Friends don't let friends vote Republican...

[kentuck]

I'm certain most people here know someone or is a friend to someone that is a Republican. How do you communicate with them?

They trust you but they don't trust the Democratic Party. They will not listen to reason. They will not listen to facts. They will not change their viewpoints under any circumstances.

They support Mitt Romney because he is a Republican and he is not Barack Obama. That is the extent of all they need to know. Bain is not important. Tax evasion is not important. Lying and flip-flopping is not important. The possible destruction of Medicare and Social Security is not important.

Where is the middle ground with these folks? You care about them but you cannot deny reality just to please their political impulses.

Is there anyone here that has... or is experiencing this type of situation?

[quinnox]

1. yup, have a close friend who is a family values

type republican, and a mormon to boot. Obviously it is not a surprise he is enthusiastic about Romney and will be voting for him. We get along fine when it comes to politics, in that we will kid each other and rag on one another about it in a good natured way, we have been friends for many years. It isn't a problem. My one big accomplishment when it comes to politics between us was I managed to convince him to vote for Kerry over Bush in 2004.

[Jim Engle]

2. I have a bunch of family that are Repugs and...

I tell them I am doing better now than 4 years ago. I am an artist and have some medical issues. Four years ago, I was barely making it working two part time jobs at a convenience stores and now under Obama I have SSI disability payments, EBT card for food, I am on medicaid now, and my rent pretty much paid for through section 8. I can now just focus on my art. I cannot imagine going back to the mean Repug's policies that would put me back on the street and homeless. What makes things worse is that a lot of my family are lawyers, engineers, doctors but they never offer to help out their family that do not have it so well off. Fuckers.

[kentuck]

3. May I ask?

Are you unable to work now? Do you credit Obama with giving you all those breaks?

[Jim Engle]

4. Yes, I have been unable to...

hold a job for years due to medical issues. And yes, I do credit Obama for the benefits I now receive. Under Bush, I didn't qualify, now I do. I am doing much better now under Obama as I have a roof over my head and I can eat, this helps my focus on art. I am hoping that my art sales will allow me not to be more self sufficient, but like Obama has said it takes time to transform the economy.

[kentuck]

8. That is good that you were able to get help.

Democrats are compassionate. What type of art are you involved with?

[Jim Engle]

9. Oh, I forgot to mention...

that I also have a free cell phone. Actually I have three of them because they limit your minutes on each one but it is easy to get another one. I love Obama!

[kentuck]

10. Is there some other benefit you might have forgotten?

Government has been very good to you. You sound very clever. Are you old enough to get help with your Medicare? What is your honest opinion of government? Is it there to help people or is it there to take advantage of?

[Surya Gayatri]

15. Too "clever" by half....or so it thinks!

[Kennah]

14. But you're not voting for him?

[Surya Gayatri]

16. Only three? Why stop there? Why not a dozen?

Umm, just a tip. Don't try quite so hard--you call attention to yourself.

Or maybe that's what you want?

[rightsideout]

5. It's not working

None of my FaceBook Republican friends have any intention of voting for Obama.

I have one friend who insists Obama is a Muslim. He apparently went to Israel for vacation and must have had an epiphany or was brainwashed by an Israeli tour guide who claimed Obama is going to let Iran attack Israel. He's also an evangelical. Only thing is, he pays me for design work I'm doing. We've had our disagreements over all this but he won't change.

I have others, all old high school friends who I haven't seen in years on FB who are Republicans or claim to be Independent but may as well be Republican. We get in debates just about every week which go on and on. They cannot stand Obama. Nothing is going to change their minds.

When I dropped by my parents a couple weeks ago for a visit, no sooner did I accept a beer from my dad (who appeared to be drunk), then he started laying into me for supporting Obama. I never even mentioned a thing about politics when I arrived. He was yelling at me so loud I know the neighbors heard. When I mentioned Obama saved GM and Chrysler (he owns a Dodge Ram pickup) he yelled. "They should have failed!" When I told him my daughter is now able to be under our policy because of the ACA, he said. "So what!" He kept saying that I should know better then to support that "silver tongue snake." It got to the point that I couldn't get a word in edge wise so I put my unfinished beer down right in front of him and walked back to my car with my mom following behind apologizing.

My cousin, my dad's brother's son (one of 9 kids), posted a photo of a "black white house" on FB and all my other cousins thought it was funny. Their father is a preacher of some church in Las Vegas. Their whole family acts like some sort of cult. But they are racists as far as I'm concerned. There is no way they are going to vote for Obama. I can't even believe I'm related to these people.

I've been kicked off another friends FB page because I disagreed with him about Chik-Fil-A and the gay thing. I apparently was the only one in that discussion that believed the Chik-Fil-A owner was sending money to anti-guy groups. None of this guys friends, all who appeared to be devout Christians, would believe anything I said about the anti-gay groups CFA supported. I told them it was a group the CFA exec set up that sent the money to these group which was the truth. Several of them told him to kick me off the page. I said "Go ahead. My conscious is clear."

Sometimes I think I'm alone in these debates, making me believe I must be the one that is the odd one. But I see nothing but bigotry from these people. The hate and anger that come from them about Obama is incredible.

Some are a bit more civil then others and debate the policies but I can tell they've been getting their information from Fox News.

Anyway, the Republicans I know have no intention of even considering voting for Obama.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

6. My brother in a conservative..

Even though he has called Mormons a cult for years, he is a pro-life one issue voter. Romney for him. No way to change his mind.

[LisaL]

7. Romney has flipped-flopped on that issue so many times.

That doesn't concern him?

[ErikJ]

12. Ask them, did Jesus really ride dinosaurs?

Last edited Sat Oct 20, 2012, 07:41 AM - Edit history (3)

[krakfiend]

13. it's weird

Yep. I have a brother and several friends on facebook that are just like that. Not surprisingly they only repeat from one source. What shocks me is that they are all middle class and some are government workers i.e police men, and also minorities. Hanging around to many angry old caucasian people I guess.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

17. Yeah, 2 of my best friends -- and a 3rd former BFF -- are way out there.

I'm the type that can flame anyone, friend or family. I torched one of my best buddies and we haven't spoken in 2 or 3 years now. My redneck uncle "has no use for people like" me after I scortched him. And about a month or so ago, I pummeld my sister. We've never been that close or that distant, but I don't expect to hear from her anytime soon. Our next encounter will really be interesting to say the least.

I can't afford to lose these friends. They're really great friends. We don't talk much politics.

[yewberry]

18. I suspect my brother-in-law will vote Republican.

I can't say for sure. I'm not even sure he votes. He doesn't speak to this side of the family at all. It's kind of sad.

I do have one FB friend who will vote for Romney. I think it's because he's an evangelical Christian, but I sure don't plan to engage him. He's a loving, caring person, but not super-bright. Plus, he lives in Idaho, so I guess he's in the right place for him.

[quaker bill]

19. Both my B-I-Ls are republican

1 will vote harmlessly in MA. The other listens to Limbaugh and O'Reilly all day on the job. He speaks in Fox news quotes whenever the subject comes up, and since we see each other only on holidays, I tend to duck the conversation to keep a friendly atmosphere for the benefit of my parents in law, who will vote for O in NC. (they voted for GWB in 2000, but I turned them around, with help from GWB)

[coldwaterintheface]

20. RW Friends? Nope, None at all Right Wingers are the enemy

of freedom. No self respecting individual would even associate with them.

It is like a Jew having a BFF who is a Nazi “Well Hans is not a really a Nazi, he is a good person, he can be reasoned with.”

Later…..”Hans we are friends why are you now stuffing me into this oven?”


Godd luck with your RW "friends"