How bad would the danger have to be to justify falsifying an election?
Posted on 10/06/2004 4:06:31 PM PDT by mlmr
Everybody remembers the "Clinton-haters," the people who disliked our libidinous former chief executive so much they not only spread (mostly true) stories about his amorous exploits but spun rumors about various dark conspiracies in Arkansas and elsewhere.
However, Clinton's enemies were pikers compared to today's crop of people who, while they may or may not hate President Bush, certainly seem to dislike him very, very much.
I'm not referring here to people who merely disagree with Bush on one or a number of issues. It's easy to understand partisans getting upset over an opponent's policies, and certainly U.S. history is replete with examples of using political differences as grist for harsh criticism.
But Bush has been simultaneously portrayed as Hitler; as a moronic puppet of his advisors; as an evil genius; and as Satan.
All that and more (much of it unprintable) leaves conservatives in awe of the depth of rage being targeted at such a genial, outgoing guy - who also happens to be waging a serious war on our nation's enemies, just as a president is supposed to do.
It's possible to identify three basic streams feeding into Bush-hatred. One - let's call it the "Moveon.org stream" - is described by John O'Sullivan, editor of The National Interest, in the current issue of The American Enterprise Institute's magazine: "Most of the time (Clinton hatred) was simply the frustration of the Right with an opponent who was just too quick and too clever for them. Bush hatred is something else, something really significant. It's much deeper - a personalized version of American anti-Americanism.
"There is in this country a considerable cultural self-hatred," O'Sullivan continued. "The adversary culture fears and hates American power. So anybody who comes along and defends America's values self-confidently, and even pre-emptively attacks America's enemies, is going to be regarded by this sect as an agent of the Great Satan. The same hatred was directed at Reagan."
Second, "progressivism" tends to produce a conviction about the essential goodness of its causes, almost as if there were no consciousness of natural human imperfection. Leftists really think people are perfectible, and they believe they are the ones who know how to do the perfecting.
If there is something wrong with the world, therefore, it is not because people naturally screw up. It has to be a plot.
And since Reagan's days, Americans have voted for Republicans on a regular basis. Even worse, not the tame business-executive, country-club RINO type, but real social, economic and religious conservatives.
Even after Clinton (hardly a textbook liberal himself) beat Bush 41 in 1992, the GOP took over Congress two years later, and now the right-leaning party holds the presidency, both houses of Congress (though marginally in the Senate), most of the governorships and is even making strides in state legislatures.
But if you're a progressive, conservatives are dumb and you're smart. They're evil and you're good. They're devious and you're honest. (I know, I know, but that's how they think.)
So they can only come to one conclusion - the American people have been tricked, fooled and bamboozled by these devious conservatives. The left thinks it is entitled to rule, and yet people are spurning it - making fun of it, even. How can that be? It must be a plot, a conspiracy.
In their minds, the idea that people have considered their positions and rejected them is an impossibility, because they are right and conservatives are wrong. By definition.
Thus, leftists had to spin a myth of a "stolen" election in Florida, to prove perfidy where none existed. The alternative - that they, the good guys, could have lost fair and square, by the rules - is not credible to them.
Third, we should briefly note that a commitment to serious, historical, orthodox Christianity is another offense that Bush, and many other conservatives, offer to the progressive mentality. The anger relativists hold toward the idea of eternal moral absolutes knows no bounds.
Now, I have no idea who is going to win on Nov. 2. But if Bush should be the victor, what are all his detractors going to do? Wrap their heads in duct tape so they don't explode like the telepaths in "Scanners"?
No, I suspect they'll do what they did in 2000 - create another myth about a "stolen election."
You can already see it taking shape, in recent claims that Gallup polls showing Bush ahead are biased, or that presidential advisor Karl Rove was the one who gave Dan Rather his famously faked-up memos, or that the Bush campaign created and financed the Swift boat ads.
If Bush wins, it will be because a plot involving the "biased conservative media" did in Kerry.
The fact that no such thing exists will deter them not one whit. The left proved in 2000 that mere facts can't stand in the way of a really outstanding conspiracy theory, and this year will be no different - if Bush wins.
If not, well, I'll have plenty of topics for columns.
M.D. Harmon is an editorial page writer and editor. He can be contacted at 791-6482 or at:
mharmon@pressherald.com
Have no fear, they hate you and I just as much.
10...9...8...7...
bump
Her's the TRUE reason.....he's a CHRISTIAN.....a practicig Christian...tha' why they DETEST him.
George W Bush is a born again Christian with traditional social values who will defend this country. That, in a nutshell, is why he is hated by the secular left.
HA HAHAH AHAHAHAHA LOL
Funny.
But not the name of my G-d, please!!
I have another theory:
Bush-haters are always fundamentally weak and afraid people. When you meet one, it's always a pencil-necked guy, an unattractive, chubby woman or an intellectually-deficient union lunk-head. Tehy're always either mentally or physically weak. Often both.
These people are forced to see their own weaknesses which boil to the surface when they see a President order our military to take down dangerous dictators and terror groups.
These people hate guns for the same reasons. They would rather hear about a woman being raped in a parking lot than hear about a woman dropping her attacker with a 9mm.
They hate their own cowardice - a trait President Bush clearly does not share with them
They hate me too. Some of us old diehards remember many
things like the Depression, Pearl Harbor, WWll, growing
up in midwest...shovelling snow for a two bit piece....and
I remember everyone around our community...Democrats..and
for good reason as the 30's saw FDR come up with the
programs to get people on their feet....and then Truman
came in and showed the guts needed to drop the bomb..I
voted for Harry in '48. When LBJ came in with all his
programs and is followed by Carter who let inflation get
out of hand...I knew then..time to change....been in the "R" column ever since...Clinton was chicken and a guy like Bush is a throwback to the Truman ..gutsy area...Lets
all get behind ...our President..he has the guts to do the job...Kerry is an LBJ type dove and Edwards is an opportunist with a smile (Used Car salesman). Jake
but surprisingly ... I think I hate Kerry even more then they hate Bush... amazing.... hate transforms us...
I work with a group of leftists. One started speaking negativily of Christianity. When I called it, the management explanation was that it wasnt meant to be personal, its all about George Bush and his religion.
I swear! Truth!
That's it! All they're other hatred springs from that.
I agree. Maine is pretty lefist. Well, most of the NE for matter. It is a beautiful state though. I usually just tough it out. I HATE when the protestors disturb the Bush vacation home. Very rude!
but surprisingly ... I think I hate Kerry even more then they hate Bush... amazing.... hate transforms us...
I don't hate Kerry. But I despise what he stands for.
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