How can grassroots Republicans "support freedom" while hating freedom?

[Armstead]

This is a question that goes beyond ideology. It seems more a question of common sense.

The GOP and CONservatives are always trumpeting themselves as the party of freedom. And if you ask your average grass roots Republican why he is a Republican, he'll usually toss in some phrase like "Because I believe in freedom, and the liberals and Democrats want to meddle in our lives too much."

And yet those same people always take the authoritarian side of most issues. The only "freedom" they really believe in is the freeedom of the wealthy to make more money.

I understand how the upper echelons of the GOP can have this contradictory attitude. To them freedom is just a marketing buzzword.

But I can't understand why average people get conned and sucked into supporting their own loss of liberty. They think liberals meddle in their lives too much, so they turn to a party thgat wants to go far beyond meddling, all the way to totalitarian repression.

They apparently could care less about freedom, when it comes down to individuals. They hate freedom of speech, of thought, freedom of lifestyle, freedom of religion, freedom of scientific investigation (unless it's some new money-making technology), freedom of the press. They hate civil liberties, they hate the criminal justice system because it is not oppressive enough for them.

It's not just 9-11. CONNED grass roots conservatives were that way before it. It's baffling how so many people can be so blind to basic common sense.

[HereSince1628]

1. When the rest of us are jailed, they will be free, that's how.

Haven't you heard? Democrats aren't just weak on defense, they are a downright threat to national security. They're likely to be declared the enemy and banned as an Oktobra surprise. Then they'll hold free and fair elections in November.

[Armstead]

6. But "they" won;t be spared.

That's why it's so puzzling.

Even though there will not likely be such a dramatic demonstration of power as that scenerio, the average Republican will find his own liberty being chipped away.

I can't wait until they start confiscating the PLayboys that beer-drinking Republican Bubbas stash under their beds.

[abluelady]

2. It is Called Hypocrisy

All they want is power with no thought to the consequences.

[Armstead]

3. I'm referring to the Republicans below that level

It's easy to figure out how elite Republicans can be that hypocritical.

What I find baffling is the average gress-roots people who support that, against their own self-interest.

They are powerless, but they support a party and ideology that reduces their own freedom and power and ultimately makes them poorer.

I just can;t understand why so many people are blind to their own self-interest.

[abluelady]

14. They're Just Stupid.

And that is the bigger problem than the elite. There is no way to combat stupidity.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

4. WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

[indepat]

5. Republicans love freedom: the freedom to destroy liberty and freedom

[Armstead]

7. Again I am not referring to the upper echelons.

You're correct about the upper echelon Republicans who have power.

But the average Republican who is not inside that circle of power is just as much a victim of it as everyone else. Why don;t those chuckleheads see that? Especially the ones who are the most "libertarian" in their attitudes.

[indepat]

12. These chuckleheads don't see it because they are eat up with ideology

and religiosity and have their heads in the sand or up their own asses.

[warrens]

8. Freedom for the rich, slavery for the underclasses and...

let the idiot middle class pay all the taxes.

[Armstead]

10. And why do the middle classes support this philosophy?

It's not just because they are idiots. A lot of themj are very smart and aware. But there's a disconnect between the obvious evidence and what they continue to support against their own self-interest.

[BlooInBloo]

9. As long as they're only torturing brown people...

... it's perfectly fine with America.

You won't see a change until a white person gets tortured.

[mmonk]

11. Read George Lakoff's, "Whose Freedom?"

You'll understand it means something else to authoritarian personalities.

[Armstead]

13. I've heard and read some of him

But there's still a fundamental disconnect.

Take your average NRA Republican. They get into a lather at any talk of registering guns, becausae they see it as an intrusion into their Constitutional liberties and freedom.

But those same people support giving the government unlimited power to listen to their phone calls, open their mail and arrest them without due process.

It just makes no sense.