The lead in this news item over at Pravda DC (caution Politico link) makes an unintentional funny:
In a shocking finding, more than half of GOP primary voters believe President Barack Obama was not born in the United States, according to a new poll.
It is hard to decide what is more shocking: that half of Republicans believe the lies they are constantly told or that anybody–let alone a self-described “news” organization–would find it shocking.
Facts, reality, science, math, history, logic–none of that stuff has any meaning for these proudly ignorant voters and to seek their support the crazier the story the better.
Take this as an open thread.
Cheers
BGinCHI
We’re all Casablanca now.
fasteddie9318
Maybe they meant that the shocking thing is that almost half the GOP voters believe that he was born here.
Michael
Orly Taitz is now mainstreamed. Great job, GOPers.
Suffern ACE
Not linking to the article, but did they mention any of the places where the “people” might have heard that rumor? Maybe naming names of famous or powerful people who might have spread it? Or is this just one of the “My, common people are strange in their thinking” type articles.
El Cid
@fasteddie9318: I was amazed when 7 out of 10 GOP Presidential nomination candidates debating in 2008 stated that they accepted the science of evolution.
trollhattan
Speaking of Republican values (we are, amirite?) here’s an example of special interest purchase power as
invested inapplied to one congressman:http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/government/8351-nunes-cut-funding-for-sj-river-restoration
Lee
I had an interesting conversation with my mechanic today who is Jordanian.
In passing he made the comment “There will never be full democracy there”. ‘there’ being the middle east in general.
The conversation moved quickly on so I did not get a chance to ask him why he thought that, but I found it interesting.
He did recognize how the internet and cell phones have given people more power than ever and these things were part of the reason for the changes. He said there was no way for the governments to keep the corruption quite anymore.
danimal
It’s time for The Rehabilitation of Orly Taitz.
Let’s make her the GOP poster child.
ETA: Apparently, Michael is quicker on the draw than I am.
A Commenter at Balloon Juice (formerlyThe Grand Panjandrum)
Why is it such a stretch to believe that Obama isn’t really an American? It isn’t. Quite a few folks believe their god created the Earth a thousand years after the Sumerians invented ink.
CF Oxtrot
Surely this is the most important event you have seen in today’s “news.”
More bashing of Evil Rethuglicans!
More indirect apology for Noble Democrats!
We like fascism! But only when a Democrat is in charge!
gnomedad
Fixed.
Zifnab
Because his birth certificate has been printed and widely circulated on the internet. Because he’s been vetted a thousand times over from a myriad of different sources. And because if there was ever a shred of a wiff of a spec of evidence otherwise, it would have its own segment on FOX.
This is less like the theory of evolution and more like the theory of gravity. You don’t need a high school level science degree to figure it out. The facts are readily available for anyone curious enough to take even the most cursory look.
“Where’s the birth certificate” is the new “Nigger”.
jazzgurl
Gimme a break people. They say they don’t believe, but they know. What, are all Americans so damn dumb and stupid? But yet they claim they are the super power.PBO is right to up the ante in the budget on education, methinks.
This is all about the black man meme. Lie,distort and be racist,it’s the GOP game!
Nick L
This is entirely equivalent to how liberals called George W. Bush a liar and a war criminal.
scav
I was rather hoping for an in-depth investigation of how many of that same esteemed pool believed in the tooth fairy and what their estimation of the likelihood of their winning the Publishers Clearinghouse lottery was. Oh, and the color of their belly button lint because clearly, these people are the only ones who matter despite the fact that we tend to move away from them when they sit next to us on the bus.
Linus
@fasteddie9318:
Actually, they don’t. An additional 21% said they were “not sure,” leaving only 28% to answer “Yes,” Obama was born in the U.S.
gnomedad
@Zifnab:
This. And they’re not even grateful when you try to defend them as merely being morons.
Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)
Folks are quick on the trigger sugesting new rotating tag-lines but a writer from the Dish told DougJ:
Irrationally Hostile Quasi-Trollery seems like a natural.
dmsilev
Man, 2012 is going to be interesting.
I suspect that in the unlikely event that Peak Wingnut exists, we’ll find it in late October of 2012.
dms
A Commenter at Balloon Juice (formerlyThe Grand Panjandrum)
@Zifnab: Yep. And no amount of data will change what they already KNOW. They’ve made up their minds.
singfoom
@jazzgurl: Given that a majority of Americans identify themselves as Christians, yet seem to lack the all important love of their neighbors that Christianity was formed on, yes, Americans are that stupid. If I as a long time atheist get the idea of Christianity is love and notice that very few “Christians” have much less empathy than a stone for those unlike them, it’s pretty fucking clear.
