Home News & Politics Elections The Voters Are Revolting
The Voters Are Revolting
In 2008, a majority of voters seemed to have recognized that the GOP's policy of allegiance to the wealthy and destruction of our constitution, principles and economy was really not something that they wanted to continue.
The voters wanted change and elected Barack Obama.
Here we are, a scant year and a half later and in response to the change they voted for, many are freaking out and apparently, spitefully supporting the very party they know destroyed much of what's best about America.
The voters are revolting. Maybe even a bit obnoxious too.
Is it because they liked the idea of change but in reality, just wanted the same movie but with a fresh face in the lead?
Is it because they had some fantasized version of change, that it would rain $100 bills and no one would ever be sick or unhappy again?
Or is it because they weren't voting for Obama as much as they were flipping the bird to Bush…and now are petulantly voting for Repubs just to flip the bird to Obama for not being a magic genie?
It may be a combination of the above.
In the end, this lack of consistency and patience doesn't reflect well on us as citizens and voters. Are we simply short attention span children who want what they want and want it right now…and if we don't get it immediately and exactly as we imagined, we will throw a tantrum and "get even" with no thought of the consequences?
We are continuing through a terrible recession and too many people are still out of work. But we avoided what everyone insisted would be a Second Depression thanks in large part to Pres. Obama's response.
Instead of recognizing that and how the banks are still withholding credit (to hurt Obama and help the pro-bank Repubs?) which is keeping unemployment high…and that there is not much ANY president could do about this to force them to give credit…many citizens seem to petulantly point a finger at Obama for not waving a wand and magically making everything perfect.
As if a President can somehow, just by sheer force of will or policy, end a recession?
How self-centered and uninformed are many citizens? What powers do they think Obama has that he hasn't used to try and end the recession? Don't they understand that any Repub or Dem president would do whatever they thought they could to cure a recession and improve their approval ratings?
Many seem to be operating from a position of childish blame…on Bizarro World. "Things am bad so since Dems and Obama am in charge, me let them know how mad me am by voting in more of Repubs I hated a year and a half ago for destroying economy! Me am smart! Hello!"
From one direction, our democracy is being damaged by corporate, oligarchic control and from another direction, it is being destroyed by adults showing the patience of 2 year olds.
How long do these people think it should take for a near-depression to be turned around? It seems that many think that it should have taken less than a year.
And voting in a Repub majority or near-majority in Congress which will assure gridlock, is the solution that these geniuses have come up with to address the lack of progress in turning around the economy?
I may be insulting Bizarro World by making a comparison to it.
How can we ever make profound change in this nation when so many Americans demand instant gratification or they'll vote out the party in power? No long term planning can occur with such a mindset controlling political power.
Imagine if the same sensibility was applied to constructing a building. The land owner has two different construction firms to choose from to build an office building. One wants it built with a lot of glass, one wants it built with a lot of marble. The company who planned a glass building is chosen and begins…but doesn't complete the building in one week so the impatient land owners fire them and instead hire their competitor. The competitor tears down the work of the first architect and starts building with marble. But the short attention span land owner gets frustrated after another week that it's still not completed, fires them and re-hires the other architects.
And the cycle repeats itself ad infinitum. A constant cycle of beginning then undermining the completion of something because the one in charge easily becomes impatient. And of course, the ultimate goal to construct a building is never completed because his catering to his impatience and unrealistic expectations makes him act against his own best interests.
We need to have a bit more vision and patience and a bit less of an obsession with immediate gratification.
Yes, people are hurting in this nation now but the response to a doctor not healing an injury as fast as the patient wants is not to put the attacker who inflicted the injury in charge just to express spite at the doctor for not performing a miracle.
Don't we want things to get better? Will a gridlocked Congress or a President Romney continuing the 8 years of Bush policies fix the results of 8 years of Bush policies?
I must say, I'm a bit pissed at some of the Dem and indie voters out there who are blindly spiteful and are happily expressing how gratifying it will be to cut off one's traitorous nose to teach one's slow-to-gratify face a lesson.
If I was spiteful, I might hope that they get their wish and get Repub rule back to cut off their unemployment, SS, Medicare and health care. Then instead of being impatient about when the economy will improve for them, they can worry about missing Cornbread Night at the local soup kitchen.
But if I was so spiteful and cheered on the further disintegration of a safety net to occur, how would I be able to afford the cost of plastic surgery to replace my nose?
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The Poison Well, Font of Perpetual Defeat
javaz
Perhaps there's hope since so many people, at least in Arizona, have re-registered as Independents.
But I admit that I have only voted for a Republican once – Symington when he ran against Eddie Basha, and I forget the reasons now, but alas, Symington was impeached!
Arizona does have quite the history of impeaching governors and/or ending up with governors as we have now with Jan Brewer, who was not elected but took over once Napolitano left to head Homeland Security.
We don't have a lieutenant governor here, like some states, so we often have an elected Republican governor or elected Democrat that is replaced with a member from the other party.
Remember Evan Mecham?
After his impeachment, he was replaced by Rose Mofford, who was a Democrat and was also one of the original baseball players from the women's team as depicted in the movie with Tom Hanks, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnel.
