"It’s kind of amazing just how much of an ass-kicking Pence is taking"

[phantom power]

I've remarked before that the modern crop of batshit-crazy conservative politicians grew up drinking the cool-aid. For them, the Southern Strategy isn't just a strategy. It's what they actually believe, because they grew up in the political climate their previous generation created deliberately.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence seems sincerely surprised that so many people think he’s a terrible person for signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law. At the same time, he appears to be kind of lost at sea because he thought acting like an intolerant anti-gay religious fundamentalist would be popular. This is probably partly because Governor Pence is a genuine jerk, but it’s also because he runs in almost exclusively right-wing circles and consumes almost exclusively right-wing media.

So, he’s kind of an asshole and he surrounds himself with assholes and he gets all his information and most of his feedback from assholes. It’s like he’s living in a giant colon.

And then suddenly he’s forced to look outside into the light and there’s a whole world outside this colon that doesn’t approve of his values or seem at all inclined to reward him for his intolerance.

So, now he’s scrambling to repair the damage he’s caused his state but he doesn’t know how to go about it because he’s in shock and cannot believe the situation he’s created for himself.

...

See, he understands that he has a problem, but it’s not on his agenda to make clear that the law he wants to clarify won’t do what everyone is concerned that it will do. If he doesn’t make it obvious that it’s not okay to discriminate against gays and lesbians, then the clarification won’t do anything, and if he still supports the law then repeal isn’t in the cards.

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2015/3/29/21555/4983

[still_one]

1. I hope you are right

[riversedge]

2. His aides probably keep him in a bubble. He needs to walk the street more--mingle

with the protesters.

[Skittles]

31. TEABAGGING BUBBLE

ignorant assholes

[riversedge]

38. well, yes, that is another way to say it.

[calimary]

56. His political leanings are what keep him in a bubble.

His myopic, close-minded agenda is what keeps him in a bubble.

His pinched world-view of religion imposed on everyone whether they want it or not is what keeps him in a bubble.

His CONservative outlook and everything that feeds it is what keeps him in a bubble.

I suspect the OP nailed - probably ALL he watches is Pox Noise and ALL he listens to is hate-radio and people of like mind. I'd guess he doesn't spend much time talking to or getting to know or trying to understand any other points of view than those he considers "right" or what his version of God tells him to do. So it's no surprise he would be bewildered by the reaction this damn-fool move of his has earned him. "But... but... but... I thought everybody agreed this was a great (noble, God-sanctioned, loyal American) idea! HOW could this POSSIBLY happen???????"

It happens, pal, when you completely disavow, disregard, dismiss, and demonize the other side - which, numerically, substantially out-numbers you and yours from coast to coast.

[chervilant]

81. My old boss is EXACTLY like Pence!!!

I really stepped in it when I addressed his bigotry! I got canned! Still, he is smug in his "rightness," but he has NO CLUE how disgusting is his hatred of all things not white, male, and hetero.

[calimary]

86. DUer closeupready just came up with an observation that's FUCKING BRILLIANT:

"...smaller, medieval societies."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6437334

That's EXACTLY what they are. MEDIEVAL in their thinking. MEDIEVAL in where they really want to take this country. BACK in time to THOSE MEDIEVAL times - when only wealthy white male landowners had any say, and were the only ones who counted.

Women, minorities, the poor - and certainly gays then and now - were all second-class and not even "citizens." Didn't matter. Didn't count. And had no voice. Just there to be used by members the ruling class for the betterment of the ruling class. Hmmmm... MAN does THAT sound familiar. 'Eh, 1%?

[Orsino]

68. His aides?

Perhaps...but I suspect his donors are the most important influence on his behavior.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. what about the politicians in indiana who voted for the bill?

[jeff47]

4. We typically expect the executives to act as "grown-ups"

So he's taking a much larger hit than the legislators.

Also, he's one person. Hitting the legislature would diffuse blame.

Lastly, he's rumored to be agitating for a VP spot. Beating him with this helps prevent that.

[bvf]

8. Hitting the voters who elected him would diffuse

the blame even more. But that's what needs to happen, and a major economic boycott would help to do that.

Of course, we'll see cries of "religious persecution!" in the wake of such actions, but again, that's what needs to happen.

There needs to be consequences for putting these assholes into office.

[Wounded Bear]

33. People gonna hate me for saying this...

but I think a little religious persecution is what we need in this country. Not violence, of course, but fierce opposition to any law that is based solely on religous grounds. Right now, that seems to stretch the gamut from abortion/women's health (of course) to taxation and wealth distribution.

