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Just sayin'...
Posted on 09/28/2010 7:02:45 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
All Americans, including conservatives, understand why any leftist would vote Democrat this year. The Democratic party is now America’s version of a European Social Democratic or even a Green party. In domestic policy, there is no significant difference between Democrats and those European parties.
So there is no question as to why those on the left would vote Democrat. There is, however, a legitimate question regarding non-leftist Americans: Why would any of them vote for a Democrat this year?
The Democratic president and Democratic party have expanded the American government to an unprecedented extent. Moreover, they have done so in unprecedented ways: Never before has such extensive society-changing legislation been passed without a single vote of the other political party, and unprecedentedly vast powers have been given to “czars” and their new federal agencies — with no congressional oversight. Add to this a level of national debt that is unsustainable — but meets the Left’s great aim of redistributing wealth — and you have the most left-wing government in American history.
Why then would any of the vast majority of Americans who are not leftists vote Democrat this year?
The answer lies in emotion. For many non-leftist Democrats, it is emotionally impossible to vote Republican.
I can illustrate this best with a personal example that I often use in speeches to Jewish audiences.
I was raised both as an Orthodox Jew and a liberal Democrat. In my early 20s, not wanting to practice religious laws solely out of habit or fear, I experimented with religious non-observance.
I remember well the one time this yeshiva graduate ate ham. It was emotionally difficult.
I also remember well the first time this lifelong Democrat voted Republican. And it, too, was difficult. In fact, it was actually more emotionally difficult to vote Republican than to eat the ham.
Now, how could that be? How could it possibly have been more emotionally trying for a lifelong Democrat to vote Republican than for a lifelong observant Jew to eat ham? Isn’t religion a far deeper conviction than politics? The question implies the answer.
Liberalism and leftism are religions. While I felt I would be sinning against God when I tasted ham, I was certain I was sinning against both God and man were I to vote Republican.
That is how liberals, not to mention leftists, think: It is a grievous sin to vote Republican (unless the Republican is a liberal). One is abandoning one’s faith, values, community — one’s very identity.
But it is more than that. What keeps most non-leftist Democrats voting Democrat (and calling themselves liberal) has been the spectacularly effective saturation of virtually all media and all educational institutions with the message that the Right is mean-spirited and dangerous. One of the first books I ever owned — in high school — was titled Danger on the Right. Throughout the world, people are fed the message “Danger on the Right” — and virtually never “Danger on the Left,” despite the Left’s far bloodier and more totalitarian record.
The majority of people who vote Democrat do not have left-wing values. Only 20 percent of Americans even consider themselves liberal. But vast numbers of people with views that are not leftist have been effectively brainwashed (one cannot come up with a more accurate word) into fearing the Right when the threats to their liberty — as well as to America’s standing in the world, its exceptionalism, and its economic future — all emanate from the Left.
That is why nearly all Democratic and leftist reactions to conservatives and Republicans are to avoid argument (remember: on the issues, the Left has few supporters) and smear them as SIXHIRB — my acronym for “Sexist, Intolerant, Xenophobic, Homophobic, Islamophobic, Racist, Bigoted.” It is almost impossible to come up with the name of a leading conservative whom the dominant media have not dismissed as one or more of SIXHIRB — and usually as a buffoon as well. This obviously serves the Left and the Democratic party in many ways. But the most important is to keep non-leftists in fear of anyone who opposes the Left. In effect, the Left says, and has been saying for 100 years, “You may not agree with us, but our opponents are evil.”
The Democratic appeal to black voters provides an excellent example. In nearly half a century, the Left has done nothing for black America. Leftists have ruined the cities they govern, and ruined most of the public schools they control. But they have mastered one thing — the ability to paint their opponents as racist opponents of blacks. So, blacks, many of whom have conservative values — from opposing same-sex marriage to supporting school vouchers — vote almost universally for the Left.
The same holds true of most American Jews. Most live profoundly conservative lives but vote with the Left. Why? Overwhelmingly because they believe there is “danger on the Right.” It doesn’t matter how anti-Israel the Left is and how pro-Israel the Right is; or that liberal Time magazine has a mendacious cover story on “Why Israel Doesn’t Care about Peace,” while every major conservative periodical is passionately protective of Israel. For most Jews, voting Republican is a far greater sin — emotionally, morally, and socially — than eating ham.
