So I found the question they cannot answer!

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

When discussing politics with folks who are not liberal, I have found the unanswerable question.

I say it quietly, with genuine curiosity and without rancor.

Can you tell me one example of something positive that has come out of republicans being in power that has affected you or your family?

This is simply not a question for which a Limbaugh or Hannity or Beck talking point can be used.

And they can't answer it because there isn't any.

This seems to work for EVERY age group. It's possible that only the wealthy could give examples.

Try it. Look earnestly at their startled faces.

You can then list the things that HAS affected them positively that came into effect because because of Democrats in power.

[BeFree]

1. Good angle

You can tell those who are on the fence that the Dems brought us minimum wages, Social Security, and safe working conditions.

And the pubbies fought like crazy to stop the Dems.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Good for you!

I will remember this one.

Recommended.

[greytdemocrat]

12. Peggy,..

This sounds like a Bouncy.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. What is that?

I am not familiar with the term...

:shrug:

[greytdemocrat]

16. Sorry...

It's a made up story. Pure fiction, usually to get street cred here on DU.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

18. Nope, I'm not a bouncy

I happen to live in Florida. Opportunities are endless. But thanks for casting suspicion.

[SmileyRose]

31. at least he didn't cast asparagus.

:P

[blondeatlast]

3. Very good indeed! fortunately there's no RWingers in my own family,

but I have lots of RW acquaintances.

This will be interesting!

[tblue]

4. Good one! Another one that gets them is:

If you think abortion should be illegal, how much time should a woman spend in prison once she's had one? The can't answer that one either.

[Rectangle]

5. +1!! Another one is-asking them to list all the sacrifices and shared burdens

that the Tea Party is asking the Ultra-Rich top 1%, to shoulder
to pay down the national debt.

It worked at my (part-time) job. The guy (Perry)said he's sick of all this
"Socialist Class Warfare" shit! I shot back No' it's basic fairness- why do the
Middle-class and lower income people have to shoulder all the burdens
in this country-while the Upper-Incomes get a massive $ giveaway that we'll
have to tack onto the National-Debt i.e.borrow from China?? How are you going to
pay for the Bush Tax Cuts?

I think i got through to him a little because he had no good answers!

[WingDinger]

6. WRONG. Just because it helped YOUR family, doesnt mean it helped all.

My family was helped by prop 13. Hurt the gov. Hurt all but the family. Still helped the family.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

7. Okay, that's one

Can you name a second?

[blue sky at night]

8. this is a good technique...

it works every time, but they still could not care less...all that is important to them is to stop anything positive, progressive or helpful. They want to pollute and kill until there is nothing left...I have multiple examples of this in my family, they are so pro big business and oil it is sickening.

[704wipes]

9. I think quite a few would answer with TAX CUTS

What should I say to them then?



===

Tax Cuts is their go-to even if the dollar amount for them is minuscule, and you will never convince them that Obama actually gave them the last one they have had.

[progressoid]

24. Yep - that would be first on the lips of a few I know.

They LOVE their money and hate the idea of it benefiting anyone but themselves.

[hfojvt]

29. I am gonna wait here for an answer to that one too

Although are you gonna pretend that liberals don't also love their money? Heck, just try proposing a tax increase for people making $50,000 to $200,000 and wait for the howls of outrage.

[Jackpine Radical]

10. Bush brought them tax cuts.

Small tax cuts (except for the wealthy), but tax cuts. Delivered as individual checks ($125 to 250 iirc) to each tax payer. A grand gesture that sticks with them because those checks were so concrete.

[deutsey]

11. I know quite a few who would say Bush/GOP protected them against terrorism

I know it's a load of BS, but they honestly don't.

That's the problem.

[B Calm]

13. WHAT HAS GOP DONE FOR WORKERS? By: CLINT C. GOLD

WHAT HAS GOP DONE FOR

WORKERS?

CLINT C. GOLD
10/24/1999
Tulsa World


Not too long ago, my wife and I attended a TV football
party in south Tulsa. With a lopsided score, the
conversation turned to a livelier subject -- politics. The
crowd was, of course, top-heavy with Republicans. With each
point expressed their faces became more flushed, eyes
bulging a little more and veins popping in their foreheads
as they railed against the liberal programs.

Finally a lone, liberal voice asked: "Will you people
name me one bill your party ever passed to help the working
man of this country?" The question created much din and
clamor, and someone sputtered, "Well, what have the
Democrats done?"

