I can conclusively prove that Obama is not a Muslim terrorist...

[Wetzelbill]

Because if he was one, he would have already endorsed McCain. :)

[Historic NY]

1. ding, ding ding..your right.

beware McSames endorsements.

[Wetzelbill]

3. what makes it better

Is he was such a prick about Hamas even saying anything favorable at all about Obama, lol.

[cliffordu]

2. DuZY....

:rofl:

[Wetzelbill]

4. I am here to entertain

:)

[Historic NY]

5. Bwah....

instigator!!

[Wetzelbill]

8. I would like to argue with that

I just have no real defense. :)

[cliffordu]

6. I mailed in my ballot for you today. Went out by carrier pigeon....

That's legal, isn't it???

[Wetzelbill]

7. oh yes that is definitely legal

That's how McCain is getting people to send out his early votes too. Although he does have an advantage in the Pony Express and telegraph aspects of early voting.

[unpossibles]

9. oh snap!

I though it was because he's also an atheist Marxist and a Christian who hates whitey. I'm all confused by the two minute hate - can we figure this out?!?

[Wetzelbill]

10. ok now you just blew my mind

[unpossibles]

11. well seriously, I wish they'd make up their damn minds!

the right always uses Marxists as examples of bad atheists, and Obama is somehow a Marxist, a Christian, a Muslim, and I suppose Hindu too now. What the hell, people.

Then again, the crowd who thinks Hitler was a Leftist pagan and that screwing the poor is the Christian thing to do, is not known for their critical thinking skills.

[Wetzelbill]

12. yeah you don't want to delve too deep into it but

Republicans compartmentalize their thoughts. It's a common in authoritarian thinkers. Whereas you and I might see that "A" and "B" might conflict or correlate with each other, an authoritarian thinker does not. That's why Republicans can flaunt hypocrisy without any shame at all. They don't really get it. See if I had an affair, like Newt Gingrich, and railed against Bill Clinton for having one, I would be ashamed at my hypocrisy, or I would never dare utter the words "family" or "moral" values ever again. But Republicans do that all the time. They see nothing wrong with going after people for the same type of violations they commit, two and two doesn't compute with them. Part of it is they seem themselves more righteous than others, so even when they majorly screw up or screw somebody over, it's ok because they are still decent people. In their own minds anyway. That's why some things are considered "IOKIYAR." (It's ok if you are a Republican)

And also, getting back to compartmentalization, to them they don't see those contradictions that you and I see. Obama is a Muslim. And Obama is also a member of a crazy Christian group with a crazy pastor. See any contradiction there? I once asked a lady how Obama can be a Muslim but still have a crazy Christian pastor because she was arguing those points. She didn't even know how to respond. So then she just ignored it. Well I have never heard of a radical Islamic Christian before, but that doesn't even register in their thought process. Republicans are capable of believing two contradictory statements without even blinking. That's just part of the way their minds work.

[unpossibles]

17. Is it wrong of me that I'd love to see Republicans as those 1970s computers

where they freeze up and go "DOES NOT COMPUTE!" until smoke pours out of their ears?

Yeah. I've seen that reaction which you describe too. It's like it tries to cross their synapses for a second, then they just continue to ignore it because it doesn't fit their preconceived notions. Actually, that may be the root of the problem: when I get new information which shows my old information to be false, I try to evaluate it, and adjust my opinion or hypothesis based on the new data. I am also always looking for patterns and to try to understand motives and the underlying "why" of something. They do the opposite - which fits in with the whole anti-evolution thing: if the new data does not fit their preconceived notions, then they reject it.

I'd also noticed a lack of being able to see the spectrum of possibilities, or shades of gray. If someone is A then they are automatically 100% A and anti-Z, with no room for nuance. Obama's tax plan is a perfect example. It's not that different from Clinton's, but all of a sudden he's a 100% Socialist to these people. I think this also explains their xenophobia and prejudices. If someone of a different culture or race once treated them badly, or they even think they were treated badly, then suddenly everyone from that culture or race is the same. No middle ground.

Of course, back to the first point, they don't even recognize that the same formula fails for their own culture - the vast majority of serial killers are white male, but you don't see anyone calling to profile white males because it's a ridiculous response.

It would crack me up were these folks not so damn scary.

[Wetzelbill]

18. John Dean wrote a book on all of this a few years ago

He based it on the research of a book called "The Authoritarians" by Bob Altemeyer. I'll attach the link, Altemeyer's book is available for free online. http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

John Dean's book is "Conservatives Without a Conscience."

[unpossibles]

19. I've heard the titles, but have not read either yet

thanks for the link!

[Wetzelbill]

20. no problem, I haven't totally finished either myself

I had to bring Dean's book back to the library, lol. But it's all good stuff. Very informative. It also makes you understand why some of these politicians or their supporters say such outrageous things. Put it into perspective.

[FLyellowdog]

13. I already knew that because being an elitist

doesn't go with Muslin...silk, yes, muslin,no.

[Wetzelbill]

14. oh yes

We're on the same page.

[FLyellowdog]

15. Neato! I didn't even know we was reading a book!

:rofl:

[Wetzelbill]

16. I normally prefer gut instinct

But books are ok I guess. This one works, whatever it is that we are reading. :)