People who spend time with right-wingers - have you noticed they are angrier than ever lately?

[LiberalLoner]

I've noticed the right-wingers that I am unfortunately exposed to as an Army wife, have become more froth-at-the-mouth angry, the more the Democrats succeed and the more the right-wing falls apart with fighting between factions of the teabaggers and the old school conservatives.

They really seem to be losing what they had of their sanity sometimes - the more reality contradicts their beliefs, the more strongly they cling to them and attack anyone and anything that threatens those old beliefs. Anyone else notice that the right-wingers around them have become more bitter and angry and crazy as things have gone better for the D's and worse for the R's? Or is what I'm seeing just an isolated incidence?

I wonder where it will lead? Do you think these people will reach a breaking point with the cognitive dissonance, or will they become something like the Unabomber or other antisocial crazy people?

[Captain Hilts]

1. Oh, they were pretty angry in the '90s. nt

[LiberalLoner]

2. Timothy McVeigh certainly was.

So this is pretty normal for times when the D's are in power? These people just seem not quite sane to me, honestly. They scare me a bit.

[Captain Hilts]

3. How about the guy that flew a plane into the White House. nt

[Aviation Pro]

4. Except for the office....

...I don't associate with these assclowns. So my question is the following, if these oxygen thieves are employed what the fuck is their fucking problem?

Oh, wait. I know.

It's because "this one" is President.

(Maybe they should stick that large bore handgun in their mouths and take the cowardly way out).

[LiberalLoner]

5. Maybe it is mostly about racism.

I don't know, I just know the Army wives who are right-wingers have become so obnoxiously self-righteously extremely right-wing and angry, I can't even stand to socialize with them any more and am getting to the point where I am going to turn down invitations. I just can't bite my tongue any longer and listen to the disgusting crap coming out of their mouths.

[Lint Head]

8. It is about racism. Goes back to the old plantation days, Jim Crowe Laws

and Black folks called responsible for the downgrading of society ever since the times of slavery.
I loved MLK and I thank him everyday for changing things. We need a new MLK type to champion rights for the poor and middle class.

[Echo In Light]

12. You're casting military wives as RWers, so prepare to take heat (this thread) over that alone

... or, the thread will simply sink like a stone

As to your question, we really don't know any RWers, or, more specifically, know of just a few within extended family, and never socialize w/them. The few I know of at work don't appear to be unhinged...but then again, our workplace is overall comprised of libs/people who side w/lib/progressive ideals...socially, anyhow.

I, and others, have noticed a peculiar phenomenon lately, though, and that is an increase of drivers who are definitely much more aggressive/dumb/hostile, while others seem to be, conversely, far more listless/directionless/meandering well below the posted speed limit, unaware of, say, being able to make a right turn on red. Things like that. It's weird.

And these cell phone talkers and somnambulists and brainwashed-buzzed consumers in turn make the really angry drivers come off even more unstable. Now, personally, I do tend to have a heavy foot, but am courteous, and generally just try to reach my destination quickly and w/o incident...unless I'm out in complete rural area (no shortage of that in our neck o the woods) then I slow down to admire the serenity/landscape.

[LiberalLoner]

26. LOL - I'm an Army Officer's wife and I'm very liberal - so we aren't all - but I can't seem to

find any other Army officers wives who think like me.

[RedCloud]

30. My right wing military community has some Big Time gay boy 'splaining to do.

The media lathers over them... the "loved ones" are returning home. I guess the guy that bombed the Afghanis celebrating a birthday party is indeed a loved one too. Well their boats are long and hard and full of sea men. So how do they account for their peccadilloes after the Massa confessions? How faithful are those "loved ones"? And what about those "loved ones" who bring back war trauma and take it out on their families? Or those "loved ones" who don't pay any taxes?

What the media have done here is turn huge antiwar sentiment into pro "loved ones" ejaculation celebrations. I am very surprised they don't just replace soldier and sailor with "loved ones" and war crimes as "service to our country".

We do not hear even one word against the military on ALL our loco local stations. All they do is kiss military ass 24-7-365.
And because they don't pay taxes others shoulder a much larger and totally unappreciated burden so the "loved ones" who make more money than college graduates get to have all their gas guzzling toys.

