What happened to my Dad??

[RockaFowler]

My Dad is an immigrant from Egypt. He came to this country in 1962. He learned English. He got married (4x) and had many children. He also has made a ton of money over the past 50 years.

But in all that time my Dad was always a Democrat. Always. He used to have fights with my very rich Uncle over who they should vote for in the 1980's for Governor of Michigan (my Dad liked Blanchard). He voted for every Democrat (with the exception of Anderson in 1980) for as far back as I can remember. He was a big supporter of Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primary (he has pictures of her and him at the house).

Well, for the past couple of months my Democratic Dad has been sending me Tea-Party propaganda. I'm not sure how to tell him to leave me off this crap. I mean it is my Dad. I've never seen my Dad anti-Democratic in my entire adult life. It's really freaking me out.

[flamingdem]

1. Ask him if he wants to have Medicare or Social Security

Then tell him the tea party will take that away from him.

[dflprincess]

4. Just don't mention the Catfood Commission

You need to ask your dad where he got these ideas.

[Bluebear]

2. You could say "What happened to my Dad's party?"

If he is disaffected, it may not be all on his own inspiration. All you can do is quiz him on why this Tea Party is attracting him and try to refute them point by point.

[sufrommich]

3. Married four times and wealthy. It was bound to happen. nt

[TransitJohn]

5. Carter was the Democrat in 1980.

Anderson was a Republican running independently.

[RockaFowler]

9. I know

That's why I said with the Exception of Anderson he voted straight Democratic ticket

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. How's his health?

Some events and conditions can show up as sudden change of behavior, attitudes, interests, etc.

[RockaFowler]

10. Oh My God

You may be right. Ever since he turned 75 he's been acting strange. He even texted me. I'm still creeped out about that!!

[Smarmie Doofus]

16. Don't panic. There may be another explanation.

Can you get him checked out? Or get him to get himself checked-out?

Easier said than done. But good luck.

[RockaFowler]

17. Very Stubborn

My sister said he doesn't look good either. I'm thinking it's the 4th marriage!!!

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Absolutely worth checking into.

[SharonAnn]

23. Two of my friends went right-wing crazy in their late 60's. Diagnosed with Alzheimers a year later.

In their case, I think it's that they were beginning to lose the ability to handle complex thinking and straight black and white scenarios were manageable for them. And the world around them seemed more confusing so they listened to right-wing radio blame it all on "others".

Anecdotal, I know, but it explained things for me.

[unpossibles]

7. I'd bet it's based on him not wanting to pay taxes combined with watching Glenn Beck perhaps

that's what did it for my dad, anyway.

[Warpy]

8. Your dad is smart enough to know he's been had

but he's getting a lot of horseshit propaganda passed on from his friends his own age (pre Boomer) that encourages him to blame all the wrong people. That's what has happened to him. If your dad is as smart as you think he is, the fever is going to break and he's going to realize just what the problem really is.

When that happens to the smarter tea baggers, all hell is going to break loose. The GOP thinks they can Astroturf the very legitimate anger in this country forever. They are wrong. History has proven that many times.

Just tell him he's buying propaganda and not to send you any more of it because you're not and hope he respects that.

[Whisp]

11. wait till you hear about My Dad.

he had this condition, a wart growing out of his thigh. He was always stubborn and would't listen to advice about seeing a doctor. It didn't hurt him he said, so why look for trouble.

Over time the thing grew. It became a small annoyance because it would interfere with him putting his pants and pajamas on, would accidentally bump it against furniture once in a while. but, no.
No doctor for him, nothing to worry about.

So there came a time, (after an absense of not being close enough to him because of work travel) I had a look at the thing and voila. It was shaped just like a chicken wing. I swear to god it even had the KFC logo on it.

So now My Dad is wondering if maybe he Should go to the doc to have the thing removed so he can deep fry it.

DADS! I know! lol

it's true, really!

[crim son]

13. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at your story! n/t

[Lance_Boyle]

14. You shoud be grateful

he's become a wing-leg instead of a wing-nut.

[Whisp]

20. he was Left Winged. ;)

[Born_A_Truman]

22. LMAO!

:rofl:

[zipplewrath]

15. Go see him

I ignored early signs. Some things can be slowed way down if you catch them early enough. Most can't be reversed. If he hasn't seen a doctor recently, arrange it. If he won't go, there are services that will come to the house (a nurse) to do an assessment.

[enough]

18. My parents were not only life-long democrats, but they were lifelong active lefties.

Then they got old, had lots of money from working hard, rarely going into debt (briefly had a mortgage on a house they built themselves by hand) and saving/investing every penny. They started to spend a lot of time watching TV. No more books, no more music. Slowly but surely they became unrecognizable in their reactions to things, and their political views. To my horror some sort of latent racism came seeping out, sometimes in ugly ways. I could hardly believe it. Very very sad.

[joeybee12]

19. My Dad is a life-long Dem...he forwarded a tea-party-like e-mail once...

I asked him if he actually read it, he said no...he just forwards stuff sometimes...is this like your dad?

[SoxFan]

21. Remember George Carlin's book club routine?

"Famous Bullshit Stories"...

[Scurrilous]

24. My elderly aunt in Texas does the same thing.

She's a nice lady, lives in her own apartment at a retirement home, seems pretty lucid when she calls. But on a daily basis she graces my inbox with crazy anti-Obama chain-emails. I just sigh and delete.

[lunatica]

25. Can't you just talk to your dad?

Let him know you're concerned about his change.