The shutdown through Democrat eyes
Or at least – through the eyes of a goodly number of Democrats I know.
I had a meal yesterday with about eight friends and acquaintances. All of them are Democrats, although I wouldn’t call any of them intensely political. Often politics doesn’t even come up at our gatherings, but it did yesterday, briefly. I usually stay quiet at those times because I’ve learned from experience that in this particular group my disagreeing would be an utterly futile gesture that usually just draws blank stares at best. They already know I’m on the right, by the way.
So ordinarily I just listen, and that’s what I did yesterday when the topic of the shutdown came up. The discussion lasted barely a minute, just enough time to make it clear that there was complete consensus on the subject, and it went like this: Trump especially, and the Republicans generally, are the awful culprits. Nope, it’s not Schumer’s shutdown to them. Not at all. Au contraire.
There was no mention of the role of Democrats. There was not a word of attention paid to all the previous times the government had shut down with the roles reversed, and why it might have been okay to blame the minority party back when it was the GOP and why – now that Republicans are the majority party trying to vote for funding – somehow they’re still to blame. There was no acknowledgement that some Democrats had voted with the Republicans this time. And there was nothing about the actual issues between the two parties on the funding.
After that brief minute the subject was changed, and we went on as before.
This kneejerk type of consensus opinion with very little content no longer surprises me at all. I am convinced that the majority of people who vote Democrat are not paying any more attention or giving it more thought than that. Nor do I think that a huge percentage of Republicans give it all that much more thought, either; it’s just that they come out on a different side and it’s one with which I tend to agree. The percentage of people who obsessively follow politics is high on many blogs, but it isn’t otherwise all that large on either side, at least not in my opinion.
You may say that a lower percentage of women than men follow politics closely, and that after all this group was composed of women. But, at least in my experience, about the same is true of men, for the most part, although it might be slightly more common among men than women to be very interested in politics.
Your mileage may differ.
NOTE: As an antidote, you might enjoy watching some of this:
Women are different from men in their social needs, but I literally will not spend my free time around brainwashed liberals. I would actually approve of someone who accepted reality and said “Yep, we dems are shutting things down because…” and have a discussion. I am okay having a back and forth based on morals on facts, but I won’t deal with a cult.
Of course I have “non-voluntary” situations every once in a while, but if politics are brought up I am very clear where I stand and push back, but those are vanishingly rare as I age out of the workforce. But even when working I did not know the politics, and often the religion, of 99% of the people I interacted with, and I was in an outward facing position.
I suspect not many folks on either side know as much as you do about the lineup or the history of such things.
However. In my experience, those on the right, exposed to the facts of a case, are more likely to think about it than are those on the left.
Those on the left NEED the right/republicans to be the Bad Guys and sometimes facts get in the way and must be ignored.
Holy bananas! Neo is a friend of the Ruthless Variety Progrum!
I agree with Director Mitch. I just can not sit by and let them get away with it. If I loose a friend, then so be it. Neo, those friends of yours would throw you under the bus in a heartbeat. That’s how I feel.
I have one friend that we agreed not to talk about politics. I don’t and if he tries too, I shut him down. Another person that we were friends with was dancing with joy when Trump lost. I told her that I could not remain in contact with her, even though we had been to her house, consoled her when her husband suddenly died. I initiated contact when my Wife’s cancer returned. Contact has been very limited. Oh, and she is in the UK
I wouldn’t be so much interested in their views on the shutdown, but would have a good time seeing how they react by bringing up the sombero memes.
Related?
The
shutdownDemocratic Party through [a former] Democrat’s eyes…“The Democratic doomsday cult’s decade of delusion”—
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/in_focus/3832954/the-democratic-doomsday-cults-decade-of-delusion/
H/T Powerline blog.
+ Bonus…of a sort…
‘ “Blatant Fraud”: USCIS Operation Uncovers Fraud In 44% Of Pending Immigration Cases In Minneapolis’—
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/blatant-fraud-uscis-operation-uncovers-fraud-44-all-immigration-cases-minneapolis
Guess we can blame this on Trump, as well….
“Tylenol Maker Said In Internal Emails Evidence Of Link To Autism ‘Starting To Feel Heavy’”—
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/tylenol-maker-said-internal-emails-evidence-link-autism-starting-feel-heavy
SHIREHOME:
I’ve explained this before, but I’ll explain it again. They’re not close friends, they’re friendly acquaintances I’ve known for about 20 years. They are aware of my politics and I’ve had MANY such discussions with them. It has zero effect and is a complete waste of time and energy. The group hardly ever talks politics and they are not interested in hearing details. We meet about once every 6 weeks. It’s a fun group, and I value that.
My feeling can best be described as ho hum another government shutdown. Through my teens and into my early thirties, my Mother worked for the BLM. There must have been 3-5 shutdowns during this time. At the end of the shutdowns America was still America and the government limped along as always.
I have no friends on the Left.
I know they actually would not help me if I was attacked by let’s say, Antifa.
They would say, “We are still friends, but you had it coming.”
These are not your “friends” rather they are just people who share a common interest, or at one time you went to school with. I get nothing out of these people as they are the without question the most narrow minded, brainwashed people I have ever known.
“I’ve learned from experience that in this particular group my disagreeing would be an utterly futile gesture that usually just draws blank stares at best.”
