YouGov poll: 43% of Republicans could imagine supporting a military coup in the United States

[Derideo_Te]

As far as Iraq goes if you "won" then how come ISIS is currently in charge over there?

Because your resident Messiah fucked things all up.

View attachment 49972

Nothing knee-jerk about it. The record stands.

 

[jillian]

LOL, glass houses, Stat. I wouldn't crow about 20% myself...but either way, "imagine" is a broad enough word in this case as to be pointless. I can imagine space alien body snatchers taking over Washington, for example...

Ok, you get two points for that one. Indeed, "imagine" could mean a lot of things.

You are one smart new member.

And yes, 20% is also a little scary, if you ask me. Bad Dems, bad Dems!! Down boy, down!!!



My point is: where the **** are we as a society when this kind of stuff becomes parlor talk?

Wow.

To answer your question, every civilization has (and always has had) a portion of folks for whom this is parlor talk...and every civilization should. Here is where we'll probably diverge on ideological lines, but the truth is war readiness is a responsibility, and that impels at least some to watch the grid. To those inclined to trust the government on such matters, it doesn't take a far look back to find good reasons not to for folks on any facet of the political spectrum. If politics implied the reliability of human virtue, we wouldn't need to care. But since it doesn't, those parlor talkers understand their function just like any other "squeaky wheel" minority interest---that the public at large need not fall asleep completely. So we end up with folks who seem to the rest of us relatively preoccupied with the improbable and we can easily impugn their character for it. But I say such a thought experiment is good, not the least of which because it's a good introspection of one's own values.

Do some lose a marble or two and dwell in an emotional morass of conspiracy theories or end of the world ideation? Sure. But many have a much less severe case of overestimating the chances. I believe the worse vice in this country is so many more civilians so coddled and spoiled that they have an even less realistic understanding of the nature of war and peace---so severely that they judge the existence of our military with suspicion at best and usually wanton freedom to disdain and insult. It doesn't take much perusing these boards to find ample examples.

I have a feeling that 43% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats are largely folks wearing a uniform to defend us, or the families and friends close to them. Do they wear the uniform in hopes of a military coup to improve their lot in life? Hardly. They're busy carrying a burden so far removed from the rest of us that it's spoiling us to an extreme far more opposite of the problem you perceive in this poll.

As for the 'militia' types who would see this question as the ever creeping reach of federal power into our lives...I think listening to their imagining is also entirely healthy.

Lastly, where's the poll asking if we can imagine ourselves supporting a socialist uprising and overthrow of the government? Let's see the party identification numbers on that one....

LOL, glass houses, Stat. I wouldn't crow about 20% myself...but either way, "imagine" is a broad enough word in this case as to be pointless. I can imagine space alien body snatchers taking over Washington, for example...

Nice try. But in polling words have their comminEnglish usage.

"Common sense"...most agree it exists, but I suspect if we tried to make an official list, no majority could agree on one. I respectfully suggest your firmness on the meaning of "imagine" here may have some ideological zeal behind it. In any case, using the very common semantic used by John Lennon, "imagine" at its most essential and common---we can't say this question is free from ambiguity.

Only desperate people would try to make a political point out of a poll that starts with "could you ever imagine yourself". Couldn't we conclude that the 57% of republicans and 71% of democrats who said no are lacking in imagination ?

In formal logic we define "logical possibility" by our ability to imagine it. A vivid imagination is a great start to a logical exploration....

you write far better than most of the righties. just to let you know.

but I think that validating conspiracy theorists as somehow doing us a societal service is dangerous. Sometimes conspiracy nuts are just nuts.

 

[jillian]

As far as Iraq goes if you "won" then how come ISIS is currently in charge over there?

Because your resident Messiah fucked things all up.

View attachment 49972

Nothing knee-jerk about it. The record stands.

 

[The Rabbi]

Ok, this is sad, this is just plain, old sad:

YouGov | Could a coup really happen in the United States?

Wow.

"One nation, under G-d, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all".

Just to remind.

-Stat

98% if Dems want Obama to assume dictatorial powers. There's a circumstance I'd take martial law right there.

 

[Redfish]

3% of the colonists (actually fighting) was all it took to beat the best army in the world in 1776.

The British lost the war of Independence for the same reason Bush jr lost the Iraq war.

It was simply way too expensive to impose a military "peace" on a place that refused to be occupied by a foreign power.

The Iraq war was won until obama declared defeat. Viet nam was won until Nixon declared defeat. This country needs to grow some balls.

