Posted on 11/07/2012 8:52:40 AM PST by Feynman
Here is my take on why we are losing. I didn’t say “why we lost” because it is an ongoing, systemic problem and not indicative of one political season.
All the pundits are talking about campaign tactics, the Mormon factor, Bush blaming, women’s issues, etc. But I think those are all minor compared to one overriding thing – we have, as a nation, bought in to the idea that the State can and should take care of us.
Gallup had a poll a week or so that said that 40% of Americans thought that government should do more. That is a really tough head start. Add in the single issue voters for social issues, the environment, unions, etc. and we are toast. And that doesn’t even count the people that say they are for limited government, but are afraid to act on it because they have been sold on the idea that that thinking is “radical”.
And how did that happen? There are really just two reasons for the state we are in. First, our schools have indoctrinated the last few generations with liberalism. We have thoughtful, caring, intelligent young people who truly believe that the State can is the source of all things good.
And secondly, the liberal media controls the message to the point that they are a virtual mouthpiece of the Democratic Party. Pat Caddell, who is a democrat, recently blasted the mainstream media at an event as an “enemy of the people”. This is not hyperbole.
So where do we go from here? I don’t know. We had our best spokesperson for limited government in Paul Ryan, and when Romney picked him I was totally jazzed up. As you know I’ve been a fan of Ryan for a long time. But his selection was pushing all the chips to the center of the table. Put out your best argument and see where you wind up. Now we know.
I honestly do not believe that we have any hope to reverse this trend. The left will be in control when the crash comes, and it will come, and that is their real hope.
Television. Never before has mankind sat before a lighted screen for 40 hours a week and submitted happily to being told what to think.
Think about it. 40 hours a week.
And who runs television? Who are the producers, owners, etc etc? A narcissistic elite, who hold the brains of the nation in their hands.
I think this is largely correct. You are describing a profound cultural change by which Americans have gone from relying first on themselves, their families, and maybe their churches to pull us through tough times, to relying first on the U.S. federal government.
I think this cultural change can be blamed chiefly on New Deal entitlements. By roping EVERYONE into the SS and Medicare systems, everyone suddenly has an interest in the government gravy train. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with older Americans about entitlement reform. When I suggest cuts, I invariably hear, “I paid for those benefits, dammit! I’m entitled!”
By taking so much from everyone, the government has created a culture where everyone expects to get something back from the government. You’re a chump if you don’t.
I don’t know what the solution to that is.
No, we lost, because not enough Republican came out to vote, simple as that. Had they come out in numbers equal to 04, we win.
No, we lost, because not enough Republican came out to vote, simple as that. Had they come out in numbers equal to 04, we win.
Turnout was about the same!!! We lost because of losers who suck off of the hind teet!! They like giveaways!!!
Why do you think they call it "programming"?
When the federal government created the Federal Reserve, and made FRN’s legal tender, they basically took over.
They could create money at will. They could give it to those people and projects they approved of, and withhold it from those they didn’t.
No longer were they dependent on the states for tax revenues. Taxes were a system in name only, designed to siphon off the ever increasing number of FRN’s.
No longer were they constrained to having a balanced budget. The money supply was, as far as they were concerned, infinite.
And it made the states and the people TOTALLY dependent on the Federal Government.
So in a sense, the Federal Government got what they wanted. They wanted power. Now, they got it. The proper response of the states should be “Look. YOU created this mess. Now, YOU deal with it!!”
People under 30....a lost cause, IMHO. Absolutely without a moral or logical rudder in most of my dealings with them.
The bulk of the rest...plain old-fashioned jealousy. “This is the richest, most successful country in the world....so IT OWES ME MORE, Dammit!”
The GOP turning their collective backs on the Social Conservatives, thus breaking the Reagan Coalition, didn’t help at all. But that will not be the lesson learned. The Stupid Party will listen to the media telling them the problem was Romney’s too conservative, go more liberal next time. Like a Bloomberg.
>Television. Never before has mankind sat before a lighted screen for 40 hours a week and submitted happily to being told what to think.<
Exactly. Critical thinking is on the wane, and replaced by the media.
They're just bitter...or something.
Your info is bad. Turnout was less...the numbers who didn't show up this time were enough to put Romney over the top.
I actually have great hope for the young people. They are just as selfish as anyone. They are going to look at the taxes taken out of their checks and want to know how that came about. Won’t be the Republicans they’ll be looking at. The problem is that all the boomer hippies will be dead by the time the young people will have figured it out.
Your info is bad. Turnout was less...the numbers who didn’t show up this time were enough to put Romney over the top.
Your right I was looking at the numbers and about 2 million republicans stayed home and didn’t vote. Obama’s numbers were down about 10 million so if we had turned out maybe we would have won!!! How are you going to defeat free stuff????? There is to many people on the dole now!!!
And we still have too many Republicans who think that they should act like they’re at a spelling bee when the Democrats have their knives out for a rumble. People here on Free Republic hike up their petticoats and run off screaming they’re getting the vapors whenever anyone swears. Swearing gets some people’s attention. To sit at this site and tremble over someone swearing is to give up a weapon in the arsenal of debate. And please, spare me your lectures on good manners. We just got creamed. Go over and tell the Democrats “ Thank you so much for cutting our throats!” Show them your moral indignation. They’ll laugh in your face. Fight to win or sit back and watch your children and grandchildren do without as the Democrats take your money for their kids. And they won’t even ask “May I?”
In this case, conservatives could have done it by simply voting for Romney.
Yes, voting for Romney would have ended free stuff. ROFL. What world are you people living in?
I would think that but then I look at Europe.
State is God. State is Husband. State is Referee. State gives me money I don’t have to do anything for or change my current lifestyle for. State actually rewards me for my screw-ups. State gives me money I deserve and am entitled to. State is responsible for “charity”. State redistributes money to pet demographic groups it believes deserves it more.
In a nutshell these lines of thought are destroying the country. They are ALL liberal ideas. None of these ideas have a conservative origin.
We’ve reached the Ben Franklin Tipping Point.
The massive new free stuff program about to be implemented would not have happened under Romney. Job creation and lowering the deficit were his and Ryan’s agenda. This is fairly obvious. You seem to be the one on the other planet.
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