And yes those military "loved ones" who practice secret gay activities overseas get their "not so loved ones" (i.e.other family members)to vote right wing for a party that hates secret gay activities. I have spoken to numerous coerced voters whose "loved ones" make them vote where the mega million salary no question ever about the 9/11 incompetence Nazi war machine worshipers are.

[LiberalLoner]

37. Oh, there is absolutely a big homoerotic side to military service for men...

Not all the men are like that, but there are a percentage of men in the military who despise women so intensely I can't help but believe they are closet gay guys. Look at all of us who get raped in military - like I did, like 1/3 of the women who served with me did - it takes a whole lot of virulent hate to rape one of your fellow soldiers, that's all I can say.

[Mariana]

60. I suspect some of the more aggressive, hostile drivers

are the ones listening to RW radio in the car. It certainly has that effect on some people. I've seen it again and again with my dad - he'll start off the day in a fine mood, but after listening to some RW radio, he'll be angry, hostile, rude and insulting to everyone.

[DeschutesRiver]

38. I've concluded a lot of it is racism

I am not even certain that some of the people I knew thought of themselves as racist - well, some still don't, but it is mighty racist stuff coming out of their mouths now.

Seriously, to both keep the peace and keep your sanity during these times of confusion for these wives, find a nice way to start turning down 3 out of every 4 invitations. Out here in the non military world (but a ranching community), I am dodging quite a few invites and the like, because I am not good at listening to crap without commenting, yet it is a very small community and I don't want to completely sever all ties. Although I have said enough already in limited circumstances that I probably have a target on my back with a few people, lol.

In your situation, it isn't wise to just blow up and start dishing it out right back at these women (unless you want to kiss the career goodbye). Good luck with figuring out how to withdraw a bit from this crap spewing without causing insult - when I hear people in my community doing this, I almost have to physically restrain myself or leave the room. When I was young, I would have argued fiercely no matter what - however, right now, it strikes me as almost a mental illness on the part of some of these people. And I am not going to fight with those who appear most unstable about these matters.

[LiberalLoner]

40. Thank you so much for understanding.

It's kind of a tough position. It just sickens me when I have to listen to all that crap without reacting to it and I find myself wanting to pull away and be alone and not have to face all of it.

My hubby says I'm holier-than-thou about the whole racism thing, etc. and as bad as the right-wingers.

[DeschutesRiver]

55. Both of you are in a tight spot

You said elsewhere that your dh has almost gotten into fights with other RW officers who are pressuring him about his "liberal" views, so I am guessing that his attempts to shut down your unhappiness about this wives thing isn't because he actually believes that you are wrong or as bad as the right wingers in your own liberal way. But rather that he wants to stay in the military, and understands that if he or you give serious vent back at these people, in a meaningful way, that his career might be short lived. Maybe that is part of it?

Looking back on our decades of marriage, I'd say that there was a decade where I was the one stuck in the "placate and humor" role with the spouses/families of the people with whom my dh needed to do business. And there was a decade where my dh was stuck in that role on my behalf. In each case, we were stuck humoring freaking idiots in order to help the other advance certain career goals. Sometimes, it just works out that way, but if you can use it as a learning experience maybe some good can come of it.

What I finally decided during my turn at this was that this bunch of moronic spouses were simply not going to be allowed to ruin what we wanted to achieve, or make me lose my cool (or be unhappy). I am certain there are other liberals like you in the military, but you didn't get that luck of the draw to be with them at this time. You are stuck with this group, and sometimes life does deal us some pretty sucky people with whom we need find a way to get around, so that they don't get in the way of our goals. I can see that Obama deals with that all the time, and I am certain that aspect of his job doesn't make him or Michelle all that happy. But why let people who think like this determine your destiny?

See if you can find a coping mechanism for this until it runs its course, or for the duration needed for you two to achieve your goals in the military. Can you find a group of liberals or like minded thinkers anywhere in your town that you could hook up with, so you can have a reality check and a way to vent some steam away from the base? Join a group that will let you work on liberal causes so that you are more in touch with who you are in your heart (and get some perspective on the fact that these nasty women are nothing more than a temporary speed bump in the long road of your life)? Or one simple thing I started doing was to take my dog, my ipod and go for a hike or run after I'd built of a head of steam from the need to moderate my opinions in the face of mean and stupid statements. Negative people of any kind can suck the life right out of you - think of this as good practice for figuring out your best way to deal with them. That will be a useful skill for the rest of your life.

