The Reason the Political Right Invokes Love of Country

[Tony_FLADEM]

When Conservatives praise America this gives them a free pass in their minds to do anything they want. Since they "Love America", if you criticize something they are responsible for i.e. lying to start the War in Iraq, what you are really doing is criticizing America and all the good the country has done throughout it's history. In other words, they hide behind the American Flag. I wish Democrats understood this.


Tony

[fascisthunter]

1. Because They Really Hate the Country

but love their narrow minded vision of what they think the country should be for themselves and nobody else.

[leftofcool]

2. Yep, this is how we lose elections during war time

In fact as far as I can remember there has never been a liberal anti-war Dem elected to the presidency during war time. McGovern deja vu

[magellan]

3. Plenty of Dems and others on the ground understand this

The problem is Congress doesn't stand up to it and rip the flag away to expose the crime.

[gratuitous]

4. I'm not going to sit here and let you bad-mouth . . .

The United States of America! Gentlemen! {Begin humming "Battle Hymn of the Republic"}

Yep, it's been a staple of their irrefutable rhetoric for over a century.

[nels25]

5. More is the Pity is that it works

especially against Re-pubs who have no or questionable military service (Reagan, Bush 2).

Bush Sr was a legitimate war veteran shot out of the sky in the pacific, Dole has nazi metal in him due to being horribly shot up near the end of WW2 leading a platoon in Northern Italy.

In both cases Bill Clinton was able to win, and I do not recall him having to stoop to belittling their legitimate military experience.

Simply put the nation (as a whole) generally does not like legitimated war veterans dragged through the mud (the exception being the John Kerry's of the world who served then turned anti-war, and then was slow to defend himself when slimed, IIRCC the swift boating did not really start to take hold as an issue damaging him till 2-3 weeks after it started. Like most I believe that had taken on this issue early and decisively than we would be talking about a Kerry re-election at this moment.).

If we question McCain on his overall integrity (lacking some future happenstance that makes it a more legitimate issue) we will not look well to the nation.

The NYT identifying his son as a combat soldier in Iraq will I guarantee you not sit will with a good chunk of the populace.

Now think of what it would be like if his son is hurt or God forbid killed, or some in his unit are killed because they have become a special target due to McCain's son being in that unit.

If we come out strident anti-war if this happens, well than we deserve the derision we will get.

Obama handles this the proper way. He never fails to give McCain the respect he has rightly earned with his service, but still makes his point on policy issues, it is why current polls not withstanding he will win in November.