Will the other half of Americans ever "get it?"

[Cyrano]

The Democratic Party is far from perfect.

But the Republican Party, for almost 100 years, has been screwing the average citizen. And for some reason beyond my understanding, those who constantly vote for Republicans just can't grasp this simple, obvious fact.

(A brief history lesson: Lincoln would today be considered a Dem. The South stuck with the Democratic Party until Lyndon Johnson pushed through the voting rights act in the 1960s, at which point the South turned Republican. Nixon used it to his advantage. It was called the "Southern Strategy," and the Thugs have been using it ever since. -- And, yes, it is, and has always been based on racism.)

Today, we are a divided country. But what's so incredible about it is how Republicans constantly get people to vote against their own interests. Whether the issue is Social Security, Medicare, or taxes, the Republicans have convinced far too many gullible/ignorant/fearful people that the Democrats are the party of evil.

They have won far too many elections based on this strategy (combined with their tactics of voter disenfranchisement and outright theft).

We just can't allow this to happen again. If we do, we're finished as a viable democracy. I really believe that most Americans, if they were aware of the facts, would bring down an avalanche that would bury today's Republican Party.

So I guess I really have two questions: (1.) How can people be so ignorant regarding their own well being, and (2.) What can we do to bring about this avalanche?

[Hydra]

1. It's not another 1/2

It's another quarter, and that quarter includes the 10% whom these policies benefit.

The Republicans convinced us of only one thing- to allow them to keep what they steal. That, in the end is our greatest failing.

[Greyhound]

2. Probably not, but consider this;

40 years ago Bill Clinton's policies would have been considered Republik.

One of life's ironies is that through our history, it has been the republiks that have changed while the Democrats have always solidly supported the ruling class through their history.

The basic problem is still us.

[Marsala]

5. Not true! We pushed civil rights legislation and many other reforms

We've become the party of the intelligent and educated, while they've become the party of the uneducated, the fanatically religious, and the greedy and outright stupid (neocons and supply-siders).

[Greyhound]

7. Which part? That Clinton's anti-people policies furthered the NWO agenda

and would have driven FDR into a rage? That Nixon would have considered him extreme and short sighted?

Or that in the late 60s the party was ripped from our hands by the oligarchs that still rule it today?

[Cyrano]

10. There are half-truths in what you say.

But that aside, would you really consider the Republicans to be a viable alternative?

It's not a perfect world. The best we can do is choose the lesser of two evils.

However, in reality, the basic principles of the Democratic Party actually do contain the basic values of decency and humanity that (hopefully) will bring about a truly civilized world.

[baldguy]

3. "My son's been killed in Iraq, my job's been shipped to China..."

"... the wife's got sick & I got no health insurance, and now they're taking my house away.

But at least them queers can't get married!"

[hamsterjill]

9. No kidding, right?!!

I have one "friend" who wouldn't care if they put a duck in office, as long as that duck was pro-life. Nothing else matters. Not dead soldiers from any nation, not dead Iraqi or Afghan civilians, not dead homeless Americans, only Roe v. Wade.

Palin is clearly, unmistakably unqualified to be Vice President. I'm sorry, but there simply is no argument to the contrary. But this woman loves Palin because she is pro-life. The woman is an active animal advocate, but it doesn't matter that Palin kills wolves, polar bears, and just about everything else that crosses her path with four legs, this woman is still going to vote for McCain/Palin because Palin is pro-life.

[Rocknrule]

11. Like I said

if these people were in a burning building, their main concern would be saving only straight people who haven't had abortions

[Burma Jones]

4. Why do people buy Lottery Tickets?

The only thing that will change is the continued browning of America, makes it hard to keep that racist appeal going.....

The 'Pukes are damned if they continue to go racist as they will lose Hispanics

The 'Pukes are damned if they don't go racist because they lose the no-neck haters that constitute their base

I assume that when the pendulum swings back, and swing it will, all those rich folks will try to take as much of their money out of the country as they can.

If the 'Pukes are smart, they'll vote for Obama because the longer you delay that pendulum swing, the further left it will go.....

[dennysp]

6. I was a Republican until my favorite candidate lost the primary.

Then, I heard people who had trashed McCain, suddenly embrace him, and I wasn't having any of it. So, I shut off Rush Limbaugh (whom I considered knowledgeable about the issues---*rolling eyes*) and ended up getting most of my news from NPR and MSNBC online, instead of Fox News.

I was hooked into the conservative, family values side of the issues. I still am. I can't square Sarah Palin's "famiy values" with her inattention to her children. I think McCain is unethical, a racist and a liar. What I see in retrospect is the Republican projection of itself onto the Democratic Party in claiming that Democrats are corrupt, which I totally believed. I also understand how I totally bought into the propaganda. As long as voters listen to the right-wing hate speech(especially on the radio), there isn't any way they're going to be open to changing their minds.

[Cyrano]

8. Welcome to the battle, dennysp. The future depends on the outcome.