That is of course to be expected from the intellectually uncurious.
“Uncurious” an adjective describing someone showing a lack of desire to learn or find answers.”
“I am convinced that the majority of people who vote Democrat are not paying any more attention or giving it more thought than that. Nor do I think that a huge percentage of Republicans give it all that much more thought, either; it’s just that they come out on a different side and it’s one with which I tend to agree.”
True, the difference hinges upon retaining a moral compass that is still grounded in at least a modicum of common sense. It is not possible for common sense and denial of reality to coexist. And the liberal left’s basic premises reject critical aspects of reality… from human nature to key principles that govern the external reality within which we all exist. Which is why the collectivist ideologies embraced by the left are unsustainable without increasing degrees of coercion.
It’s true that a large number of voters don’t follow politics closely and have only a hazy idea of how government policies are affecting their lives. It’s very disappointing.
Because of their disinterest/laziness/or?? we are getting political leaders who are slowly destroying this country.
I was apolitical until I got a taste of the60s campus protests against military recruiters. That made me review everything I ever thought I knew and to evaluate my positions on government policies and our economic system. I know why I stand where I do and can share it with anyone who will listen.
I have lost touch with family because of politics and that sucks, but I am unwilling to be mealymouthed about something so important.
If you doubt that the national debt is going to be our downfall, read “The Ascent of Money,” by Niall Ferguson. It shows why and how past empires and wealthy nations became poor.
And the shutdown is over what? Spending much more money that the Democrats demand. To not understand it is irresponsible.
The left’s common take on reducing the size of government has always annoyed me. Somehow, those “civil servant” jobs are sacred.
I’ve worked at multiple companies that went through big layoffs, over the years.
It can be brutal. And it can make people grow, try other paths, hopefully create better lives, eventually.
But government dept’s & agencies should be cleaned out, audited routinely/periodically — for their necessity, efficiency, and performance.
I wish the best going forward to most of those losing their jobs.
But they are no more sacred workers than the rest of us.
As an ultrasocial species (even among the introverts among us) we are highly desirous of having friends and good relationships with those whom we let into our “in group”.
So we can pick our friends, based on signals of compatibility, attention, and affections of some form, and keep or drop them as circumstances demand or provide. For our family, those ties are as much related to duty as to bonds of affection. And many commenters here have mentioned those relations being strained, even sometimes outside of differences over politics.
But our founders did warn us that we needed to be sufficiently educated and aware of OUR representatives and OUR government to maintain it as a healthy and vibrant republic. Our more conservative leaders did not stay aware (or become aware) of the Leftist indoctrination being pushed upon the children over several generations. As employers, they also wanted a dutiful and civil and respectful and “obeying” workforce, so that may have played into some of their neglect.
But it does seem that the march through the institutions just came to a critical level in the last few decades, as the academy and the media became more fully compromised. By then some alerts were being raised, but to little avail until brash, crude, rough, boastful, insulting, narcissistic Trump came along.
“I have no friends on the Left.” — John Galt III
That may be me, too. Having lived in Austin too long, I know so many people who are so arrogant and so ignorant (– my goal is to leave!) that I don’t want to be around.
But, Inlaws and other complications.
…
It’s been sad yet interesting to hear more people openly bash capitalism for most of their problems. Especially in the last 5-6 years: renters — middle-aged.
A few absolutely hate the owners of their rentals, asserting that the owners should absolutely not pass on tax increases by raising rents! That’s just selfish! That’s exploitive!! A person who owns two properties (– a home & a rental) is a rich arse who should show mercy on the tenant, who doesn’t even own ONE!
…
Some of these renters have had less opportunities, harder lives, & may never be able to own. Yet I wish their envy didn’t have such a blinding effect. Which, of course, the anti-capitalist politicians and “educators” use with cruel, evil skill.
The ignorance of the average voter — even the average educated, affluent voter — is difficult to fathom for those of us who are more engaged, even if we’re not obsessive about it.
A year or so ago, I heard a young mother, about 30 — a seemingly intelligent and affluent college graduate — “blame” Biden for the overruling of Roe v Wade (she was pro-abortion, obviously) because it happened while he was president. This level of ignorance and irrationality, while common, is so deep as to make meaningful discussion impossible.
The same is true of the people on the “Right” who seem to think “Zionists” are behind everything wrong with the United States.
Given the left’s dominance of the media, and the wishy washy nature of the supposedly “rightwing” Fox News, I expect the Democrats to avoid blame for the shutdown. Apparently, the media was able to convince many people that the border disaster under Biden was the fault of the Republicans.
@ djf > ” “blame” Biden for the overruling of Roe v Wade (she was pro-abortion, obviously) because it happened while he was president.” and “Apparently, the media was able to convince many people that the border disaster under Biden was the fault of the Republicans.”
So, a net wash? 😉
About par for the course. LIVs always blame the current president when the chickens let loose by the prior one come home to roost, such as Dubya getting the blame for 9/11 although all the set-up for it happened under Clinton.
And the Democrats have pulled off the masterful troll of all time by convincing huge numbers of people that Republicans were the party of slavery, and Lincoln must therefore have been a Democrat.
Which is why the Left absolutely cannot let the schools actually teach history.
Their good looks may fade away
But lack of brains is here to stay.