The liberal responded with a few programs and was
interrupted by howling and disdain. He noted that he had
not promised they would like the programs and he asked to
complete his statement -- a difficult task to ask of
Republicans.

He spoke of Social Security; Medicare-Medicaid; Peace
Corps; unemployment insurance; welfare (for the poor and
corporate); civil rights; student grant and loan programs;
safety laws (OSHA); environmental laws; prevailing wage
laws; right to collective bargaining (which brought about
paid medical insurance, paid vacations, pensions, etc.);
workers' compensation; Marshall Plan; flood-disaster
insurance; School Lunch Program; women's rights.

He spoke of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which
established a minimum wage, instituted child labor laws,
and set up time-and-a-half pay for over a 40-hour week.

He mentioned FHA-HUD with its public housing, urban
renewal and 44 million residential homes (before WWII
almost 70 percent of our nation were renters; by the 1970s
this had been reversed). And farm-conservation
subsidies -- USDA programs, Farmers Home Administration (the
bankers didn't want to make rural loans), small
flood-control lakes (more than 3,000 in Oklahoma alone),
rural water districts, rural electricity (REA).

The GI Bill was passed, which the Republicans at the
time bitterly opposed. They were salivating over millions
of returning veterans to hire as cheap labor. More than 8 million have used college benefits, creating millions of
entrepreneurs; most of us had never dreamed of college. For
the unemployed GI, there was $20 a week for 52 weeks to
help get started (a lot of money in those days). The
Veterans Administration provided more than 2 million home
loans.

For the bankers at the football party, it was pointed
out that the liberals saved their industry with the
creation of FDIC and FSLIC, insuring their deposits, and
saved Wall Street with the establishment of the Securities
Exchange Commission.

The oil men came on bended knees to FDR at a time when
East Texas oil was 4 cents a barrel and begged him to save
their industry. He did; prorationing overturned the rule of
capture and the days of flush production were over.
Prorating has served this great industry (and nation)
well.


And the list went on and on, but of course this group
didn't let him get halfway through. He noted they were
weary, inattentive, so again he challenged them to offer up
any Republican legislation examples.

"I'm sure your party has authored one or two comparable
bills from time to time, but I can't think of any, and
apparently you can't either. What it boils down to is this:
the liberals dragged you into the 20th century scratching
and screaming with your heels in the mud, fighting anything
that's progressive, everything that's made this country
great. You Republicans have never understood that the
spending power of blue-collar workers, obtained through
Democrats and unions, is what really made this country
great. You really believe "The Good Life" was obtained from
your own endeavors. You cloak your greed in religion and
patriotism, railing against any form of tax, never
comprehending that these programs have benefitted all of us
and our country."

Well, I almost didn't make it out of the house. My wife
and I didn't even get to see the end of the football game.


If Reps. Steve Largent or J.C. Watts had been there,
perhaps politics would never have come up, only the game
plan ... pity.
Clint C. Gold is former mayor of Moore and a retired
savings and loan executive.

[Martin Eden]

22. Excellent, thanks for sharing! n/t

[B Calm]

26. About once a year I enjoy forwarding that to my right-wing email pals.

[Lil Missy]

15. Your family must not have much imagination. n/t

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

17. So, where's your list? nt

[IDemo]

19. The answer I would expect from many in my part of the woods:

At least I ain't wearin' a burka.

:dunce:

[DCKit]

20. Not yet.

But the religiously insane Teahadii would implement their own Sharia type laws based on the Old Testament.

But those laws are only for those who are not THEM.

[fascisthunter]

21. it works every time

some will try to place spin on policies but yeah... they fail to answer that question straight because there is nothing the GOP has done to help ordinary folks.

[snagglepuss]

23. K and R. nt

[southmost]

25. the teapublican will instantly regurgitate

about how they are being protected with strong defense, and fiscal responsibility. (a no brainer for them)

I am surrounded by the least sharpest tools in the shed down here in Texas

[B Calm]

27. Our strong defense is the biggest socalist program we have. Doesn't

hurt to remind these idiots of that.

[hfojvt]

28. people don't quickly answer with "tax cuts"?

Why is that not the easiest question in the world?

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

30. Because Democrats have given tax cuts to lower income forever

Earned Income Credits anyone?
Childcare deductions?

[Overseas]

32. K&R ! //nt