Why do you hate republicans?

[jimlup]

I was asked this question during a discussion on another forum (runnersworld.com) I thought people here would appreciate my response:

Reply to:
Reply to: I'm curious as to those events which made you form this opinion. You always come across so hostile to all things republican and it would be interesting to know what events formed that hostility. I am the first one to admit there are some things Republican which I am on the opposite spectrum (mostly social issues) but I also find some of the more liberal democrat ideologies (I know you said you're not a dem) to be equally disturbing. Personally, I wouldn't mind both parties collapsing and finally see some fresh ideas come out or at least having a viable 3rd party emerge to give Americans a legitimate choice outside the 2-party, totally partisan, system.
Posted by WillRun4Guinness

Yeah, I don't find all the liberal democrats to be as disturbing by far. I call myself a "progressive" which means that I'm more liberal than "liberal".

I suppose I'd have to work with a therapist to discover all that has infuriated me to wards republicans but let's start a list:

1. The Nixon White House.
2. The Vietnam War (granted it was started by Kennedy).
3. Racism - I grew up in the South and along with my parents was a civil rights advocate.
4. Reagan (I take issue with this regime and no that the republican mythology that he was a great president is simply false).
5. Bush I and the 1st Gulf War.
6. Newt Gingrich and the "Contract with America"
7. The long history of the blocking of Health Care reform (this may actually be what puts me over the edge).
8. The falsity of the party who pretends to be a supporter of the common man but is actually an arm of the rich elite.
9. The S&L scandal of the late 80's
10. The Contra funding and advocacy - I believe this was much worse than most Americans are aware of.
11. The denial of a woman's basic right to control her body.
12. The denial of the basic rights of Gay people.
13. The October Surprise deal with Iran made by George Bush I in order to assist in the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.
14. Oliver North
15. G. Gordon Liddy
16. Advocation for big business, corporate CEO's.
17. Undermining of Labor Unions
18. Nancy's "Just Say No!" mindless campaign.
19. Creationism and the current "Intelligent Design" stupidity.
20. Maligning science and undermining the free flow of scientific information
21. Blocking Stem Cell research
22. Stealing the 2000 election
23. Pretending to be advocates for populist libertarianism while actually supporting corporate interests
24. Denial of Global Warming
25. Advocating for the consumer society of false happiness.
26. Denial of chemical dangers in the environment.
27. Denial of chemical danger in the food supply.
28. Advocating Logging in the national forests.
29. Blocking worker rights while advocating for CEO rights and Big Business rights.
30. The Iraq war 2003.
31. Screwing up the progress made by Clinton on North Korea
32. Screwing up the US hand when dealing with Russia
33. Ignoring the truth and siding with the war criminals during the Russian war in Georgia
34. Supporting the Shah of Iran (pre 1979) and yes, democratic presidents are guilty here too.
35. Support for big oil
36. Thwarting of conservation measures and alternative energy
37. Drill baby drill.
38. Valarie Flame outing and cover up
39. Ignoring the strong warnings given by the Clinton administration concerning terrorism
40. Ignoring the pending 9/11 attacks while privately avoiding commercial airliners (2001).
41. Mismanaging the war in Afghanistan and allowing Bin Laden to escape
42. Weapons and support for Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands.
43. Support for Saddam Hussein after he gassed the Kurds.
44. Condemning the US peace movement
45. Infiltrating the US peace movement
46. Breaking the ABM treaty
47. Advocating missile defense despite lack of a credible threat
48. Illegal wire tapping in the post 9/11 era
49. Welfare "reform"
50. Ignoring Homelessness
51. Ignoring Hurricane Katrina
52. Mismanagement of government
53. Propaganda
54. Petty Parisian politics - like spending millions investigating a blow job.
55. Impeaching Bill Clinton.
56. Ignoring terrorist threats (real) while advocating missile defense (fiction)
57. Preaching abstinence only
58. Blocking needle exchange
59. Clarence Thomas
60. Robert Bork
61. Antonin Scala
62. Blocking and staling the 9/11 independent investigation and then loading the panel.
63. Allowing the charade trial of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
64. Norm Coleman
65. Sending operatives to Miami who pretended to be private citizens holding up signs that said "Gore-Loser-man"
66. Deliberately falsifying information about WMD's in Iraq and blocking UN inspections
67. Pandering to extremists
68. Advocating for concealed weapons
69. Maligning teachers and teacher unions
70. "No Child Left Behind"
71. Deregulation of Wall Street bankers
72. Regressive changes in the tax code
73. Biased election officials bending election laws (particularly in Florida and Ohio).
74. Support for Suharto in Indonesia
75. Support for the genocide in East Timor
76. Support for the coup in Chile that put Pinochet in power
77. Sarah Palin
78. Larry Craig
79. Blocking the International Court
80. Torture
81. Guantanamo
82. Blocking negotiations with Iran over nuclear material and risking catastrophic war in the Middle East
83. Cover up of war crimes in Vietnam
84. Cover up of war crimes, civilian casualties and US casualties in Iraq
85. Attacking liberals with unfounded and often false propaganda and half truths
86. Being "Holier than thou"
87. Opposing the separation of Church and State
88. Playing Parisian politics while pretending to be non-Parisian when it suits them.
89. Ignoring reason in favor of jingoism and propaganda.
...
I believe I could go on but my fingers are getting tired.

