What do you say to this argument for voting for republicans?

[begin_within]

I had a long conversation with a friend tonight on the phone. He normally votes for republicans, and I asked him why. He said that both the Democrats and the Republicans are filthy capitalist pigs. The republicans are at least honest about it and admit that they are. So he votes for them based on that. I didn't come up with a counter argument for that, but I want to have one ready in case that subject ever comes up again.
Thanks!

[mrbscott19]

1. Told to me by my old man

The way it was always told to me was that the difference is that the Dems will wine ya and dine ya before giving you a proper f*cking, whereas Repubs just come up behind you in a dark alley and give it to you. Either way you're getting f*cked but at least the Dems make you feel good about it.

[TwentyFive]

6. Your old man is really cool! n/t

[fishwax]

9. welcome to DU!

[TwentyFive]

2. What was your friend drinking or smoking?

Your friend must have been joking. I would have just laughed at him and told him that he can't be serious.

If you've spent any time looking at the issues, you could spend all day educating him about how the democrats are capitalists....but want a safety net. They also think that kids from poor families should have the same chance at achieving the American capitalist pig dream than the rich kid.

Then, how about abortion - right to privacy - first admendment - separation of church and state? That should be enough to keep you going for awhile.

[begin_within]

14. My counter-argument to it is that the republicans are more dishonest than

the Democrats, but I need to come up with a list of examples to back that up. Not just specific lies told by particular republicans, but also (and most importantly) the Big Lies perpetrated by all of them.

[TwentyFive]

17. Its not about lies. Your friend just has a republican world view.

People don't vote republican because they are duped by the lies of Bush or the GOP. Rather they have a world view that coincides with the republicans. Here are some examples of what a typical republican thinks and believes:

1. GAYS: Sexual orientation is a choice. The bible condemns homosexuality, therefore it is a bad thing. All the homosexual needs to do is resist temptation, then sit up straight and fly right, just like normal people do.

2. HEALTH CARE: You have no right to expect other people to pay for your medical bills. If you get sick and can't afford a doctor, you will simply die...unless you can beg. But don't expect others to help, because they simply don't owe you anything.

3. TAXES: They believe, "Its MY money and I earned it! It is evil for the government to take MY money...but it is ESPECIALLY evil if they give MY money to others who are too lazy to work." That is unfair for me and discourages self sufficiency for them.

Can you find any lies in this?

But what about perspective? The one common thread among republicans I know is that they lack empathy. They have no ability or desire to know what a poor or abused person goes through. They make no attempt to understand gays or anybody different from themselves. They are bound by their greed and a rigid set of rules.

Sometimes, they will show altruism....but only because there are strings attached that ultimately benefit them. The perfect example of this is religion....they will gladly donate money to their church...but only because they know someday they will die...and they believe it increases their chances of 'getting' into heaven.

But the ultimate question is, do you really want to live in such a cruel society? A place where if you fall between the cracks...nobody will pick you up....unless they have some ulterior motive? I certainly don't.

[begin_within]

18. You read our minds! Near the end of the phone call, I said to him,

"You know what, you and I live in different worlds." He said, "What do you mean?" and I said, "We have completely different views of the world."

He also said that he studies every ballot proposition carefully to determine whether it will raise his taxes or not, and automatically votes against anything that would raise his taxes and votes for anything that would lower his taxes. So I believe that is his #1 issue.

Thanks for thie insight!

[pnwmom]

3. I've NEVER heard a Republican admit he was a filthy capitalist pig.

[William Seger]

10. Correct, Repugs NEVER run on their real agenda

... which is always helping the rich get richer, and which is always the only agenda they succeed at. They'd get the ass-kicking they deserve if they were "up front" about that, so instead they have to run on a bullshit agenda like anti-gay marriage, anti-flag burning, and "we're tougher than Dems 'cause we ain't afraid to send someone elses kids to war." I think Bob's friend is delusional -- a common problem with Repugs.

On edit: Oh, yeah: and TAX CUTS -- the Repugs' big carrot. "Vote for us and we'll put a few extra bucks in your paycheck, and you'll be so much better off. Then, by the time you figure out that your standard of living is going downhill anyway, we'll find some way to blame it on the Dems."

[bluestateguy]

4. I've got a better one

A woman I knew back in 2004 said that she was going to vote for Baby Bush because he messed everything up in Iraq and by God, he should be forced to clean it all up by himself!

:grr:

She has since come to her senses about Baby Bush.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. So, your friend is with the Green Party?

Same difference, same result.

[begin_within]

13. No, he's definitely a repub. He told me that when he was 12, his mother

drove him to the McGovern campaign office in Pasadena, and they picked up a huge stack of signs and posters, and promptly drove them to the trash bin and dumped them. And he went from door to door tearing up McGovern signs. A political activist at the age of 12! I did not know this about him until last night.

[Jamastiene]

7. I don't either.

My mother says she is going to vote republican next election because she thinks they should clean up their own mess. I tried to explain that will only make it worse, but she is one of those people who is always right, no matter how wrong she is.

[pnwmom]

11. You might ask her what happens when they just dig a deeper hole.

[Reckon]

8. Send him this link..

http://liberaltopia.org/?p=1016

[begin_within]

15. OK thanks.

[Toots]

12. That in a nutshell is what is wrong with the Democrats

They have allowed this meme to stand. Dems are just as bad but aren't honest about it. It tells a story about the ignorance of the common American. That is why the Democrats will lose again and again. We need to constantly over and over again sing our praises and list our accomplishments starting with founding this nation. It was not founded by Conservatives. They were labeled as Loyalists and gave comfort and aid to the Brittish. It has been the Democrats that have fought for everything decent Americans enjoy today. Child Labor Laws, Occupational Safety Laws, Clean Air Laws, Safe Food and Water Laws, The list goes on and on but most Americans don't know anything about such things. They just take them for granted without giving one thought to how they came to be. We ned to give a positive message of our accomplishment and our plan for more of the same. There was a reason that Democrats controlled Congress for forty years and even no strike that especially Republicans look back on those years as America's best. They remember the fifties as America's greatest years and want to take us back there. They were wonderful years for America, the war was over and the GI Bill which was brought to us by a Demcorat was bringing a majority into middle class. America was humming because of Democratic control. America was safe and loved throughout the world because of Democratic control. We need to remind people that what they long for was brought to them by Democrats not Republicans. Things started going to crap when Republicans started to dominate. And that is a fact.

[countingbluecars]

19. Thank you for pointing this out.

"It has been the Democrats that have fought for everything decent Americans enjoy today. Child Labor Laws, Occupational Safety Laws, Clean Air Laws, Safe Food and Water Laws, The list goes on and on but most Americans don't know anything about such things."

We are not the same!

[begin_within]

16. Basically, I need to compile a list of the Big Lies that republicans tell.

My main counter-argument is that the republicans are more dishonest than the Democrats. So I need to come up with a list of examples to back that up. Not just specific lies told by particular republicans, but also (and most importantly) the Big Lies perpetrated by all of them.