Why are Republicans so easily frightened into submission?

[TheFriedPiper]

All Bush has to say is BOO and they all race to give up their rights (and ours).

Democratis message this fall:

Republicans think America is too weak to be safe AND free, Democrats don't.

Republicans want to trade your rights for a false sense of safety, Democrats don't.

Republicans think America is not strong enough to defeat terrorists without giving up our freedom, Democrats don't.

Republicans REACT without thinking. Democrats will defeat terrorists with SMARTER tactics.

[TAPat]

1. Well said. nt

[gunsaximbo]

2. I call it The Chicken Little Syndrome

Our country is terribly afraid of - - - everything.

[Virginia Dare]

3. It is so absurd....

watching people put their water bottles and tubes of toothpaste in the trash. Meanwhile millions of containers of cargo come in and out of this country unchecked and uninspected. :wtf:

[HereSince1628]

4. Because the R's are long on machismo and short on confidence.

Bully's aren't courageous, they're mostly insecure, and attempt to protect themselves with an aura of fear induced into their contemporaries by beating up the weak.

[mwb970]

5. They. Are. Cowards. (n/t)

[ShortnFiery]

6. Because they adore "Authoritarian Rule"

These are people who are highly disquieted by complexity in general.

Poof! Out comes "DADDY" in the guise of the Republican National Committee. It's a dream come true for they tell us what the mean ole' Commie, Pinko, Leftist Democrats want to do to them and their families. It's a CLUB / MOB mentality that nurtures "group think" in the form of Talking Points.

Those people who are NOT intellectually curious but want to "belong to a higher calling" are the ideal Republican Voters.

When I was young and raised among Right Wing Republicans, I bought all the Propaganda, hook, line and sinker. However, when I made my own way out into the REAL WORLD ... to include serving four years Active Duty and later earning a Masters Degree, I began reading a myriad of news sources, i.e., loved Foreign Affairs abeit it was heady. :P By the time I was 26 y.o. I had switched my Party Affiliation to "Democratic." The cognitive dissonance I was fighting could not be resolved within the simplistic mindsets of those within the Republican Party.

Republicans flock toward Authority Figures. They love the thought of a "Daddy Hero" to keep them safe. Therefore, they will give all their trust to them and blindly follow despite the true financial harm their leaders are causing them via tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. All that matters is that those evil democrats will not promote promiscuity through Birth Control and Abortions. Also their blessed vision of marriage will not be marred by homosexuality as long as they vote for "DADDY" (The Republican Ticket).

If you doubt me (and John Dean), just consider the asinine bumper stickers they don on their vehicles:

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE ( :wtf: )

I LOVE Gitmo! Lock the Terrorists up.

United We Stand (as sheep?)

You can't be Catholic and Pro-Abortion (or Pro-Execution?)

Viva Bush! (Oh my, not the Latinos too!)

These Colors don't fade. (Nationalism anyone?

[jean]

10. Bingo!

:applause:

[bowens43]

7. Conservatrives are cowards.

They are afraid of change.
They are afraid of anyone who doesn't meet their limited view of 'normal'.
They are afraid of anyone who doesn't look , act and believe as they do.
They are afraid of their Victorian world view being shattered.

They are so afraid that they will gladly give up any or all of their Constitutionally protected rights if the Government will hold their hand and promise to always keep them safe and secure.

[Hubert Flottz]

8. Because they're cowards.

Look how they dodge the fighting. Chickenhawks are chicken.

[Atman]

9. It really, really does have to do with wiring.

Republicans are republicans in part because of their inherent demand for respect of authority. Authority is very, very big with republicans. Whether it is from schooling, parents, indoctrination, whatever, Republicans are generally scared people who think everyone else wants their stuff, and wants it, and their lifestyle, so badly that they'd kill to steal it from them.

My brother is a Republican. Being older than me, and on his own before me, he wound up inheriting all my fathers basic possessions when he died. All his housewares, furniture. A fews years later, when my wife and I were relocating to New England, we stayed with him for a couple of weeks while we got our new place turned on. The day we were to move out, he quite literally gave us a lecture about making sure not to take any of his stuff. He went so far as to inform us he knew how many piece of silverware were in the drawer. Now, I had never given him any reason to suspect I'd take anything from him. Never had before, I don't have a history of lifting people's stuff or anything. But he was truly paranoid that we'd take all this stuff he didn't even work for anyway. Any of you who've started a new home know how long it takes to assemble all the trappings of a "home." It often takes years. My brother moved into his first appartment with a full kitchen of gourmet cookware, a living room full of Roche-Bobois furniture, artwork, electronics. All just handed to him...and now he was paranoid that it would disappear.

For the rich end of the Republican spectrum, I think it stems for getting things handed to them too eaily. If you can get an entire house full of furniture so "easily," surely it can all be taken away just as easily, and it makes them a bit crazy, I think. George W is a great example. Never had to work a day in his life, yet he thinks he knows what "hard work" is. He is paranoid that everyone wants his stuff.

For the low end of the Republican spectrum, the same fear drives them. But since they own little but the humble ranch-style home or trailer, they fear something greater than their possessions will be taken from them. They believe the fear that a demon wants to take their souls and that evil-doers want to take their lives. It is all in the wiring. Republicans, at their core, are scared, paranoid people.

