Jun 15 2009
Neanderthals On The “True Right” Killing Conservative Movement
Some people are having trouble resolving two bits of polling data that have come out in the last  couple of weeks. The first is a Gallup poll showing ‘conservative’ is the largest self identified political view:
The second is a Pew poll showing the GOP as the smallest political party, dwarfed by a growing independent movement:
Some folks can’t understand where the difference is coming from. These same people don’t understand the difference between mainstream ‘conservative’ principles and the far right ‘true conservatives’ who have been attempting to purify the GOP of any pesky moderate or centrist conservatives. These folks like the phrase “RINO” (Republican In Name Only) – gives them a feeling of superiority over lesser American conservatives.
What it also has meant is a migration of the centrists away from the GOP – which explains the Pew poll numbers. Most people are conservative, half of those are distancing themselves from the ‘true conservatives’ – and have been for years.
And it is not hard to find examples of why this is happening. When ‘true conservatives’ are outside the limelight and off the record, they can display a very crude and negative side. Occasionally it peaks out, as it did here:
A prominent South Carolina Republican killed his Facebook page Sunday after being caught likening the First Lady to an escaped gorilla.
Commenting on a report posted to Facebook about a gorilla escape at a zoo in Columbia, S.C., Friday, longtime GOP activist Rusty DePass wrote, “I’m sure it’s just one of Michelle’s ancestors – probably harmless.”
All I can say is ‘ef you man! This is the First Lady of the United States of America you are talking about. You, sir, are the scum that lives on the side of sewers sucking crap to exist.Â
Sadly, that was not the only KKK class humor we have to deal with today from the ‘true right’:
The staffer, Sherri Goforth, e-mailed this composite picture of the country’s 44 presidents, which represents President Obama with only a set of eyes:
The only apology given for this racist crap was it was not meant to go public. It went to the ‘wrong people’. Â Like I said, scum that lives on the walls of dark sewers, hidden under ground, swimming in and consuming crap to exist.Â
This is why I am no longer a conservative, nor will I ever will I be a Republican, as long as these kinds of people are not thrown out of political organization associated with the GOP or ‘true conservatives’. Tolerate these bottom feeders and your political movement will be radioactive and shunned for perpetuity.
AJ:
I am beginning to think that you are having a real problem with the whole idea that a plurality of people consider themselves conservative.
Moderates are losing ground and conservatives and liberals are gaining ground. That is what that survey says.
The actual number of people who consider themselves “very conservative” is about 9%, the number of people who consider themselves “very liberal” is about 5%. So I think that it is untrue to say that the far right is killing conservatism, in fact this poll shows the opposite.
I think you are underestimating the ability of people to know the difference. Just like most people who are pro life know they are not Roeder. Most people who are conservative know they are not Von Brunn either. Telling them that they are does not change their opinion of themselves.
And AJ, the idea that some moron who compared Michelle Obama to an ape is representative of anyone else is absurd. It really is. That guy is a jerk. Just like Michael Moore was a jerk when he said that AlQaida in Iraq were freedom fighters. I refuse to be held responsible for the antics of morons like that and there is no evidence whatsoever that the GOP supports that kind of bigotry and idiocy. It is an insult to say or infer that they do. On any level.
In fact AJ, you could argue that the growth in Independents might have something to do with the feeling on the part of some conservatives that the GOP is not conservative enough. I also think it includes a lot of disaffected Democrats who are conservative but just can not be part of a party who has leaders like Obama, Reid and Pelosi. A lot of those folks will not call themselves GOP no matter who they actually vote for.
You should tell the whole story around the SC pol. Apparently Mrs bobo made a comment that she believed humans evolved from apes. The pol apparently takes a less scientific view of creationism and in his haste to talk (as is the nature of all politicians) stuck his foot deep down his own throat. Tasteless–yes; protected by the first amendment—yes. She’ll get over it; the country will survive and hopefully everyone will stop taking themselves so serious. If you think he’s a racist, laugh at him, it makes him less relevant—worked for All in the Family.
As to the rise in Independents, perhaps this is a sign that people realize both parties are actually inseparable, intellectually dishonest and serve only to divide the country. It’s about time both went away and power returned back to the American people. And the Dems have their share of bottom feeders as well (Clinton, Spitzer, McGreavey, Blogo just the more recent ones) and it hasn’t killed their party. As long as they both have funding they will continue to keep breaking things so they can fix them.
Terrye I agree with you 100%, these people who A.J picked could be compared to David Duke, pure racists. Just because they are registered Republicans does not mean they represent the party.
A.J if you try and compare these racists to the talking heads ie. Laura, Levin, Sean or Rush you have crossed the line. Their agenda is on political policy not on race or bigotry.
The characterization of the post is insult to 99.9 percent of the people who are center right thinkers. If you wish to opt out of the republican party that is your prerogative, but do not lump the party with racists. We are not the people from Daily Kos, My DD or The Huffington Post where thousands of people spew the same kind of hatered.
This argument is beyond silly, painting everybody with the same brush by sighting a few nut jobs. Let’s just call it a great coup by MSM, succeeding in bring every nut out of the closet to make all who are not progressive’s look demonic.
Your missing the boat again AJ! You have it perfectly wrong. Strategists, analysts, political pundits who cherry pick events or people to paint Conservatives as evil or stupid will only help continue the destruction of the Republican Party.
I think alot of Conservatives have lost their allegiance for the Republicans and in fact look at them in the same light as the Democrats. I know I couldnt care less if the Republican Centrists win or lose. They dont represent me any longer.
Don’t give me this stuff than I’m a whiner and can’t take criticism. Let me tell you something AJ, you cannot be a Conservative and be unwilling to take criticism, from everywhere! Thats OK though. The more criticism I take the more sure I am that my principles are correct! The Conservatives that can’t take it become Moderates! It sits better at dinner parties.
