Silver: "Delusional People In Politics"

[ecinicola]

"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of
entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to
limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the
necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate
willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much
deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of
what ails us. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to
the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The republic
can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less
likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their
president."

 

[Mac1958]

of course Fox and Rove and rightwing pundits

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Stephanie, do you not realize that you keep proving my point?

Are you saying that the point I made with that example was wrong?

Yes or no?

.

yes
this election wasn't any different than any other..
just because you cherry pick a few things

Great, then we agree. A correct example is a correct example.

.

 

[Stephanie]

Stephanie, do you not realize that you keep proving my point?

Are you saying that the point I made with that example was wrong?

Yes or no?

.

yes
this election wasn't any different than any other..
just because you cherry pick a few things

Great, then we agree. A correct example is a correct example.

.

ah no we don't agree, but nice try
I could probably go back during the Bush elections and cherry pick shit about it too

 

[skookerasbil]

Silver is spot on...........4 years from now, the economy wil still be in the shitter and the hopelessly duped will still be saying, "We're still digging out of this Bush mess!!!"

 

[Mac1958]

yes
this election wasn't any different than any other..
just because you cherry pick a few things

Great, then we agree. A correct example is a correct example.

.

ah no we don't agree, but nice try
I could probably go back during the Bush elections and cherry pick shit about it too

Looking forward to it.

.

 

[Stephanie]

Silver is spot on...........4 years from now, the economy wil still be in the shitter and the hopelessly duped will still be saying, "We're still digging out of this Bush mess!!!"

lol, probably right

 

[Nole]

.4 years from now, the economy wil still be in the shitter and the hopelessly duped will still be saying, "We're still digging out of this Bush mess!!!"

you could be right, Bush made absolutely horrendous decisions but 30 years of supply side economics is what will take so long to get over. Could possible take another 30 years to fully recover.

 

[Mac1958]

Silver is spot on...........4 years from now, the economy wil still be in the shitter and the hopelessly duped will still be saying, "We're still digging out of this Bush mess!!!"

Trying to break this stuff down even further (it fascinates me), I suspect that political delusion may start off as willful ignorance. In the case of this goofy "the economy is all Bush's fault" or "the economy is all Obama's fault" stuff, partisans may over time essentially just talk themselves into this crap.

So, I'm thinking it's possible that at some point we go from just spewing partisan bullshit for political advantage, to really, really, really believing the partisan bullshit we've been spewing.

That would explain why people get so cranky.

.

 

[zeke]

Silver is spot on...........4 years from now, the economy wil still be in the shitter and the hopelessly duped will still be saying, "We're still digging out of this Bush mess!!!"

Trying to break this stuff down even further (it fascinates me), I suspect that political delusion may start off as willful ignorance. In the case of this goofy "the economy is all Bush's fault" or "the economy is all Obama's fault" stuff, partisans may over time essentially just talk themselves into this crap.

So, I'm thinking it's possible that at some point we go from just spewing partisan bullshit for political advantage, to really, really, really believing the partisan bullshit we've been spewing.

That would explain why people get so cranky.


And here I thought they got so cranky because of irrational fear and paranoia.
I believe that the internet is also partly responsible for the level of personal hatred that we see exhibited every day, right here. The ability to trash talk to someone and NEVER be forced to confront them face to face makes it a lot easier to express your hatred for whatever or whoever it is that you hate. People could never get away with some of the things they say if there was a chance they would come face to face with that person.

And when people come here (or places like this) and invest thousands and thousands of hours and posts, saying exactly the same things over and over, you can get pretty set in your opinions and it becomes much more fun to bust the balls of people you don't like than it is fun to find common ground and shared thoughts. Right Steph?

If I was beamed in from Mars and reading only this web site, I would definitely think that most Americans hate any other Americans that don't share the same beliefs and opinions.

Except for you Mac. As I have said before, you are one sane individual. Especially as you come from the repubican side of the equation. Your sanity must be why even the right wing whack jobs on here don't like what you have to say.

 

[Mac1958]

Except for you Mac. As I have said before, you are one sane individual. Especially as you come from the repubican side of the equation. Your sanity must be why even the right wing whack jobs on here don't like what you have to say.

Thanks, but HOLY CRAP, that "Republican side of the equation" line would piss off a few folks, LOL. But you're right about the righties, in fact my sig was inspired by Sniper Fire. For the hardcores, everything is very, very black & white. That helps keep the delusion nice and comfy.

.

 

[beretta304]

.