Democrats, in general, are visionary and thoughtful. Thus the joke posted earlier about reactions to "Islamic Terrorist" threats to ones family. Hahaha! "Democrats think through problems! Isn't that a knee slapper? But us strong Republicans, we shoot first and ask questions...well, we don't ask questions. That's what makes us Republicans!"

[marions ghost]

24. right --Republicans operate out of a sense of lack...

always fearful that someone will take what they have identified as theirs, the Republican mindset can NEVER be satisfied. The more they have, the more they need. It is impossible for them to feel they have enough, even if they're rich. STUFF is their IDENTITY. And to be "in control" of themselves, they must tightly control all this stuff that is their identity. And whoever they think will help them in that endless quest is who they will support. I like your translation of that fear to the people who don't have things but are afraid their very souls will be taken. Truth to that I think.

So I relate to your story about your brother. My family is full of right-leaning people obsessed with things and lack of things. We used to make fun of a conservative aunt who always had stacks of canned peanuts on hand, but wouldn't ever offer any to guests, as then she might run out of peanuts. My dad gave her cans of peanuts as gifts (Dad hated stingy people)...but she never got the message, and never offered him any.

My mother had a first cousin who also had no sisters, so they grew up as sisters. When some of the mutual family heirlooms became available, the cousin worked it so she got most of it. My mother didn't fight this--she was always above scrabbling for 'stuff' though she owned much less than the cousin, who had married a wealthy man, a staunch Republican. Mom didn't want any of the furniture but one day many years (maybe 25 or so)later, she asked the cousin if she might have 1 (any one) of the 15 or so antique dresses the cousin had inherited, as she had been very admiring of the woman who had worn them and wanted it for sentimental reasons. The dresses had been stored in an attic all these years. The cousin simply said "no" without explanation. My mother never said a word again about it. This is the same cousin who greets everyone oh so warmly at Christmas and acts like she so "cares" about everybody. Whenever I think of the quintessential grasping, controlling Republican, this woman's image comes to mind.

My mother always said, "she lacks perception about what really matters."

[mtnsnake]

11. The answer is derived from a word that's right in your title. nt

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. Because they have two colors - black and white. This is an era of nuance.

And they can't deal with nuance. Dead or alive. With us or against us. That's all they can process.

[gratuitous]

13. Because they're easily frightenable

"Frightenable" is that a word?

Anyway, I'm a little startled by the Bush administration and the Republican party paranoia. After five years of hard work and their best efforts, everything they've done against terrorism is at risk because Joe Lieberman lost the Connecticut primary. That's all it took. One adverse election result in a small state, and the terrorists are back, stronger and more frightening than ever.

Sort of makes me wonder if all the sound and fury expended by the Republicans since September 11 has been largely ineffectual. Will this question occur to any of our bulldogs in the media?

[TechBear_Seattle]

14. Primate dominance-submission instinct

Republicans, and conservatives in general, operate on a very strong dominance-submission paradigm. That is to say, anyone who represents a "strong authority figure" is seen as the alpha, and all others must either challenge that alpha for dominance or meekly submit to the alpha's dominance. You see much the same pattern of behavior in nearly all primates.

Fortunately, Democrats and other liberals and progressives have (for the most part) evolved past such animalistic behaviors.

[marions ghost]

25. how did we evolve

and they didnt? What are the key factors that make people more liberal?

[xchrom]

15. a good offense beats a good defense any day of the week.

somebody should plaster that all over the beltway dems offices.

[TheFriedPiper]

16. Perhaps, but if you can't be scored on, you can't be beaten

...o wait, is this not high school football?


Hehe, my coach always said, offense sells tickets, defense wins championships.

I don't think it applies to politics, though.


It comes down to this:

Democrats need to push the meme that Republicans are scared sissies and voting for Republicans is a sissy thing to do.

Unfortunately, that is the only way to reach a good percentage of the neanderthal vote.

[xchrom]

17. defense can't win anything with out an offense.

republicans are/were -- out to destroy democrats.

and create a permanent rule.

blending in and trying to look like repukes hasn't worked too good for dems -- so i suggest get your street fight on.

and -- the ''sissy'' thing?

you don't have to respond to my posts if you're gonna pull that language out -- that's fucked up.

[TheFriedPiper]

19. o dont get all offended

'sissy' means coward

'sissy' means frightened little bigots


in other words: homophobes are 'sissies'

[xchrom]

20. i see --

i find liberals and progressives who use that language every bit the homophobe they claim the other side to be.

but you have others here you can use that shit other than me.

[TheFriedPiper]

21. ok, wait, I'm a homophobe because I point out the cowardice

of Republicans?


WTF?


Republicans are SISSIES. How strange that that concept offends you.

[xchrom]

22. yep you're a homophobe.

a really fucked up one too -- because a someone like you should know better.

[Strawman]

18. Perpetually ignorant and fearful of "others," foreign and domestic

[MrCoffee]

23. Being scared sure beats thinking n/t

[calico1]

26. I think that most people who are

Republican have a strong belief in a strong father figure or authority. They feel the need to obey, follow orders and not question anything. I suspect it has a lot to do with how some of these people were brought up.