Why do "average" people continue to support the Republican Party?

[kentuck]

Are they really as deceitful as their leaders in the Congress? Are they really against healthcare reform? Do they not suffer like the rest of us from the neglect in our political system?

Do they truly believe all the crap that people like Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck put out? Do they truly believe that Sarah Palin is their "savior"? Are they really that far gone?

Or do they believe that the Party of George W Bush and Dick Cheney will change back to the fiscally responsible Party of less government and balanced budgets which has always been a myth? Do they not see what has happened in the last thirty years? Do they believe it is all the Democrats fault? Or do they believe that it is both Parties' fault?

With what has transpired in the last 8-10 years, it is difficult to see how anyone could support the Republican Party, except the very wealthy, who have robbed us blind? To be honest, it is becoming more difficult to support the Democratic Party also. But the Republican Party is simply destructive. The Democratic Party is mostly incompetent and cowardly.

[maxpower]

1. I believe they like to have the thinking done for them

Why waste time staying informed on their own.



Peace,
Max

[HowHasItComeToThis]

11. CHECK THE VOTERS ROLLS IN RED STATES FOR FRAUD

[WI_DEM]

2. The average Joe who listens to Rush's garbage really do think that Obama and the dems

are socialistic and want to take there gun away and all there other freedoms. Many are easily persaudable. Then there are the rich/greedy who want to keep the tax cuts for the wealthy.

[kentuck]

5. Are those the "average" Republicans?

Or the 25% of the 25% of the fringe right-wingers?

[deaniac21]

6. Their all dumb as dirt!

[Orrex]

19. They better get they're act together, then

:evilgrin:

[KansDem]

27. "Then there are the rich/greedy who want to keep the tax cuts for the wealthy."

I've noticed this, as well. There is a small, but significant, portion of GOPers who could care less about the GOP platform.

For example, Bush and Cheney...

If these two were "real" GOPers, Bush would never have invaded Iraq (GOPers don't like "nation building"--he said so himself but went in to "nation build" i.e., rape it for money). And Cheney? What "self-respecting" GOPer would go along with locating his former corporation's international headquarters, Halliburton, in a nation that attacked us, UAE, on 9/11?

Nah, these two, like their other rich/greedy "GOPers" just pretend to be GOP so that can pander to the rubes to get elected in order to obtain power and wealth...

[valerief]

3. Their pastors tell them to. nt

[Cant trust em]

4. I think it's because they like to think of themselves as independent people.

They don't need anyone, so no one should need them.

They're disconnected from the sense of community and that we're all in this together.

[Echo In Light]

7. One could likewise apply that to anyone who joins or identifies with any 'group' of sorts

[Cant trust em]

10. What kind of group?

Is there an example you're thinking of?

[Echo In Light]

13. Any; political, sports, work related, religious, anything

[Cant trust em]

15. Hmmm...That's not where I was going with that, but it is interesting.

I'll be thinking about this today while I pretend that I'm working.

:)

[Echo In Light]

17. The point being, people are usually incapable of surrendering their belief systems quickly

... and will often identify w/groups, orgs, etc that represent an exaltation of that belief system. That sort of phenomenon within modern mass society is very interesting - and often explains a great deal of why things are the way they are in this age of Perception Management.

[juno jones]

36. Team thinking.

My team right or wrong.

DH is a 49er's fan. Doesn't matter whether they win or lose. Thank heavens they're not really a scandalous team, god forbid, but I betcha anything if they were, he'd probably mutter something about 'bad apples' and continue to wear the colors.

I think a lot of conservative us and them is 'tribal' ie team-oriented in an exclusive rather than inclusive sense. The republicans have become the identified team 'brand' for white racist fundies. There are also people who have been members for years, like their stodgy forebears before them. There are maybe some of the old guard who dislike those associations with the extreme, but they cannot bring themselves to put down the team, just like there are fans of some notoriously thuggish football teams out there who probably wince at the excesses, but bask in the wins and reflected glory.

[Titanothere]

40. So people identify themselves as racist and go Repub?

Probably not. Maybe they just look at the positives they've experienced, ignore the negatives and stick with what works. Just like most Democrats. Brand identity is pretty tough to switch, you need a strong reason.

Go niners forever, win or loose by the way ... Finally we're looking at a decent season.