It's time to take the religous bullshit out and beat it in the square of common sense and reason. There is a reason they called it the "Enlightenment." It's because it was a ray of sunshine consisting of reason and rationality coming to a world that had been darkened by centuries of religous opposition to common science based on observation and rational inquiry.

Sorry to the religous supporters around here. I don't wan to shut any real chuches down, but the 'religious' hucksters need to be exposed for the money grubbing charlatans and hypocrites that they are and their power stripped from them completely.

[RKP5637]

35. For me, I'm fed up with religion mixing with politics, like really fed up with it. And, when it

raises its ugly head it's always the same, discrimination and persecution for some inane reason. Exactly what we have, religious hucksters out for $$$$$$'s and gullible people flocking to them! Look at the wars, the misery, the deaths, the persecuted all because of fucken religion! Fortunately in the US the number of people waking up and abandoning religion is ever increasing.

[WestSeattle2]

40. AMEN! Organized religion belongs on the ash heap of history. It has

and continues to cause so much hate, heartache, death and misery. Its negatives far outweigh any positives, at the societal level.

[aquart]

52. What blistering ignorance. What self-satisfied arrogance.

I'm glad you are too strong and brave to be terrified of death.

Not everyone is. And if they want to coat that unpalatable reality with delicious Nutella, what fucking bloody business is it of yours?

[LeftOfWest]

61. missed the blistering ignorance and self satisfied arrogance

in that post.

missed where the poster said they were too strong and brave to be terrified of death....

[Jester Messiah]

63. They're welcome to dream up whatever lies make them feel comfortable.

When they start legislating bullshit on to the rest of us in service of those lies, then it becomes my "fucking bloody business," thanks.

[AllyCat]

66. Yup

[hatrack]

73. When it involves state-issued licenses to discriminate (and implicitly, to hate) . . . .

Then it damned well becomes my bloody business.

[olegramps]

74. You can believe what ever...

However, when legislators pass laws that are designed intimidate people who don't follow their dictates of how they should live their lives they have crossed the line. It is a two edged sword. Don't complain if people choose to refuse to provide you with service in a public business since you may be a Christian, Jew and Muslim. The fact of the matter is that Western society is becoming more secularized and those adhering to a religious beliefs could be in a minority within a few generations.

[WestSeattle2]

85. Project much? Don't put words in my mouth; you're making an

ass out of yourself.

[appalachiablue]

43. Well said, the Enlightenment rocked-

[I hate liars]

44. For sociopaths like Pence, religion is just a means to an end...

My take is that religion is a tool for people like Pence, not the root cause of his sociopathy. Using religious frames and words is his way of pandering to the people who will keep him in office. It's clear from his actions while in office that religious values are not the driving force in his life.

My sister, who graduated from law school with Sam Brownback, once told me that when planning his first run for public office, Brownback asked around among his classmates what his stance should be on abortion. His focus was winning office, not taking a principled stand on the issue.

I'm as areligious as they come, but I have no quarrel with religious people who practice the positive aspects of their beliefs. Pence is not that kind of person.

[leanforward]

50. Non violence of course.

You had a lot to say and the religious zealots have the ear and are a solid voting block for "their" politicians. There is a reason for a period of time called the dark ages. Likewise, there were the inquisitions. You mentioned declining church membership and maybe this could be a last (painful for a lot of us) gasp. I went to church and sunday school with mom. I have taken bible study courses as an older adult.

What you said, it'll take some SHOUTING. I would not like it if I was refused service because I'm wearing a military baseball hat. What if I came in with my arm on my grandsons shoulder?

Let's get out the vote. Right now, I'm for some old fashioned populism to overcome all of this special interest groups, religious and corporate. The special interest be damned.

[Wounded Bear]

58. It wasn't me who mentioned declining church attendance...

but it's a hopeful sign.

[rjsquirrel]

60. Clapping here

Damn right. We have been held back long enough by intolerant, irrational, mythological beliefs in this country.

[Wounded Bear]

71. We have been held back long enough by intolerant, irrational, mythological beliefs in this world.

FIFY

[RedCappedBandit]

77. That's just it -

if you feel "persecuted" when people stop you from forcing your believes upon them, your beliefs themselves are questionable.

[Jamastiene]

28. Good, go after him tooth and nail now.

Save the legislature for later. We won't forget. We will just remember to go after them from the top down.

[Android3.14]

5. The image of Pence peering out of an asshole

Is going to haunt me for a few days. Eeeeeeeeew!

[Aldo Leopold]

12. Even worse, an asshole peering out from within another asshole.

[erronis]

19. Just imagine the head of a tapeworm and you'll be fine.

I'm not sure what type of creature is coming out his mouth and infecting his brain.

