Just returned from a republican Christmas Party

[LaurenG]

Keep in mind this is Ohio. The majority of the participants were republicans. They couldn't discuss politics, they had no clue, they were totally out of the loop. They voted for bush because that is what good white Christian families in that company do. Unless they had previous experience with unions they bought the bush is good for America line back in 2000 and 2004.

At this point they are all miserable. They are all just trying to make ends meet. One lady just had her only child shipped to Iraq. They were all afraid to question and they knew nothing of O'Rielly's phone sex shenanigans and his falafel talk (they do now). They have no education in politics and most of the couples were (at least one of the husband and wife) college educated. We have a problem. They don't know what bush has done and shopping at Walmart was discussed (because it's where they knew the "lowest" prices are). They are too busy making sense of their world to understand that their president has caused them this grief. We will have to find a way to educate them and feed them the truth. They were all decent hard working people but they just weren't informed. I think I may not be welcome at their Christmas parties anymore unless more information gets out.

Just an FYI as we kick into gear shortly for the 2006 elections.

[SharonAnn]

1. Yes, I know. It shocks me sometimes that people are so uninformed.

The ones I know get their "news" from Fox News. So, of course they don't get news. They get right-win opinion. And that's all they know.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hwmnbn]

22. Hi Stymie, welcome to DU....

:hi:

[EVDebs]

31. The R's control : The WH, the Congress, and the SCOTUS

If things are going to hell in an handbasket the R's are going to look awfully funny blaming the DEMS !

[LunaC]

69. Wait...I've got one better!

I recently met someone who was proud that he never read the newspaper or watched television news, as though it was a badge of honor. I was aghast, to say the least.

[babylonsister]

2. I don't understand a family that doesn't

either read a newspaper daily or watch the news. Even if they watched Fox they'd be at least aware of what's happening in their world despite the spin.
It mystifies me as I've had news around me all my life in one form or another.

[LaurenG]

14. They are not aware YET. We will be working on this. nt

[stillcool]

16. I'm not so sure...

sometimes it seems to me it is preferable to be ignorant than to be mis-informed. There is nothing of value for me to learn from cable news.

[we can do it]

60. You 've Got Something There

Listen to this one - I saw a friend from high school, she said she watches Faux news cause she "likes what they say"...
:rofl:

[1monster]

30. If they read the local mullet wrapper cover to cover from my town, they

would be no more (perhaps even less) informed than they are now.

Many, many people are unaware of what is really going on because they have no source for real information. They don't know they are being manipulated by the corporate news organizations and the government; they don't know that they don't know. Thus they don't go looking for a reliable news source because they believe they have one.

[mwb970]

62. I'm with you.

I read two newspapers every day and keep up with everything on the Internet. Then I hear that half the public doesn't know who Tom Delay is and/or doesn't realize that he's in trouble. (Of course, half the public believes in angels, for God's sake.)

I just can't understand willful ignorance of your own government and it's doings. But it sure lets them get away with a lot of crap, doesn't it?

Are the citizens of European countries like Spain this butt-ignorant about their own government? I doubt it.

[TomInTib]

3. Atwater, Rove, Norquist, et al, realized this long ago. The ignorant

vote is what gets you elected.

"We have all the fools in town on our side and that's a majority anyplace" (or something to that effect)

M Twain

[LaurenG]

10. It was stunning, I was floored and when I saw how hard

these college educated people were working I wanted to hug each one and whisper political news into their ears. We have our work cut out for us, unless Fitzgerald can crack the cabal and put a world of hurt on bush soon.

[Ladyhawk]

68. I know some people like that and the truth is they don't WANT to know

what's going on. The few times I've tried to bring up anything, I was told, "I don't want to hear it."

[bonito]

4. I know , I see allot of it too

most listen to a.m. radio for world perspective. sad.

[Rainscents]

5. Were they all surprise? Did you ask them to research on internet?

It's so sad these people been had with their president and they thought, he was Christian.

[LaurenG]

12. It was too hard for them to hear

It was as if I was hurting them by discussing this. They are so focussd on making ends meet and getting Christmas for their kids that they just couldn't hear me.

[pretzel4gore]

25. the gadarene swine were 100 percent sincere too...

the xians should read their bibles: why did jesus send the demons into the nearby herd of innocent pigs? because he knew that one day, bush be president of usa, thanks to xian voters, and jesus wanted to warn the innocent pigs re xian voters!
(geez, i just figgered this truth out! it's a goddam miracle!)

[Dr.Phool]

7. I went to a xmas party last year at a repub womans house

She's a graduate of Ohio University, but gets all of her information from faux news.