[juno jones]

43. No. Most wouldn't ,although I've met a few who admitted it right out.

Mostly they just look for others who percieve blacks as a 'problem'. I have a sister like that. I bet she'd never admit she was racist, she told me once, "I'm a separatist, and they want to be separate too. Let's just leave it at that." For the most part, they would never openly admit any of those associations. But they would cluster there because it was their affinity group and there's bound to be someone couching that shit in terms that they can agree with.

And I did have a back door for those who identified for years before any of this crap out of tradition. But if they aren't racist or fundie, they might want to check their associations because their interests aren't being served by extremists either. My mom started out republican and made the slow trek to liberalhood mostly because of the demagougery and fundie religious shift that intensified in the Reagan era. It can be done! :)

As for the Niners, I hope they do well this year. DH has been in a bit of a funk, but he really loves Singletary (?) as coach.

[Cant trust em]

8. Fear is their primary motivator.

It's why health care is such a tough fight. People are afraid that they're going to lose what they have.

It's why selling them the war was so easy. Saddam has WMDs and he could use them.

Never mind that it's all scare tactic bullshit.

[Booster]

9. The Republicans I know really, really do believe they will one

day be filthy rich, even though they are in the over-60 crowd. They definitely have their collective heads up their collective butts.

[T Wolf]

12. The pre-repuke propaganda spewed by the media feeds into the basic hatreds and greed

of most Amerikans.

The myths of "Amerikan superiority" and "rugged individualism" promote the "I got mine, fuck you" message that is the basic tenet of the enemy.

And don't discount outright stupidity. The sound-bite and rage focus vs. reasoned discussion does fit well in the restricted mental capacity of most.

[Titanothere]

42. Because there's no hate in that post...

Sheesh. We're talking about "average people", not poster boy Robber Barons.

[leftstreet]

14. I thought a lot of "average" people voted for Obama

Did I miss a meeting or something?

[Orrex]

22. Uh. What?

Yes, a lot of "average" people voted for Obama. The question had nothing to do with that.

Instead, the OP asked why average people might vote Republican, as a great many still do. Hell, most of my "average" county voted for McCain in 08, Bush in 04, and Bush in 00, even though the voters haven't benefited in the slightest from any Republican policy.

[LatteLibertine]

16. I'm not sure either

unless you are a member of the most wealthy 10% there is not a reason to vote Republican. On the other hand many Democrats tell people like; the poor, the middle class, and progressives what they wish to hear before an election yet do the will of the highest paying lobbyist once in office. Very few of our politicians opposed the financial market bailout even though the "people" did at a ratio of 100:1.

[harun]

18. Because they believe many of the myths told to them about the "left"

[LeftinOH]

20. They often aren't "average" at all - frequently there is some serious dysfunction going on,

that is- the kind of dysfunction they would scorn in others:

My right-wing cousin: Raising her own grandson as her "son" (the kid doesn't know that his "sister" is his real mother). Total fundy.

A right-wing aunt: Had an affair & drove my uncle to suicide; in an addition, she's been on medicaid for many years. Loves Fox News.

Former right-wing neighbor: All 4 kids kicked out of the house upon completing high school; no $upport, no college aid, no lodging -just "get a job or get married". Has a nice big boat, though & is also very religious.

...there are some "average" Republicans, but they're increasingly difficult to find.

[NOLALady]

21. Maybe

because they are not really "average". Anyone who consistently supports programs that are against their best interests does not strike me as average.

[kctim]

23. Seriously?

It all boils down to they don't like govt interference in their personal lives.

[kentuck]

24. But they love government interference...

and they take more from the government than anyone.

[stray cat]

25. lesser of two evils - similar to why many vote democratic

[Turbineguy]

26. The Republican party

where ignorance goes to hate.

[Orsino]

28. Because their god tells them to. The television.

Very little in America is so bad that the TV can't make it sound good, or at least render it invisible.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

29. It's dyed in the wool like sheep!

baa!

[marew]

30. They are not average.

They are nonthinking, intellectually incurious, uninformed, and they are terrified of losing control over their own lives. Rather than educate themselves, they protest any change of any kind. Their lack of understanding compels them to protest and vote against their own best interests. They are taken advantage of and manipulated by the big shots in their party. They look at Beck, Limbaugh, Bachman, Hannity, et al, who talk nonsense to them as the voices of God. The day will come, if it hasn't already started, this dumbing down of their party will backfire big time.

