Have you noticed that your rabid right winger friends and family are not happy people ?

[kimbutgar]

They had a messed up/complicated childhood or they have negativity towards a lot of stuff. You tip toe around them now because you're scared of their anger or rage. They hate the well adjusted smart happy man President Obama. I wonder why?

[Raster]

1. Seriously. You really have to work that hard to be that miserable.

Their anger and rage are force fed to them constantly by their "new" outlets and commentators.

[undeterred]

2. They hate everyone

but they keep spouting religious blather that they don't even believe.

[darkangel218]

3. OMG you hit the nail right on the head!

Everyone I ever knew right wing has been like that! Full of hate,.and always quick to blame others for any misfortune they might've encountered.

I don't know if their hate makes them to side with the right wing, or they become like that after all the media brainwashing.

[Indpndnt]

41. The worst ones are those who hate in the name of Jesus.

How they can possibly justify this is beyond me -- and always will be.

But, yes, they are bitter, angry people. Some just hide behind their religion, but that doesn't change the truth about their natures.

[charlyvi]

4. I don't think that's it.

I had a messed up childhood myself......I'm as liberal as they come. Just sayin'.

[bayareamike]

5. Personally speaking, I have a bunch of family members who are Repubs

but aren't angry or unhappy people. They're actually very nice but on most issues I'd say they are sadly misinformed or uninformed. This allows the GOP, or candidates like Romney, to misrepresent the facts and create false narratives.

[Lucinda]

45. +1

[HooptieWagon]

6. My judge friend says there's two types of people...

Those that are happy, and those who can't stand it that someone else is happy.

[librechik]

38. +1000 n/t

[lolly]

7. I guess some are and some aren't

I'll have to say, some of the people I know who are voting for Romney are always very sure of themselves.

Some of them are constantly posting on FB about how G-d is going to help them through this problem or that, or thanking G-d for a great day, etc. Maybe that's a sign that they're more insecure on the inside than they let on.

I'm amazed that I know several teachers who have "liked" Romney. But they're also the ones who post about G-d stuff a lot. I guess when the Republicans succeed in shutting down public schools, or replacing all the teachers with TFA's straight out of college who will work for an intern's wage, they'll just say it's G-d's will, and they'll pride themselves for accepting it without complaining.

[mainer]

8. Not hate. Fear. They're afraid of everything and everyone.

Had dinner with a RWer this weekend, and he talked about how threatened we are as Americans, how he fears losing everything (he's wealthy) and how Bush was right to go into Iraq before Saddam could build nuclear weapons. He's terrified of the world.

[silverweb]

18. As well as resentment and envy.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Sad, isn't it?

[mainer]

27. My RW dinner companion said "Republicans are for greed. Democrats are for envy."

Until I pointed out to him that I made way more money than he did and I was a Democrat. So who was envious of whom?

[kurt_cagle]

42. Ouch

In my experience, the biggest flaw that Dems have is that tend to be too trusting, open-minded and inclined to give others the benefit of the doubt. However, there is also a limit to that patience.

[silverweb]

44. Agreed.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]n/t

[ProudProgressiveNow]

53. True that.

[silverweb]

43. Zing!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]

It all boils down to money with rethugs, and nothing else really matters to them. Their money buys power, social status, and lots and lots of "stuff." They have this driving need to lord it over other people they consider "lesser" for whatever reason. It makes them manipulators and bullies, and I find that absolutely revolting.

[smackd]

46. absolutely

my parents are both terrified. honestly so, I can see it.

it's so sad it's making them crazy

[Mariana]

48. This is the worst thing about Fox News and RW radio.

They know all these people are trusting them to tell the truth, and they choose to frighten people, on purpose. I wonder how many people have died because because of the whole "death panels" bullshit. You know there have been some who were afraid to seek medical attention, believing they'd be killed off if they did, because they heard it on "the news".

[demosincebirth]

9. No empathy

see my sig.

[Warpy]

10. I've noticed for years

that people who feel compelled to tell you what good Christians or patriots they are generally turn out to be the most joyless, miserable people on the planet. Bucking for some kind of sainthood makes for a miserable human being, all the way around, someone whose misery is enforced because nobody ever wants to be around him.

It's the main reason they hate Democrats most of all. We don't pretend to be saints. We don't have to pretend to be super patriots. We are secure in who we are and tend to accept other people for who they are.

