Poll: Republicans: Your take

[Lance Arrow]

I don't really have a problem with all republicans in general. It's the beer drinking, nascar and Fox News watching, backward ones that really need to disappear.

It's such a shame that only the crazy political activists who say extreme shit with no goal other than to draw attention to themselves or their party get media exposure, which makes some people generalize said political party/parties. Well I say don't judge anyone until you've met them in person.

 

[Jaxek13]

There's nothing wrong with parties or ideologies in general, the problem is the fact that there are people who go crazy over this stuff and therefore creates this "Us vs. Them" mentality. Extremism = insanity,

 

[CarlMin]

If have no problem playing CSS with my republican friend, despite being a die-hard democrat myself. But perhaps things would be different if I actually lived in America^^

 

[funguy2121]

There's a lot of talk about biasis in the media these days: Walmart underpays women, black men are targetted by the police, straight men are being corrupted by Dragon Age, etc. Today though I want to ask you about initial reactions to a simple demographic, one that encompasses about 50% of Americans - Republicans. Sure, that number's a bit off, but that's not really the point of this thread, what is is how you feel towards Republicans. What is your gut reaction to them? What is your perception? Would you date one, and would you feel different if a friend "came out" as being one to you? I ask this to you Escapists because let's be honest, this is a very Left-leaning website, and I'm curious just how much weight the "do not judge" mentality holds in the face of the Right Wing.

OP, less than 50% of Americans are Republicans. About 30% are moderate to fringe conservatives, including libertarians, about 30% are liberals, and about 30% are impatient idiots who swing back and forth faster than Tila Tequila.

Straight men being corrupted by Dragon Age - this sounds like Dr. Laura charlatanry. I'm not sure anyone's accusing Wal-mart of underpaying women, but Wal-mart has lost multiple class-action lawsuits by female employees for other reasons. If you look up racial profiling reports, black men ARE targeted by the police.

I don't assume all Republicans and conservatives are the same, but rational conservatives like John Stossel are in bad company with all the demagogues like Limbaugh and Beck out there and all their yes-men and -women and "dittoheads." The high priests of the far right fabricate such bullshit notions of American Exceptionalism and then use their newly made up fairy tale to demonize Obama, Pelosi or whomever is there target for the moment. American Exceptionalism, for example, has nothing whatsoever to do with America being an exceptional country. It has nothing to do with our perserverence or ingenuity. It's the idea that we're somehow special and better than everyone else. And the pundits love nothing more than coupling this with religious BS, as if America were the first Christian nation ever.

 

[cubikill]

The problem (this sound incredibly arrogant, sorry) is that people don't/can't separate their political ideology form the party that occupies the same general stance. Political parties are by nature are lying sacks of crap. So do you hate the party of the politician? To win elections in a two party, winner take all system(what we have in the USA) the parties must cater to the biggest base posable, the center. So to win they must lie to the people, tell half-truths, and and in general campaign. Also parties are made up of people, which we should all know by now are royally messed up. So parties are bull-crap. But the ideologies that they water down and pervert are not the same. That is why you get so many people in the center that say they agree with both parties. They don't really agree with ether party, rather they agree with some of both ideologies. They just don't/ can't separate the parties from the ideologies. Also in case you were wondering I subscribe the to political ideology of libertinism. I think that government should stay out of the economic system (mostly), as well as our society (mostly). As to which party i support, who ever supports these values the most, and has the highest chance at winning.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Short answer: Republicans suck. Democrats suck. The best political party is the Libertarian party.

Libertarianism is the political ideology of spoiled children.
CAPTCHA: nolvedur 108,

*hats off* to you! I think the Republican party is the best answer for America's political leaders. Seriously would Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the Founding Bunch go democrat? Especially after hearing about carter and jackson? I think not!

 

[MagicMouse]

Both sides are idiots. I'm fully waiting for a hybrid system that does not want to give all of our money away to lazy morons, or hold on to 2000 year old out dated unfounded religious dogma.

Libertarianism is what you are looking for.

Spoiler: Look at this Handy chart!

 

[Timbydude]

Eh, I don't really like it when the terms "conservative" and "Republican" are equated. They're not at all the same thing. I'm (mostly) conservative, but I definitely am not a Republican. Committing yourself to a political party instead of a philosophy just doesn't make sense to me.