I mean, the best way is to cull them from your life, but as you are learning, it sure isn't always possible. I was never the kind of person who took crap well, and actually, that is not a bad way to be. Except I had to learn when it was to my advantage to strike a blow and speak my mind, and when it was not. There is a time and place to be fierce about your opinions - with these wives, it would be an utter waste of your time, and I don't see how it would be to your advantage to let their pressure cause you to open a can of justified whoop ass.

I hope you can figure out a way to let them be of minor importance in your life. I know where you are coming from on this, if that helps! And thanks to your dh for his service (and I think you said in another post that you are/have served as well? A big thanks to you too, from us here in Oregon:)

[LiberalLoner]

61. Thank you so much! :)

Thank you so much for the good advice! :) I appreciate it.

I guess it's just that after 18 years of putting up with it (and putting up with it for years prior to that due to being an Army brat growing up) it's getting old. My hubby is pinning on 0-6 within a few months and that will be as high as he will go due to his field not having any 0-7 positions, so it's not really any career worries, it's just...the only friends available are right-wingers so we kind of have to just put up with them.

I am going to look into volunteering for the local Democratic Party HQ's though so I can meet other liberals.

I'm just more upset than usual is all because yesterday a right-winger "friend" of mine bit my head off for my innocent remark that we were lucky not to be affected by the recession. She yelled at me, "It's not luck - I made GOOD choices in life and those people made BAD choices and that is why they are out of work now..."

I just kind of mumbled "yes, you did make very good choices (she married the right man)" and sat there stunned. Since she found out in a roundabout way I am a Democrat, she has been nasty like that towards me, and I"m just...I'm getting so tired of putting up with it.

I should probably just shrug it off. I'm sure I will shrug it off now. But I really don't want to spend much more time around her, to be honest. This is kind of the last straw.

[DeschutesRiver]

63. Maybe that is her coping mechanism

To pretend and hope that bad things only happen to people who make bad choices. Sounds like she might be fighting the realization that sometimes bad things might also happen to good people, otherwise why respond like she did? She should be skipping down the sidewalk, all smiles and happiness, because her good choices will always protect her, right?

You can also try to train them to not bring this crap up while you are around. In the past, I've been known to just pick up a book or magazine and thumb through it until the crap stops. Just because others want to talk negative smack doesn't mean I have to participate. I always came armed to these affairs with several subjects that interest me, so that I could just change the subject to one that I find more interesting rather than play the game as they wish to. If that doesn't work, I check my phone messages, discover that I need to go to X...or call X...or that I had forgotten I had to be somewhere else, tell everyone how nice it was to see them, definitely need to get together again, blah blah, kiss, kiss, and leave. You don't even have to be mean about any of it - just take command and take the conversation where you want it to be. Really, why let people this negative be in charge of how your lunches or dinners or parties or whatever are going? If they are so toxic that they insist on continuing, that is when I remember my forgotten "other" commitment and bogey out of there. Of course, on those occasions where I didn't mind burning bridges, I was rather fierce, but I am not recommending that, just saying I wasn't always nice about such things (but there are always consequences when you approach things that way. Sometimes I am too Irish to care:).

At my age/situation, I now cull the herd ruthlessly. I don't go out of my way to leave a big boot print on those I don't want to be around anymore, but I don't hesitate to speak frankly and in kind if things go that way (sometimes good exchanges happen where you never thought they would, okay, it is rare, but can happen). People who can't have an honest debate don't merit a dime's worth of my time - life is too short to spend too much of it tiptoeing around unstable people!

Fingers crossed that you find like minds as soon as possible:)

[LiberalLoner]

67. Thank you so much.

I can take her when it's not one-on-one - I can sort of ignore her - but when she blows up at me just for simple conversation that I didn't mean at all to be offensive to her, then there's nothing there I can really work with. I hate being yelled at and I guess at this age I just don't feel I ought to accept that behavior.

