I just came from the local Post Office where I spoke with a registered Republican woman who

[Skidmore]

hasn't participated in a caucus for some time. I encouraged her to caucus, whatever side, because participation is important. She mumbled a disheartened, "Yeah." After a few moments of silence, she asked me if I knew where the Democrats were caucusing this year. I told her I understood it would be at the school again. I asked her if she had any candidate in particular that she was interested in and she said maybe Edwards, or Obama. She told me that she had heard part of a radio program the other day where someeone had talked about "corporate socialism" and that she had sat up and listened. She said, "Yeah, this is what we have now...corporate socialism." This woman lost the job she worked at for 15 years when it was outsourced to Mexico. She is still steaming about this. She has part-time employment now, and no insurance and a chronic health condition. She has been tracking the Democratic candidates this time.

Then she asked me if there was such a thing as a "conservative democrat?" I asked her what "conservative" means to her. She said, "I guess what I learned as a child..to follow the rules." I told her that is a Democratic value as well--we believe in the rule of law, something that has not been more than rhetoric on the right for some time. She said that this was true. She said she believed in "no hand outs" and that people should make their own way. I talked to her about people in our society who at times need a "hand up," as she did when she lost her job. That Democrats stand for fair treatment of people and seek to promote access for all, not just a few. So, I told her I guess Democrats are conservative.

She said she would come caucus, and is interested only in caucusing for either Edwards or Obama, based on their stands on the war, healthcare, and workers. She clearly prefers Edwards. I told her we were committed to caucus for Obama first, but that didn't matter. Just come and participate. It is so important this year. I told her I would look for her there. I think she will be. She was so upset about these issues she talked about and was tearful. I'm not going to mock her or speak of her with derision. her definition of conservative pointed to the masterful job that has been done to conflate a narrow ideology in such a manner as to make it seem as though one group of people had the interests of the nation at heart. I know that, as of today, there is another person who understands that we all want the same thing--a nation to be proud of.

[Parche]

1. One At A Time

That is the way to go.............:hi:


Most constipated conservatives are so stubborn though in their ignorant beliefs, that they
advocate hate.....

[annabanana]

2. She is the ultimate victim. She has been used and confused..

She has been targeted by the message manipulators from the day she plugged in her first TV. I am glad you were there to go through it with her, step by step.

[SpiralHawk]

11. The republicons throw people overboard without a twinge

Sorry this poor woman was taken in by the republicon lies and propaganda, as so many otherwise honest Americans have been. But when you own the big-money corporate media, as the republicons do, you have the advantage of 24-hour seamless propaganda...to spread your lies and obscure the truth.

[Cassandra]

3. You spoke well.

Always more effective to let people lead themselves (with opening questions) into a recognition of the truth rather than dragging them there.

[hfojvt]

4. can registered Republicans caucus for Democrats?

Doesn't she have to change her registration first, and isn't it already too late for that?

[Skidmore]

5. She can caucus with Dems. She can change her registration at the

door if she so desires.

[NoSheep]

6. The first good news I've heard all day. Thank you for the ray of hope.

:grouphug:

[Hoof Hearted]

7. I find it especially telling that she had been convinced that "following the rules" was a Republican

value. It shows what a masterful job they've done of selling the average person a complete line of crap.

Did you ask her where she gets her news? That's usually a good place to start when you're looking to deprogram a republican mind slave.

[krispos42]

8. Finally seeing the light, I see

Actually, I think it's telling that even with virtually complete corporate ownership of the media and an extremely well-organized system of think-tanks and memes, they now now losing. Tells you how weak their positions really are.

Remember, their power is based on the top 5% getting half of the bottom 95% to vote to make them (the top 5%) richer.

I smell of wave of Republican apathy coming, robbing votes from the radical conservatives, while a wave of Democratic anger at the Republican minority boosts the number of Democrats in Congress.

Then, in 2010 we start scrubbing the corporate Democrats out of office.

[CrispyQ]

9. Glad to hear that.

It's too bad it has to hit people personally before they see the light, but I guess that's human nature. I'm sorry for her troubles, but I'm glad she is waking up to the bullshit she's been falling for.

[wryter2000]

10. What a pleasure to K&R this thread

I was away from DU for several weeks, first because of knee surgery and then because I really needed the time to work on a novel. DU is such a time-eater.

The last day or so I've been wondering why I loved this place so much. There's so much screaming and vitriol here. I know it's primary time, but sheeze.

Your thoughtful post and the wonderful responses are why I come here.

:loveya:

[truedelphi]

12. THis lady reminds me of my mom.

She lost her job after seven years, when the shop closed.

Go and get your unemployment, sez me.

Oh I couldn't -- that would be welfare.

It's not welfare if you paid into it. You have paid unemployment insurance for years - go collect.

I drove her to the office the next day, with her protesting that this program was not meant for her.

I think in part it was fear of the unknown.

That young man in there is getting me two hundred a week! (This was quite a while ago when 200 a week was a princely sum) And since I told him how reluctant I am to use this program, he said in a most kind way that that was nonsense, and he set it up so that my benefits go all the way back to eight days after I was laid off.

She suddenly saw the sense in "Socialist" programs.

[waiting for hope]

13. She clearly prefers Edwards.....

Love it - My republican Dad has said he'd vote for Edwards...Life is good!

[struggle4progress]

14. Many Americans have a very limited political vocabulary:

the woman you met apparently uses "socialism" indiscriminately as a modifier meaning "bad".

I have no idea what "corporate socialism" means: it's an oxymoron. The woman, and many like her, are getting screwed by monopoly capitalism

[SeattleGirl]

15. That's great to hear.

I'm sorry the lady lost her job and insurance; that sucks, no matter who you are.

I guess that's what it took, the final straw, to point her in a new direction.

And you did very well with what you said to her.

[Two Americas]

16. very inspiring

Thanks for the "hand up" Skidmore. Great story. There are millions more out there just like her. Let's go find them and bring them safely home where they belong.

[Postman]

17. Good for you, but she's a knucklehead.

She doesn't know what the hell she is.

[SeattleGirl]

19. That doesn't make her a knucklehead. Makes her a person who

has seen with the right has done to so many people, and she's finding her way to something better now.

[Cha]

18. It sounds like you

guided her well, Skidmore. Anyone could find theirselves in a position, after all these years, that totally knocked their world around 180 degrees.

Not everyone finds out the best way to navigate their lives from the very beginning.

[progressivebydesign]

20. Nice story... if we had "reagan democrats" she could be an Edwards Republican.

Tho I find it so odd in this story that she'd not consider the only candidate that's actually put her entire reputation on the line to get us health care, and also voted exactly the same as Edwards regarding the war. Funny how that didn't come up.