Then there are things that I suspect but can not prove. I don't claim that I am certain that republican operatives were behind all of these but I have my suspicions.

1. Vote fraud in Ohio in 2004.
2. The death of Mel Carnahan (D) in 2000
3. The death of Paul Wellstone (D) in 2002
4. The death of John F. Kennedy Jr.
5. The death of an Ohio whistle blower days before critical testimony about Ohio vote fraud
6. Secret negotiations with Pakistan regarding Bin Laden and the Afghan war
7. The interesting statistic that you are much more likely to crash if you are a democrat getting on a plane than if you are republican.

I have other speculations and I am not certain that there is not a very evil nexus of power that was centered around some in the Bush administration.
***********************************************************
Followed by:

Reply to:
Wow is right. I agree with several on your list, think many seem to fit both parties equally well and others seem to be conspiracy-based but since I lack any personal and/or credible ability to dispute any of that I won't even try. At least it sheds more light on your open disdain for all that is republican; whether I agree with all of your reasons or not; thanks for sharing.
Posted by WillRun4Guinness
Actually, I've been surprised to learn that most of what I listed in my little rant has a fairly strong factual basis. I separated that which I believe falls under the rubric of "conspiracy theory". I do suggest people spend more time becoming factually informed about their government and those that they elect to represent them. I would also recommend that they learn what alternative sources are reliable and visit them for information. The mainstream media suffers from significant bias but it is not as suggested by the republican liars and propagandists.

Oh, I forgot to mention that Bush was actually wired during his first debate with Kerry yet he bold face lied about it:



http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/10/29/bulge/index.html

Incidentally, this was suppressed by the mainstream media (the NY Times in this case) for fear that it would "influence the election".


My blog: Running and Mountaineering
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/persona/index.jsp?plckPersonaPage=PersonaBlog&plckUserId=5351014722&UID=5351014722

**************************************************
Anyway, I figured several here might appreciate my little rant. It was surprisingly easy to come it with that list. I avoided several more controversial conspiracy hunches that I have but anyway, I think folks were surprised that I'd been keeping score.

[BOSSHOG]

1. They think the constitution is a weapon

as do all conservatives.

Nice list ya got there my friend. We all need reminding every now and then. They do so much shit that its hard to keep up with it all.

[Maru Kitteh]

30. Add: They think the bible is a weapon.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. I could write a treatise to answer that question, but let me say this...

(1) They act like sociopaths; and,
(2) They use the most helpless of people as their scapegoats.