I feel better having decided just today to not have anything more to do with her. I will beg off future invitations as gracefully as I can.

And it's high time for me to go do some volunteering at the local Democratic Party HQ's :)

Thank you so much for listening and sharing with me the hard-won wisdom you've acquired in dealing with difficult people.

I think sometimes it's just best to walk away and not try to engage them in any way, when they are frothing-at-the-mouth insane, LOL...

I never thought before that she might have been so defensive about her "good choices" - it makes sense that maybe she is not feeling as confident as she seems. That makes perfect sense. Thank you! It really helps explain why she blew up at me. :)

[DeschutesRiver]

73. Take care and good luck in avoiding the mouth-frothers:) nt

[Abq_Sarah]

56. Plenty of anger on all sides it seems.

[old mark]

6. They are getting nervous about the election-even more than we are.

They are very afraid that the "kenyan" and his satanic socialist followers (us) will beat them again in November and they will lose all chance to get "their" country back. They are becomming more and more crazy as the election approaches, just watch them on Fox or even CNN...even MSNBC!

At the end of the Clinton years, the GOP was CONVINCED they would have a permanent majority in congress...oops!

mark

[LiberalLoner]

39. I hope their nervousness is justified. I hope we do not lose the Senate and House.

[old mark]

66. We tend to give the GOP too much credit for having complex plans

and schemes - they are every bit as dumbass as they seem, maybe even moreso than they let the public see.

I believe we will win even a few more if we get Democrats angry/motivated enough to actually vote.

mark

[Jokerman]

7. Our government is broken. People on both sides are pissed.

There's no doubt that the targets of our anger vary and the perceived solutions are almost always at odds, but I know people with diverse political points of view who are struggling to survive our economy and have little or no hope that things will get better.

I blame the republicans and the media for their years of demonizing ANYTHING the government does, other than killing people. Fear, frustration and cynicism are running rampant through our dying middle class and that's exactly what the republicans want.

[Solomon]

9. I also blame republicans for the constant propaganda that

no one should pay taxes. It's utterly ridiculous. Nobody thinks they should pay any taxes whatsoever.

[Jokerman]

13. Absolutely, that's all part of the plan.

Cut taxes to cripple government, then use the government's failures to justify more tax cuts and "public/private" partnerships where the government pays the bills and some connected company profits.

We just had our republican mayor admit that the real reason he wants to sell off our public water company is that rates need to be raised and the private company can do that without the political fallout.

[TheCowsCameHome]

21. They want it all, just as long as someone else pays for it.

That's their plan.

[Mari333]

10. I ran in to the 'angry army families' when my stepson went to Iraq in 2003

I was an active anti war person...very verbal, and wrote a lot of letters against the war. and marched, did interviews, etc.

when the army unit my stepson was in caught wind of it, the families of the other soldiers in the unit came after me.

they called the head of the unit, who was with my stepson in Iraq at the time, and told HIM to tell my stepson to tell ME to
'stop your stepmother from speaking out against the war'

he told them it was my constitutional right to say whatever i pleased about the war...

I felt awful for him, he should not have even had to deal with that


these kind of people spit on the Constitution when it does not suit their nationalism/fascistic fantasies.

Luckily, Carl Levin intervened when he got a letter from me letting him know that my constitutional rights were being squashed, and my stepson was caught in the middle by these morons.

Yes, they are insane. They are trying to justify themselves and you poke their fantasy bubble when you show them new ideas.

[LiberalLoner]

29. I so sorry.

I'm so sorry you and your stepson went through that. I used to be an Army officer myself so I want to apologize on behalf of all Army officers, and family members. I know it's not enough, but I want to apologize to you as a start.

[Mari333]

31. no no dont apologize

it was 2003, people were all revved up by that war

in time, the whole unit he was in started seeing the light. I sent them packages, and they all turned their minds around and when they left Iraq, they knew it was a war based on lies.

hugs

[LiberalLoner]

34. You are such a nice person. I wish I could hang around you instead of the nutcases my hubby expects

me to be close to.