After some ridiculous statement about Kerry, I told her she needs to call Ohio University and get a tuition refund, because they sure didn't teach her how to think.

I'm not invited back this year.

[SHRED]

8. This is typical of my area also

San Diego County.

Probably a bit more progressive here but not much.
Is there an Air America affiliate in your area?
Maybe turn them on to that although I do find that those who are clueless don't understand what AAR is talking about.

We need a pre-school program but some will always ditch class.

With the internet there is no more excuses.
Give them some good links.
Unfortunately, most drones get their info from the Boob Tube which is the #1 source for the dumbing down of America.

[LaurenG]

13. My husband is the quiet type and this was his company

When he talks people listen. I noticed that he has some standing there and could probably very slowly start to give them information. A couple of the people at our table were management and they seemed to respect my husband. If we can get them to hear we can probably get a good chunk of the west side of Cincinnati some information. (through the six degrees of separation theory). We will be making this our project or at least he will.

[buddysmellgood]

9. Well, for what it's worth, you made my Christmas more merry :)

[ngGale]

11. Blinded by the right...

besides being a good book...it's very true!

(David Brock) <should be required reading>

[ailsagirl]

15. You mean they don't realize it's bushco's fault?? Unbelievable

If we had a Dem president, they'd sure be pointing the finger!!
(no pun intended)

God, how stupid can they get?

:shrug:

[LaurenG]

17. I don't know, it's like a time warp or something

They just aren't paying attention, like it's too hard to hear.:shrug:

[ailsagirl]

20. What a bunch of sheep!!! (no offense to sheep)

Will they ever see the light? Are they really brainwashed??

:(

[ClassWarrior]

18. That sums it up. That's my experience.

I know plenty of "Republicans" who are really Democrats and are too miserably informed to realize. This is the REAL battlefront, folks.

NGU.

[jody]

19. IMO most WASP Repugs are so busy just surviving they don't question

why they continue to vote for a party that is anti blue & white collar labor and 100% for the one/half percent of Americans that own over 42% of our financial wealth and control every major multinational corporation in the U.S.

You raise a major question, "How do we get the working masses who blindly vote Republican to admit they've been betrayed?"

[LaurenG]

29. Sad isn't it. *sigh* nt

[jody]

35. Yes! IMO, our best approach is to keep repeating "Bush and the neocons

started the War on Terror and it's WASP, blue-collar sons and daughters that continue to die while Jenna and Barbara Bush along with their wealthy friends continue to party and live the good life."

That's one message that finally broke the back of the War in Vietnam and it will do so again if we say on track.

The War in Iraq is the Achilles heel for Bush and the neocons.

[Cleita]

21. Here's another FYI

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5622518

I'm not posting this to advance my thread, but because it looks like Ohio is going to be the front line in this problem.

[LaurenG]

28. Thanks Cleita, Taft is such a dumb governor

He'll do his bad deed and then leave office.

[liberal N proud]

23. Did you take a shower when you got home?

To wash all the puke off your self.
I hate getting invited to these creeps parties, they lay claim to all that white christmas hype and lay on te phony we are merry cheer.

[LaurenG]

26. Actually it was rather sad

Like they were all going through the motions but having no fun at all. I have noticed that Ohio is unlike any other place I've ever lived. The people have been "trained" to be very closed. We actually talked about it with one of the couples. I think there is a cultural mind set NOT to question -in white middle class society here. They need to be informed and riled up.

[cspanlovr]

24. How can physically and emotionally exhausted people even begin

to keep up with it all. They're kept on a never ending treadmill of stress about EVERYTHING. They just wanted to leave the worries of the country to their trusted pres. and his trusted vice. and they were sure that they would never be abandoned by this good christian man. So gullible, so innocent, so unable to even think that republican politicians would ever lie to them.

[LaurenG]

27. Or hurt them and take away the liberties that their ancestors

fought and died for.

[tridim]

32. They won't be able to ignore a Bush impeachment

and most of his staff in Prison. Stay tuned.

[mtnsnake]

33. I too just returned from a Republican Christmas party of a different kind

It's one that is hosted by a pretty good friend of mine, who unfortunately is a Republican. Even more unfortunately, my wife and I are just about the only Democrats that get invited to their annual Christmas party. Nobody else at this party would even know that, though, or care. At this party, politics is the last thing any of these people would be interested in talking about. This group is way too shallow for that and only into themselves. A deep conversation with one of these people would be talking about how so-and-so was a big hit because he pushed his wife into the pool with her evening gown on while vacationing with friends on some holiday golfing trip in the Caribbean recently.

