How to destroy a republican politician with a simple philosophy-question:
"What thought-process did you use to come to this conclusion? Why is exactly that your opinion? How did you come to this conclusion?"
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"Reality has a liberal bias." It was joke by Stephen Colbert, but it gives us a look into the brains of Republicans.
Republicans pretend to be clear-cut no-bullshit kind of guys. Far from that. The republican world-view is very delicate and based on political correctness. How can I say that?
1. Republicans think science is one huge conspiracy.
People don't become scientists because they are curious and passionate about something. They become scientists to show off how smart they are and how stupid other people are. If someone is a scientist, that in itself is a hidden insult aimed at Average Joe.
(Do you remember the vitriol aimed at "Professor" Elizabeth Warren? She must be an evil person, because she's a professor.)
That's why Republicans insist on the "wisdom of the people" and Jeb is obsessed with his garage-tinkerers tackling global technological problems.
2. Republicans think (almost) anything is up for debate.
Republicans are big on negotiating, twisting, scheming, misleading. Why? Because they regard nothing as fixed.
- Geneva conventions? Quaint.
- Torture? It's not torture if we don't call it torture.
- Religious freedom? Absolutely. But only for my religion, not for others.
- Make America great again? Only an uncaring narcissist can fill the role of being the most important servant of "We the People".
- Or when Bill O'Reilly didn't like a guest's answer that his proposal is unconstitutional: "I don't care about the Constitution! The Constitution isn't here right now! You are here!" (Real quote, look it up.)
- Or how about Ted Cruz? He said that the fact-checkers call him wrong because they have an agenda.
That's also why Republicans fundamentally distrust science: Science doesn't fit into this world-view. You cannot negotiate with science. You cannot bully it, you cannot buy it. You cannot enforce the results you want.
Republicans think that this insistence, that an objective truth exists, is idiotic.
There is no absolute truth. Anything is up for debate and reframing and people only insist that global warming exists because it's their religion.
3. Republicans obsessively enforce political correctness.
http://www.salon.com/2016/01/17/this_is_donald_trumps_biggest_fiction_and_the_engine_of_his_insane_rage_machine/
- Say "Islamic Terrorism!" SAY IT, DAMMIT!
- How dare you criticize the army for the sexual assaults it can't handle?
- How dare you disrespect the warriors defending our country by not summarily calling each and every single one of them a hero regardless of what he has actually done?
- How dare Homeland Security claim that US-militants and Sovereign Citizens are a terror-threat? YOU TAKE THAT BACK!
- How dare you say "Happy Holidays?" It's "Merry Christmas!" This is a War on Christmas!
- How dare Obama visit a mosque? He's not supposed to visit a mosque! He's so divisive!
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Now, what happens when a Republican gets asked to elaborate step-by-step how he e.g. came to the conclusion that Obamacare is a job-killer when the data shows 5.7 million jobs added since Obamacare was enacted?
1. The Republican cannot claim that he went by the cold, hard facts. Only smug elitist scientists who think you are stupid go by facts. (And there's the real risk that people would actually check your sources.)
2. The Republican cannot admit that facts, e.g. job-numbers, are an impartial arbiter more powerful and accurate than talking-points and media-hype. (That's why Republicans love anecdotes: "People are hurting!" - "Ted Cruz' family lost their health-insurance because of Obamacare! Well, actually not, but that's not the point!" - "I stabbed a guy."
Because that would be a precedent of giving science and cold data credibility and that would only open the Republican to an attack by science and data in the future.
3. The Republican cannot stray from his talking-point that Obamacare is a job-killer.
He.
Can.
Not.
Because it would be politically incorrect to say that Obamacare is not a job-killer. And that would make him a pariah in the republican party.
Even when cornered and faced with evidence, a Republican cannot admit his attacks are baseless. Because there are some things you just cannot say as a Republican!
(Quick: Name a Republican who publicly said that the whole Obama-born-in-Kenya rumor is bullshit.)
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A simple question: "How?"
And the Republican will not be able to answer it.
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