[Mari333]

42. hugs and more hugs

isnt there some kind of open minded person anywhere near you? a group of liberal people you could meet up with?

in the meantime, we are here!! huge hugs from a gramma

[LiberalLoner]

48. Thank you so much.

I'm thinking of volunteering for the local Democratic party here in Virginia. I'm thinking maybe I would meet some friends there? I'm so shy, it's hard for me to do, but I think it's the only way I can meet someone who isn't a right-winger.

[Mari333]

49. brilliant idea...!!!!!!!

I would go crazy here if I didnt have just a few open minded friends. well, you are always welcome here on DU and will never be alone as long as we are here.!

[HughBeaumont]

11. Wing-dings, plain and simple, cannot envision a world where everyone isn't just like them.

Why do you think Rush Limpstupid titled one of his books "The Way Things Ought To Be"? He's playing to an audience that want the things they've been fed to be a reality forever and to never have a bill come due FOR instituting that reality.

They should be ALLOWED to be racist and/or politically incorrect.

Greed, selfishness and looking out for #1 ARE virtues.

Free Trade and Free Markets DO work for all people.

Private insurance SHOULD be the only form of insurance allowed.

Government IS the devil.

Taxes SHOULD be cut down to nothing.

Everyone who's unemployed should just GET a damned job.

Every problem I have IS because of hippies, the "welfare queens" and Liberals.

Democrats HATE the working class.

Liberals ARE treasonous and OUGHT to be taken out and shot.

The problem is that these beliefs are either highly fanatical or highly ficticious, and telling them they are isn't going to make them change their minds. They're trapped inside boxes. Work in a box, drive a box, come home in a box, die in a box. Their lives have no shape, breath or vibrant color.

[JohnnyLib2]

14. I think the racist stuff is more noticeable, less covert than before

Obama. A lot of the blame-them-liberals chatter is along the same old lines. It is much harder (for me) to hear that along with openly racial comments, etc. Sadly, there is a lot of mutual reinforcement for it.

[lunatica]

15. They don't understand liberals and that makes them feel stupid so they

stew over it till they get angry and that makes them feel empowered. So they stir up that valuable protection (seething, churning anger) on a daily basis so they can keep it molten hot. It helps them stop feeling impotent. And when every public place and business has FOX news on in the background it's definitely feeding their anger.

[customerserviceguy]

16. It's all part of the polarization that has taken place in American politics

We were pretty damned angry for most of the last decade, too. When the political winds shift, the side that is on the outs figures out how to voice its grievances, and does so frequently within earshot of what might be the mushy middle.

It's a mistake to blame this on racism. Barack Obama got elected by people who looked past his race, they are finding non-racial reasons to see him as lacking. Certainly, there is fear and loathing when it comes to the way that HCR has been crafted, it's been pretty damned ugly to watch that sausage being made in Congress, without leadership from the President.

Perhaps if he had crafted a good plan, and pushed Congress for that last year, instead of appearing to be saying, "Give me something, anything I can sign!!" he would retain the respect that he had on Inauguration Day.

[ctaylors6]

58. +1 nt

[Lochloosa]

17. First of all. Thank you for you and your husbands service.

I'm not sure the majority of republicans are pissed. I live in a very Conservative part of Florida. The ones I talk to are not "mad" they just don't trust Obama or Dems. Most understand they lost the election and want to change that.

[kctim]

54. So very true

everything else are just political excuses.

[mmonk]

18. I think if we ever have real news agencies again, it won't be crazy

like it is now. Until then, they will be sick and crazy with hatred I think.

[TheCowsCameHome]

19. The RW talking heads have whipped their fragile minds into a frenzy

These gullible people absorb the hate like little sponges.

My SIL is a great example of an otherwise intelligent woman all wrapped up in their web.

[saltpoint]

20. A niece's co-worker fits that description.

Some around her are a bit edgy. Understandably so, from accounts.

There are folks out there who aren't really just "frustrated" by the "legislative process" -- it's more as if they're persuaded the sky is falling and they begin to cast things as apocalyptic global calamity. They use moral, or what they like to feel are "Christian" contexts to frame the way they'd prefer it to be, not that many of them would know for never having even read the New Testament. They may not all be able to read, period.

