Timothy Eagan of the New York Times writes:
It’s not just that 46 percent of Republicans believe the lie that Obama is a Muslim, or that 27 percent in the party doubt that the president of the United States is a citizen. But fully half of them believe falsely that the big bailout of banks and insurance companies under TARP was enacted by Obama, and not by President Bush.
Take a look at Tuesday night’s box score in the baseball game between New York and Toronto. The Yankees won, 11-5. Now look at the weather summary, showing a high of 71for New York. The score and temperature are not subject to debate.
Yet a president’s birthday or whether he was even in the White House on the day TARP was passed are apparently open questions. A growing segment of the party poised to take control of Congress has bought into denial of the basic truths of Barack Obama’s life. What’s more, this astonishing level of willful ignorance has come about largely by design, and has been aided by a press afraid to call out the primary architects of the lies.
The Democrats may deserve to lose in November. They have been terrible at trying to explain who they stand for and the larger goal of their governance. But if they lose, it should be because their policies are unpopular or ill-conceived — not because millions of people believe a lie.
The entire essay is linked.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
This to me is one of the most disturbing things going on in politics today. There are clear facts yet the republicans can leverage disinformation to mount a resistance based in ignorance and supported by the generaly under-educated. The sad part is that the ones manipulating them to fear things that may help them will turn around and ignore them when they get their people elected and no one will notice because they are giving the money for them to have a voice. I think you will apriciate this : http://www.disinfo.com/2010/08/interviews-from-glen-becks-restoring-honor-rally/ , its as sad as it is funny. -=peter brown (from class)
It is disturbing to me that both sides (GOP and Dems)don't realize they are one and the same, with the only difference being the segment of the population that they "serve".
You can't teach stupid. We Americans must be born stupid. We believe our leaders (BOTH PARTIES). Do you believe the war in Iraq is over? To me, "End of the War" or "Mission Accomplished" means no more dead bodies on either side, no more money poured down a black hole, and ALL of our troops home. The lies and disinformation continue. Same lies, different administration.
Post a Comment