Do you ever have this problem when discussing things with a Con?

[Lex]

I have a acquaintance who is a conservative and is cocksure of her conservative opinion on everything (big surpise).

She asked me why I "hate Bush so much."

Without even getting into the Iraq fiasco, I brought up the stem cell issue. She'd never heard of blastocysts or the fact that they are discarded after so many weeks anyway.

I brought up the Kyoto Treaty. Again, she'd never heard of it and didn't know how it related to Bush anyway.

WTF? I give up.

There's a difference between an opinion and an informed opinion. I decided not to even tell her that.

*sigh*

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

1. I think it's become a deep-seated emotional refusal to give up their monkey god

For some, no amount of information will get them to come into the light as Chimp love is almost a religious experience. Hopefully, it's becoming a smaller and smaller percentage.

[Swamp Rat]

5. LOL!

:D

[supernova]

2. She's con because that's what she Feels

Steven Colbert has this exactly right. They feel things are the "right" thing to do, regardless of what the facts are. :banghead:

[Dr.Phool]

3. You're wasting your breath most of the time.

But, I talked on the phone today with my 79 year old right wing fundie father.

He asked me, "Did you loan me that book, 'The Best Democracy Money Can Buy'?" I said yes. "That's the best book I've ever read. I couldn't put it down". I told him Palast had several books out.

He said the next time I come up to South Carolina to visit, I should bring him more.

[Buzz Clik]

4. I heard some poll numbers this weekend -- can't recall where.

They said Bush's approval rating nationwide was around 30% (heard that before), and the his approval with Republicans was about 60%. That's when I did an audible, "Huh?!!!" Assuming that roughly half the country is Republican, to average 30% approval nationwide, it is necessary for the other half of the country to give him a 0% approval.

Am I missing something, or are the Republicans the only ones who support him at all?

[Demeter]

12. There are a Lot Fewer Republicans Out There These Days

some people can take a hint, if it's big enough!

[DawgHouse]

6. Most of them that I talk to only care about three issues.

The Muslims who will not be satisfied until they have killed all the Christians
The immigrants who are taking away all of our jobs
The gays, who want to be married and are making a mockery of the sanctity of marriage.

:sarcasm:

[windy252]

8. That almost perfectly describes some of the actual arguments I've heard

in conservative circles.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

11. Then DawHouse, you'll have to add..."Well Clinton did _________."

No matter what you say bad about Bush they come back with something Clinton did.

I'll talk about Haliburton, and their first response is always, Clinton used them in a "no-bid contract" kind of way.

I'll talk about pardons..."Clinton did much more".

I'll call Bush a liar..."Clinton was impeached because he lied under oath".

They all have blinders on.

[DawgHouse]

13. Oh YES! How could I forget the Clinton defense?

[Yael]

7. Talk to her about what concerns you

I know it is frustrating, but give her a chance. Likely what you have to say will not have crossed the MSM channels that she frequents.

:)

[Maddy McCall]

9. They glory in their stupidity.

They've bought into the one-liner responses, and they actually think that there's something with you if you don't agree that "we have to fight them there, or we'll be fighting them here."

[dorkulon]

10. What, that they're idiots? All the time! (nt)

[treestar]

14. This one sounds exceptionally ignorant

Just cheers for the President of America, whoever that is, and looks no further.

Some of the "brainer" ones would at least urge that the stem cells are human beings and that following the Kyoto Treaty would "take us back to the Stone Age."

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. I Always Say The Same Thing When Someone Says Something Like That To Me.

When it's said to me in a genuinely inquiring way, I offer as genuine and sincere of a response I can muster with a "I wish I didn't have to, but the more I learned about all the things he and his administration have done and are doing, the more it was impossible for me to avoid".

That usually leads to inquisitive questions as to what I mean. It usually provides an opening to discuss several different topics that open their eyes to certain things. I know some here claim it's hopeless but they're wrong. In the last few years you'd be amazed how many admitted republicans have had their eyes opened to so much stuff they hadn't known, and now side completely with my view of things. Some now come regularly to my cube to find out new stuff they might've missed or come to see what new thing I might have put up on my wall o'politics. My proudest achievement was one guy, who was a really good guy to begin with, but was firmly republican and busted on me after the 04 results. We were always friends at work but we were on opposite sides of the fence. Thing is though, he really respected my intelligence and was always amazed at how good I was at my job capabilities, so this helped him listen a bit more to me. But though it took a while, I not only firmly helped him to be educated to so much of this administration's bullshit, but even in the end turned him so much in the other direction that he now comes to ME to say "hey, did you catch Olbermann last night? That special comment was great!" LOL.

So never give up on those. Just show sincerity and be genuine when talking to them, as if you wish you didn't have to hate the administration but can't avoid it due to simple reality of what's going on. Cause when it comes down to it, most of us hate for such a reason. We don't hate because he's a republican. We hate because we can't stand the deceit, dishonesty and simply harmful policies towards people who deserve better. At least that's why I fight against them anyway.

[Doremus]

16. One of our employees calls herself a Repugnican.

At their core, rightwingers are afraid of lots of things, but mostly of a society that includes "scary" people: gays, liberals, Muslims, blacks, etc., etc. They also crave a strong alpha to follow in order to feel safe.

Anyway, this woman mindlessly regurgitates all the rightwing cliches she grew up on. The other day she was talking about Teddy Kennedy being "so out of touch with reality." I asked her for specific examples to back up her statement. "He's been in office forever, isn't that enough?" When I told her no, I'd expect someone making such a claim to be able to cite specific votes or gaffes or something, she looked at me like I was from Mars. She didn't know a thing about his votes ("I was under the impression the bankruptcy bill was a good thing" ....) nor had any supporting "evidence" other than his senate tenure. Oh, and Chappaquidick of course. :eyes:

Yet she's pro-labor/union, couldn't care less about abortion and believes the government is trying to kill us with contrails. She was spooked recently by a halo around the moon and only half-jokingly said aliens were landing.

Not the brightest bulb, but I still try. I know I've been able to influence her worldview while she's been with us, albeit ever so slightly. One con at a time, Lex. Keep trying.