[anonymous171]

31. Some agree with them, others just dislike the left.

Some are genuinely racist, others think that democrats do not share their values (which is wrong.)

EDIT: And really, who can blame some of them? Just look at this thread. It's a bunch of elitist "EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE IS A SHEEP! I AM AN ENLIGHTENED INDIVIDUAL!" bs. Seriously guys.

[old mark]

32. The "average" person is uninformed and ignorant, borderline stupid and prejudiced.

I am amazed there are so FEW Republicans - they are really offensive even to their usual rank and file.


mark

[conscious evolution]

33. Its the brainwashing

The dumbing down of the public schools,the rise of the religously insane,coupled with the consolidation of the MSM by the corporatistas and banksters has allowed the average person to be brainwashed into thinking that the illusion created by the perception management specialists is a wonderful thing.

BTW-In case you have not noticed,the two partys are playing good cop-bad cop with the american people.

[OHdem10]

34. At least one serious factor is "social status". To many of these

Americans who really have very little materially, the GOP
has succeeded in playing on their ego. They "belong" and
and this belonging gives them a sense of superiority.
We have permitted the GOP to smear the word liberal.
For years the Democrats were described to these Americans
as a hodgepodge of Gays, Feminists,and Minorities,People who want to
do away with the 2ond Ammendment and do not forget "Baby Killers".

Be honest, would you want to be part of the group I just
described.

When people do not have a lot, they need to put others down
in order to try to build up their own standing. Seems to me
they (GOP) have been pretty effective.

If your are an average Joe, you might be more comfortable socially
in the party that gives you status.

The GOP have cleverly used the "Morality Issues" to put a nail
in the coffin of Liberalism.

Liberals did not fight back.

[NOLALady]

49. "would you want to be part of the group I just described."

Yes, I would want be a part of the group. Actually, I am a part of the group as a minority.

So, identifying with teabaggers, birthers, uneducated townhallers, family value Republicans (i.e.Vitter), gives them social status.

I'm OK with identifying with average minorities.:shrug:

[TheMadMonk]

35. Because they can't bear the thought of someone else getting something...

...at THEIR EXPENSE.

[anonymous171]

37. I can't stand that thought either

That's why I am a liberal. Corporate Welfare has got to go.

[Titanothere]

38. I think you answered your own question

they don't feel like the political system has let them down because they really don't give it much thought and try not to rely on it for so much of their lives. Consequently, they're not so pissed off at it all the time becuase they're going about their lives and want to have as little to do with the government as possible.

Does that come from being raised in more affluent households? Maybe. If you've been raised in an environment that's constantly turning to the gov't for help, you're going to expect more out of them and probably be a Democrat, or of course, if you look around at all the needy people and think the Government offers the best alternative for meeting their needs, the Democrat Party is a better fit. If you figure you'll set up your own foundation or just work within your own community or church group, probably a Republican.

[lame54]

39. because cowardly is the biggest sin of all

[EmeraldCityGrl]

41. Because their hate for "liberals"

overrides common sense and reality. The hate defines them. If they ever admitted the truth, it would reveal their belief system as a total lie and sham..They're far
to petty and small minded to ever come around and admit they were wrong.

[TxRider]

44. Most average people do not support either party.

This country is more ripe for a third party to emerge than ever.

[RidinMyDonkey]

45. It depends on the Republican

There are sad religious Republicans, like my grandmother. Who, acknowledges that the Republican party is ruled by greed. She even admits that Republicans don't have the best interest of America at heart. But, they oppose abortion and gay marriage, so they get her vote every time.

Then I believe there are misinformed Republicans. Those who believe they would pay incredibly high taxes under Democratic rule. Those who believe Dems want to turn America into a socialist country. Blah blah blah, the typical uninformed BS.

Then I believe there are those who are truly hateful. They want to feel a sense of superiority over those who aren't as well off financially, don't have health insurance, don't have basic human rights to be married, adopt a child, and so on.

Ignorance is bliss. For the most part, I just think the average Republican is just stupid. They aren't aware of their surroundings, or what's going on in the world.

[budkin]

46. GUNS, GAYS, RELIGION

[RagAss]

47. Low IQ

[B Calm]

48. Ass Kissers