Has anyone noticed what I have about republican candidates for office this year?

[MarianJack]

We know that the republican party as a whole is in the grips of the totally insane, but there is something that I've experienced on 2 occasions this election season, both this month.

Here in Kennebec County Maine, we are having an election for District Attorney and, of course, our seat in the House of Reprsentatives. The DA's office has been in Democratic hands since the 70s. Our Congresswoman is Chellie Pingree, who was first elected in 2006. The republican nominees in each of these races is a teabagger (shock of shocks!).

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were at an event called "The Taste of Waterville" and the republican DA nominee was doing the usual candidate's "Meet & Greet". One of his flunkies approached my wife and I and I identified us as friends of the Democratic Nominee, Maeghan Maloney, who is currently a state rep and, I hope, an eventual candidate for Governor of Maine.

Today, we and our son were at a sidewalk art festival in Winthrop, where we will be living in about another week. The republibagger nominee for Pingree's seat was doing a "meet & Greet" there. When his flunkies saw the Obama button that I am always wearing when off duty from my job and the black skin that my son is wearing every moment of his life, they steered their candidate a very wide path around our family.

Both candidates ducked me like romney ducks a straight question. To hear the baggers talk, they're all "tough guys".

At one time candidates looked forward to the chance to engage and possibly convert someone that they knew wouldn't support them. Apparently no longer. I wonder if anyone else has seen this level of cowardice with the republican candidates they've encountered this year.

BTW, on both occasions, the Obama button I was wearing has a picture of President Obama and the slogan "GM is alive, Bin Laden is DEAD".

Has anyone else experienced this also?

PEACE!

[russspeakeasy]

1. Yes. I have an Obama pin that I wear just about everywhere.

I live in the red state of floriduh, in the very red county of marion.
I remember when politicians of both parties would talk to you and I remember when supporters of both parties would talk to each other. Now, it seems more like a death match. Winner take all. Loser gets buried.

There is no discourse, just shouting and fist pumping.

Who can raise the most money, who can place the most ads and who can tell the public what they want to hear.

I would place a lot of the blame on the tea party, except it started before them. Our politicians have gotten fat at the trough and will say or do anything to stay in office or advance their cause.

The voting public is to blame for that. Too many, maybe even the majority of voters, limit their research to headlines in a newspaper or the commercials on tv.

I'm in my 70's. About 20 years ago I knew a sane man, or so I thought, that drew his life savings out of the bank and his retirement account, (if I recall, about $35,000).
He spent the next month driving from one Illinois town to the next, buying lottery tickets . I don't think he won anything, but my point is, people refuse to do the hard work of thinking.

So, yes, politics have changed, but people really haven't. They still want to win the easy way and the easy way is to let someone else do their thinking.
With 24 hour news and commercials and the internet they get good looking, well spoken people to do that "chore" for them. Probably makes them feel like a big shot.

Sorry for the rambling, but I saw your post and it struck me.

Good luck to you and yours.

[MarianJack]

2. Thsnk you, russspeakeasy.

Remember the republican congresssman who said to not confuse him with the facts during Watergate? Lack of thought seems to be the new national passtime!

PRACE!

[bhikkhu]

3. I think it has to do with the alternative reality they have carefully constructed

Having insulated themselves in a carefully constructed facsimile of the real world, where they imagine themselves to be "the smartest guys in the room" and the natural leaders of the country, where there are certainly no black presidents, nor is there climate change, where "the good poor" admire them, and the rest must be managed with a firm hand to keep their place...

An Obama button is a lethal threat to the whole fantasy, and a reminder that they are anachronisms and throwbacks in the real world.

[MarianJack]

4. Don't forget...

....no strong intelligent and outspoken women, non-closeted GLBT community, non-"christians", sick people or anyone else that doesn't believe exactly as they do. It's almost like the world depicted in "Father Knows Best", which was a FICTIONAL tv show.

PEACE!

[renie408]

5. Actually, what I have noticed about Republicans everywhere is that they are quitters.

I have gotten pretty political on my Facebook wall. Initially I got a little bit of push back. But now...nothing. I have a friend who has a ton of hardcore GOP friends who usually jump in and make nasty comments when we discuss anything political on her wall. Lately...nothing. Not even when I asked during a discussion of Mitt not disclosing his tax returns "Where are all your GOP friends? They are normally in here taking shots right and left sans facts and proof." I was trying to goad SOMEBODY into talking about the tax thing and couldn't get a rise.

Republicans blow hard but are chickenhearted after it is all said and done.

[MarianJack]

6. Maybe they're finally proving the old truism...

...that all bullies are cowards.

PEACE!