Oh yes, I know. A RW PR machine. Perhaps named Alek.

[Chiyo-chichi]

69. This is an old Mitch Daniels joke, appropriately revised...

A man traveling through Mexico on vacation lost his wallet and all identification.
He was stopped by the U.S. Customs Agent at the border.
"May I see your identification, please?" asks the agent.
"I'm sorry, but I lost my wallet," replies the guy.
"Sure, buddy, I hear that every day. No ID, no crossing the border," says the agent.
"But I can prove that I'm an American!" he exclaims. "I have a picture of Ronald Reagan tattooed on one butt cheek and a picture of George W. Bush on the other."
"This I gotta see," replies the agent.
With that, the vacationer drops his pants and bends over in front of the agent.
"By golly, you're right!" exclaims the agent. "Go on home to Indiana."
"Thanks!" he says. "But how did you know I was from Indiana?"
The agent replies, "I recognized Mike Pence in the middle."

[DonViejo]

6. My sister lives in Indiana, we've been emailing one another about this law and sharing links to

news articles. I sent her this one earlier:

Mike Pence: There’s an Internet conspiracy to make Indiana seem like anti-gay bigots
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026433042

Sis responded, "saw it. all the news stations are saying Pence is toast."

I don't know if that's toasted Presidential aspirations or reelection as Governor.

[Beartracks]

42. "Internet conspiracy"? It seems like it's all pretty much out in the open. lol n/t

[AllyCat]

48. Both, please.

[BeanMusical]

49. Yes, of course it's not about gays.

[nikto]

57. Pence just can't be racist ......... Don't believe your lying eyes and ears!

[wendylaroux]

7. Along with so many others,

he needs a big ole colon cleanse.

---flush those toxic turds.

[Maraya1969]

9. If he wants to clarify the law into saying it "won't do whjat everyone is concerned about" what the

Hell is the law supposed to do????????????

[gratuitous]

14. Exactly

If the bill was so poorly written, why didn't Pence send it back to the legislature with a sticky note saying "Ix-nay on the igotry-bay"? Instead, he signed it into law. Now he wants to do a little clarification? Mike, you've got a problem.

[Ccarmona]

17. Obviously. History tells us he's full of shit

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/01/06/3608286/indiana-license-to-discriminate/

The above is a link to a story posted in January, so it really wasn't a mystery what this bill was really about.

[RKP5637]

36. Pence knew exactly what he was trying to do, he's not stupid, and that is the

most dangerous part of all of this. I surely hope the good people of Indiana are waking up to this guy.

[AllyCat]

47. Right?

That is what I thought. Did he think the religious varnish was thicker than it was?

[The Wizard]

10. Governor Pence

your hemlock is ready.

[erronis]

20. Doubt it - too honorable. Probably something like here's your slot on Fuxews.

[marble falls]

11. Kind of amazing but totaling gratifying. The little Walker wannabe.

[Aldo Leopold]

13. "Religious Freedom Restoration Acr" sounds a little like

"Religious Freedom Masturbation Act"

[Ex Lurker]

16. The title of a bill is always the exact opposite of what the bill actually means nt

[PatrickforO]

15. "It's like he's living in a giant colon..."

This whole post was worth it just for that one line.

Priceless!

[mnhtnbb]

23. I LOVED it. What a great line.

These right wingers are so full of $hit. What a great description.

[smirkymonkey]

32. That was perfect!

The backlash is beautiful!

[Wounded Bear]

59. And if you think about...

that means he's not even the asshole, he's the shit that comes out of it.

[47of74]

64. Yeah. Filed away for future use.

[jtuck004]

18. "It’s like he’s living in a giant colon." < There's a solution...

Apparently they come in governor size...here.

[Android3.14]

21. The Jolly Green Giant has a fetish?

Ho-ho-ho!

[riqster]

67. Can we get another plug for his mouth?

[randr]

22. That poor dog has let it's tail wag it until is has no sense at all.

The far right is living in the delusion, that faux supports, that they are a majority.
While they can win races when only a third of voters show up, they will never be more than a mere 20-30% minority of America.

[Enthusiast]

24. We shouldn't let up. We should pound him into the dirt.

I hate Indiana Nazis.

[blackspade]

25. Pence is a first class stupid asshole.

He has earned every bit of bad press.
I just hate that hoosiers are having to suffer for it.

[Cha]

26. "So, he’s kind of an asshole and he surrounds himself with assholes and he gets all his information

and most of his feedback from assholes.."

booman has a way with words.. mahalo p

[AllyCat]

46. !!! Beauty, isn't it?

