Would Dennis Kucinich or Bernie Sanders Have Better Luck With Your Tea Party Relative?

[TomCADem]

I think of my uncle who is a nice guy, but when he talks politics, he sounds like a walking Glenn Beck soundbite. I am sure everyone on this Board has a family member, or several, who live in a Fox News world, whose political views consist of unattributed Fox and Friends quotes. Now, think of the 2010 elections when Tea Party Republicans who were pumped full of righteous rage on Glenn Beck and and Rush Limbaugh, and who really did believe President Obama was a Marxist who was born in Kenya, and ran for Congress, beat the establishment candidate, then won in the general election. Think Sharron Angle. Or, my uncle.

Now, I am sorry, but I just don't see Bernie Saunders or Dennis Kucinich having any better luck with my uncle, then I do. Indeed, they probably would be worse off, because they aren't family, and they are unabashedly left. Worse, to the extent that Bernie Saunders or Dennis Kucinich made any sense to them, then they would simply watch Fox News, which would validate their lack of logic, and respond by more loudly yelling the talking points of the moment.

The fact of the matter is that the U.S. elected these folks to Congress in unprecedented numbers in 2010. Their platform was to tame the deficit, and for better or worse, they are going to do it, not just because of politics, but because they actually believe their own talking points. This is why Boehner is having a problem. He understands that the talking points are full of shit, but the freshman class is full of political novices and activists who really do believe in the right wing gospel of tax cuts, as well as the mythical deity of a Reagan who never raised taxes.

Again, picture your right wing, Fox News loving relative. Now, recall trying to debate them on what seemed to be basic fact like President Obama not being a Muslim. Recall that sense of frustration you felt? Now, do you think that Dennis Kucinch or Bernie Saunders would have better luck with them on something more nuanced like fiscal policy?

My point is that the far right freshman Republicans are scary, and not fit to govern, because they really, really do believe the right wing talking points. It is not like they were elected, and suddenly became slippery politicians like Mitch McConnell, who strikes me as a guy who knows he is full of s*&t. Yet, the American people elected them to Congress in record number in 2010.

Well, the American people are getting what was advertised, people who really, really do think that they key to a right wing utopia is to cut spending dramatically and to cut the debt ceiling. I bet a lot of these folks didn't even know what the debt ceiling was until they got to Congress, which is why Boehner and Cantor had to have study sessions to educate the new members about what it is, which oddly enough probably contradicts what they heard on Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, and contradicts the pledge they signed to Grover Norquist.

So, what I am saying is that we should stop hoping that all Republicans know that their talking points are B.S. Some do, but a lot of the freshman class, are probably like your favorite right wing, Fox News loving relative who actually believes the propaganda, which is what them scary and not fit to govern.

Now, for those of you who don't have a Tea Party-type relative, then you are missing out, because it is sometimes just amazing what they claim to be fact. They are family, and I love them, but I would never, ever elect them to Congress. But, we did in 2010!

One last thing, my anti-government relative. He's drawing social security, and he sees no problem with that because thinks he paid for it like some annuity. Thus, when he says he receives no government assistance, he is dead serious.

[EFerrari]

1. I listen to Bernie talk to right wing nutcases every week on Thom's show.

He's great. You should catch him sometime.

[TomCADem]

3. Thomm Hartmann Is A Progressive!

The fact that you have a right winger calling into a progressive show is not exactly representative, since that means you have a right winger who is actually going out of his way to engage the left. What would be more representative is having Bernie Saunders on Glenn Beck and fielding calls from the liberals are Marxist crowd. Heck, picture Bernie Saunders on Fox and Friends.

I don't think that Thomm Hartmann audience and listeners are representative of the Tea Party crowd.

[Bluebear]

2. Sanders. Bernie Sanders.

Just sayin'.

[TomCADem]

4. K, Fixed It. I Should Have Used Nancy Pelosi for my example.

But, my right wing relatives just instinctually hate her, while at least Bernie Sanders and Dennis Kucinich might get in a word edgewise.

My point is talk to your most right wing relatives about politics, but resist the urge to immediately try to contradict them. Just see how their whole world view fits together. What is facinating is just how true they are to the talking points.

Now, imagine that same relative in Congress.

[Bluebear]

5. :) I think Sanders would get farther with said Tea Party neanderthals.

[JDPriestly]

6. I'm a 100% Democrat. Never been anything else.

I am on Social Security. It is not government assistance. It is a retirement insurance paid for by working people. You pay your premiums each month while you work. And when you meet the conditions for benefits, just like any other insurance policy, you get your benefits based on the level of premiums you paid in while you worked.

Social Security is not a hand-out from the government. It is an earned benefit.

Some people pay in and then die before they receive benefits. Some people live a long time and receive lots of benefits. It's like any other insurance policy in that respect. We have been paying our homeowner's insurance for many years and never had a claim of any size. We are lucky and we still get our benefit -- which is being insured just in case. That is the benefit that people get from Social Security even if they don't get benefits. They are insured just in case they live a long time.

[TomCADem]

7. Social Security Is A Government Program! It Is Not A Private Annuity!

And there is absolutly nothing wrong with that. Why should I be ashamed to receive social security? For goodness sakes, why should we have to hide the fact that Social Security is a government program?

I would have absolutely no problem drawing on social security, and I plan to.

[flvegan]

8. Hold on...you're suggesting that Kucinich would actually have a chance

to speak in a debate? To be heard? Not silenced by impotent shitwits hellbent on handing us this or that?

Heh, that's funny. Fox, et al have no interest in that. Thanks for playing.

[OutNow]

9. It's Not About Your Uncle

I have a BIL just like your uncle. I have learned that his rants cause the rest of the family to cower in the corner to avoid his wrath. He is really obnoxious and will go on and on about with his right wing shit. Since no one challenges him, he assumes his position must be right. But not when I'm around. I have zero tolerance for both his tight wing garbage and his bullying of family members. I'm no Bernie Sanders, but I can give him all he can handle. But I know it's not about him or me. I try hard to support the rest of the family during our discussions. I want them to learn that right wing bullies are really cowards and that their opinions are worthwhile too. A few times the discussion will evolve and I end up talking to the other folks and ignoring crazy BIL. He really hates it when he's not the center of attention.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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[Edweird]

11. Your teapartier uncle is a member of congress?