Glenn Beck and the other hate hosts are successful because their audience seems largely comprised of these Henny-Penny fundamentalist nutbags. President Obama is their current favorite scapegoat. If Beck's audience is to feel morally righteous and superior to other citizens, then perceived atrocities demand a scapegoat. Obama is perfect not because he is president because the hate hosts have tried to brand him as a racist, a Nazi, a this, a that, a socialist, and so forth. "He's destroying this great nation!!"

Agree with you that sanity is an issue. Reason isn't a very highly held value with the Beck crazies. I hope that they resist the idea of individual vigilante action because we don't need more violence. Just the same, Beck's ratings depend on that demographic and like all the other hate hosts on radio and television, his propaganda is a daily kerosene feed on an already hot fire.

[LiberalLoner]

22. Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'm sure not all Army wives are conservative, just the ones I have been running into - the wives of senior Army Officers, LTC and above.

I really just can't take it anymore, I can't be a part of that group. My husband has very nearly gotten into fistfights with right-wing officers who have told him he has no right to be in the Army since he holds liberal views.

Thanks for letting me whine. Surrounded by these people, I really feel alone and feel afraid for our future as a country.

[City Lights]

23. My neighbors.

They have turned rabid since the election. Every conversation we have contains a racist or anti-Democratic rant. She gets this look in her eyes when she spews. It's really creepy. Thankfully, they head south for the winter, so we only have to try and avoid them during the warmer months. Her ugliness is threatening our neighborly relationship, especially since she was the only tolerable one of the duo. Her husband rudely accused our cat of pooping in his tomato plants. I sternly informed him that our cats stay indoors, so there is no way it could have been ours. I also informed him there are numerous strays that roam the neighborhood. Plus, he shoots bottle rockets at the geese (and their babies) whenever they come near his property. We've always considered him to be an all-around asshole. Turns out they're two peas in a pod.

[LiberalLoner]

25. Yes, that's the term - rabid! That's exactly how I feel about

the right-wingers I am surrounded with. They have become rabid and some are even actively wishing for a violent overthrow of our government so they can stick Bush Jr. back in or whoever.

[PassingFair]

50. My husband's EX-best friend....

They (we) used to argue constantly while Bush was in office.

We haven't seen him since the DAY Obama was elected...
he left the election day party that his brother-in-law
threw when the projections came in and we haven't socialized
with him since.

:shrug:

[Uben]

24. Weren't we basically the same?

The more successful the disastrous policies of the right were during Bush's reign, I know I got angrier. I think it's the nature of the beast. One cannot understand why the other side is being so successful when what they are doing is so much against what one believes in.
I've been around here a long time, almost since this place started. At first, we were kinda in shock after the theft of the 2000 election, and then we got around to getting angry. Angry that the Supreme court selected a president, angry that Bush invaded Iraq on false premises, angry that they passed tax cuts (through reconcilliation) for the rich, angry that they outed a CIA agent, and angry they were politiczing the justice dept. Yeah, we were angry, but rightfully so! Hell, I'm still angry!

I live among republicans....lots of em. My community is about 90% republican, including a large amount of activists, so I have a clue. They are angry......angry they lost the whitehouse and control of congress. They are angry everytime Obama does anything successfully, whether it is good for Americans or not.

We were angry when they were successful, too. Are we not angry that they are having success blocking HCR? HEll yeah! It takes anger to motivate sometimes, and we all know how good republicans are at getting their base angry. They out and out lie to do it. Just look at Rush Limpass and Glenn Beck.

So, dammit, let's get angry! I think anger at republicans is what motivated people to elect Obama.

Rile em up, rope em in, run em out.....rawhide!

[LiberalLoner]

27. I don't know - I certainly never wished for the death of Bush or talked about how nice it would be

to have a revolution and kick all the righties out of "my" country.

[Uben]

35. You're too nice......

....I did! Hah! Well, I never wish for anyone to die, but kicking republicans out of the country? I could go for that! BAck in 2001, I was angry. I'm talking in yo face, don't fuck with me, angry! Nowadays, I'm still angry. Angry our congress-critters can't get HCR done...NOW! I focus my anger on those standing in the way of Obama's plans. I was for Hillary in the primaries because I wanted HCR passed and she was the most likely to get the job done, IMO. When Obama was nominated, I jumped on board because I knew any democrat was 1000% better than any republican, and republicans had eight years to tackle HCR and did squat!