This year, I just stood back and observed the people talking at the tops of their lungs, none of them listening, just everyone trying to talk. No music in the background either to muffle the annoying sound of conservatives trying to see who could out-talk who. I've been through it too many times before and I wasn't in the mood for mingling this time. I just took up residence against a wall and watched. Everyone looked the same in a preppy kind of way, if you know what I mean. These people were not only shallow, but pretty unfriendly to each other, even though most of them knew each other. Nothing is sincere in there. Everything is token. My wife and I sneaked out of there very early this year.

They simply are not warm people. Ugh

[merbex]

66. I had to check your options page - you sounded as if you lived in

my hometown (you don't)

I live in a town in MA that is evenly divided registered Dems vs Repugs - overwhelmingly most are Indies but lean strongly Repug - my husband thinks the vast majority are a bunch of wannabes and by that he means that these people that you have described so accurately have something of a mental check list: white collar job,nice McMansion,flashy car,belong to the right clubs (doesn't matter if you can't afford any of this - just give the appearance of being EASILY able to do so) and one must register or vote Repug.

They are shallow,bland,uninformed, addicted to gossip and networking- it is uncomfortable to be around them -the way they interact with one another is hard to watch never mind with someone they know is a Dem.

They have taken the maxim "Keeping up with the Jones'" and put in on steroids and it has brought them no happiness

[mtnsnake]

67. "addicted to gossip and networking"

You can say that again. And yes, they really are uncomfortable to be around. That is probably the best one-word description of how I feel every time I end up going to a party like that one, and politics don't even have to play into it in order to get that feeling. Yuk.

[hfojvt]

73. that's what I wondered

if they were happy. They sound kinda like the cool kids at school hanging out with all the other cool kids and trying to outcool each other. What they need to do is invite five of their closest "friends" and a whole bunch of lower middle class people that they went to school with. Then they can talk to each other and ignore the rest of the party, just like they did in school. Or heck, even talk to some of them, because it has to be easier to impress a working person with your ski vacation than it is to impress another regular skier.

Trouble is, I am thinking they all went to prep school and do not even know any working class people, except their own personal servants by sight. I have no idea how the caste system works in a prep school.

[harphunter]

71. that's what you have to do

Stand aside and watch. Shallow people hate that though. I always get approached when I try that tactic. Good on you though.

[AtomicKitten]

34. Well Faux News has done their job.

Keeping the sheep entirely in the dark. Well done.

[MadJohnShaft]

36. I find the same thing through dealings at work

they tend not to know very much, with the 'informed' Republicans being strickly of the FUx news talking-points ilk.

[klook]

37. I had 2 similar encounters this past week

In one of them, I was in a group of people discussing great leaders. I suggested Rosa Parks, and somebody said, "Well, she wasn't really a great leader. She just stirred up a lot of shit." I quickly pointed out that she and her husband were active supporters of the Scottsboro Boys in the 1930s (I think they were all too embarrassed to ask who the Scottsboro Boys were), that she registered to vote in 1942--in Alabama, no less, after several unsuccessful attempts--and that while an NAACP secretary in Montgomery, she was a youth leader of young NAACP members. She didn't just sit down in the white section of the bus one day because she was tired. She and other members of the NAACP carefully planned the action ahead of time, and she was chosen to be the one to do it.

Somebody changed the subject after that. So much for learning about great leaders.

At another gathering, I heard somebody--who I thought was intelligent and well-informed--say "Nobody could have predicted the planes crashing into the World Trade Center." I noted that in fact people working for our federal government predicted that, and attempted to warn the president, to no avail. I was dismissed as a conspiracy nut, and again the subject was changed.

It really is difficult to change minds that are so closed and ill-prepared that they don't even care about the truth. That there are so many of these people walking among us these days is a triumph of the right-wingers and the mainstream media that support them. There is much work to do.

[lostnfound]

54. "to change minds so closed&ill-prepared they don't care about truth"

you said a mouthful there.

Usually I don't even know where to begin.

[mtnsnake]

70. You are right. There is much work to do

As futile as it seems right now with "educating" right wingers about what's really going on, we can't ever give up. Each and every chance we get to explain something to these people, we have to take advantage of it. Believe it or not, sooner or later everything sinks in a little. At the very least, they'll at least be exposed to a differing viewpoint. I've got a few conservative friends who I'm comfortable enough with that I feed them more liberal ideas whenever I can. I especially get on the cases of the naive and the ignorant ones who listen to Limbaugh. I figure that what I'm telling them now will have more of an impact on them sometime down the road when someone else gives them the same message...and they realize that my message wasn't so unique. We can never give up. We've gotta just keep pluggin awaw with OUR message until it sinks in someday.