[Birthmark]

3. I don't hate Republicans

I do feel sorry for them. It must be terrible for them, being frightened of science, ideas, those with different beliefs,...well, just about everything. They deserve pity, not hate.

However, I do agree that some of the actions that they take based on their fears are heinous.

[elocs]

36. I don't hate them either. The world has enough hate without our adding to it. n/t

[slackmaster]

4. I don't hate them. Never did, never will.

Hating a person because of party affiliation or a particular political view makes no sense at all to me.

[baldguy]

5. The institutionalized stupidity.

[Arugula Latte]

6. They care about corporate profits for the very rich at the expense

of all other people and animals, the environment, and democracy itself.

[Common Sense Party]

7. I don't "hate" all Republicans. I find it a waste of energy to "hate" others

based on their ideology. I hate many of their actions, but I don't hate THEM.

BTW, what are "Parisian politics"? Since when do Repukes care about what happens in Paris?

[jimlup]

9. Yeah, you're right but

I hate the ideas and ideals that they represent and I'm certainly not going to apologize for it.

[Common Sense Party]

15. I never said you had to apologize.

Being progressive means never having to say you're sorry. I think that's how the old line goes.

What about "Parisian politics"? Was that a spell-check thing?

[jimlup]

20. Yep! Opps!

[Common Sense Party]

39. LOL! I was wondering... n/t

[Glorfindel]

8. Well done!

Recommended. :kick:

[Blaze Diem]

10. Profit before people, plants, animals

except their own

They're liars

[YOY]

11. Because they bitch about others needing personal accountablilty but have none themselves.

n.t.

[Beer Snob-50]

12. i was unenrolled until the clinton debacle.

i could not believe people could act and would do something so juvenile as the conservative majority was doing. and then the eight years of shrub just reenforced my beliefs

[hugo_from_TN]

13. I don't. Next question please.

[kestrel91316]

14. You forgot all the crap they pulled with Clinton, all the Whitewater/

Travelgate/Vince Foster/Monica Lewinsky/impeachment BS that went on for YEARS.

[jimlup]

22. I did mention the impeachment of Clinton but ...

You're right about the Whitewater stuff. They drug that out way beyond reason.

[southernyankeebelle]

16. FUNNY I WAS JUST TALKING TO MY HUSBAND ABOUT THAT

SAME THING. I TOLD MY HUSBAND I HATE REPUBLICANS, I DOWN RIGHT HATE REPUBLICANS BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND OBAMA IS THE ANTI-CHIRST. I HATE THEM. I CAN'T HELP IT. I HAVE RELATIVES THAT ARE REPUBLICANS AND I REMIND THEM WHERE THEY CAME FROM. OUR PARENTS WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY ARE REPUBLICANS. I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN THEY GOT HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT YET NOW THEY TALK ABOUT OTHERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GOVERNMENT. I KNOW THIS YOUNG LADY THAT IS A TEACHER AND COULDN'T BELIEVE I VOTED FOR OBAMA. I TOLD HER BOTH OF HER PARENTS ARE GETTING DISABIBILITY FROM SOCIAL SECURITY AND WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG SHE HAD A CHILD OUT OF WED LOCK AND SHE GOT WELFARE TO HELP HER OUT. THEY ARE SUCH LIARS. IT IS OK FOR THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE BUT IF ITS A DEMOCRAT WATCH OUT. BUT THEN I CALM DOWN AND AFTER I VENTED I FEEL BETTER AND REALIZE THAT HATING PEOPLE DOESN'T MAKE THINGS BETTER.

[jimlup]

23. Yeah, I have to remember it isn't the people themselves

but the ideas and ideals (or lack of said) that I hate about the republicans.

The less emotional and more rational we can be when dealing with these people the better I think.

[endarkenment]

38. You're right but you can stop yelling now, we are all on the same page here.

And indeed nothing much good is accomplished by hating people. On the other hand VENTING helps.

