & appearance appalachiablue Mar 2015 #41

Those in politics: Most believe some; I think few believe all of it Algernon Moncrieff Mar 2015 #18

I think you're very right about those outside politics. MANative Mar 2015 #28

Congrats on 2000! bigwillq Mar 2015 #21

Thank you! MANative Mar 2015 #25

Let me pose this question: jaysunb Mar 2015 #23

Yes, they do. And I'm appalled on a daily basis by some of the behavior... MANative Mar 2015 #26

Some actually do (cough Gomert) Some (and the most dangerous) annabanana Mar 2015 #27

Scary that people can be such sociopaths and still walk freely among us... MANative Mar 2015 #29

+1 dangerous appalachiablue Mar 2015 #43

I think they know that half of it is bullshit but have no compunction with spewing the lies. NYC_SKP Mar 2015 #32

That's a good point. I guess it's a matter of which lies one chooses to believe... MANative Mar 2015 #36

Oooh, goody! babylonsister Mar 2015 #37

They're all scoundrels. Republicans are, of course, worse about it. NYC_SKP Mar 2015 #53

Haha, a local pol gone bad? babylonsister Mar 2015 #73

Congrats. I've been here under 2 different names since 2001 and have mulsh Mar 2015 #35

Thank you - that's so kind. MANative Mar 2015 #38

Hi, mulsh. babylonsister Mar 2015 #39

I'm not sure it matters one way or the other . . . markpkessinger Mar 2015 #40

Hadn't really thought about it in quite that way, but you're right... MANative Mar 2015 #44

Indeed! n/t markpkessinger Mar 2015 #52

The art of lying. First they must lie to themselves. Voice for Peace Mar 2015 #45

I'll have to think about that for a bit. I'm not sure which lies come first... MANative Mar 2015 #51

Let's use a non-politician -- Gretchen Carlson at Fox -- as a guide. . . Journeyman Mar 2015 #47

That's pretty stunning. I've always dismissed her as nothing more than... MANative Mar 2015 #54

It opened my eyes, too. And if she can pull it off, how much easier is it for the likes of Cruz. . . Journeyman Mar 2015 #66

That's something to think about, for sure. Thanks for the thought-provoking posts! MANative Mar 2015 #69

I think some do and some are aware of the illusion jimlup Mar 2015 #50

Rand Paul in particular... MANative Mar 2015 #59

Congrats on your 2000. bvar22 Mar 2015 #55

Thank you! MANative Mar 2015 #60

Thanks! bvar22 Mar 2015 #61

I feel the opposite. Jamaal510 Mar 2015 #57

Yeah, I guess part of that comes from my rather vocal and vociferous disdain for... MANative Mar 2015 #63

The thing is they say the same about liberals ErikJ Mar 2015 #58

My favorite line is... MANative Mar 2015 #65

highly recommend: capitalism & sociopathology - earth at risk 2014 - charles derber hopemountain Mar 2015 #62

Thank you! I'll check it out. :) MANative Mar 2015 #67

When Victoria Jackson was on SNL, Mr.Bill Mar 2015 #64

The puppetry is getting more obvious in many cases, isn't it? MANative Mar 2015 #68

I think some are and some aren't cyberswede Mar 2015 #70

I completely agree on your point about Cheney and his cronies. MANative Mar 2015 #71

It's a good question Android3.14 Mar 2015 #72

Your final sentence is the operative one. And the saddest. MANative Mar 2015 #75

Yes and they cater to like minded RWNJ's Historic NY Mar 2015 #74

And sadly, they vote in droves while our constituency stays home... MANative Mar 2015 #76

Yes. I blame Newt and his "Word List".... Spitfire of ATJ Mar 2015 #77

Between Newt, Lee Atwater and Karl Rove, they had a slew of master manipulators. MANative Mar 2015 #79

What I find funny is SuperPatriIdiots who love FOX "News"... Spitfire of ATJ Mar 2015 #86

I know! How ironic! MANative Mar 2015 #95

Sadly yes. No accident circle of the delusional nut job pols overlaps the delusional religious fools on point Mar 2015 #78

I fear that they've already succeeded in crushing democracy. They've allowed the money to usurp... MANative Mar 2015 #81

Its some of each. Hoppy Mar 2015 #80

Exactly! That's one of the events that I had in mind when I wrote the question. MANative Mar 2015 #82

Craig Ferguson has toured congress... ReasonableToo Mar 2015 #83

I love the "double bluff" bit. MANative Mar 2015 #96

I Can Only Tell You What I See From ChiciB1 Mar 2015 #84

I guess some people need something to believe in, and when they don't find it... MANative Mar 2015 #97

They are in sales. hay rick Mar 2015 #85

Yes, I can see that.. haikugal Mar 2015 #92

And everything they support just feeds into the echo chamber. It's a ... MANative Mar 2015 #98

Enlightening to read William Faulkner Thespian2 Mar 2015 #87

Exactly! MANative Mar 2015 #99

They are paid. Pure and simple. Darb Mar 2015 #88

Or tragedy. Maybe both. :( MANative Mar 2015 #100

It's been 8 yrs, 4 months and I'm close to 2,000 AnotherDreamWeaver Mar 2015 #89

It's hard for people not to be apathetic when they see gross injustices perpetrated... MANative Mar 2015 #101

"actually believe all the crazy drivel they spout? Are they really that dumb..." jtuck004 Mar 2015 #90

Well, that makes me want to weep. :( MANative Mar 2015 #102

If they don't believe it themselves, they believe it will attract the yahoo right wingers. Hoyt Mar 2015 #91

That really sums it up, doesn't it? MANative Mar 2015 #103

Both. Major Hogwash Mar 2015 #93

I hate to tell you, but I think you're right. MANative Mar 2015 #105

Playing along to get votes treestar Mar 2015 #94

And money. I doubt that there are even ten percent of Congressional reps who aren't... MANative Mar 2015 #106

I think very few believe it all. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #104

And they aren't smart enough (by design) to know that every policy they... MANative Mar 2015 #107

IMO it started with a few spouting crazy to get the votes as they rose to the top, but more and RKP5637 Mar 2015 #108

I wish I could say that I disagree, but I fear you are only too right. :( MANative Mar 2015 #109

No, they aren't crazy. Orsino Mar 2015 #110

So, the mission, then, must be to find a way to cut the money out. I think, however, that ... MANative Mar 2015 #111

+1 Orsino Mar 2015 #112