[ShortnFiery]

28. Agreed, they are livid.

I live in a very republican district and it seems to me that the right wing wackos are about to "jump the track."

There's a special kind of "crazy" being passed around in their midst.

I don't get invited to the meetings but it's creepy living among the Authoritarian Un-dead. :scared:

[crazyjoe]

32. in all fairness, left wingers arn't exactly dancing in the streets.

[Odin2005]

33. Everyone not living in a bubble is angry nowdays.

[LiberalLoner]

36. There's some real truth to that.

I'm angry that I'm expected to smile and be nice and not "talk back" to these psycho women my husband brings home. I just can't do it anymore!

And I'll come out and be honest - I hate these frothing at the mouth right-wingers. I guess I am just as angry as they are. But I've never advocated a revolution and killing my fellow Americans.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

41. It's not just Right wingers that are angrier than ever.

I've notice more "eating our own" from our side of the fence lately than theirs.
Sure, they're being more vocal... but their behavior is more normal for them than ours is for us.

[karynnj]

43. Good observation but I think there is anger everywhere

It does make sense and it shows, that contrary to a negative media summation, our agenda has made real progress. In addition to being whipped up to their negative hysteria by their media people, they likely are seeing things they thought they controlled rolled back.

Back in 2005 in the dysfunctional 109th Congress, I remember the despair I felt seeing an eloquent, brave Senator Kennedy speak on amendment after amendment designed to make the odious bankruptcy bill even slightly more humane and then seeing the amendment lose in mostly party line votes. Then there was the Alito cloture fight, though Kerry's speech was more eloquent and more persuasive, the emotional howl that was Kennedy's speech, speaking of all that was put at risk was hard to watch. Then there was Kerry's painful speech on Iraq where he said that he was not running, but spoke of working to insure that everything he had worked for in his life was not destroyed.

Then remember the outrage that most of us felt - on Iraq, torture, Katrina etc. Our anger then likely appeared to some on the other side as the same inchoate seething rage that we see from them now. What is odd is how some cries are the same - "they're shredding the Constitution", "they're changing my country away from its real values".

I do think that much of the anger on their side is ginned up by the RW through distortion - it also likely has revived the fears they had caused by the very real shifts in the culture on social issues - that have moved in our direction, especially on recognition of gays. In addition, there seem some who still have a problem with race.

The anger I didn't expect, is the anger so quickly shown on our side. Is there a prominent Congressman or Senator, that some thread has not spoken of primarying? Advocacy is important, but it seems anger is addicting and many on are side have not been able to move from the anger of 2001 - 2008.

[Kievan Rus]

44. Too much Faux News

[Romulox]

45. Naw. GD : P is the same as it ever was. nt

[NeedleCast]

46. A few

Most of them are pretty moderate so they don't get frothy very often. The few more wing-nut conservatives I know aren't neccissarily becoming angrier but they are becomeing more aggresive about pushing their memes.

[3324SS]

47. Of course they are angery

A Black man with power scares the crap out of them...most of the GOP base lived during and still pine for the days of separate but equal, the mythical days of Ozzie and Harriett, Leave it to Beaver and when Gays were closeted like Rock Hudson was in his Doris Day movies.

Add to that the RW echo chamber constant reinforcement of their fears and prejudices, giving them a scape goat and saying how the Socialist/Marxist/Communist/Liberal Obama and the evil Dems are coming after them. The RW echo chambers playbook is right out of 1930's Germany.

These people weak of mind are ready to blow, we are seeing it already, pay attention look at how many more spree shootings by Right Wingers are occurring, the Anti-Government attacks, this nonsense will continue until Obama is gone.

Even being remotely nice to these "people" will not work, they cannot be reasoned with at all and they have no desire be reasonable.

What is most disturbing is that all of this is nothing but a distraction, the real problem is corporate power. Our Founding Fathers broke free from a Government that was tangled up with a corporation that had undue influence in Government. (Google East India Company if you need the historical information).

[Bonhomme Richard]

51. The wacko's I hear have a heavy dose of racism.

And over the top anger mixed with paranoia.

[BrotherLove]

52. They are really pissed at the Coffee Party organization too.

How dare they be a real grassroots effort.