[Common Sense Party]

40. So, you hate your relatives? Oh, I'm sorry. Let me speak up:SO, YOU HATE YOUR RELATIVES???

[WilliamPitt]

17. I don't

I hate certain people who are Republicans.

:shrug:

[dodger501]

18. 2 Things:

1. They have no problem lying, exagerrating, making stuff up out of whole cloth to bolster their ideology. The ends always justifies the means.
2. Authoritarians. Either you are in the ruling class or you believe in a ruling class. David Vitter, Mark Sanford, do as I say, not as I do. Morals, ethics, and good behavior are for the little people. The little people just nod their heads and fall in line, now it's ok to verbalize your hatred of non-white people, you have permission now. Majority of the little people think they will get wealthy and become a member of the ruling class some day.

Both examples illustrate a fantasy existence, a reality that exists only in their heads.
The rest of us are stuck out here in the actual reality.

[liberal N proud]

19. Reagan, Gingrich, bu$h, Cheney and all the republicans from Congress

Do I need more?

I was without a job for 2 years due to Reagan policies and his recession.

Gingrich and his contract on American was just evil. They had one purpose, destroy the American Dream.

Now I discover that due to some changes bu$h and his band of criminal congress critters made, my company feels it is too much trouble to offer a pension.

The civil liberties they stole from us in the false claim of national security.

Cheney with his instrument of fear and what it has done to split Americans it the ultimate evil.

The current minority republicans and their obstructionist tactics.

Those are just a few personal reasons on top of your great list.


Edit to add, what they have done to journalism the core protector of democracy. Can this system continue without true journalist keeping a watchful eye on the powers that be?

[OHdem10]

21. I do not Hate Republicans. Most of my family is Republican.

When I sound Hostile toward Republicans, I try to focus
on their beliefs and policy positions especially since
the Far Right Conservatives have a choke hold on their
party. This Free Market philosophy which permeates each
and every policy of theirs has literally driven our
Country into this economic meltdown, people losing their
jobs and no hope of getting one soon, the education system
the health care system. You can take those Free Market "principles"
and trace them right down to the final blow of meltdown.

Secondly Liberalism has always been the better course and
if one goes through history all the good things done for
people were put in place by Liberals. SS Medicare for starters.
How can I NOT be hostile to policies that would destroy these.
I could go on and on, you get the pic. My hostility is toward
those backward beliefs.--not Republicans.

When you are in a family situation you learn to separate
a person's beliefs from the person. My family is more than
their politics. Republicans are more than their politics.
I will admit when it comes to Rwers they are so rabid, I cannot
always separate the Person from the Policy. People like Beck
Limbaugh, it is hard to separate. All Republicans are not
like them.

[Common Sense Party]

41. Yup. I'm surrounded by Republicans. I can't hate everyone.

What a horrible way to go through life.

[Mudoria]

24. I disagree with Republicans, I don't hate them or anyone else for that matter

[Echo In Light]

25. I know why it's assumed that if one doesn't support something they be default "hate" it....

...it's just that I disagree w/the oversimplification, even when it's obvious it isn't being used as a loaded set up. It's a short cut, so many rely on it.


In fact, though, it's an oft used semantical weapon used by the right, as well as many moderates of either side ... and my wording of that could be used as an example: "why do you HATE moderates?"

I oppose the belief and value systems that are predominantly found among those who side with and espouse right-wing political philosophies, and given the corporate culture, that extends into a grey area which includes many who don't necessarily vote repub, but basically side w/their tenets on many 'big world' issues i.e. supporting centralized power, supporting military actions, supporting the National $ecurity State ruse, unquestioning adherence to propaganda used to bolster public support for phony wars, condemnation of those who question the two party system, condemnation of unfavorable, incriminating data as "conspiracy theories," etc

Basically, in my era, the right stands for the exact opposite of everything they claim to represent and believe in. It's a party for authoritarians and suckers who believe the most ridiculous, easily disproven lies, mass deceptions and hate-based rhetoric.