That is why virtually every liberal columnist at the New York Times has described political opposition to Barack Obama as racist. The Left cannot win on arguments. It must demonize its opponents. From Stalin calling Trotsky a fascist to Frank Rich labeling the tea parties as mimicking the Nazis’ Kristallnacht, this has been the favored leftist method of achieving power. And that is why it remains so hard for most Democrats to vote what they believe and vote Republican — a lifetime of demonization has worked.
– Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. He may be contacted through his website, dennisprager.com.
Maybe ‘rat voters want some of Zer0’s stash.
Daddy told us “Democrat’s the party of the working man.” That was hard to shake. (He was rebelling against his own father, who hated FDR and told him Democrats were no good.)
Gee, Wally, where would people get such negative views of Republicans?
Don't they read newspapers or watch network newscasts or listen to PBS?
Greed. Some people just vote in their perceived short-term self-interest, and the Democrats are the ones offering all the free stuff.
I've often joked that here in Western PA, there are many who think it would break their arms to pull a lever for a republican.
A lot of Imbeciles think they are helping the ‘little guy’. This type also thinks their taxes go to fix the roads etc.
Great article! And so true! Dumb ass liberals will vote for demoRATs no matter if they roasted babies on national TV, especially the commie pig usurper 0b0z0!
Dennis Prager greatly overestimates the intelligence of the American electorate.
Question answered.
In order to feel good about themselves.
Ok, if this is true (I tend to think it is) how do we change that?
Liberals are like lemmings all running together to the cliff and death. The thought is "so far, so good, so far, so good," and "if were all in this together, it must be the right thing."
A few lemmings stop to question why, but not many. And the lemming leaders lead from the rear...and always stop short, laughing their asses off as the stupid masses stay true to the cause.
There must be a great seismic revolution going on. After seventy years of being a hardcore Dem and endlessly bashing Republicans, my ninety year old pappy is so disillusioned with his beloved party, he now calls himself an independent. For someone who never spared an opportunity to smear the GOP and could never find any criticism of Democrats, that is positively earthshaking.
Does pappy like tea?
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Just sayin'...
Nah, he won’t go that far. But when he announced that he considered himself a Dem, I was left openmouthed. My father rejecting Democrats after seventy years means the Dems have really screwed up.
Oh yeah, you have that sooo right. Amazing in my workplace those who you have political conversation with have no clue what is going on in the political arena...let alone the country...and they vote! It's all about abortion rights, supporting homosexuals and "free" healthcare for them!
BINGO, WE HAVE WINNER !
Weak minded people...
Either a significant % of them are going to need to have a F’ing epiphany (which lasts forever) or we are going to have to make them irrelevant to the choosing of the members of OUR government (secession).
Im not holding out hope that millions of weak minded people are suddenly going to turn against their indoctrination either temporarily for one election cycle (which is pointless really) or permanently (yeah right, I will eat this F’ing keyboard if that happens). The indoctrination is too complete and the ongoing propaganda in every form of media is overwhelming. These idiots will NEVER turn and embrace what they have been indoctrinated to abhor...
Our only options are
1a. Fairy tale ending - Everyone magically comes to their senses and everyone lives happily ever after. (yay for pixie dust and unicorns and cute fluffy talking animals)
1b. Secession - Free ourselves and our fate from their lunacy in the most peaceful (potentially) way possible.
2. Violent rebellion - this would not only require forcefully taking over the governmental institutions and media outlets but the slaughter of a significant percentage of the weak minded population. (not something I would look forward to and would probably cause significant damage to the mental well being of those that took part. However, this option is significantly more appealing than the last option).
3. Submission - Give up and try to exist within the hell they have and will “build” while trying to lighten our chains from time to time. (Yeah, I guess we could just kill ourselves at this point, but by now we have proven ourselves to be cowards and even that escape is beyond our reach.)
Ive ordered them according to preference.
There is another option:
Significant natural depopulation.
Plagues, crop failures, etc will tend to weed out the stupid and parasitic first.
We could end up with a safe, clean world by virtue of simply out-living the statist tape worms.
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