If you believe everything that is posted on a known politically slanted website, then maybe it isn't the rest of the world that are "simpletons." Perhaps a mirror would be a good start for you. The fact is that conservatives must tone down the vitriol...must come up with innovative ideas of their own for solutions to problems...and must stop demonizing and twisting 2 minute soundbites. I honestly believe that Ronald Reagan would turn over in his grave if he saw what the Republican Party has become. I am a conservative and I am saying this. I really hate that so many other conservatives make me feel like I have to scold them for harming conservatism in general.
I understand your pain. I remember in college going to a few different left leaning meetings/rallies/events etc. and some I stayed active in. But every new one that I went to just to check out, had one group that was always the same. Their rhetoric was over the top, they were always passionate about the new cause, and had forgotten the cause they were so "passionate" about the week before. It was very disheartening, and I would get so disgusted by it all. Anyway, just hold strong to your beliefs, and I'm the sure the pendulum even within the conservatives will have to swing back. Even though we are often on opposite sides of issues, I much prefer discussing real points and various alternatives rather than talking with someone who doesn't know what socialism is, or is afraid of death panels and conservative internment camps.
I too sympathize with Ref, but I think we're beyond the pendulum analogy here. The problem as I see it is that since at least the 1990's and probably since the "Reagan Revolution," more and more conservatives define their lives in large part through their political beliefs. Now, that's true for most people to some extent, but the insidiousness of the talk radio/Fox News/and now Internet have pushed way too many people over the top and to extreme positions. They would literally have to change their lifestyle and way of thinking to change the pendulum's swing. I thought that the train wreck of the last 4 years of W would have done it, but instead it's strengthened the irrationality of a lot of people, including ones I care about personally. I kept waiting for some of them to come to the realization that the whole thing was an illusion... a few turned towards the light of reason, some came close but couldn't take the last step, and most never even considered it. Letterman recently interviewed a Tea Party person from Idaho. She was older, matronly, and apparently didn't come off as angry or upset. Yet she's totally bonkers. Here's what Digby said about the show... I don't see the pendulum swinging back for these people. I'm starting to think they are right... there must be a revolution... but as opposed to some of them, I would prefer a bloodless one. There's going to have to be something of great significance that breaks the noise machine and snaps these people back to reality harshly. However, I'm at a loss as to what that could be. I do know we cannot have a large subset of irrational people dictating the course of action for our country and God forbid if we ever let them achieve power again.
Another piece (better written than I could) echoes the same thoughts. This piece was written in response to this article...
Just trying to look back at the late 60's and early 70's there were violent left leaning groups, and a lot of the people who weren't in those groups but leaned left also had some misinformation that fired them up. Now most left leaning groups aren't armed, and it's a different situation. I don't know what it will take to make them see. I keep hoping that sound policy decisions and the sky not actually falling will eventually bring them around. Also for all the noise they make, their candidates don't really win that many elections. Even Sarah Palin didn't stay in the job she had. The problem is the GOP is trying to co-opt some their speech and ideas, and it is cyclical thing that feeds on itself.