[texastoast]

Great list

I don't hate the people themselves--I just can't understand why they are okay with the things on your list. I just can't see how being a good, unhypocritical person and tolerating Republicanism can walk hand in hand.

Neither can I understand how a person can vote for Democratic values then act in their personal life like a Republican.

[seabeyond]

26. no, i dont hate republicans. nt

[TheKentuckian]

27. I hate Republicans because they elect Republicans and Republicans work HARD

to bankrupt the government, disenfranchise citizens, and hoard all the wealth.

I have more disdain for the rank and file average Republiscum than their politicians, at least the politicians are working in their own self interests. I'm disgusted by the coddling they get for being neighbors and family members. Your family and neighbors are actively and with great purpose, wrecking the nation and world.

The term "it's just politics" is stupid bullshit. Politics is about everything on the macro level. People that would lash out against a theft or a murder are quick to ignore both on a massive scale.

[ControlledDemolition]

58. ... and "bein' pResident is hard work!" n/t

[hfojvt]

28. at least you admit to the hate

but don't encourage them.

I hate Republican policies and I hate when Republicans lie, and Bush is a focal point of both of those (and so is George Will) but generally I think hate needs to be limited rather than encouraged.

[LeftishBrit]

29. I don't hate all Republican/Tory voters, but I do hate right-wing philosophies

Basically, there are two parts of right-wing philosophy: (1) I'm all right Jack and the Devil take the hindmost! (economic right) and (2) All those who are different from me deserve to be punished/ hunted down/ bullied or excluded (social right/ xenophobia).

Basically, it's the philosophy of the playground bully. (1) You're smaller than me, so I can knock you down and grab your lunch money! (2) I'll get my gang on anyone who isn't part of my in-group.

Not all who support right-wing philosophy actually act like playground bullies (and some who are not politically right-wing do)- which is why I say I hate the ideas, not the people.

[gleaner]

31. Thanks for your post....

It was beautifully written and accurate. There is only one thing you didn't list and that is more subjective than objective.

I was once asked in a forum by a Republican Fundie why people hated them so. I told her I didn't "hate" her, because that takes too much energy. I did despise their ideas. She persisted with her whining about why everyone "hated us Christians." Why, why, why?

I gave it some more thought and finally answered that people hated them because they were hateful. They lied, cheated, had no regard for the rights of people who were not exactly as they were and they were and are very unpleasant about it too.

The whole conservative doctrine is anti life and anti human. You have illustrated in your post specific incidents arising out of their dislike of people who want to think for themselves, help others and use government to help people in need. I think that is one of the purposes of government. Not to abandon people in the depression to starve and wander the country homeless the way Hoover did, not to prey on us the way Nixon, Reagan and the Bush Bears did, but to help us. They are supposed to be working for us to represent our interests. Most Republicans do not and they make no bones about it.

[old mark]

32. I have hated republicans since Nixon was VP. I hate them for being smug

lying cynical manipulators of people they claim to represent but who they actually hold in contempt. I hate the politicians most of all, but have no use for the "religious" right wingers who seem to be the main supporters of the party at this time.

They are anti American scum.

mark

[Unvanguard]

33. Right now, health care reform. I'm sure I could find other reasons though. n/t

[warren pease]

34. Let me count the ways...

A lot of it has to do with the fact that GOPpiggies and fundie loons tend to be the same people.

So I hate smarmy, self-satisfied little shits who consign me to hell because I'm not into their gawd game. I hate pests who come to my house to push their senseless fairy tales. I hate idiots who think that gawd gave humans "dominion" over the earth, and all the species living here, to rape, trash, exploit and ultimately destroy because the bible tells them it's OK to do so.

I hate simpletons who consign all the vagaries of life to "gawd's will" and therefore exempt themselves from the consequences of their own actions. I hate morons who believe the fossil record was put here by gawd to test their faith. I hate mean bastards who subscribe to the systematized oppression and demonization of any group that doesn't look, behave and believe exactly as they do.

