I just don't get it!

[Brucey]

With all the bad news, all the Shrub screw-ups, the missing explosives, Halliburton, phoney ad, estimated 100,000 civilians killed in Iraq, mostly by US planes, Cheney's lies, and so on and on and on...... how the hell can Shrub be ahead in the electoral college? What in the world is wrong with people in this country? Are they seriously mentally ill, stupid, masochistic, or WHAT?????

[BayStateBoy]

1. I Know. But Pretty Soon, They're Going to Get It....

As the Bush Administration is bombarded with terrible news in the last 72 hours, we are reminded of similarities to the Titanic.

The Captain (Smith) and the White Star Line Director (Ismay) make fatal decisions regarding navigation and speed sacrificing passenger safety for profit and publicity.

Numerous telegraphic ice warnings are either overtly ignored by Capt. Smith, or are never relayed to the bridge. Complacency rules.

Maritime regulations regarding lifeboats were sadly outdated. Design suggestions for up to 64 lifeboats had been rejected by White Star.

Watertight compartments are a huge selling point, but very deceptive as they only extend up to E Deck. (water just sloshes over the tops as the bow descends). Proposal to extend bulkheads up to C Deck had been rejected by White Star as inconvenient in the servicing of First Class passengers.

Participation in the very lucrative North Atlantic shipping routes was done with disregard for passenger safety both in terms of lifeboats and the dangers of hypothermia.

The ship's status is a closely guarded secret. Only some crew and lst class know the "truth" about the fatally damaged ship.

Atmosphere remains upbeat. The music plays on as the bow disappears under the water. Crew constantly denies any real danger.

Even when the distress rockets are being fired, many passengers just don't "get the message."

Even after the ship breaks apart many believe that the stern will become its own "lifeboat."

The "California" sits about 8 miles away with her captain asleep and her telegraph shut down as Titanic sinks.

The "mortality" is comparable to the class divisions on the Titanic. Gates from the 3rd class are locked preventing many in steerage from reaching the boat deck.

A pampered lst class has monopolized the lifeboats and enjoys music and drinks up until the sinking.

Ismay eschews any responsibility and escapes in a lifeboat.

Inquiries in America and Britain are a cover-up.

Monetary compensation to the victim's families are a joke.

[Gothmog]

2. There is a lag between bad news and effect on polls

The DUI in 2000 took several days before it had an impact on the polls in 2000. This type of bad news will affect the polls at some point. Just be patient.

[Cerridwen]

3. Misinformation - I don't think "they're" reporting the truth at all n/t

[Skittles]

6. I no longer think that is it

the people know what's going on - I think they put the interests of the GOP above the interests of America and I think churches have a lot to do with it

[Atman]

4. They are only people

Not some mystical body. Just a bunch of Joes, like you and me. And this has ALWAYS concerned me, because we really don't know anything about who these "people" are. Why does it concern me so? Because of the billions BushCo has spent on this campaign. How much cash -- the missing millions from Rumsfeld's Iraq slush fund, for instance -- would it take in the right electoral pockets to buy some votes. It is certainly more plausible and possible than buying real voters, which are just too numerous to possibly reach individually.

[aden_nak]

5. I was playing Counter-Strike Source the other day. . .

And normally I go by "The Slowest Reload" (since that's always how I die). But lately I have changed my handle, temporarily, to Bush 04 = Draft 05. I wasn't the only one with a political message in their name on the server*, so, of course, the election came up.

A few people said they were voting for Bush. One guy explained that he was in the "Air Force Reserves" and that there clearly was not going to be a draft. Bush had even said so. And then he said something that almost scared me:

"plus Bush hunts down the terrorists"

I responded with:

"Yeah, like Osama bin L. . . oh, wait, nevermind."

No response to that. But what I realized was that a lot of people are voting for Bush ONLY because they think he's some sort of anathema for terrorism. If there's one image that needs shattering, it's that one.

* There was a player on my server named George W. Bush on the opposing team. I had to go out of my way to find him sometimes, but it was well worth it.

[AG78]

7. It's not about news

It's one group vs. the other group. It's not as if this is new. The news doesn't matter. One group is supporting one man, the other is supporting the other man. It doesn't matter what happens, nothing will change that. At this point with ABB, it doesnt matter what Kerry could do or say, he's that group's man. With Bush supporters, they don't like liberals, so he's that group's man. There's no way that changes.

Which is why neither side will accept the other if they win, whenever we find out who does win, which won't be anywhere close to November 2nd.

If everything else that's happened since 9/11 couldn't stick to this administration in this country, why would anything stick to them now?

[prayin4rain]

8. I swear it will drive you crazy trying to figure that out.

I wonder that alot too. I try to keep it out of mind, but several times a day it creeps back in and I am just astounded, I can hardly believe ANYONE is supporting him. Sadly, I have a friend who is voting for him and some days when she calls I just can't even pick up the phone. I am so disgusted with all the destruction he has caused.

[calmblueocean]

9. Kerry answered this on NBC News last night

Brokaw had a very snarky, mean-spirited interview with him: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6354942/

Tom Brokaw: Senator, if things are so wrong in Iraq and in America, why is this election still so close, just the weekend before Election Day?

Sen. John Kerry: Because it's polarized. And because the Bush campaign has mostly run a very negative campaign to push the hot buttons of polarization. So it's very hard. Particularly when you're a nation at war.

Brokaw: A number of people even in your own party, however, say, "look, it's anybody but Bush." They're still not warming to John Kerry.

Kerry: Well, I don't agree with that. Everything in our indicators show differently. The rope lines, the people that I'm meeting around the country. There's an energy out there.

__________

That line about "anybody but Bush" is just a lie. Who says that?

Kerry is totally right. Of course it's hard to get people to change their commander-in-chief in the middle of a war, especially when that commander keeps telling them that doing so will be disastrous and will invite more attacks. There's no harder task than running to replace a president during war. But people can only ignore all the evidence to the contrary for so long. That's why Kerry is going to win.

[animuscitizen]

10. Is it possible that many people are brainwashed?

If people feel angry, weak, depressed, powerless, they can become prone to manipulation.

Case example: My brother moved from NY to an ultra conservative area of Colorado several years ago. He has always suffered from periodic mild depression and anxiety--indicating psychological vulnerability. During recent years, he has gradually become very conservative. When we discuss politics, he is not ashamed to spin the facts--just like his favorite conservative news commentators. From my brother's perspective, his unwavering support of Bush often boils down to one distorted view of one issue--taxes. He also agrees with the black and white perceptions of many ultra conservative media commentators on various issues. He is an educated person and used to be more open minded. Now he expresses a sense of feeling empowered by right-wing political thought. He channels his personal angst into a distorted view of reality. Unfortunately, facts have become irrelevant for my brother and perhaps many others.