Nate Silver nails it, pointing out how frustrating it can be to analyze politics:

Nate Silver: Between pundits and partisans, 'a lot of very delusional people' in politics - POLITICO.com

From the interview:

“Between the pundits and the partisans, you're dealing with a lot of very delusional people. And sports provides for much more frequent reality checks,” he wrote. “If you were touting how awesome Notre Dame was, for example, you got very much slapped back into reality last night. In politics, you can go on being delusional for years at a time.”

Partisan ideology makes people talk themselves into some crazy stuff.

.

Sort of like how we're told how awesome oBUMa is but we have yet to see any evidence of it even though low info voters sent him back to do more potential damage.

 

[Stephanie]

Lol, it's the "we all love Mac thread"

 

[beretta304]

.

Delusion has always played a big part in partisan politics, but I don't think the evidence has ever been more vivid than in 2012.

Between the right wing radio talk show hosts and the "pundits" on Fox, these people literally created their own little world, their own little political bubble. And probably the icing on the cake was Rove on election night.

Let's see if anything is learned, huh?

Karl Rove Loses It On Fox News Election Night - YouTube

of course Fox and Rove and rightwing pundits

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notice how slyly and cleverly that was worded. Because there are no delusionals on the other siode of the aisle.

 

[LoneLaugher]

It is a Mac love fest!

Let me add to it. I also appreciate Mac's heroic attempt to remain largely unaffiliated to any ideology. It is an admirable quest. I too have witnessed the tendency on the part of extremists and dummies here to label Mac whenever he disagrees with them. Being falsely labeled or identified on a consistent basis can be tedious.

 

[beretta304]

Lol, it's the "we all love Mac thread"

I like Mac but he was a bit deceptive upon arrival. He claimed to be here to do research during the election. I believe he went as far as to say it was related to his work. And...for the most part he stayed neutral.

But...no sooner did oBUMa win, he very coyly started taking shots at the right and Conservatives...which continue.

One called him out on that as well. Naturally it was denied.

But like all of us he is entitled to his opinion even if it's just as biased as the side he attacks.

 

[Mac1958]

.

Delusion has always played a big part in partisan politics, but I don't think the evidence has ever been more vivid than in 2012.

Between the right wing radio talk show hosts and the "pundits" on Fox, these people literally created their own little world, their own little political bubble. And probably the icing on the cake was Rove on election night.

Let's see if anything is learned, huh?

Karl Rove Loses It On Fox News Election Night - YouTube

of course Fox and Rove and rightwing pundits

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notice how slyly and cleverly that was worded. Because there are no delusionals on the other siode of the aisle.

I think you're adding to what I'm saying. I noted a very clear and very recent example, but otherwise my point has been about partisans and pundits on both ends of the spectrum.

And I think you know that.

.

 

[Toro]

I wouldn't call 48% who voted against Obama a, delusion.

And many people were wishing Obama was going to lose and STILL do to this day..

You miss the point.

If you thought Obama was a bad President and would not win because of it, you were delusional. That was most diehard conservatives and Republicans. That wasn't everyone who voted for Romney or thought he was a bad President.

All you had to do was look at the numbers. But the partisans doubled down on delusion by arguing the numbers were biased towards Obama. In fact, it turned out that Obama did better than the polling numbers.

There was more delusion than I've ever seen in an election.

 

[Mac1958]

Lol, it's the "we all love Mac thread"

I like Mac but he was a bit deceptive upon arrival. He claimed to be here to do research during the election.

Huh? Research? For what? No, that was never the case.

And my opinions on the election are shared by many people from both parties, nothing special there.

.

 

[zeke]

Lol, it's the "we all love Mac thread"

I don't think it is Mac personally that we like. Though I am sure he is a perfectly likeable guy.

It is the fact that someone that represents the ideals of the republican party as some of us remember it, is alive and well and therefore there is reaon to hope that someday soon, more and more repubs will wake up and understand that the way you all want to govern is not going to resolve issues or solve problems.

Mac gets it. For that he should be applauded.

 

[beretta304]

of course Fox and Rove and rightwing pundits

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notice how slyly and cleverly that was worded. Because there are no delusionals on the other siode of the aisle.

I think you're adding to what I'm saying. I noted a very clear and very recent example, but otherwise my point has been about partisans and pundits on both ends of the spectrum.

And I think you know that.

.

Considering I have been labeled as spending to much time here I think I can fairly say that since the election your door has swung more left then right or center.

Not looking to argue with you but that was also pointed out by one or two others. So are we all delusional for having independently drawn the same conclusion based on the same data/posts?