Politics as "team sports".

[MGKrebs]

Perhaps another one of my not-so-insightful analyses, but nevertheless...

Given the unbelievable hypocricy of repub leaders, and the blind obedience of the repub general population, it occurs to me that this is much like a team sport to many of them. Policies don't really matter, ethics don't really matter, it's all about THEIR team winning. Once they have picked a team, that team can do no wrong, and every opportunity to gain an advantage over the opposition should be taken.

The 'pubs strategy I think, has recognized and encouraged this. They don't really want people to pay too close attention to the details of issues, or make decisions based on actual issues. They just want them to support THEIR team, under any circumstances. It's just an anti-Dem strategy. Dems are the enemy, anything Dems do is wrong, anything 'pubs do is right. "Our" team must win.

But this makes me wonder what is used as the "score". It seems it is just winning campaigns. Getting their people in office, regardless of who they are or what they stand for, as long as they have an "R" by their name (witness Ahnold). The old Vince Lombardi philosophy. Lombardi is held up as a great hero of sports, but if he really believed that bit about "winning isn't everything, it's the only thing", then I have little respect for him. Same for John Gruden (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Guy works 18 hours a day. His wife says he is hard to live with, and she and the kids barely knows him. We are going to make this guy out as some hero/role model? It's SPORTS fer cryin' out loud. Give him credit for being successful, but presumably he made a committment to his family too. He is no role model.

There are a couple of sports teams I dislike because of the way the play, their arrogant attitude, their disregard for academics, etc. But I'm sure the fans of those teams overlook those things as long as the team wins. See what I mean?

Whereas I like to think that OUR team feels like it must win by playing by the rules and WE keep score by the policies impemented.

Thnak you for indulging me.

[Javneh]

1. reminds me of Spaceballs

If you'll excuse the crude analogy. There's a line from Lord Helmet where he states Evil will always win because Good is stupid. This is not to say I think we're always the Good team, but lately I haven't seen the people who break the rules getting what's coming to them. It kind of wears a person down to stick by their ideals and watch the 'other team' break the rules and win. I freely admit there's a part of me that simply wants results. How do you win without 'sinking to their level'? To continue on with the lame analogy, you'll remember the fault of Evil was hubris. I've seen no short supply of that from the Rethuglicans. Perhaps time will tell after all. When I see the cracks forming in the Bush facade, I'm encouraged to keep playing by the rules B-)

[bryant69]

2. There it is

They really think that anything they need to do to defeat us evil liberals is worth it. But I do think it goes past the rivalries of sports. I mean I live in Tallahassee (FSU) and we have this little thing going on with Gainesville (UF); but it takes a really hardcore fan to hate the Gainsvillians.

But some, perhaps many, conservatives hate liberals. And you see it going back the other way, as well. Liberals who hate conservatives. In either case the goal isn't to defeat the hated enemy; it's to eliminate them.

I mean let's face it, if, say, the Dallas Cowboys defeated all the other teams, and were the only football team left, what would they do? Play scrimage games?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[HFishbine]

3. All I can say is

it doesn't take much for an NCSU fan to hate FSU. (You know, kind hate.)

[ignatius]

4. Your thread is very timely. I am feeling rather blue today, I think partl

I cannot understand or fathom the kind of person or mentality that would vote for Schwarzenegger. When did our country become filled with so many shallow, empty headed people? Then when I walked into the office this a.m., all anyone could talk about was the Colt's win. It was impressive, but my God, these same people could for the most part not name the attorney general. Priorities are totally screwed up.

Then it dawned on me that team sports create people who vote for Arnold. The blind obedience,win at any cost,arrogant mentality that you mentioned breeds sheeples, followers who question nothing but the end result.

It wasn't for nothing that Hitler pushed sports for the youth groups. Give 'em a uniform and a good march song and voila, instant little goosesteppers.

[MGKrebs]

8. I'm a little blue today too.

Short of sinking to their level and "playing dirty", I don't see what strategy would work for us other than hoping, and working for, educating people about what they get when they act like that.

I am thinking I will just ask my * supporting acquaintances what it is they are "rooting" for. But I'm sure in many cases, logic just won't work. It has become an emotional investment for many, and logic no longer matters.

It is very uncomfortable living in the USA right now. Team USA is not acting like the team I want to root for.

And the refs (Supreme Court) blew a big call that cost TeamDem the championship last season!

There's always next season!

[VermontDem2004]

5. I agree with that anaylisis

but flame me if you like but I think there is a little bit of that on "our side".

[rucky]

6. True, but it's more reactionary

see today's thread about the counter-recall effort for Arnold. We have to resist the temptation of getting caught up in the dirty tricks game,IMO. We win clean elections, they will always win dirty ones. Go team!

[Mairead]

7. This is a point that RichM also made (I think it was Rich) a week or 2 ago

And I agree, though not just about the GOP--it applies to the majority of Dems, too. It's all about winning; there are no larger issues.

[legin]

9. Really great post MGKrebs n/t

.

[legin]

11. To chuck in a related idea

Team morality

If you are playing a match of say American Football and someone on your side committs a juicy foul on the opposition, as the member of the opposing team is writhing on the floor in agony, everybody on your team is trying not to snicker with laughter too loud. If however your team is on the recieving end of the foul then it is an outrage against all civilised values.

Penkovsky(?) was executed by the Soviets for spying for the west. For the west he was a highly moral person who was working to make the world a better place, to the Soviets he was just a verminous traitor.

Then of course there is the terrorist word.

'The moral value of an action is relative to the observer'.

[Drifter]

10. Yes ...

I have often thought that Politics is much like Sports. You will never ever ever argue someone out of liking their "team". It is the person that is not aligned with a team that that can be swayed into joining a team.

Arguing about Politics can be alot like arguing about your favorite color.

Cheers
Drifter