 

[Redfish]

If by some strange circumstance the Hildebeast were to become president, it is very likely that we would see a secession movement, and possibly a military coup. The military will not follow a liar and criminal and the country is fed up with corrupt lying politicians.

I am certainly not hoping for it, but it could happen.

 

[Derideo_Te]

3% of the colonists (actually fighting) was all it took to beat the best army in the world in 1776.

The British lost the war of Independence for the same reason Bush jr lost the Iraq war.

It was simply way too expensive to impose a military "peace" on a place that refused to be occupied by a foreign power.

The Iraq war was won until obama declared defeat. Viet nam was won until Nixon declared defeat. This country needs to grow some balls.

There is no way that modern science can measure your capacity to expose the extent of your ignorance.

But that doesn't mean you should stop doing it.

Threads like this OP would be boring without having ignorami like you around to ridicule.

 

[TyroneSlothrop]

Q17 (Republicans) Would you support or oppose
establishing Christianity as the national
religion?

57% Support establishing Christianity as the national religion

30% Oppose establishing Christianity as the national religion

13% Not sure

.http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2015/PPP_Release_National_22415.pdf

 

[Derideo_Te]

Q17 (Republicans) Would you support or oppose
establishing Christianity as the national
religion?

57% Support establishing Christianity as the national religion

30% Oppose establishing Christianity as the national religion

13% Not sure

.http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2015/PPP_Release_National_22415.pdf

Gosh!

Who would have guessed that the rabid extremist rightwankers want a theocracy instead of a Constitution?

 

[TyroneSlothrop]

Q17 (Republicans) Would you support or oppose
establishing Christianity as the national
religion?

57% Support establishing Christianity as the national religion

30% Oppose establishing Christianity as the national religion

13% Not sure

.http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2015/PPP_Release_National_22415.pdf

Gosh!

Who would have guessed that the rabid extremist rightwankers want a theocracy instead of a Constitution?

This is what the Kim Davis deal is about........carving out a legal exception for themselves from civil rule....to theocracy

 

[TyroneSlothrop]

Why Kim Davis Perfectly Reflects America's Broken Politics
Andy Kopsa / The Guardian

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey in May of 35,000 Americans from all 50 states to paint a current picture of religion in the US. Over 70% of people identified as Christian, only 5% as non-Christian. We are certainly a nation of Christians. What we are not is a Christian nation.

Of the 70%, the majority – 25% – identified as Evangelical, the core right-wing political base of the Republican Party. These are the single-issue voters, focusing on the likes of abortion, guns and gays. They are the people who come to the polls in the off year elections no one is watching. They pass laws in statehouses that give pharmacists the right to refuse Plan B to a woman on a religious basis. They spit out doctored videos and claim taxpayer dollars are going to fund abortion and harvest fetal organs. They insert creationism into our textbooks and want taxpayer money to fund homeschoolers and populate school boards to alter curricula to favor a right-wing way of thinking.

 

[RedTeamTex]

you write far better than most of the righties. just to let you know.

but I think that validating conspiracy theorists as somehow doing us a societal service is dangerous. Sometimes conspiracy nuts are just nuts.

Thanks! I think I write better than most lefties, too...but I don't expect any concession there.

The fact that different groups of nuts counterbalance each other is validation enough. It's not just branches of government that check and balance each other. Factions do too. Whether on the right or left or X,Y, or Z axis, any particular pocket of nuts turns into an asset every once in a century or so. Those of us who can't claim the same zeal or fervor just try to decide which factions are more dangerous most of the time and shift our weight accordingly.

But to be clear, the 29% of this poll people are out to vilify aren't all conspiracy theorists. They just admit a capacity to imagine. I think if we disambiguated the question and pushed the point a little bit, we could turn that into 100% if folks responded honestly.

So again my question is where's the poll asking if we can imagine ourselves supporting a socialist rebellion? How different would those numbers look, I wonder?

...and why are so few of the left-leaning here demonstrating any ability to stay on topic? (Gosh, and I was so close to being distracted. That last one almost had me....)

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

As far as Iraq goes if you "won" then how come ISIS is currently in charge over there?

Because your resident Messiah fucked things all up.

View attachment 49972

Nothing knee-jerk about it. The record stands.

Your studied response is noted.

 

[Two Thumbs]

3% of the colonists (actually fighting) was all it took to beat the best army in the world in 1776.

The British lost the war of Independence for the same reason Bush jr lost the Iraq war.