But, I can honestly say that the vast majority of conservatives are extremely intelligent people. Fox News is not indicative of all right-wings by any stretch of the imagination. It's just a money-maker that hires the most radical, sensationalist personalities in order to make a greater buck, at the expense of people who actually hold the expressed views for logical reasons.

Honestly, if conservatives were all really as stupid and illogical as the people you see on TV, the whole group would hold absolutely zero sway; people would eventually wise up and the whole movement would just die out.

 

[Grickit]

I'm a conservative, but I can't stand most mainstream republicans. The republican party has not stood for conservativeness for a very long time. They've been corrupted into this perverted combination of corporatism and theocracy.

Just look at what they've wasted our time with so far this year:

1. Abortion
2. Abortion
3. Abortion
4. Trying to repeal healthcare regulations
5. De-funding education
6. Abortion
7. Fighting gay rights
8. Abortion
9. Union busting
10. Trying to make sodomy a crime in Texas again
11. Abortion
12. Reaffirming (Whatever that means) the "in God we trust" slogan.
13. Abortion

Conservative governments should not be in our wombs telling us what to do. Should not be telling us who to love. Should not be in our beds telling us how to... you know. They should not be printing religious stuff all over the place. Et cetera.

For the past two years the republicans obstinately blocked anything proposed and demanded "WHERE ARE THE JOBS!?". But now they have a turn in the spotlight and they're letting us down even harder than the democrats did. What the heck?

And I won't even get started on Bush who we elected as a republican and then he turned out to be this massive spending loving, freedom stripping, liberal who totally broke the economy.

Apart from healthcare reform, I'd say that Obama has actually turned out to be more of a republican than Bush. Actually, on second thought, one could make an argument comparing healthcare reform to the patriot act in terms of which is more liberal...

Okay so I guess I did get started on Bush after-all.

tl;dr version: Republicans aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing. I'm a little peeved.

 

[Alrocsmash]

Both sides are idiots. I'm fully waiting for a hybrid system that does not want to give all of our money away to lazy morons, or hold on to 2000 year old out dated unfounded religious dogma.

Libertarianism is what you are looking for.

Spoiler: Look at this Handy chart!

Too bad they never get elected.

 

[runnernda]

Republicans are people. That's all. They believe in certain things and disagree with other things. Sure, some are blindly following what they've been told. Some are ignorant. Some are close-minded. But that's not limited to Republicans. You'll find people like that everywhere with all sorts of different political beliefs. I don't agree with most conservative beliefs, but I appreciate those people with logical, well-thought out reasons why they believe what they do. I love debating, and I'll do so with anyone as long as the person with whom I'm debating isn't an idiot.

Those who are conservative because of religious beliefs, though? I'll smack them upside the head with a history lesson about the separation of church and state.

 

[funguy2121]

No, Bill is a republican. I don't know where you get the idea that he is non-partisan...

(protip: if there's a Fox News logo located in the vicinity of a newscaster, then they are a Republican)

I'm sorry, I don't even know how to respond to such an ignorant statement. I guess you get a point for blowing my fucking mind.

Ok, maybe not all the newscasters are conservative; but any time the channel provides political commentary, it's a safe bet that its from a republican/conservate/right-wing viewpoint. O'Reilly, Beck, Hannity, Huckabee... the list goes on.

O'Reilly is non-partisan. Beck is a Libertarian. Hannity and Huckabee are Republicans. But that's like, what 4 people out of everyone they employ? And you only got 2 right?

Fox has, more than once, stated that Fox'n'Friends, O'Reilly, Beck, Hannity, and every single personality/show the network is known for (and more than 75% of their programming) constitutes "personality programming" and should not be considered news. The 4 you mentioned my claim Libertarian or independent status, but they vote Republican, they support Republican candidates and agendas, and they demonize Democrats with lies.

 

[Meowshi]

Short answer: Republicans suck. Democrats suck. The best political party is the Libertarian party.

Libertarianism is the political ideology of spoiled children.
CAPTCHA: nolvedur 108,

*hats off* to you! I think the Republican party is the best answer for America's political leaders. Seriously would Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the Founding Bunch go democrat? Especially after hearing about carter and jackson? I think not!

Yeah, owning slaves and killing Indians doesn't really mesh with modern day Democratic policies.