How dare they include non white people who can actually spell.

It's too funny to watch them try to quash this movement. Fingers crossed it can survive the onslaught.

BTW, note to Tea Baggers: Promoting your Birther crap will not work as an argument.

[Forkboy]

53. I see more anger everywhere.

[ctaylors6]

57. I call it the Crossfire-ization of America

I think there's anger on both sides, rational and irrational. I find that political discussion in general has become, in large part, about taking sides. It's rarely about compromise. Disagreement turns into criticism, often of a personal nature. It's about who can yell the loudest, figuratively and often literally.

I was taught to respect someone else's opinion even if I disagreed strongly. I try to teach my children this too. I also try to teach them that clear, informed argument is the best way to persuade someone else to change his or her mind. I truly believe that namecalling (eg "___________ is an idiot") is not a persuasive argument and reflects badly on the person resorting to that kind of argument. If an elected official is that much of an idiot, it's usually pretty easy to come up with a factual list of reasons why.

I've seen this kind of crossfire behavior on both sides for years now. I think it's of course worse when the other party is in power. I don't see the right being any more froth-at-the-mouth angry now than the left was when Bush was in the WH.

[alfredo]

59. It has driven them to take their anger out on President Grant.

They want to take him off the $50 bill and replace him with Reagan. Why get rid of Grant?

He signed the 15th amendment. He sent troops to protect African Americans. He worked to solidify national unity in the post rebellion years.

[grahamhgreen]

62. Actually, the ones I know are laughing at me for being taken taken for a fool by the DLC. nt

[Last_Stand]

64. I have a single republican friend...

and the only reason we're still friends is because we live in different cities and NEVER discuss politics or religion.

Neither of us is going to change the other's mind, so we don't bother trying anymore.

I never associate with rabid right-wingers if I can avoid it.

[Roon]

65. both of my step-steparents and parents are all right wingers...

my step-mother/father, don't talk about politics anymore..neither does my father. My mother jumped on the teabaggers bandwagon since obama got elected. She is going to need meds in the next few years.

[LiberalLoner]

68. Sorry you are going through that with them. Must be hard to watch happening. rop

Sometimes they get so wrapped up in the hate, they do seem to be not entirely sane, you know? I've seen this happen to other people, like my godmother, who used to be a very kind, pleasant person. She was a recovering alcoholic and the meetings were very important to her. Well, she got kicked out of the meetings because she wouldn't stop ranting about the latest Glenn Beck/Rush Limbaugh issues of the day, and then from there she just got more and more hateful and wrapped up in the ideology, and now there literally isn't anything else really in her life. She doesn't want anything to do with relatives and old friends who aren't as right-wing as she is, and refuses to engage in any conversation that doesn't center on politics a la Glenn Beck/Limbaugh.

It really looks like an addiction, from the outside looking in. It doesn't seem like a mentally healthy type of behavior at all. I guess maybe that is also the kind of thing you are observing in some members of your family?

[Roon]

70. Just my Mother and my Uncle

they are the only ones still fanning the flames in my family. I like it better when the right-wingers have no choice but to shut up.

[LiberalLoner]

69. Thanks everyone, so much. I would feel so completely alone and down if not for you guys.

I really feel sometimes I'm the only liberal on earth. I know that's not true, but it feels that way sometimes.

[onethatcares]

71. oh, I've noticed that,

on a minor little fishing site that has a political section. Seems the righties got their panties in a crunch trying to come up with and and every way to diminish the good that has happened.

Talk to them about the bailouts and the paybacks, they're stuck on the bailouts not even thinking that gwbushit started that ball rolling, talk about the Iraq withdrawl, and they think President Barrack Hussein Obama invaded that county in 2003, there are far too many other instances to describe here, but suffice it to say, they are FROTHING IN THEIR KNICKERS>

[LiberalLoner]

72. Exactly, their version of history and reality has no basis in fact...they just

attribute everything bad that happened under Bush to either the D congress or to Pres. Obama. It's really strange. They seem either insanely out of touch with reality or (more likely) willfully ignorant and staying that way.

Either way they don't seem to be people you can reason with in any way. And I really do not know if they will ever return to "normal."