A potential light-bulb moment.

[JackDragna]

People, in my opinion, don't often change political or religious views easily. When they do, they go through something I like to call a "light-bulb" moment, a realization that how they view the world and how the world actually is are very different things.

I think many right-wingers might be having such moments in the light of Bush's statement that people in this country are having their jobs outsourced because American workers are unskilled. Here is the ultimate statement of a dumb, pampered member of the corporate power structure, a man that puts the blame on the continued corporate "race to the bottom" on those average Americans he claims to love. The left has been warning the nation throughout the 90's as to what would happen if this trend continued unabated: it's now so entrenched that the corporate right feels free to talk about it in the open and blame the workers for the problem.

There's a reason why every single labor benefit enjoyed by Americans was fought for and won by leftists. Leftists realize that the economic structure of a modern society will collapse if the middle class is gutted. The practice of an adversarial model of wealthy people trying to rob every last dime away from skilled middle-class workers was something the left helped degrade from 1900-1930, but it's now coming back with disastrous results for society.

I think some on the right are seeing this now. They're being sold up the river by the same people that promise them security and the upholding of societal norms. They're realizing that the reason liberals are strongly pro-union and favor strong regulation of industry is because such tactics are the only means of keeping this country from devolving back into a robber-baron oligarchy. I don't know if the realization will cause them to switch parties or look on labor movements with more favor, but hopefully some of them might be a little more picky about the kinds of conservatives they vote into office.

[displacedtexan]

1. closet union supporters = greedy bastards

during my years as a negotiator, non-union members ALWAYS showed up with their personal THIS IS WHAT I WANT lists before annual contract talks!
gag me. they won't pay dues, but they want all of the benefits union members can get for them!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Yep. The most telling comment I read yesterday

on Free Republic was: "This comment is potentially on par with his father's grocery store gaffe..."

The man is out of touch. I think if he landed on an air craft carrier now they'd throw him into the drink.

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. There are fify million people in this country...

...who will gladly live in a cardboard box under a bridge if only Dear Leader will save them from the twin scourges of peace and gay marriage.

And they all vote.

[On the Road]

4. The Job Flight Comment Was BIG

It just needs more publicity. I wrote the Dean people suggesting an immediate statement or proposal. Other candidates should do the same. Hoefully, this will make a few editorials and develop into a news item that has a life of its own. There is certainly an audience.

[Armstead]

5. I agree BUT the Democrats have to turn the switch

Bush sidestepped that qurestion at the press conference and left a HUGE opening the Democrats could fill. People see it. They want answers.

However, the Centrist Democratic Establishment refuses to deal with that issue eitehr. In part it's because they support the same reckless and destructive form of "free trade" and Corporate Power Agenda as the Republicans.

The ONLY way the Democrats will ever beat Bush (IMO) is if they break from the corporate tit and finally acknowledge this rhino in the room. It is a kitchen table bread and butter issue.

Kucinich and -- to an extent -- Dean are taking it on. But too many Democrats are still in the Pseudo-Free-Trade bag, and they are not offering the rteforms that people recognize is needed.

[Az]

6. The nature of major shifts in ideals

The way the mind works is by balancing various emotionally weighted ideas. Generally speaking the dominant values learned earlier in ones life hold sway. As we grow older their hold becomes stronger. As adults it takes a major emotional shift to bring about a real change of beliefs.

After we have built up our cache of ideas and beliefs we tend to reject other ideas that do not fit with ours. However some ideas do not directly threaten our beliefs and may lay dormant until we experience a shift. Their relevance limited under the current mindset but being thrust into the forefront once the hold of the older beliefs wane.

It takes a strong emotional break to initiate such a shift. A betrayal of trust. A sever break down of expectations of the world around them. When this occurrs the person is momentarily lost. They cast around for something familiar to latch onto. It is at this time that these dormant ideas can come forward or an individual outside their normal circle may gain a foothold. If there is no alternative they will eventually slide back into their old patterns and rejoin the fold. Thus it is vital to be present and trusted at a time when such a shift takes place if you wish to guide someone away from a position you believe to be detrimental.

[SoFlaJets]

7. The media whores

want us to believe he is unbeatable when the truth is he's VERY vulnerable.I have heard many many repubs say they will not be voting for Bush in '04 and people like Rush are beside themselves knowing in their heart of black hearts they're right.MSNBC had a poll a couple of weeks back and with like 30,000 people voting online Bush has a %90 negative rating and that night Hardball cites a diffewrent poll with much better ratings-just like i predicted they would do.This is the worst presidency in our lifetime maybe ever-the nightmare will end.This too shall pass fellow America-loving democrats and as the lady from Ohiop said today on Washington Journal"HE'S GOIN DOWN"

[meti57b]

8. Great observation! I think you're right on that!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. A Light Bulb Moment:

Bush Lied, People Died!!!!!!!

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bandit]

11. Bush* probably made a huge blunder with that statement but is it possible

that there is an element of truth in that statement. Are some of our high tech jobs going overseas because we as a country can not produce an educated enough person to fill such jobs. Or is it all about Money. Cheap Labor. Maybe a bit of both. It is definitely a problem and I think there was more truth in Bush* statement than we would like to admit. Americans are becoming less intelligent daily. We are being dumbed down. Some of our most popular TV shows are cartoon shows like Simpsons or Critic or that red neck show after Simpsons, I can't remember the name of it Something Hill. I like the boy in that show.

[JackDragna]

12. Funny you should mention that..

Most of the gags in the Simpsons and The Critic in particular require some brains to process. I agree that Americans are being dumbed down, but I don't buy that foreign workers are supermen. I know plenty of IT people that have had Indians come in and work on visas and the Indians not only can't speak intelligible English, they don't know what they're doing.