 

[MagicMouse]

Both sides are idiots. I'm fully waiting for a hybrid system that does not want to give all of our money away to lazy morons, or hold on to 2000 year old out dated unfounded religious dogma.

Libertarianism is what you are looking for.

Spoiler: Look at this Handy chart!

Too bad they never get elected.

I know right. At this point in time voting for a Libertarian is the equivalent of voting for the Democratic party, as all it does is take Republican votes away.

Two party system FTL.

 

[Harry Mason]

A Republican is the only thing more loathsome and despicable than a Democrat. They are two different breeds of the same evil who just vary in degree of corrupt.

Also, and please excuse my ignorance on this matter, but do the Brits have "Republican" and "Democrat" equivalencies? British government baffles me, and I know the Escapists has a sizable population from over the drink...

 

[funguy2121]

I'm a conservative, but I can't stand most mainstream republicans. The republican party has not stood for conservativeness for a very long time. They've been corrupted into this perverted combination of corporatism and theocracy.

Just look at what they've wasted our time with so far this year:

1. Abortion
2. Abortion
3. Abortion
4. Trying to repeal healthcare regulations
5. De-funding education
6. Abortion
7. Fighting gay rights
8. Abortion
9. Union busting
10. Trying to make sodomy a crime in Texas again
11. Abortion
12. Reaffirming (Whatever that means) the "in God we trust" slogan.
13. Abortion

Conservative governments should not be in our wombs telling us what to do. Should not be telling us who to love. Should not be in our beds telling us how to... you know. They should not be printing religious stuff all over the place. Et cetera.

For the past two years the republicans obstinately blocked anything proposed and demanded "WHERE ARE THE JOBS!?". But now they have a turn in the spotlight and they're letting us down even harder than the democrats did. What the heck?

And I won't even get started on Bush who we elected as a republican and then he turned out to be this massive spending loving, freedom stripping, liberal who totally broke the economy.

Apart from healthcare reform, I'd say that Obama has actually turned out to be more of a republican than Bush. Actually, on second thought, one could make an argument comparing healthcare reform to the patriot act in terms of which is more liberal...

Okay so I guess I did get started on Bush after-all.

tl;dr version: Republicans aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing. I'm a little peeved.

I know - doesn't sound very 'libertarian,' does it? Yet overwhelmingly libertarians will vote for republican candidates

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Short answer: Republicans suck. Democrats suck. The best political party is the Libertarian party.

Libertarianism is the political ideology of spoiled children.
CAPTCHA: nolvedur 108,

*hats off* to you! I think the Republican party is the best answer for America's political leaders. Seriously would Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the Founding Bunch go democrat? Especially after hearing about carter and jackson? I think not!

Yeah, owning slaves and killing Indians doesn't really mesh with modern day Democratic policies.

oooooorrrrrr does it

 

[tehroc]

I wouldn't give a damn, for every paranoid fundamentalist tea party member that votes republican, there are a thousand normal people who do it because they believe in having a small government and low taxes. The sad thing is that there are too few politicians that aren't hypocritical liars.

Republicans don't believe in small government though. The small government they want only applies to their own businesses. It's big government as usual when it comes to social issues. They tell you what you can do, they tell you what you can think, they tell you who you can do it with.

 

[Alrocsmash]

Both sides are idiots. I'm fully waiting for a hybrid system that does not want to give all of our money away to lazy morons, or hold on to 2000 year old out dated unfounded religious dogma.

Libertarianism is what you are looking for.

Spoiler: Look at this Handy chart!

Too bad they never get elected.

I know right. At this point in time voting for a Libertarian is the equivalent of voting for the Democratic party, as all it does is take Republican votes away.

Two party system FTL.

Ya the 2 party system was more of what I was commenting on regarding a hybrid system. America is SO black and white. Labels are how we define ourselves. Boyfriend girlfriend, fat or thin, west coast east coast, republican democratic. Gray area exists, and its a great place to be.

 

[DaJoW]

Well, a Republican here is someone who wants the removal of the Monarchy, which I'm fine with. Don't agree with them though.

Conservative by Swedish standards: Doesn't bother me much as long as we don't discuss politics extensively. Conservative by US standards in Sweden: Worried, because it's very, very far from the "normal" political spectrum here. If it was in the US I wouldn't have a problem with it.