I hate rubes who venerate a dull-witted fool such as George W. Bush. I hate loud, obnoxious, rude, intrusive, superior dimwits who intone biblical passages as if they were five-year-olds reciting hexes that keep them safe and secure and dumb as a crate of anvils.

I hate binary imbeciles who see everything in black and white, good and evil, heaven and hell, us and them. I also hate that part of me, btw, although I'm big on personal forgiveness.

I hate vengeful misogynists who believe life begins at conception and ends at birth. I hate pro-life murderers.

And I really, really hate the manipulative swine -- the Bushies being the all-time reference model -- who twist the the christian religion into a set of justifications for massive bloodshed, unending war and ill-disguised resource grabs because "what's all our oil doing under their sand anyway." These people are no more christian than I am a sheet of plywood.

And so many, many more vile attributes that seem to be shared by the kinds of people who can be conned into revival tents and mass baptisms and childlike fantasies of the rapture or the end times -- and then have the gall to feel safe and smug because gawd likes them more than the competition.

My biases aren't limited to GOPpiggie-fundies, btw. I'm an equal opportunity despiser of frauds, phonies, hucksters, pimps for the lord, hypocrites and other such revolting excuses for humanity. It's just that the wacky world of fundie land seems to attract an inordinate number of these creeps, and so for once the generalization fits the specific like a pair of custom-made shoes.

If that's bigotry, so be it. I prefer to think of it as being selective about the company I keep, combined with an aversion to a particularly toxic sub-species.


sf

[Tommy_Carcetti]

35. I don't hate anybody, including Republicans. When it comes to my political philosophy...

....I see two sides:

1. The side that sees government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and recognizes that the purpose of government is to work in its people's best interests.

2. The side that sees no need for real government other than to benefit interests of the corporate and wealthy and believes desire for profit is all there really is in life.

And obviously I choose to associate myself with Side No. 1. It's that simple--that and a basic respect for the dignity of my fellow human being and the peace of the world is all that matters to me. All the rest--all the hot button issues and points of division--is secondary BS.


And nothing I believe in is driven out of hate.

[endarkenment]

37. Almost everything that has happened since 1968. nt.

[dembotoz]

42. there must be 5000 reasons to hate republicans--Can we get paul simon to sing it?

[timeforpeace]

43. Haters have to have someone to hate.

Fish gotta swim.

[paulsby]

44. i don't

i have some great friends who are republicans. i don't hate people because i disagree politically with them. fwiw, i have friends who are pro-choice repubs, and i haven't found them to march in lockstep any more than dems.

[trayfoot]

45. I definitely feel your pain.....and share it!

[damntexdem]

46. It isn't for free -- they've thoroughly earrned my hate.

I wouldn't coddle them by hating them for nothing. ;-)

[Union Yes]

47. Their ideology is based on GREED at any and all cost.

The almighty dollar is their god and flag.

[Gabi Hayes]

49. "They stand for greed that's unrestrained by shame or pity...."

high praise for Eric Blumrich, whose site is gone, apparently, as he said it would be awhile back

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWzPka0Wk1Q

http://www.ericblumrich.com/fh.html

[csziggy]

48. You left out vote roll purging and the election fraud in Florida in 2000

Plus the misuse of the Florida Secretary of State's office by Katherine Harris as chairman of the George Bush Campaign prior to, during, and following the election - all part of the election fraud.

But your list is damn comprehensive! :applause: :yourock: :applause:

[Kievan Rus]

50. I hate Republicans, I'll admit it

Here are some of the reasons:

1. They constantly beat the Bible over everybody's head when advocating for their socially conservative agenda; however, they flat out ignore passages on helping the poor or protecting the environment, which feature much more prominently then the passages they use to support their homophobia and misogyny.