It was simply way too expensive to impose a military "peace" on a place that refused to be occupied by a foreign power.

Do you have a link to back up that claim?

not saying it's not true, but that was never covered in any history book I've read.

Probably because those history books were written before Bush jr's failed warmongering in Iraq.

The British were having wars with other nations at the same time. Subduing a population in an area as huge as America meant a massive commitment of troops and that included all of the logistical support that goes with it. On top of that they had already lost the "hearts and minds" of the rebels by waging war instead of negotiating a settlement.

The parallels are there in plain sight. It was a really dumb move for the Brits to wage war on a former ally. It was an even dumber move to believe that they could be subdued by military force. Invading America was no different to Napoleon and Germany invading Russia. It doesn't matter how big your army is and how strong it is if the enemy can simply disappear and then come back to ambush you whenever it wants.

The only successful suppression of that type that the Brits managed was in South Africa and it still took them two attempts because the Boers used "commandos" to attack the British forces. Eventually the Brists had to use scorched earth tactics and invented concentration camps. In the end they allowed self rule and lost the colony to independence because of the resentment the wars has created.

Stupidity and warmongering go hand and hand and just having the most powerful military doesn't guarantee success.

so the history books that told me that we had a very large area to retreat to was right and that your claim that it was money is just something that you assume.

and we won in Iraq, we toppled a ruthless dictator

Your ignorance regarding the cost of warmongering is your problem.

As far as Iraq goes if you "won" then how come ISIS is currently in charge over there?

Obviously you didn't and your silly kneejerk reaction will be to blame Obama instead.

Isis came many many years later, so we won, you just hate America so much you can't say it.

england had bases here, the army and navy were already here

so if you have a shred of proof to back your claim, you would have linked it by now.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Luckily for us, the US military is much more patriotic than 43% of Republicans!

Yes they are and they are not sworn to protect the government.

But you didn't know that, b/c you never served.

 

[BluesLegend]

so the history books that told me that we had a very large area to retreat to was right and that your claim that it was money is just something that you assume.

and we won in Iraq, we toppled a ruthless dictator

Your ignorance regarding the cost of warmongering is your problem.

As far as Iraq goes if you "won" then how come ISIS is currently in charge over there?

Obviously you didn't and your silly kneejerk reaction will be to blame Obama instead.

Bill Clinton attacked Iraq before Bush did...OUCH!

Bush sr went to war against Iraq or have you forgotten all about the first gulf war?

I'm just mocking the left for pretending they had nothing to do with Bush going to war with Iraq and they themselves attacked Iraq for the same reasons Bush did. The left is an endless source of hilarity and contradictions. For example they claim Bush is a blithering idiot yet somehow he managed to convince the Democratic party to support the Iraq war lmao!

Lying to the American people is nothing to be proud of but apparently you have no problem with that.

Lying to Congress is a felony but no one in the Bush jr regime was ever held accountable for doing so.

Probably because Congress was under the feckless control of the Republicans during that dark period in our history.

Wow after 7 years of Obama's actual proven admitted lies you people have some nerve talking about lying.

 

[Rozman]

Leave it to a far left drone to find some obscure non scientific poll (from overseas at that) to try and make another pointless post..

What else do they have going for them....
Hillary's crashing....
Biden doesn't know what he's doing yet.
Dems are flatfooted as Trump has taken over the coverage in the news.
When the media does cover Hillary it's because she's dropping in the polls.....

So what else can they do?

 

[Billy000]

3% of the colonists (actually fighting) was all it took to beat the best army in the world in 1776.

Oh Christ enough of your nauseating bullsht about Colonial times. You people have no concept of what is still relevant in this country.

 

[Rotagilla]

3% of the colonists (actually fighting) was all it took to beat the best army in the world in 1776.

Oh Christ enough of your nauseating bullsht about Colonial times. You people have no concept of what is still relevant in this country.

Right...history doesn't matter..history is boring....what our ancestors did to create this country doesn't matter....

..progressives have to try to demean and diminish the accomplishments of others to soothe their insecurity.

 

[Rotagilla]

Luckily for us, the US military is much more patriotic than 43% of Republicans!

Yes they are and they are not sworn to protect the government.

But you didn't know that, b/c you never served.

serving in the military doesn't confer any special conditions or knowledge to anybody. Just another former employer on your resume'..

lee harvey oswald "served in the military", too...and he was pretty "special", wasn't he?

get over yourself, Audie Murphy....