Fortunately, the search for purity eventually defeats all right wing movements as purge after purge depletes their numbers. We're about at the end of the "this can't be happening!" transition among sensible Republicans. They're going to realize soon that it can happen and that it did happen and the Libertarians are going to be flush with votes.

[hatrack]

51. Or, as the saying goes: Don't tell me what you believe . . .

Show me what you do and I'll tell you what you believe.

[DollarBillHines]

11. All of the 'pubs I know are quite wealthy.

But, when you get a few of them in a room they start the 'bagger nonsense.

It is truly amazing. These are intelligent, sophisticated and creative individuals. But in a group, they simply go 'baggs. They were never like this in the past.

I have stopped going to their parties.

And those were some damned fine parties, too.

[BlueStreak]

12. I have seen a big change in the past 45 days

For 3.5 years, I have put up with their dozens of hate-filled, third-grade-level emails arriving on my inbasket every day.

About 45 days ago, I started sending each of my right-winger correspondents photos of the crowds at Obama rallies. I don't provide any commentary, only to say the city and the estimate of crowd size.

This is psychological warfare, and it is having a real effect. You see, fundamental for all right-wingers is a belief that there was some inexplicable cosmic mistake that allowed Obama to win in 2008, and in fact the vast majority of the country shares their reptilian hate of this man.

It is shattering emotionally for them to have to face, on a daily basis, irrefutable evidence that there are a great many Americans of all stripes who do appreciate our president and do want to see him lead us another 4 years.

You see, they don't get this from the comfort of their bunkers surrounded only by Faux, Drudge, FreeRepublic, Limbaugh, and Britebart (is he dead yet?). But they get it from me.

I am now getting only about 2 emails a week from these jokers. Their spirits are crushed.

[2theleft]

16. Psychological Warfare

Brilliant! I am going to steal this. Clean up my Inbox!

[BlueStreak]

21. Plenty of time left for everybody to share pictures with their right-wing friends

Several of my "patients" have commented on some of the pictures with "Well, yeah. That's a big university town."

Sometimes I respond with "I get your point. It is unfair for those 'taker' students to vote." but usually I just keep my mouth shut and then wait for the next set of pictures.

They really believed there as no possibility Obama would win this year. But they also believe he is a communist from Kenya, an agent of the devil who is waiting for the right moment to take all the guns away. Basically they just aren't connected with any reality. So while we look at the pictures and say "cool", they look at the same pictures and say "somebody must be Photoshopping these pictures -- probably the same buy who Photoshopped Obama's birth certificate."

Basically this is a very easy way to really mess with them in a way that crushes their soul, without saying anything mean -- without saying anything at all.

[GoCubsGo]

28. I'm surprised they don't call the crowd "stupid".

That's the nutters I know always call Obama supporters. Along with "unemployed", "ignorant", "braindead"... You know, everything they, themselves, are.

[BlueStreak]

36. So far I have sent pictures showing about 200,000 people

There comes a point when these nut jobs start to realize they are really outnumbered.

My experience with about a dozen of them is that when I initially started this campaign, they were pretty animated, but now they seem to be demoralized.

I mean, they are so invested in this hate, and the only thing that kept them going was the cocksure belief that Obama would be gone in 2013. I don't think most of them can keep it up another 4 years. They are burned out.

And remember their favorite unifying dogma is falling apart on them. They hated "Obamacare", but it is now happening and Americans are finding out there are no death panels, they still get full choice of providers, and they like the new benefits that reduce the industry abuse.

These guys have railed for years about "Government Motors" and particularly the Volt, but GM is doing well, their stock is going up, the Volt is continuing to mature, and Detroit is hiring new workers.

They were all over the birther thing, but what's the point now? Obama isn't going to run again.

What are they left with? What was the exact day when the President declared Benghazi an act of terror? They just have nothing left to rally around.

[Mariana]

50. Their spirits are not crushed.

They've simply tuned you out, the same way they've tuned out every other source of information that tells them something other than what they want to hear. If they've even wondered about it at all, they've decided those pictures were fake. More likely, they've put them completely out of their minds, essentially forgotten they exist. I bet you they still fervently believe in the inexplicable cosmic mistake theory, and that the vast majority of the country shares their reptilian hate of this man.

[BlueStreak]

57. I don't think so.

I still get messages from about half of them, but the messages are decidedly less frequent and decidedly less over-the-top. They are still angry and hate-filled, but they just don't have the 24x7 passion that they showed before.