(what was the name of that movie?)
I do not believe any of the crap spewed by the MSM about the upcoming November elections.
I believe that the majority of Americans are turned off by the Tea Party and the right-wing extremism, but that does not mean that Tea Party people will not win in the short-term before November.
It will be the economy and jobs that drives it come November, imho, and the Independents will not vote for extremism, especially after seeing what's happening in Arizona, Oklahoma, and other states.
That's my opinion, and odds are that I am wrong, but I cling to the hope.
And as for the government being divided – such as Congress being Republican with a Democratic President and vice-versa – my husband and I are for that normally, because it is never good to have one party ruling the entire system.
They seem to keep each other more honest that way, but with the way the GOP is now being the Party of NO, we have changed our minds this time.
dildenusa
(what was the name of that movie?) I think it was "A Field of Their Own." but not sure.
Government always works better when there are checks on the party in power. And this is much more critical at the state and local level.
You win a box of Cheerio's!
Emerald1943
Good morning, everyone! I just have to add that I was completely appalled at a little snippet on CNN yesterday. A recent poll found that some 62% of American voters think that it's a good idea to have a split government…one party controlling the White House while the other controls Congress!! What is wrong with these people?? Have they lost their minds??
For some years now, our legislative process has been in total gridlock. It has never been more apparent than now. The Senate rethugs are holding up literally HUNDREDS of bills that have been passed and sent over by the House. I guess those voters don't mind more of the same. The Democrats should make hay with this information in the next election…makes you wonder who really is running the government. It would appear that the Rethugs have it in the bag!
Good Morning, Em! Pretty discouraging isn't it? I honestly think that a good percentage of that 62% who want the White House/Congress power split believe that this is the meaning of the term "balance of powers." Honest to God. They are that ignorant. (Forgive the elitism, but I just recently had a conversation with someone who adamantly insisted that "Obama refused to increase our Social Security and Disability payments this year," referring to the fact that there wouldn't be a COLA this year. As if Obama controlled the formula by which such things are calculated!!)
But — as AdLib said — there are educated liberal voters who are being just as obtuse in their own way. Last week I went to a local grassroots MoveOn organizing meeting (first one I've attended that was presented by MoveOn). I wasn't able to stay for the whole thing, but the part I witnessed was depressing. Okay — I'm just gonna be blunt and say it — a bunch of "permanent hippies" in their 60s who never got beyond perpetually challenging whomever happened to be in authority at the moment. Of course, they were bashing Obama. I just wanted to say: "Grow the fuck up!" "We had such high hopes when he was elected," they whined, "but now we see he's noooo different than anyone else." Yes, folks, he is different. But take a look at the people (especially in the Senate) that he has to deal with! And then tell me what he is supposed to do.
Argh! "Don't trust anyone under 60 who is not Abbie Hoffman?" Is that their rallying cry? Time warp!
So — yeah — between the low info voters and the tie-dyed, bead-wearing Cialis users, I'm feelin' cranky!!
KQµårk 死神
Another poll was more encouraging though. I think Dems will keep control of the Senate but the House is a toss up right now. Hopefully the economy will keep improving, especially creating more new jobs.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/15/new-poll-restless-voters-_n_577462.html
The tenuous 45 percent to 40 percent preference for a Democratic Congress reverses the finding a month ago on the same question: 44 percent for Republicans and 41 percent for Democrats. The new readout came as the economy continued showing signs of improvement and the tumultuous battle over the health care law that President Barack Obama finally signed in March faded into the background.
The problem is even "progressive" blogs like HP are as bad as the MSM with downplaying any positive economic news even though the economy has been trending up for months.
Like kesmarm says the balance of powers has nothing with the split of the branches, it's based on splitting powers within the three branches of government. I think one of our biggest problems is our failure to teach real civics in schools.
Great article. And I must say, a very flattering photograph of Glenn Beck.
Thanks WTS. Actually, I was surprised to find such a recent publicity still.
choicelady
Oh, my, AdLib – yes. I am lucky to have a membership who largely gets it, and it spoils me. But I fear overall you are correct, and it's fearful to think we could put the bad drivers back on the road to drive us this time over the cliff.
How is it that this nation will endure season after season of Republican theft of democracy and economy, but we can't tolerate 18 months of Dem progress at the clean up? People used to laugh at the line in "Postcards from the Edge" – "Instant gratification takes too long!" but that IS the American psyche!
Time will tell, but if voters elect teabaggers and mainstream Reeps who are not any better than baggers, then the nation will dissolve as a functioning unit, and we will be WORSE off than in 2008. If we don't have Elizabeth Warren and all the progressives who are looking to break up the banks and financial institutions, then we might as well pack it in. It will be Greed Unlimited. Period.
I am wearing out. I've been doing this for over 40 years – even as a kid – and I'm sick of Americans. This is the nation I want to live in, but it keeps moving away from its own best purposes. Wanting more and more services for less and less tax contributions is all anyone thinks about – unless it's keepin' yer gun.