Personally, I don’t think pollster have a very good “read” on anyone in the country now. I think they would admit as much.
Too many people are getting their “kicks” answering polls, not giving their true beliefs.
Americans’ feelings are fluid, for certain. But this I know: we have defeated socialism before and we will defeat it again…as conservatives/moderates/liberals/whatever.
AJ, I find myself on your side on this one. I’ve noticed, of late the “conservatives” on sites such as Free Republic snap and lunge at just about any scrap of political red meat thrown to them – even if it is obviously tainted.
Anyone who objects , or who fails to pay endless homage to Ronald Reagan,is set upon by the Birthers and Wannabee Theocrats who set the tone for the site.
I am going to jump beyond the meat of this argument and explain why I
don’t bother to listen to the BBC.
I work near London. I can get a decent choice of television news
from the satellite (Fox, France24 for example)
but for radio, when I am in my car, the choice is very small.
The BBC has a monopoly on radio news.
The reason I don’t listen to them is because I already know what they
are going to tell me. Pick a topic, the war on terrorism, taxes, Obama,
I already know the rest of the story. It does not change from day to day.
Once you already know what is going to be on the radio or in the newspaper,
then it makes more sense to spend your time and money just doing
something else. Like go the bar or sit in a field.
Of course these propagandists don’t realize actual real people get bored
and go away. No, they just keep telling me the same thing and think I
am loco enough to believe it all. Tell me about something I don’t already
know about. Tell me about the Polywell Fusion Reactor. Now there is
a news story.
AJ, once again you lump people like me who call themselves conservative into a lunatic fringe. I don’t condone what that “prominent republican” did nor some photo of Obama with only eyes. I used to go to FreeRepublic in its early days but no longer. I went there because they always got the news first.
Please reread the comments here, we have to be a big tent party but I am not including those on the fringe.
It’s your site and I’m but a guest but honestly, I feel attacked here.
AJ did you see this?
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/06/15/gallup-poll-choosing-sides/
Gallup poll shows a huge retreat in persons identifying themselves as “moderates”. A minority of persons identifying themselves as “liberal”. And the majority of persons identifying themselves as “conservative”.
What seems to be missing here is some definitive polling on exactly why people are identifying less with the GOP. I posted a link to a poll a while back that indicated that more Republicans think their party is about right or not conservative enough, than do those who think it’s too conservative.
This seems to be the general view of most of the talkers that AJ complains about. Could it be that large numbers of people are leaving or distancing themselves from the GOP because they actually wish that their lawmakers would be more assertive about their conservatism rather than less? More clear and focused regarding their right-leaning advocacy rather than mushy middle-of-the roadish?
In other words, could it be that if not for folks like Rush and Sean and Mark, who serve to enforce a certain conservative line in lawmakers via constituents listening and then calling/writing, that the party would actually be in worse shape?
Instead of rising CO2 having a direct effect on temperature increase, like so many would have us believe, could it actually be that there is NOT a direct relevant correlation?
And as far as highlighting non-representative fringe kooks, and Paul Krugman’s broad-brush painting party, we can see that on Olbermann’s show on any given night.
Instead, let’s urge our lawmakers to be conservative, be smart, speak assertively and effectively, and stick by your principles. If they do these kinds of things, watch the money and the votes roll in.
mrm:
There are people on both extremes of the political aisle who do just that. John Murtha called the Haditha Marines cold blooded murderers, before they were cleared of charges. Senator Byrd was once a member of the KKK. But these people are not the entire Democratic party.
And no doubt there are right wing people, especially pundits who go off the deep end from time to time, but those people do not represent anyone but themselves.
Yep. Agree with Terrye on this thing.
OT but with the news today about ABC/White House …………anyone remember me ranting that ABC was replacing NBC/MSNBC as the Dem’s front runner? They have been being very effective and now they broadcast from the Oval.
Where are the DUMBO Pug Senators and Reps? There has been so much already done that was beyond the pale, they should have been showing up in mass to every TV station. Where are they? They are our ONLY voice. They make me ill that they can not seem to find two brain cells to rub together from the entire bunch. We elect these twits to be our VOICE. Dems not only have loud voices but the MSM to deliver it. I ranted for 8 years of Bush about 2 things. AWOL Pugs and MSM. It is killing this country.
When Reagan won in a landslide, Republicans were only about 25% of the population. So whatever they say, look how they vote. And right now according to Rasmussen and several other polls more and more people are favoring Republicans in the generic Congressional ballot.
I think people are just less attached to parties in general. I think that most people want to have the opportunity to vote for the individual rather than the party…however it does seem that on a cultural level people are more polarized.
JDavis,
Did I use your name? Why do you associate yourself with these people.
I am doing what I preach – calling out scum who should not be considered part of any ‘conservative’ movement.
If that bothers you, that I call these people out (and all who silently think like them), maybe the problem is not with me?
AJ:
I feel attacked too. I would not be surprised if many of your other posters do too.
You are not calling out the scum, you are calling out just about everyone, including the more than 40% who consider themselves conservative.
I think there will always be people who do and say reprehensible and stupid things. Call them out, but do not blame their actions on everyone else.
Read slower. Seriously. Go back and read it again and see who I aimed my fire at. Pretty sure it was aimed at the idiots referenced and those who keep putting an ugly face on conservatives.
AJ the problem is you use a wide brush, you say you are no longer a conservative or a republican. I have no problem with that.. honestly. It’s that you seem to lump everyone into the same heap and I don’t think anyone posting here is in that pile.
If we can’t come into consensus we are all doomed to live under radical liberalville. That is my fear. We can’t be fractured and win elections. We have to find common ground somehow.
Jen