"Popularity is not the same as power." They're losing it, and BADLY.

[blonndee]

Watching rerun on Faux...

Pundit points out poll numbers, saying * is lower than ever, and the SPIN goes, (sorry, don't know many of the RW KA drinkers):

"popularity is not the same as POWER." Bush has power in the Congress, etc.

Pathetic.

They ARE getting desperate, and I really don't think ALL RWers are going to fall for it. My parents, for example, watch only Faux, and their RW rhetoric is seriously diminished. I helped ease my mom into it, saying "this is a disgrace and WHOEVER, dem or repub. is to blame, ought to be charged...however, it IS the feds who claim (and deserve) ultimate responsibility)." Haven't pressed it too far, but she is sympathetic, and I think if my dad sees what THIEVES Bushco are, he'll come around somewhat. Nothing he hates more than a thief.

But I really think they are losing at least PART of their viewership. Or at least their viewership is beginning to turn to other outlets for info. And that's a step forward.

[iconoclastNYC]

1. A lot of the fox viers i know seek balance

And if they turn on to Air America Radio then we are just a few years away from taking half of the right wing base.

IF it's AAR truth versus FOX truth, who do you think is going to win?

FOX's audience has peaked IMHO.

[blonndee]

3. I agree...they've peaked.

Esp. after 9/11, when even *I* (for shame) tried to be so "non-partisan." I've learned how to deal with my family and have learned that not EVERY Faux viewer is completely ignorant, though some are.

IMHO, these people can't be overlooked. Sure, some are mouthbreathers, and as a general demographic should be seen as hopeless, but we shoulde keep in mind many of them fell for the post-9/11 "patriotic" line because of their fathers in WWII (like my dad).

Now I really think some of them are questioning. Let's not divert our efforts to hopeless causes or invest our energy in such, but all this giving up and doomsdaying I've been seeing, ESPECIALLY against MSM in general, is, IMHO, unhelpful.

As I've said before, once the MSM has failed us completely and there is no hope, THEN we can give up. But there IS hope now, and we can't stop.

[Booster]

2. I would think that the fact that Halliburton got the multi-million

dollar contract to rebuild New Orleans on WEDNESDAY should open every eye in the country. Repugs must have winced when they read that. How blatant does it have to be for people to realize that this administration is only interested in themselves and care just about as much for me as for their own voters. zilch:banghead:

[AndyTiedye]

4. In Other Words, "What do I care what you think?"

or "Let them hate us as long as they fear us"

[Guaranteed]

5. The "problem" is that this is a democracy.

When you're so unpopular, your "power" doesn't last all that long in this form of government, which Bush has said before is very unfortunate.

[cliss]

8. True. If people decide to go against you

you're finished. And we do have 288 million Americans.

We are seeing this in Iraq. People will not co-operate with us, and we're finding that it's impossible to govern a country where people flat-out refuse to go with the game plan.

You can point a gun barrel at them 24/7 to do your bidding, but it's so damn expensive. Cheaper to have people co-operate.

[txindy]

6. Point out the obvious theft to your dad

Halliburton was awarded a no-bid contract to rebuild in LA BEFORE Junior and his prop monkeys descended on LA. Gee, golly, now how did that happen? Well, what difference would that make, really? It's not as if the people of NO owned contruction companies and such or need money to restart their businesses and rebuild THEIR city.....Oh,...wait....

Tell him that. That is theft on a grand scale.

[blonndee]

7. You're right. I need to stress the private property issue on him.

Because of FAUX I'm afraid they may buy into the idea that all "these people" were looters and criminals...but not too much, because I've been working on them for a week or so. E.G., talking about poverty, etc.

But the private property and theft issue...you are right..,.this is the way to convince my dad of SOME points, if not all.

He's stubborn. As my mom says, he THINKS he will never change and doesn't want to.

But the truth is, he IS changing thanks to me. At first he thought I was some "radical" and brainwashed by the "liberal elite" {i.e. academia); but now that we've had discussions, he realizes I'm not freaking stupid (which he never really believed) and can discuss rationally (which he didn't think any LWer could do).

I've been slammed tonight for being too optimistic. But twice tonight I've seen winds of change. Shall we all just give up now? I'm not.

[txindy]

9. That's what wedge issues are all about. Finding that button to push.

If this is your dad's main issue, then give him the facts. Let him decide. When he does, the other issues will fall into place. They are facts, after all. They won't go away.

Go for it! :patriot: and :hug: Don't ever worry about being slammed for optimism. It's the lack of optimism that is far worse. Without optimism, we'd never bother trying to create change. Without thinking your dad can see the light, you'd give up trying. And, yet, here is that moral issue of his just waiting for the Halliburton/NO facts to help him see the Bull Elephant in the living room.