Bah. I fear you are entirely correct, and I hate it that you are. And I'm running out of energy to do anything about it. Lemmings will head over the cliff no matter how much you tell them the consequences. I'm tired of putting up the warning signs and having the little rodents run past my feet.
The Dems are the same as Repubs meme is the most dangerous. Fundamentally Dems and Repubs are not the same even though both parties are too entrenched in corporate interests because Dems appreciate what government is and what the importance of good government means, while Repubs essentially want to dismantle government and are intentionally bad a governing. Sure policies are very very important but this fundamental difference transcends even those policy differences.
Khirad
I was reading a National Geographic at the dentist yesterday.
A guy said he used to dive in Spirit Lake which had the crisp visibility of a standard sub-alpine lake ('neath Mt. St. Helens). There was this odd clump of petrified, limbless trees he would come across, stuck upright in a shallow of the lake. He had for years been mystified by them… and then, May 18, 1980, when a chunk of the mountain splashed into the lake at over 200 mph, he had a sudden 'a-ha moment'. Now, the lake has a visibility of inches. We often forget that in geological terms, the last big eruption before that, was practically yesterday: 1800.
[forgive me that this symbolism of this parable was far too obtuse and muddled, but it made sense to me, at least!]
CL, you have done a lot for the sake of many others and though it will apparently always be a battle against ignorance, it is not in vain.
That's the thing that's hard to accept, that making the future better for the majority is constantly an uphill battle, with many or even a majority pushing against their own interests.
Far too many people are ignorant but not stupid when it comes to what's really going on around them. They are too lazy or unmotivated to educate themselves on what's best for them so they rely on whatever media preaches to them.
Right now, the majority is favoring a police state in AZ and Republican gridlock in Congress…at a time when they most want and the current situation demands action.
The ignorance is breathtaking.
The sad truth is, as I mentioned above, that doing what's right means fighting against people to accomplish what's in their own best interest and sometimes they will win in defeating that.
It is sometimes a bewildering world we live in.
It seems like you and the president are of the same mind on a Romney presidency.
A snippet from The New Republic.
Around Thanksgiving, when frustrations were piling up, Mr. Alter reports, the president said to an old friend,
A brilliant piece Adlib. I've been saying a while the voters biggest problem is understand patience and how to constructively support causes instead of taking down leaders that are most sympathetic to their causes.
The voters ARE the problem. Most people continue to vote against their self interests and on image rather than reality. Voters continue to be obsessed with tax cuts, yet most of them only go to the rich and big business. Voters expect so much when they vote for Dems and vote for Repugs they think will be best to have a beer with. The expectations are are completely different. Voters continue to vote on memes that are simply not true like Repubs are fiscally responsible and Dems are not.
I thought maybe this time the voters would be different and realize that the GOP brand of conservatism is an utter fraud but no millions want to double down on the insane policies of the past.
Krugman wrote an excellent column that makes some excellent points similar to yours responding to conservatives ridiculous claims that we are like Greece fiscally.
Cheers, KQ. There is an old saying, "Never underestimate the gullibility of American voters."
Howard Dean lost the nomination for a celebratory scream. John Kerry and Max Cleland were defeated after being described as cowards or traitors after serving their country…by people who never served. Bush was also elected because people felt he was the kind of guy you could have a beer with.
There are many thoughtful American voters but there are far too many voters who have the memories of house flies and the foresight of lemmings.
How could anyone already forget what Repub leadership did to destroy this nation and the world? It's only been one and a half years!
Yet, to the many Americans with Attention Deficit Disorder and retarded childhood, there is no such thing as history or recent events, only their "feelings" as of right now and their bratty self-indulgence in acting on that alone.
They almost deserve the future they're causing for themselves…but the rest of us don't.
Heh, I liked the updated allusion to cutting off the nose to spite the face.
Is this not the confusion you were talking about?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100515/ap_on_re_us/us_ap_poll_restless_voters
And, do they really realize the puerile gut reaction of "throwing out the bums" will just replace corrupt pols, with (small 'g') greener pols – arguably more easily bought?
I can find no sense, or little, to it beyond emotion. The purists that do cite things they're upset with apparently predicate their sage quip Bush III on the assumption that he'd be the messiah McCain promised them.
Just like what happened in Britain. Cameron broke his first campaign promise already and decided to not to do an overall audit of MP expenses even after the huge scandal.
Thanks Khirad.
I would add one more analogy that came to mind. These voters are like hikers who are unhappy about the steep, unpleasant path their guide is taking them on so they spitefully veer off and fall off a cliff.
People of reason think, "What will make my life better?" and use critical thinking to make what appears to be the best choice.
Children think, "I don't like this so I'll throw this away and maybe I'll like what takes its place!"
Though I am not really a fan of corporal punishment, I think this set of infantile voters could only benefit from a serious spanking.
PatsyT
Obama to the GOP
You can't Drive! – the link has the video
Obama to Republicans:
Patsy, thanks for this, it's affirming to see Obama being as open and frank about this petulant and self-destructive mentality.
Will these childish voters snap out of their tantrums in time to avoid pulling the rug out from under themselves? I don't know but if the economy keeps recovering, maybe there's a better chance.