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
Well, considering the leftist tuugs like to start fist fights and then play the victim..
Pitched the idea to the Big Guy to ponder and advise on or shoot down already.
It fit the pic.
It just SO fit the pic.
*chuckle*
Yes, it does call to be Son of Undead Thread.
(Which we will of course have to cut off shorter than the ultimate limit.)
What is truly crazy is that their paragon, Bill "gimme a Lewinsky" proudly went to church every Sunday and their Chosen Elder, Karter, not only was a Bible-thumping Fundamentalist, but proselyted to foreign leaders!!!
The hypocrisy is astounding!!
hehe! :^)
There wasn't any reason to add the exception to your comment. Libs and Rats don't need it...they don't care about this country!
Thank you for the enlightening educational experience.
Generally they are of the "Jesus was a socialist" ilk and their Biblical knowledge tends to be along the "Eve ate an apple" line but still they claim to be Christan, many even "born-again".
Mmmmm..... okay.
What brought that on?
Education is part of our mandate.
Welcome.
Not sure cicero knew or was as well versed on Cicero as he wished.
But he kept saying something I've heard DU disruptors repeatedly state, the 'delay' the election and even 'marshal law'.
Last I heard, it was a big thing with them to comment and theorize that Bush was going to 'create' an incident with which to call off the election.
He didn't seem to accept that such was not a valid 'thought experiment'.
Learning.
He's 'loyal opposition' that is hanging out with us.
Kerry is anti-gun, and he likes his hunting very well.
The Repubs could have redefined the 'myth of the Florida vote' had they tried; but they did not. They could be putting the Dems in their place; even now; as they promise to have the world watching so that the 'debacle' does not happen again. And so. . .here we go again.
Oh, i remember when this one came in.
I also know he has some manners and that Prout and Old Sarge are not tearing his guts out.
He just confused me with that last post is all.
A conservative is a liberal who has been mugged.
I see, I learn, I re-examine my premises.....
I know.
He has excellent manners.
And some convincing answers to tough questions.
(Mega secret.. I once was one of those rabid enviro wackos.. Conversion was when Clinton was elected.)
S'okay!
It's how we all do things!
( And i've been up since Zero Dark Thirty so I hope you will forgive me if I am not quick on the uptake! )
Glad you're still here!
i was never rabid.... i'm a little on the Green side, but my Dad was a biologist.
Goes with the turf.
And i'm a carnivore of the First Order!
This guy has truly captured the essential elements that characterize the Left today:
1) Hatred of America
2) Belief that there can be a perfect human system, and that if it doesn't succeed, it's because bad people subverted it. (No recognition of innate human characteristics that doom any socialist system to failure.)
3) Hatred of Christian beliefs.
Actually, reason #2 is the main ingredient. It leads to #1 and #3. Thus, America must be hated because it is the clearest demonstration of success without complete socialism, and also because it helped cause the downfall of communist Soviet and European governments. And Christians teach that man is a sinner, not a perfect being. Left to his own devices, without God, man tends more toward evil than good. Leftists feel that they must stamp out this idea. They think it is part of the reason that their system keeps failing.
Leftists believe you can create reality if you believe an idea strongly enough. They refuse to accept the notion that there is a reality, an absolute reality, which they cannot undo, any more than they can undo gravity by wishing. They look at the world and think they can fix it. But they had a hand in breaking it.
Welcome to FreeRepublic.com .....
I was fairly apolitical when Carter was president and wasn't paying that much attention to him.
So I have been kind of shocked by his recent behavior, the guy is a real snake in the grass. An unbelievable jerk with the instincts of a totalitarian.
I guess I haven't met any "Jesus was a socialist" types.
There were leftists in the temple I used to belong to, though.
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