And the worst one of the whole lot is actually an old friend. He seems to have abruptly stopped talking about politics. We still correspond about sports.

Mine is a small sample, but I think there may be something here.

I did hear from one of the other regular offenders this AM. He sent some nonsensical email that tried to associate Obama with 100 notorious figures. It was your basic "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" stuff. I had a good laugh at that one.

[Sedona]

13. My mother and sister are rabid righties

and they are happy all the time, they have the Jesus. It's like they are under a spell. It's creepy. NO ONE is THAT happy ALL the time.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. They are not even happy when they "win"

I remember that even at the height of the Bush years and even after their guy got (re-)elected in 2004, they were still miserable and all they could think about was how the Democrats and "liberals" were still getting in the way of their plans for planetary domination. I suppose, though, if they were, people like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, et. al would not be able to remain in business, right?

[zbdent]

15. I've noticed that, like the "liberals" they believe are out there ...

they blame everybody BUT themselves for their failures ...

[Galileo126]

17. Fear indeed

My dad is an old-school conservative, but my sis is a rabid Teabagger. Pop likes to bust my chops because I'm a "liberal" (he uses the word like a slur), but my sister is an Faux News/WND reader - which makes her a closed-minded circle jerk. I learned my lesson, I don't argue with crazy.

However, the last time I engaged with my Pop re: politics, I asked a simple question. "Why to conservatives fear EVERYTHING?!? For all your guns and war talk, you keep looking like scared pussies, unable to articulate a coherent thought, and use violent rhetoric when you can't convince someone of your lousy ideas."

My Pop stopped talking politics with me after that.

sweet...

[Lone_Star_Dem]

19. Mine are like that.

Verbally abusive, in some cases physically abusive. Generally unhappy, angry bullies for the most part.

[Sugarcoated]

20. My two right wing brothers, I can tell you, are not happy campers

My SIL stopped by for a brief visit to show me photos from her mother's 80th birthday, and when she came to the only pic of my younger brother, I couldn't believe how angry and bad he looked. I've been avoiding him for many reasons, but what it comes down to is he's become an angry bitter man, and it coincides with his decent into the Beckkk-Hannuty cult.

My other single brother has been angry for years, and is an functioning alcoholic, but at least has many hobbies and friends. We can be having a perfectly normal conversation, shootin the shit, and he will find something to suddenly criticize me or judge me. No matter how I try to avoid it, he will get short tempered with me at some point. I think this may be due to his alcoholism. It's his way or the highway, and I suspect that's why he's still single at 56.

The younger is married, in his mid 40s. He used to be rabidly anti-children to the point of talking about abortion to taunt me when I was pregnant, ultra in-your-face atheist/aggressively scientific, completely non political. Sometime during the later Bushler years he become the opposite of those things. He calls Democrats baby killers, believes in God (though doesn't go to church), now that he has a kid is extremely pushy about us seeing his son, when he didn't spend much time with my (now grown) kids, thinks global warming is a hoax, says the polar bears should die cause we don't need them. He actually yelled at me when I threw away a cookie, another time the outer part of a scraped out watermelon! I thought he was kidding, but he's suddenly obsessed not wasting anything. I think he needs to talk to a therapist . . . I also think he's aspie. My husband works with him and tells me my bro alienates people . . . he's just a weird dude. He used to be weird in a cool, funny way, but now he's awful. I'm sad about it, but what can I do?

All I can do is avoid them . . . I'm feel very happy and free when I do.

[B Calm]

22. Sure is a lot of Archie Bunker's

anymore. . . so sad!

[grantcart]

23. In three weeks they are going to feel a whole lot worse

[Sebass1271]

39. Lol

Too funny

[toby jo]

24. Fear

So get the guns, get the mouths going, put the fundamentalism on, pile it on at ft. knox, look at my fists, see me scream.

Anywhere, anytime, any country, any age - same difference. Some folks just can't shoot the gap.

[Terra Alta]

25. one of my most rabid RW "friends"

constantly posts anti-Obama/pro-Rmoney shit on Facebook. She's also constantly complaining about how miserable she is. She whines about "lazy people" yet she hasn't had a job since she was fired from her last job two years ago for stealing from her employers. Every time I happen to run into her, she's always whining about one thing or another and just never seems happy. I almost feel bad for her, but I know she created her own misery.