2. Claiming to be pro-free market when they are in fact pro-big business (major difference, IMHO).

3. A President who invaded Iraq when we should have caught Osama in Afghanistan.

4. Tax breaks for rich people that don't need them.

5. "At will" employment instead of "just cause" employment; thanks largely to the GOP, the USA is the only major industrialized nation with the "at will" rule.

6. The "conservative movement" is nothing but a racist, sexist lobby to support straight white males with at least $250,000 in their bank accounts.

7. Denial of global warming and systematic shouting down of anybody who cares more about our planet's future than the bank accounts of a couple selfish fat cats.

8. While not all conservatives are racists, nearly all racists are conservatives.

[wroberts189]

55. I'll stand with you .. they totally suck.

Besides the thousands of reasons here is one IRAQ war based on lies. Millions dead.

[ms liberty]

51. Great list, but I didn't see one of the big ones:

The ruination of the news. It's what has allowed them to accomplish so many of the other things on your list, and the gods only know what else before they're done.

[NoPasaran]

52. Don't hate nothing at all except hatred.

[santamargarita]

53. Politics is a sport, the American Flag is a logo and everything jimlup said

:bluebox:

[wroberts189]

54. knr +24 nt

[Iggo]

56. See my sig line.

|||||||||
vvvvvvvv

[Umbral]

57. They haven't done anything for anyone, besides themselves, in a hundred years

Teddy Roosevelt was the last Republican that was worth half a damn (and just half a damn). They should have gone extinct during the 1930's.

[ControlledDemolition]

59. I don't hate all Republicans, I hate anyone involved (and their disciples) in the murder of JFK.

Let's not also forget that today's Blue-dog Democrats deserve some intense dislike.

[Virginian]

60. I am suspicious about other set ups and plane crashes, too.

Teddy Kennedy and Birch Byah were in a plane crash and survived. Teddy ended up with a broken back.

I am not convinced that Chappaquiddick wasn't some kind of a set up intended to drown Teddy.

[ControlledDemolition]

61. I'm also wandering who benefited from the 'accidental' death of JFK Jnr.

Add Paul Wellstone, actually my list is quite extensive.

[jimlup]

64. Yeah, and I believe there was another Democrat killed that way

But I couldn't recall the specifics at the moment of my rant. I also would have listed the JFK assassination under my "conspiracy theory" suspicions but I decided that it would get too much ridicule on a mainstream site.

Over the years, I have slowly come to agree with the conclusion that it was whatever dark forces exist in the republican party and they do seem to all revolve around George Bush I.

[B Calm]

62. I thought the first USA life who was killed in Vietnam was on Eisenhower's watch

[jimlup]

63. Yeah, that's true

but Kennedy greatly expanded it. Then Johnson when even further. The history of the US in Vietnam is really about an Imperial mop up mission following WWII.

[Virginian]

67. and his VP was encouraging our involvement. n/t

[Romulox]

65. I find that this kind of crude tribalism is what the PTB use to manipulate us.

I don't "hate" Republicans; I strongly disagree with many of their policies, for reason I can rationally articulate. If you make it about "hating Republicans", then a DINO becomes a Saint simply by switching his "(R)" for a "(D)".

So, tell me...do you hate Arlen Specter? Joementum? Is it about the letter or the person's character and values?

[Orsino]

66. I do my best not to hate Republicans in general.

I try to regard the vast majority of them as misled and/or ill-informed, though the party does seem to draw more than its share of the mean-spirited, too.

Most Republicans are victims of the Big Lies propagated by Big Money, which as done its best to peel them off from the rest of us.

[Union Yes]

68. White Supremacists flock to their cause.

[AlinPA]

69. How about to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate?

That's not hatred. Sort of the way I feel about a rattler who is a few feet from me.

[sez me]

70. I don't hate anyone...And that list, which I merely glanced at?

How many Democrats (who I vote for most of the time) have solved homelessness and the like? Get real!

[dmr]

71. I wrote my Congressman: "You are not trustworthy"

The Republic party insults our intelligence and tell outright lies to the American people.