[Cha]

55. Indeed, AC!

[valerief]

27. If only he could suffer as much as he harms his constituents. nt

[liberal N proud]

29. He crossed the streams, maybe it has shifted the political spectrum in this country.

[maindawg]

30. Excactly

Because the truck drivers and theother rural red necks who make up 65 % of Indiana , are in fact asshole, flush limpball bigots. Thats a fact . On the weekend, they all attend their RWNJ gun/sportsman clubs.The Private clubs that repukes taxed the fuck out of to pisws them off in the first place![ thats how it works , boys and girls]

[Proud Liberal Dem]

34. Brewer (Arizona) was, amazingly, smart enough to veto the law her legislature sent her

largely because of economic considerations. I sort of thought that Pence might read the writing on the wall too given how business organizations, Gen Con, etc. had started speaking out against the bill but apparently he felt too much in thrall to the fundies in our state. The fact that he signed it in a private ceremony surrounded by anti-LGBT organizations should clearly illustrate why he signed it and what constituency he was trying to appease (and what he hopes/thinks the law will accomplish).

[Binkie The Clown]

37. Republican meets Reality. It's never a pretty thing. n/t

[NBachers]

39. I hope every single day for Pence is worse than the day before. And so on and so on and so on . . .

[certainot]

41. but he does have 1000 radio stations behind him

which is why shit like this gets passed in the first place

[ProfessorGAC]

87. A Lot of Those Radio Stations. . .

. . .have ratings in the decimals. There are actually encouraging signs on that front.

[certainot]

88. i like that, in part due to stoprush and allies, but they'll

keep subsidizing it for billions at least until the next elections at least.

they're already many billions in debt, but it's worth trillions and they know it

[AllyCat]

45. Actually, I really think he only sees $$$

[Lifelong Protester]

51. Good, so when I replace

my kitchen faucet, and refuse a Delta unit (which may be made in Indiana), he will get the message??

[AllyCat]

65. Every little bit helps, although he is probably more concerned with the big ticket

Losses like Gen Con, Angie's List, etc.

But thanks for letting me know...we are getting ready to buy such items.

[Lifelong Protester]

83. I will make sure the plumber knows

so he can pass it on, FWIW

[Spitfire of ATJ]

53. This is why they thought Scott Walker would be a huge success too....

In Right Wing World Reagan was wildly popular with the entire country,....(he wasn't)....and part of the reason he was wildly popular with the entire country,....(which he wasn't)....was because he cracked down on Unions.

They honestly believed Scott Walker cracking down on Unions would make him so wildly popular with the entire country that people whole carry him on their shoulders all the way to the White House.

Seriously.

They honestly believed that.

They're still trying to figure this one out because they can't go back and examine their underlying premise that cracking down on Unions is wildly popular with the entire country. That would mean they would have to admit that Reagan wasn't God.

[workinclasszero]

54. These idiot teabag dominunists like Pence

get all their "news" from fox and friends and freak republic/redstate and don't associate with us regular sinners/democrats.

They live in the perpetual conservative outrage bubble and don't know or care about the real world.

[tridim]

62. Republicanism in the era of public ridicule just isn't going to work.

The Internet is much more powerful than the Republican party, they are just figuring that out now.

I shudder thinking about where we'd be today without the Internet.

[chemenger]

70. Those who scream the loudest about Sharia Law in this country

are the very same who want to impose Christian law on all of us.

[tomsaiditagain]

72. Wake up? In Indiana? In the Bible Belt?

The Bible believing thumpers of the Bible Belt have nothing to hide. They actually believe their God is the truth, the way and the light. No other God before them is going to change their minds.

Pence is one of them there billhilly's who aint goina believe no udder way n he's goina get relected

[L0oniX]

75. That state capital needs some...

[Gothmog]

76. Governor Dense deserves this treatment

This is a stupid law and he refused to answer questions about this law

[TheKentuckian]

78. You bite them hard enough in the wallet and they'll join the century.

[uponit7771]

80. +1, Worked 40 something years ago... it'll work today

[chervilant]

79. "It’s like he’s living in a giant COLON."

A giant RIGHT WING COLON, I'd say! If you've seen him squirm while obfuscating in response to distinct and direct yes/no questions, you KNOW he doesn't want to IN ANY WAY indicate that "it's not okay to discriminate against gays and lesbians."

[Phentex]

82. It should have been simple enough but he floundered...

and kept saying that wasn't the issue here. It just made him look worse and dumber than ever.

[AlbertCat]

84. the southern strategy?

Indiana is in the South now?