[karmaqueen]

26. I have noticed three groups of repubs.

The wealthy who do not want to take a chance they will have to pay a penny more. Many times they are "normal" just selfish people. The very poor who usually are on assistance of some kind and do not want to admit it so they associate them self in their mind with "Rich repubs" and hope others do the same. The worst group are the talk radio fox news only crowd. They are mean, ill informed, delusional, and honestly think the hosts of these shows they watch or listen to like them personally. I always listen for the talking points when these people speak and within a second they will be spouting them at anyone who will listen. I noticed if some major news breaks they will be extremely quiet until they are given orders from the talking heads. I think these are the dangerous ones. I believe if Limbaugh or one of them gave an order to kill liberals for the good of the Country quite a few of them would be more than happy to do it to make him proud. I know many of these people. You can not break through what ever kind of brainwashing they have suffered. That group of voters to me are sick. Working at the polls I noticed these ones usually have some smart remark if you ask if they would like a Dem voters guide...

[GeorgeGist]

29. no endorphins?

[NRaleighLiberal]

30. Fear plays them like violins. they enjoy being (mis)led, it seems.

But you are right - for the most part, pretty miserable (despite some of them having more money than they know what to do with), greedy, suspicious, paranoid, (can I go on?), covert or overt racist...you name it.

[truebluegreen]

31. My sister and her husband are among them.

The nasty lip-curling sneers are permanently attached to their faces. I confess I don't tiptoe around them, I've exorcised them from my life. I don't need that kind of fear + paranoia + narrow-minded moral certitude anywhere near me.

[Chorophyll]

32. You speak the truth, Kimbutgar. nt

[Marymarg]

33. Yes, yes I have noticed this.

It is my observation that the right wingers are humorless, bitter, angry people, envious of those who have a perceived better life.

[arcane1]

34. It's not their childhood, it's their television n/t

[Dirty Socialist]

35. Some Are, Some Aren't

That's the way I see it. However, some happy Republicans I know have a sadistic streak.

[Sebass1271]

37. My right winger BOSS

Should be the happiest man alive. His small business is doing great ( we are 10 employees) but business is ok and we are always busy. He is young, great reputation in his industry. Beautiful young wife, he is handsome, three beautiful children

BUT

He's never satisfied. He is ALWAYs angry and complaining about ANYTHING. he always treats his employees like shit and never gives us a raise despite making good profits. According to him we are lucky to have a job.

He obviously listen to Rush, hannity and savage. He said it in one of the office meetings.

When he said that o wasn't surprised I knew something was eating him up. It's hate radio. And to think he's such smart person.

I don't understand.

[treestar]

54. I know a guy like this

In his 60s, has a good family, a nice house, a trailer by the beach, money to do what he wants. Yet he's always whining about the "politicians" like they are doing something to harm him somehow.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

40. They are fundamentally angry people

They always see the worst in everyone, and basically take an every one for themselves approach.

[Brickbat]

47. No, I haven't noticed that.

I know many who are very happy. Happiness, IME, doesn't correlate with political views.

[susanna]

49. Oh, yes - absolutely. Which is why I minimize contact as much as I can.

Life is far too short to deal with that kind of negativity.

On edit: to clarify, I'm talking about the 'rabid' right-wingers I know, as mentioned in the OP. I have some moderate-to-traditional GOP friends who are not miserable or unhappy. I like them.

[Zorra]

55. I have no RW friends, but RWers I encounter do seem extremely grumpy all the time.

I suppose this is what happens to people who live in constant fear and confusion and think that money is the only thing that can ever make them happy.

[Populist_Prole]

56. Big time: They're either working stiffs barking up the wrong tree or snarling sore winners

And by sore winners I mean being financially secure and comfortable. Hell, even being in good health doesn't cast any sunshine on their dispositions. They filter every damned thought and subject of speaking through their politics and are always pissed off at something.

My father is by far the worst ever. He has every reason to be happy but is a bundle of anger and absolutely can not deal with his opinions being challenged in any way. He's always trying to convince me I should be pissed off too, and is even madder that I'm doing OK because he can't use "the economy" to enlist me to his cause. It sounds crazy, but I'm dead serious when I say that my live-and-let-live attitude drives him up a wall.

In short: I'm NOT mad as hell....and he's not going to take it anymore.