[SammyWinstonJack]

38. Why can't they educate and inform themselves? I don't have a college

degree, though I have some college (just shy of an AA in Liberal Arts) and I know what's up with this current regime. I credit the internet(s) thank you Al Gore....:silly:) for educating me, specifically DU! My husband and I are hard working and we manage to educate ourselves politically. We never take anything at face value. Question and question some more.

[LaurenG]

41. It's a weird mind set that is all I know. nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. I guess that is an excuse? LOL So do they equate 'hurting money wise"

with bushco? I don't get these people at all. They had it good under a Democratic President, life was good for almost everyone, but for that damned BJ! LOL! Can't have that, now can we? So they traded that for a pResident who screws them financially! It's all good! :silly: :spank:

[YOY]

45. Poli Sci courses do offer the best tools for analyzing things

You just take the tool sets (Marxism, Nationalism, etc...) and plug in the information. Your justification or non-justification of an issue can follow. They're fun courses presuming the prof isn't an egomaniac who is teaching his opinion (and they are out there.)

[YOY]

39. This is why it pains me to go back to Ohio

To see people who are so sheepled and suffering under the shrubbery, but still cling to their ideals that they 'did the right thing.'

How much suffering do they freaking need before they wake up?

[LaurenG]

40. I don't know but we could sure use some help here

So if you are coming think of how much good the energy of a politically educated persn could do. We should have a huge party in every large city and have all Duers come in to party and meet with these poor souls, just so they could hear the truth.

[blue neen]

42. I went to that part of Ohio this summer

to work for the Hackett campaign. I found Cincinnati to be very different than any other place I had visited or worked in. Repulsive people like Jean Schmidt get elected because it seems that the voters are very set in their ways.

I'm from Pittsburgh which is also considered a midwestern city in some respects. It's a little different here, though. Perhaps it's because there are so many universities in the city itself promoting progressive thinking. I don't know. :shrug:

Don't give up, though. Hackett's run in OH-02 showed that if the work is done you can get through to the voters. I believe in Ohio it's going to take a basic "It's the economy, people. Wake up."

Sometimes it's difficult for people to admit they are wrong. I suspect that these Republicans at the party already know that--they're just not ready to deal with it yet. They will eventually...their lives are only going to get more difficult with this administration in power.

[YOY]

44. The only time I come home is to see my folks

There are no good jobs there unless you are in some sort of secret club or have rediculous amounts of experience.

I'm happy right were I am. Every time I come home and see my sheeple high-school friends they just call me a 'librel.' Frankly, I rather enjoying those who have never left the country telling me just how their friend who has extensive international experience, speaks several languages, and has a higher level of education than any of them just don't understand how things work!

That and they don't treat my wife like a human being because she has a 'funny' accent.

Sorry OhioBlues, but unless the jobs come back those in Ohio with a hope and an education will find that they are more than welcome anywhere else.

Let the cretins soak in the mess they wanted.

[ray of light]

46. Wear orange!!! THIS is how you educate them!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5623034&mesg_id=5623034

(please kick and nom both threads.)

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

47. did they have FAUX 'holiday ornaments' on the tree

?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

48. what is "falfel talk" >

[LaurenG]

55. Recently Bill O'Rielly

was served with a sexual harassment law suit. He had been taped talking to a co-worker whom he had called talked to in a sexual way. She taped the conversations and one of the things he was talking about was her loofah in the shower. He didn't remember what to call a loofah and called it her falafel (which is a middle eastern bread ball that can be eaten in a pita or flat bread).

He had to pay this lady off and no one except a few progressive news people talked about it much.

http://www.cooking.com/recipes/static/recipe4858.htm

[tomreedtoon]

49. Schadenfreude: "It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

It may sound cruel, but they had all the time in the world to be educated before this. While it would have helped for them to have good "teachers" - i.e. impassioned Democrats who had principles and who could communicate these principles - even a good teacher can't do a thing if a person doesn't want to learn.

They had no curiosity about the world. They didn't want to ask questions. They wanted their answers handed to them on a platter. Well, they got their answers, and they are stuck. Unfortunately, we're all stuck in the same place with them; we just understand how wrong things are.

So, sing a little carol around these guys, dance a little dance, and stay informed. When the whole mess finally crashes, THEN hit them with the truth about what worthless idiots they are.

[T Town Jake]

64. Yeah....Condescending to people IS

such a vote-winning strategy, after all.

