What does the fact that the Rs have so much power now say about Americans?

[begin_within]

[NVMojo]

1. they like being "sheeple"?? they don't question their leaders?

[Neil Lisst]

2. It says ignorance allows marketing to win.

Bush is a product of the electorate becoming increasingly more ignorant, and therefore more subject to marketing scams.

[rkc3]

15. Ignorance combined with short memories has gotten us here.

Facts are irrelevant these days - no one can really remember the truth.

[Toots]

25. Boy that sure is the truth

Or is it, I just can't remember anymore, but if you say so it must be true....

[Cyrano]

3. It says that the Diebold and ES&S voting machines are screwing us all.

[newportdadde]

4. That they thought they would be rich too.

A time of reckless growth and speculation, the late 90s just like the 20s will lead 'normal' people to think they can have it all. So they follow up this feeling by voting for the RW to get less taxes etc, now that they have 'made it'. Then of course reality sits in.. or at least its trying to even as the housing bubble clings on.

[Cary]

11. I don't quite buy this.

I don't think the average person engages in such rigorous thought. There are some slogans that appeal to them and then they just buy into whatever follows. That is, until they are jolted out of their fantasies by losing a career to some notion that includes the merits of offshoring, or losing a loved one to a questionable war.

[raccoon]

5. (A) They get their "news" from the corporate media hoes

(Translation: they are appallingly misinformed.)

(B) They vote for a candidate on the basis of one issue, such as the candidate's being anti-abortion or against homosexual marriages.

(C) They don't think.

(D) All of the above.

[Cary]

6. It says that our people have a lot of work to do locally.

Remember, this too shall pass. It always does. And when it does we have a huge mess to clean up, and we have to let everyone know full well who made the mess and who is doing the cleanup.

[rkc3]

16. Local efforts can go a long way.

NPR did a story about 5 years ago on the steps taken by the religious right in getting local candidates elected. They built on these successes to run statewide candidates and on to national office.

The right is unified and motivated for a common cause - unfortunately, they are being swindled by candidates who have sold out to corporate interests.

[triguy46]

7. "People are strange...when you're a stranger"

Here's a list of hypotheses:

1. Most people don't care
2. Most people don't know
3. Most, (or a least a frickin lot) of people don't vote
4. We've been drugged, its actually worse than it appears
5. It's all a dream (trite, but I'm just brainstorming, it worked
on Newhart)
6. Fast food has dulled our senses
7. The Rs are evil liars
8. and cheats...
9 We have a lot of work to do

[havocmom]

8. That they either do not understand or do not value democracy.

When so much of a population is willing to let somebody make all the decisions/policies without paying attention and insisting representatives LISTEN, they are not practicing democracy.

Too many Americans think they are free so they can just coast. Slap a yellow ribbon on the fender of the gas hog and they have done their bit. Pay homage to those who fought and died back in the olden days and the debt is paid...

Democracy is NOT a spectator sport. So we just have the image of democracy now, for appearances. The GOP and a lot of the DINOs sold America out to the corporations because the people allowed it to happen.

Democracy, liberty, freedom have to be defended every day by most of any population. The words of Dr. Franklin echo sadly in our time...
"A Republic, madam, if you can keep it."

[texpatriot2004]

9. They worship Je$us$ and don't want to participate in their Gov

nor do they want to change their ways.

[Armstead]

10. People have been bombarded with right wing message with no counterpoint

It started in the 1970's.

The corporate oligarchs and the right wing fundies made an unholy alliance, and have been building on that to dominate both the debate and public "memes" for years.

Unfortunately Democrats and the left have been bumbling for the sasme amount of time, so we have not figured out how to fight back and offer what seem to be a credible alternative to that.

[pretzel4gore]

19. when the titanic sank, the heroes were the rich guys

who, supposedly, died bravely defending the women and children....i'm reading a book about it, and it make your skin crawl. Almost every newspaper in the land glorified the 'captains of industry' who, though they were abusers of luxury, the awful event brought forth their 'true natures' while also bringing out the animal in the lower classes, many of whom tried to steal aboard lifeboats even displacing women/children! (nevermind the fact most 'steerage' passengers were locked in the lower decks, and many were desperate to get their families out!) Apparently, if you read newspapers in those days, it was a given that the higher your class and richer you were, the finer you were and naturally christian....with the obverse also true....that the poorer you are the cruder and more debased! i've been reading newspapers etc since i was a kid and noticed that there has always been a sorta condescension towards working people/poor if not downright contempt. Nevertheless, since the 70's, like you say, in reaction to the 'hippies' the newsmedia has become increasingly righteous, and bush has simply made ridiculous what was once only a constant annoyance....

[BeyondThePale]

12. Americans are scared, stupid, and spoiled (nt)

[cantstandbush]

23. Bigoted and racist. n/t

[smoogatz]

13. Barnum said it best.

There's a sucker born every minute.

[DBoon]

14. Frightened, ignorant, greedy

nt

[MN ChimpH8R]

17. Consumer/media culture has reduced most

people's attention span to that of a goldfish or a canary. The educational system has dramatically dumbed down schooling so there is no instruction in critical thinking until at least the college level, and there's no guarantee you will get it there either. Instant gratification of material desires, however shallow, is pimped 24/7 as the most important thing in life. Many are just stupid sheeple who can't bother to educate themselves or think independently. They prefer to be told what to think and feel, and all the better if it's a representative of GAWD telling them. This offers ultimate justification for simple, narrow little thoughts. Simple answers ease simple minds.

And that Diebold, the reichwing machine, and the various Goebbelses in the Repuke party are very good at implementing their simpleminded Amerikkka Uber Alles vision to simple people.

[Ksec]

18. Theyre lookin for Daddy

To make things all better.

Rethugs are not Daddy but the exact thing they want to escape from.

They wanted Daddy and got a frickin dictator

[dorktv]

20. Talk is louder then Actions for a while at least.

[CrispyQ]

21. Americans traded in their citizenship to become consumers,

and in so doing, have relinquished their humanity. We value things more than people.

We have a populace that doesn't vote, doesn't pay attention to issues, basically doesn't give a shit about anything that doesn't affect them personally. Because they are comfortable & complacent, they are easily manipulated by the media & politicians. Instead of working to better themselves, they look to 'leaders' who reinforce their 'lowest common denominator' behavior, 'leaders' who tell them that they deserve the good things they have because of who they are, not because of anything they have done.

They are mean-spirited toward those less fortunate than themselves & relish 'leaders' who advocate this mindset. They are selfish, greedy, small-minded & they are limiting in everything they do, think & feel. They are full of themselves & their arrogance will be their downfall.

When the whole thing comes crashing down around them they will wonder what happened & look for someone else to blame because that is their nature.

[RagAss]

22. Cowards who need to feel protected.....

It's how the Mafia made a living ......pitiful...

[cassiepriam]

24. Until we answer this question, we will just get more socipaths to lead us.

When the current ones retire to their mansions.