Republicans REALLY BELIEVE we're total hypocrites--Here's why:

[Jackpine Radical]

Republicans are always going to think Dems are phony and insincere. The reason is obvious, and rooted in the fundamental psychological differences between liberals and the modern-day version of conservatives.

It’s really simple. Dems profess altruistic values—caring for others, caring for unborn generations, caring for the earth, even caring for the welfare of other species. Republicans have learned to mouth some of these values, in a prissy, self-righteous sort of way (imagine the Church Lady talking about the need to love your neighbor), but they are never whole-hearted or sincere about these things, except in a few circumstances.

One such circumstance arises when they see some advantage coming directly to themselves from their “altruistic” propositions. Thus, “it’s wrong and cruel for the government to take away people’s hard-earned money with taxation (especially MY money),” or “the kindest thing you can do is to teach people to stand on their own two feet (by taking away their crutches)” Another case that may give rise to pseudo-altruism is when they can slip some sort of poisoned pill into the deal, e.g. “I love the sinner but hate the sin (and therefore have to punish him for his own good).”

In instances of true altruism, however—such as proposing a social responsibility for healing, feeding or clothing the poor—the Republican mind balks. They know THEY would never actually contemplate such a bizarre proposition, and they automatically project their mean-spirited nature onto anyone holding such a notion. That person can’t be sincere—what’s in it for them? There is, really, no intervention short of massive psychotherapy that a liberal could do to persuade a Republican of one’s sincerity or integrity. Instead, I think we have to work on getting the general public—most of whom are decent and empathetic human beings, natural liberals if only they knew it—to see those hard-core Republicans for the twisted and pathetic little souls that they are.

[villager]

1. their entire poltics is based on Freudian "projection"

That's it -- the whole of it. What they find to be contemptible in themselves (because it is), they project onto others...

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Well, yes.

I was thinking about making that the topic of an essay for another day.

[Swamp Rat]

2. How many of them are fighting in Iraq or have EVER served during a war?

Talk about 'hippocrites'! :eyes:

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Why should they go to war?

They're acting on the principles of a Higher Patriotism that requires them to preserve themselves from harm so that America will retain an intact ideological elite.

[Swamp Rat]

7. Let them justify their cowardice.

The point is: put asshole cowards like your co-worker on the defensive... ALL the time.

Shame them.

I do it often and it really works.

[gratuitous]

4. Add to this their all-or-nothing mentality

This is a pretty good analysis, but we should also take into account their all-or-nothing mentality. For example, if you talk about taking care of the poor and the needy, they don't hesitate to point out that you're driving a big, fancy car. Or if Al Gore is talking about concern for the environment, well, he's just a big, fat hypocrite because he flies a jet airplane between his speaking gigs.

This makes it safe to ignore anyone who says something they don't like, because nobody is simon pure. Heck, they'll even make up stuff to discredit a messenger whose message they don't like. And if someone does totally walk their talk, then they feel safe in implying (or more likely saying outright) that the person is a fanatic and somehow not quite right in the head. Cindy Sheehan, for example.

And, because the mortal enemy of the good is not the bad, but the perfect, they feel wholly justified when they can find any minor discrepancy or anomaly as a way to discredit something.

[mrcheerful]

6. Not to mention the fact that all fortune 500 businesses are on corporate welfare

and the government gives them ungodly amounts of dollars to "create" high paying jobs. Which means that the worker is actually being paid by the tax payers instead of the company they work for. The pukes say thats a good thing because the worker spends the money he "earns" which then creates new jobs for others. Sadly the pukes miss the point that the vast majority of government hand outs to corporations ends up in some CEO's bank account and does very little of anything for the economy. Basically its a newer form of FDR's WPA program, pay a guy to dig a ditch, then the next day pay him to fill the ditch back in, the person doing the work thinks he isn't on government assistence because he worked for his money.

[Corgigal]

8. I've learned something about them recently

They don't believe in luck. I mentioned that I'm able to stay home right now and watch the kiddies for awhile. I mentioned that I was lucky. I think her mind blew up over that comment. They must believe that everything they do is because of proper planning, because I'm the right person, I did the right things in my life.

Luck never enters the minds for them. I laughed because I think luck matters on this planet more then they think. While I'm lucky today, it might change tomorrow. So, I can see how others are hurting because of some bad breaks. They aren't able. I wonder how they must feel when their luck changes. I wonder how they deal with that internally. I guess more scapegoating someone.

[mrcheerful]

10. There whole belief system revolves around the ideals that they are hard workers and

god decided that they deserve everything they got because they are good christens. Seriously, they say they aren't superstitious yet everything they believe is based on superstitions passed from one generation to another until it was written down. Remember Jonah and the whale? Or that Noah built an ark, filled it with 2 of every creature on earth, yet they were stunned when the first sighting of a duck bill platypus was found because it was unlike any creature they ever saw and it didn't fit into their belief system. They still refuse to talk about it other then to say god works in mysterious ways, more superstition..

[rock]

9. I think you're 100% right

Conservatives are unable to empathize. What's true of them (internally) must be true of others. If they would lie, cheat, and steal in a given situation, so would anyone! See?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. The difference is the answer to this question? "Am I my brothers keeper.?"

IMO, the answer to that question pretty much decides one's politics.

[rhiannon55]

12. You hit the nail on the head

Hypocrites assume everyone is a hypocrite, liars assume everyone is a liar, and people without empathy can't accept that empathy is real. They don't know that feeling themselves, so therefore it doesn't exist.

[underpants]

13. Recommended

[TZ]

14. that explains why my conservative brother-in-law

got so worked up when he heard that the new Gov of Maryland (go O'Malley!) might raise the gas tax (said he should be impeached) but just shrugged like it didn't matter when I mentioned the truly impeachable offenses with Iraq and said something to the effect that he didn't care if a bunch of arabs shot each other up..at the time it really upset me. The psychology of this post makes me understand this view better. Although I would chalk it up to insensitivity more than meanness in his case. He really is a nice person, for the most part

[mrcheerful]

15. I know a guy like that, his pet peves are abortion rights and welfare.

He is against both and won't vote democratic because they want to turn the country over to the commies. Problem is, he is only 35 so he hasn't a clue about the subject out side of what he heard Reagan say. At the same time he doesn't understand why I refuse to buy anything made in china. Doooooooooooh