:eyes:

[tomreedtoon]

74. Well, T Town, their votes are permanently Bush's, anyway.

You'll never be able to change their minds - what few minds they possess. I thought that was the point of most of the posts on DU, anyway; an admission that the progressive policies of reasoning and logical proof never work against the emotional appeal of the Republicans. (And that progressives have no ability to find or make such emotional appeals that might swing the vote against the right wing.)

This being the case, the only pleasure we can take is pleasure at their discomfort as we all go down with the ship. Which, again, is a very popular tack to take on DU.

[MrSlayer]

50. The problem is just about EVERYONE is clueless about this stuff.

We know about it because we are political wonks. Many people don't even know who the President is let alone the shit he's done. And we really have no way to get the word out. The media certainly won't do it, they're in cahoots with the bastards despite the myth of liberal media. By the time these people figure it out it's going to be way too late.

"How the hell did this happen?" asked John from Fargo as he was placed in a relocation camp.

[Shallah Kali]

52. Unfortunalty that is true even for dems and independents

I have come across. They dislike Bush but don't know just how much major info there is against the bush administration. I mention the downing street memo and they are 'the what????????' argh!

[Lady President]

51. Also just returned from a holiday party

On the flip side, I attended a holiday party tonight throw by one of the founders of Blue 88. The "liberal elite" are still alive and well in Ohio, and working hard. It was an evening of intelligent conversation with well-informed progressives committed to change.

In other words, come to Columbus next year for your holiday outing. I feel more hopefully than I have for quite some time-- all is not lost! :)

[LaurenG]

57. Maybe we could get some help down here

I hope that Dean or the blue 88 people will send some warm bodies. I work with almost all Democrats downtown but this was the West side and a real eye opener for me. There is work to do and I didn't know how much.

[Mabus]

53. They'll listen if sex is involved

For some reason the same people who don't know what's going on in America educate themselves pretty quickly when there's sex involved. Where is Gannon anyway and why don't we know more about who let him into the WH and the WH press pool?

The next best thing that could happen to get their attention would be a missing white woman or two.

:crazy:

But seriously, the best thing that could happen in the next few weeks would be some expose on the Bush Administration on the covers of the tabloids or other magazines near the check-out stands. The average person may not buy them but the headlines seem to sink in especially when they are out doing their holiday shopping.

[LaurenG]

56. lol You are so right

Just start the story off with a little ditty and weave into the story.

[nicknameless]

58. How many of them grew up in Republican homes?

The neocons of today are nothing like Eisenhower. Sometimes it helps if they can be made to understand that their party abandoned them, that it's been taken over by crooks -- the kind of crooks that Eisenhower warned the country about.

For some, it's too disillusioning to find out that they've been loyal to a party that has been disloyal to them. It's like they were cheated on when they weren't paying attention. Some feel embarrassed to have been duped, and won't want to face the truth ... but others *do* want to know more. They may end up approaching you for answers.

[LaurenG]

59. I would venture to guess all of them

The owner is a republican and old enough to believe he has all the answers.:sarcasm:

However, he takes very good care of his employees. They have health care and paid vacations and he throws two parties a year with gifts at Christmas and a fully paid day at the amusement park in the summer. His starting pay is higher than most all others in the same field and he does end of the year bonuses (rewards based on how hard one works). He also kept all of his employees after he almost lost his business right after 9/11. He cut hours and everyone was paid less or had to work fewer days so he isn't a typical a**hat republican, corporate idiot.

These people are family oriented but not politically savvy. These and those like them are the people who NEED to know the truth. These are who we need to target.

I hope Howard Dean is aware of these ones.

[B Calm]

61. It has always shocked me to see average working people

voting republican. Republicans have used short catch phrases for years, like limosine liberals, and big government liberals to win the hearts of Joe Six Pack. It's amazing how stupid people are who believe this shit!

You'd think a political party that despises workers as much as the republican party, wouldn't get a vote from anybody making making less than 100 thousand a year salary.

[PaDem]

63. This is why the Republican Party has in inherrant advantage.......

People are generally so consumed with trying to "make ends meet" and building a future for their children that they have little time to be critically engaged in political thought and debate. The Republican platform is relatively black and white while the world we live in is very gray. The Democratic platform is not quite as easy to digest and make sense of, it requires more of us. Very frustrating, but people are so vulnerable to simplicity.

[Swamp Rat]

65. OR, talk them into getting lobotomies and/or never voting again.

:D

[Guaranteed]

72. I hope you told them to stop watching Fox News. nt