"Are Republicans Stupid?"

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2013/10/14/163633/64

"Are Republicans Stupid?"

by Geov Parrish
Mon Oct 14th, 2013 at 04:36:33 PM EST


This morning I spoke to and with a group of about 100 middle school students - something, by the way, I think everyone involved in politics should do on a regular basis. I love middle and high school classes because the students ask the questions that adults never do - either because adults are worried that the question will sound ignorant or dumb, or because we know too much detail and miss the simple, big picture. Plus, kids that age, on average, have exceptional bullshit detectors. It's a blast.

My task was to explain, as neutrally and concisely as possible, the government shutdown and debt ceiling crisis, and to take their questions.

snip//

A lot of students didn't get why this couldn't be resolved ("Can't the president just make them do it?" "Don't they know that people are suffering?&quot or why other countries never have something like a government shutdown (cue explanations of the strengths and weaknesses of our unique government structure, and the purpose, when it works properly, of checks and balances). Several students had parents who are public employees for the city or county; they were worried that their dads would be laid off. ("Those are separate budgets, so, no - but in the long term they get affected by the money that filters down from the state and feds.&quot And so on. After about 20 minutes of listening to this, a small kid up front raises his hand and asks, simply, "Are Republicans stupid?"

Because the teachers wanted me to keep it neutral, I couldn't directly answer his question either truthfully ("Well, actually, by demographics Tea Party supporters tend to be among the least intelligent, least educated, and most poorly informed segments of our society&quot or how I'd answer it publicly ("Scientists have yet to devise a scale that can accurately measure just how stupid some of these people are.&quot Instead, it's a discussion of how different parties have always had different ideologies, values, and priorities, but with the rise of the Internet and separate conservative media outlets like Fox and talk radio, Republicans are now also operating from a different set of facts - like that climate change isn't happening, or a default wouldn't be a big deal. That can be because someone's stupid, but it can also be a product of what they're exposed to or what it's convenient to believe - not necessarily a function of intelligence. You wind up pulling a lot of punches.

But yes, Virginia, a lot of these people are mind-blowingly stupid. It's true.

The reason I mention all this is because these are sorts of questions and conversations, in adult contexts, that polls suggest a lot of adults are also having. People just can't believe this is happening.

It's an open question how long the average American political memory lasts, but if the questions of 13-year-olds are any indication, the damage to not just the Tea Party but the Republican brand is going to last even longer than many Democrats think. And that's if they don't, you know, trigger a global economic collapse.

[HooptieWagon]

1. I think George Carlin put it best:

"Look at how stupid the average American is. Now realize half of them are even stupider."

I think the politically correct term to call them is republicans.

[awoke_in_2003]

7. I want to laugh...

but tears may be more appropriate

[Coyotl]

2. Stupid enough to think half the people are stupider than they are!

[applegrove]

3. They have been softend up by right

wing radio, fox news and other groups to addle their brains with all sort of fears and pronoucements that they should noy be thinking for themselves. Psychopaths will do that to their marks.

[warrior1]

4. Yes.

[Tom Ripley]

5. Yes, all of them with the exception of the cunning ones.

[mysuzuki2]

6. I have a one word answer to this question.

You're damn tootin' they are!

[charmay]

8. So stupid that they're scary as hell.

[Jamaal510]

9. The rank-and-file ones are definitely dense upstairs,

but I'm not sure about the elected Republicans or the mouthpieces in the media. Considering that RW talkers like Alex Jones and Limbaugh get paid handsomely for their jobs, I really don't know if they're genuinely dumbasses or if they are just overpaid liars who only want more tax breaks and to exploit people's fears to get them tuning in every day. Same thing with Palin--does she believe some of the shit that comes out of her mouth, or is she just saying this to get a group of fools to send her money?

[xfundy]

10. As Limburger said, paraphrased:

"When those libruls tell you that listening to Rush means you can't think for yourself, here's what you tell 'em." Followed by bull excretions over the airwaves.

[Scuba]

11. Is the Pope Catholic? Oh wait, that one doesn't seem to be working right now.

[Katashi_itto]

12. I think it goes further. I think it's the average American who is basically just

slightly smarter than a Golden Retriever with a smartphone. Teabaggers? Maybe half that.

[bluedeathray]

13. "Scientists have yet to devise a scale ..."

Indeed Sister!