Republicans don't believe in the common good

[niceypoo]

That is their philosophy in a nutshell, and it is a tragedy for this country.

My republican church lady boss and I were debating social programs. I asked her, "why do republicans hate the common good?" At first she tried to deny it, but upon realizing it was true she became red in the face with embarrassment. She had simply never thought of it like that.

I would love to see this asked of republicans on FOX or on the MSN:

"Why do republicans have such total disregard for the common good in this country?"

[JuniperLea]

1. Jesus was a socialist...

And was all about the common good. Weird how these asshats miss the main thrust of his message, but continue to use his name... to me, that's the definition of using the Lord's name in vain.

[lob1]

4. I wish I could K&R your answer to the post.

[JuniperLea]

9. Thanks...

It's my new ode to hypocrisy... I have very interesting conversations with my TeaBaggy cousins who also fancy themselves Christians:)

[Clio the Leo]

12. Wasn't he though?

And the first Christians were a bunch of commies. Acts 2 & 4 .... to many of my fellow religious types seem to skip over that part.

[JuniperLea]

24. They don't want to talk about that part...

Only the tid bits of scripture they can twist to suit their greedy needs.

[niceypoo]

14. I work with a baptist minister

From my conversations with him I came to this conclusion: The GOP is a pseudo christian money worship cult. He doesnt know where RW talking points end, and Christianity begins. They are one in the same to him. Ironically he knows almost nothing about what is in the bible, and he has a bachelors in 'christian ministry.'

[JuniperLea]

23. Whoa... that's just bizarre

I hope he doesn't get confused and start preaching in talking points... but then, would the congregation notice?

:shrug:

[niceypoo]

28. GOP talking points are bible, to him

When I get into any debate with him he gets very hyper and excited and will say anything in the heat of the moment and always ends up overplaying his hand and saying something offensive or insulting. Any disagreement is personal with him. One day he told me that his churches goal was to 'go back to the way Christianity was in medieval times.' He is a systems administrator and a computer programmer and he wants to devolve back to the medieval levels? I cant even fathom that.

Ironically he is a very intelligent guy, he is a whiz at network administration etc. On anything else, science, politics, religion, he is a clueless, obnoxious, dolt.

[JoePhilly]

2. They see the economic pie as being of fixed size.

Given that ... anything that you get, comes at their expense.

Liberals actually work to GROW THE PIE ... the goal is to make more people prosperous.

The right wing doesn't get that. They see all Americans as in competition with each other for that "fixed pie".

Liberals see Americans as in competition with the rest of the world for a "growing pie". Grow the pie, you expand prosperity.

Conservatives also tend to be MYOPIC, narrowly focused. They are not forward thinkers. They tend to look BACKWARDS. Change scares the hell out of them. They need consistency.

They hate complex problems and assume there is a simple answer. When that fails, throw up your hands and claim it is "God's Will".

And so, how do you ensure the common good? You let God handle it.

[Blue Meany]

6. I tthink you have it somewhat reversed

Conservatives always talk about growing the pie ("a rising tide lifts all boats"), and seem to believe that infinite growth is possible. Liberals do try to actually grow the pie, while also trying to distribute the piece a bit more equitably.

But the reality is that we live in a finite world, so there is a limit to growth and we are already approaching that limit. The US hit peak oil decades ago, and the world has either done so or will soon. There are limits to all natural resources. In the end, nature is the real economy, the one we all derive our sustenance from. This being the case, we really do need paradigm that recognizes these limitations. And I suspect that in such a paradigm, a super-rich class as we have in the US will simply not be viable, if the rest of us are to live decent lives. But we will probably all have to live differently, using fewer material resources.

[JoePhilly]

27. That phrase is generally attributed to JFK, not to conservatives ...

And with regard to economics it is often referenced to Clinton, as a response to "Trickle-down" economics from Reagan and Bush.

The POINT in the later is that the way to grow business and GDP is not to throw money at big business, but to ensure that more Americans have the financial ability to participate in the broader economy.

To put this another way, and in current terms ... the best way to sell more big screen TVs (which helps the economy) is to ensure that more Americans can afford them.

That is, the way to grow demand for new products is to continually improve the standard of living for all Americans ... thus, grow the pie.

BTW ... this has little to do with peak oil. It has to do with a continual improvement of the "standard of living".

As a simple example ... my house has air conditioning. My ancestors did not. So ... do I need it to live? Probably not. And so if not ... should we get rid of it? No. I don't plan to do that.

Humans have always used resources, and at times, determined that they needed to manage the way they did so. Kill off the entire herd and your village dies too.

My point is that the GOP is unable to adapt. The resources, and their usage is fixed, in their minds. The idea that solar or wind energy could replace oil and coal scares them.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Neither does our media.

[niceypoo]

10. Pundits need to

...Ask republicans why they believe the common good is bad for this country. There is no rational answer.

[Supersedeas]

15. their Advertisers are not commoners, and they cater heavily to those with Capital

[CTyankee]

5. Odd that they are called "Republicans." The whole idea of a republic

is that it is for the people, not a king or a duke or a pope. Behind it is the Roman "res publica," or public thing. Our country was founded on this idea. The Founders often referred to the Roman Republic as an ideal. The city of Cincinnati is named after Cinncinatus, the Roman citizen who left his plow to fight for the republic and then returned to his plow. I think there is even a painting portraying the founders as Romans in the era of its republic.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. To them common good translates into socialism. To these reptiles there's no such thing as "the

common good" when it comes to our society. To each his own. That's why they attack the concept of social justice.

[louis-t]

8. It's "every man for himself" every day.

Too bad if yer not white or a woman.

[HughMoran]

11. Common Good = God

Republicans hate God.

[niceypoo]

26. Christianity is used to justify their selfishness and greed

The GOP is a religious cult in which money has replaced God as the main focus of adulation. Christianity only serves to justify the greed.

[Clio the Leo]

13. The President said it best, "Republicans believe in pulling yourself up by your own boot straps..."

"... even when dont have boots!"

[PassingFair]

16. Only the "deserving poor" need apply, and then on bended knee only.

Hypocrites on the march.

Onward Christian soldiers!

[Ramulux]

17. Because they are obsessed with individual rights

to a retarded degree.They dont understand that, that which benefits society as a whole benefits the individual. They think it is the other way around, and that is obviously not true.

[niceypoo]

22. Once upon a time, it was about 'rights'

Now it is about spite, pure and simple.

[amb123]

18. Because they confuse the "Common Good" with "Communism".

Yes, Republicans are that simple minded.

:grr:

[OHdem10]

19. Rugged Individualism. Rush has a "gospel" on this.

[old mark]

20. No, they don't and they are worse than ever before. nt

[dennis4868]

21. Repubs believe in....

party before country therefore they say FUCK the common good.

[COLGATE4]

25. What should be the slogan of the Rethuglican Party:

"I've got mine. Fuck you."