To me, there's nothing stupider than voting GOP because you might have money someday

[mrreowwr_kittty]

A kid called into Randi's show today, claiming to be a college student from a family of lifelong Democrats. His only problem with Obama, according to him, was Obama's tax plan. It bothered him that a person could work hard and get an education and do well financially, and then be "forced into philanthropy", as he said, by having to pay higher taxes. He sounded like a freeper putting on an act (rattled off all the talking points about capital gains and the estate tax) and Randi obviously thought so too (said she thought he was after the call) but she rebutted all his arguments anyway.

Here's the thing: I actually do know several people like this guy IRL. They're not financially well off, in fact many of them are struggling. But they are convinced that someday they are going to be affluent and will vote GOP, preemptively. Which is the dumbest thing imaginable. Voting on a future event that you have no assurance will materialize! Optimism and aspirations are great and all but if you're going to vote your pocketbook, vote the pocketbook you have NOW. It's just astonishing to me that people haven't figured that out yet.

I kid y'all not, I've had more than one person in my life tell me they vote Republican because "If I hit the lottery the Democrats will raise my taxes". :wow:

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Anothering fear-mongering tactic of the right to win votes. And it works, too

[mrreowwr_kittty]

3. It sure does.

How do we convince people to at least wait until they have Republican money before they start voting for them?

[Vincardog]

2. If you want to live like a republican vote for a Democrat

[sui generis]

4. "there's lots" of stupid people.

it's yet another form of optimism gone wrong. Actually most of the people doing the voting aren't the slack jawed yokels though - it's the 401K crowd.

They're worried about they're dwindling retirements dwindling even further with addition tax burdens, and they're somehow convinced that even just saying the word "taxes" on wall street will further blunt their portfolios.

Either way you cut it for real or imagined reasons, it is GREED.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

5. Unfortunately, a lot of them will be conned by the capital gains argument

Not realizing that tax deferred retirement accounts don't pay capital gains. So they'll vote Republican thinking they'll get to keep more of their retirement funds when in reality they'll pay more in taxes because it's ordinary income and they weren't in the bracket that got a tax cut from McCain.

[Karenina]

10. Financial ignorance.

It serves TPTB well.

[Yavin4]

6. Arrogance

First, he arrogantly assumes that he's going to be wealthy just because he's educated and works hard? Take it from a guy who has two degrees, undergrad and an MBA, professional certifications in IT and strong programming knowledge, that education and hard work are meaningless in our economy.

[bluestateguy]

7. Same mentality about the estate tax

Even when they are told that less than 2% of estates have to pay the tax, people still say they want it repealed. Why? Because they think that someday they might make that much money to pass on to their heirs.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

9. I've still had to explain to sooooo many people

That, no, the government is not going to take 50% of that $100K life insurance policy you want to leave to your grandkids.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. This is in fact a true syndrome

It's the head banging fact of people voting against their self-interest - it's part of the "what's wrong with Kansas" theorems.
I personally had a wrenching split with a very good friend who was a rabid Republican. This guy did not have a great deal of money and was in shaky health and he worked in commission sales with no benefits. But he loves him some Newt and Rush and Sean and always had get rich quick schemes. One day I said to him - "You don't get it - you don't qualify to be a Republican." (There's a mountain of subtext in that sentence - almost all of it bad. And, I was NOT suggesting that to be Republican is something that one would ASPIRE to. Republicanism is something you get freed from or cured of or enlightened against. Of course, that was almost our last conversation.

I have another close friend right now and it's almost exactly the same scenario. But we have a gentleman's agreement to never discuss politics in a heated manner and we agreed to an informal book club where I had to read a Republican screed of his choice and he had to read a thoughtful, literate, soul altering Democratic book of my choice.

[EFerrari]

11. Agreed. People want to identify with wealth more than

they're willing to look out for themselves.

[JuniperLea]

12. I want to keep my money!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktEFOpny0S0

[cobalt1999]

13. Most I know seem to vote republican due to the meme

that democrats want the workers to support the non-workers.

Even if they don't have much and no prospects for ever having much, the idea that their taxes will go to support someone not working is too much for them.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

15. Oh yes. Welfare: The Meme That Will Never Die.

I can't believe how many people will bring that up to this day. It does no good to point out how little of the treasury goes to assistance to the poor and how much goes to defense contractors. Doesn't matter. Some black woman or illegal immigrant somewhere getting a benefit trumps all.

[cobalt1999]

24. It won't die because it's powerful

The democrats need to produce some powerful commercials and ads about the businessmen welfare that is going on.

Talking only about helping the poor is a suicide tactic.

[brooklynite]

14. Ask them this question...

If you become "rich", will it HURT to pay a little more? (no Democratic candidate or President has imposed confiscatory taxes on the rich). Did George Soros or T. Boone Pickens or Steve Jobs want for money during the increased taxation of the Clinton years, and are their lives measurably better with the tax cuts they have today?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

16. The answer I get is

"It's not fair! They worked hard for that money! Why should they have to give it up!" Never mind that the person I'm talking to is more often than not broke. So frustrating.

[gateley]

17. My dad had LOTS of money - and he never voted Republican. nt

[DailyGrind51]

18. I know people like that too, and only Americans

still buy into that crap, the foreign nationals I know are far more realistic about their options for the future. This is the American "Horatio Alger Disease"!

[charlie]

19. Yeah, taxes are robbery

On the other hand, going to war to make a pinhead "look presidential" is free. Letting financiers run off the leash, then bailing them out because they're "too big to fail" is free. A treasury stuffed full of IOUs isn't any concern of his.

If that moron ever complained about the cost of living or the decrepit state of public services, I'd hit him with a two by four.

[Journeyman]

20. I have my own business, and have done considerably better than I ever expected. . .

I remain a Democrat however, have never considered anything but democratic socialism as an option, and do so because I've never lost sight of where I am from and the importance of helping others faced with the same social and economic challenges I struggled against until well into my adulthood.

A child of Okies, I was raised by a single mother who had to leave a husband left psychologically damaged by a war whose horrors he never imagined when he volunteered, couldn't cope with when he returned. She raised four children on waitress' tips and never once took government aid. She always figured there were others who needed it more than we. Together, all four of us took turns supporting each other through college. Today, as lawyers, scientists, artists and more, we all remain deeply committed to the ideals embodied in the Democratic Party. And no matter how successful we may ever be, each of us remembers where we're from and our Mother's simple belief that there are always others more needful than us.

The measure of success is not in how much you make but rather in what you can give.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

21. I don't personally believe that you should vote GOP if you are wealthy

I'm addressing these people who think rich = Republican and the illogic I'm going to be rich someday, therefore I must vote Republican now.

[PoiBoy]

22. "There are two types of Republicans.. millionaires and suckers..."

a good read here:
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/80507

not quite about the OP, but a good read about how to deal with some of these Republicon enabler/supporters...

[XRubicon]

23. Send them this link

Here is a helpful link.....

http://www.rageagainsttheright.com/becomerepublican.swf

[Brigid]

25. !!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[XRubicon]

26. :)

It is a little dated but still good stuff.