We’ve been playing a shell game of at least 30 years in duration, pretending us plebes have anything to do with the rules that govern our society. It’s all a bright shiny narrative for us to watch and comment on while Rome is burning.
(It might have been going on longer than 30 years, I dunno, wasn’t around before that, maybe some of our elders here can opine on that)
It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic. And if the tragedy wasn’t played out in death and ruined lives.
BGinCHI
@Nick L: The only difference is that he was a liar and war criminal.
Wait, is.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
I can only fall back on Inygo Montoya, as I so often do:
They keep using that word. I don’t think it means what they think it means.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@BGinCHI: Is. Is.
BGinCHI
@Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel): Great idea. I’d add that Doug is always rationally hostile.
Elisabeth
I hope the President laughs at these dumbasses every night before he goes to sleep in the White House. No matter what they think or aren’t sure about, he’s still president which is something they’ll never be.
johnsmith1882
This really isn’t funny to me. These people vote. They will help determine who the next leaders of our country are. It’s all fun and games and look at how stupid the rubes are until Newt Gingrich or Sarah Palin becomes the next president. Or if Obama gets reelected, some unhinged nutter takes a shot at him. You can call me crazy, but sometime between November 2012 and January 2013 is when Obama gets shot, if he’s reelected.
Villago Delenda Est
The vile sack of fetid shit that is John Boner won’t come out and say, unequivocally, that Barack Obama was 1. Born in the United States and 2. Is a Christian.
He will not say it without using weasel words to appease the racist scum that are the Teabaggers.
freelancer
@Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel):
You wanna link to that, maybe?
Ash Can
Chickens, meet roost.
A Commenter at Balloon Juice (formerlyThe Grand Panjandrum)
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther: Inconceivable!
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
It does bear noting, though, that more than half of GOP primary voters is actually a fairly small percentage of the electorate.
Primary voters (raises hand) are the die-hards, people who turn out when no one else will and they are either enormously devoted to an idea, or they are deeply frightened, or both — more so than the average person who identifies with a party.
There – now I’ve noted it.
martha
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther: You and me both. “Life is pain Princess. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”
beltane
When other countries go insane we like to wonder how such a thing can happen. Well, now we know how it happens. With propaganda saturation all things are possible. We are but simple primates and only the most evolved among us can withstand and endless loops of crazy talk.
gnomedad
Ten years ago today, Fox aired “Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?”
Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen
Well he’s brown y’see, and brown people aren’t ReaLAMEricans(TM).
kd bart
Keep them ignorant and you can keep them in line.
dmsilev
I’m just waiting for “Shape of the world: Opinions Differ” and “Theory of Gravity vs. Intelligent Falling. Teach the Controversy!”.
dms
geg6
@CF Oxtrot:
Fixed for accuracy.
GregB
Perhaps we need proof that Speaker Boehner is a human and not a tobacco-Ooompa Loompa hybrid.
Has anyone seen his birth certificate lately?
Malron
During the 2008 primaries 15-20% of registered voters said they thought Obama was a Muslim. 25-33% of registered voters currently declare as Republicans, so half of that believing Obama wasn’t born in the united States means its the same number of people choosing to believe all manner of stupid shit about the president. Its fascinating how this number remains constant yet the bobbleheads keep trying to repackage it to make it sound like its on the rise.
freelancer
@gnomedad:
Yeah, and Sibrel was a big enough idiot to show Buzz Aldrin clocking him in the face on National television. Go Buzz!
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@Ash Can: Indeed.
@martha: Indeed, again.
@Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen: It’s apparently also a problem is one isn’t necessarily brown but merely has “the olive complexion” http://bit.ly/gdKSbp I shit you not.
Guster
@Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel): Is ‘irrationally hostile’ the new ‘strident?’
Loneoak
Drudge sirens! Aroo!
Puppeh update! One month old—this is going to be one huge galoo.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
In moderation for one too many links! Damn! Here’s what I said:
@Ash Can: Indeed.
@martha: Indeed, again.
@Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen: It’s apparently also a problem if one isn’t necessarily brown but merely has “the olive complexion” http://bit.ly/gdKSbp I shit you not.
geg6
@Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel):
I like it. Though DougJ, master troll, probably doesn’t. ;-)
gnomedad
@dmsilev:
“Stork vs. Uterus: Can We Trust the ‘Experts’?” also, too.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@A Commenter at Balloon Juice (formerlyThe Grand Panjandrum): I KNOW! One can only hope Mandy Patinkin shows up in time!
Sasha
It’s worse than you think: While 51% believe Obama isn’t American (complete idiots), 21% still “aren’t sure” (dummies). The percent who firmly believe Obama is an American (functionally intelligent) is 28%.
Apparently in modern GOP circles, KungFu Monkey’s Crazification Factor represents who is sane in the Republican Party.
wobblybits
@Loneoak: What a sweet face. I just want to kiss that nose. sigh.
asiangrrlMN
Tee. They made a funny. God. This zombie meme is so damn difficult to kill off. I wonder why that is?
@Loneoak: PUPPEH! He’s a big handsome boy, yes he is!
Turgidson
@CF Oxtrot:
LOL. Troll better, plz.
martha
@Loneoak: squeeee!!! oh what a cute pup!
Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)
@freelancer: @freelancer: Originally posted by mistermix this morning.
http://ordinary-gentlemen.com/blog/2011/02/14/pigford-a-tragedy-and-a-non-troversy/#comment-104779
Bulworth
Slightly OT but I’m old enough to remember when I used to enjoy reading Roger Simon. I was so young and impressionable….
PurpleGirl
@Loneoak: Puppeh pictures are always appreciated.
Martin
This is why no moderate GOPer can win the nomination. Half of the primary voters are insane and paranoid. They can’t help but nominate someone who at least pretends to be insane and paranoid, and that can’t possibly carry the general.
A Commenter at Balloon Juice (formerlyThe Grand Panjandrum)
Greg Sargent pulled this little tidbit out of that polling data:
Just knock me over with a feather. No one could have known that.
KG
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther: for me, it’s the South Park 9/11 episode, something along the lines of:
Cartman: The government was responsible for 9/11
Kyle: That’s retarded
Cartman: 25% of people believe the government was involved in 9/11 are you saying that 25% of Americans are retarded?
Kyle: Yes
Stan: Yeah, yeah, that seems about right
Kyle: here let’s test it, there’s four of us here, you’re retarded, that’s 25%
51% of Republican primary voters make up probably (a little less, based on independent registrations) of the general population… it just makes sense.
El Cid
@gnomedad: Liberal elites like you think that a bunch of ivory tower book learners can tell me what happened on the Moon. Whatever happened to Free Speech?
El Cid
@KG: What was brilliant was the conclusion of that show: The Bush Jr. administration had faked evidence making it look like 9/11 had been an inside job in order to look more competent than they were.
MattR
@KG: Kyle’s math was off by a bit. When you take into account Cartman’s size, he counts for an extra 2% which brings us to the magic number of 27%.
@El Cid: A great ending. After the 9/11 conspiracy conspiracy is revealed.
KG
@KG: late to add, but link
Litlebritdifrnt
@A Commenter at Balloon Juice (formerlyThe Grand Panjandrum):
The question I have to ask though is this, how many of them don’t know/think that Hawaii is part of the US? I mean if the stupidity is that strong it could be that simple of an explanation.
Nellcote
They need to poll on how many of them think Hawaii is a state.
freelancer
@Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel):
Ahh, thanks.
[Goes away to read the thread]
Jesus, there’s something about LoOGies.
KG
@Nellcote: but then my currency exchange for Hawaiian dollars would be useless!
gbear
@freelancer:That video link was strangely satifying through multiple viewings.
MattR
@Litlebritdifrnt: @Nellcote: I would give this more credence if it wasn’t for the fact that they know that Palin’s home of Alaska is a state. Of course I still may be giving them too much credit. They may have learned about Alaska in 2008 but nobody got around to teaching them about that exotic Hawaii.
dmbeaster
Malron at 41
Your analysis is off. The data is that among people generally, belief in this issue has dropped, but has increased in this Republican subset. Rather than it just being the same, it demonstrates a growing craziness in the hard core, whereas the larger sample has gotten saner. The net result appears static only if you ignore the movement within the two subgroups that keeps the overall result static.
Litlebritdifrnt
@MattR:
I blame Cokie Roberts. You know she did say that he should vacation somewhere less “exotic” you know real America. I’ll bet you half of those polled don’t know Hawaii is a state.
frosty
@Bulworth: Roger Simon had some funny columns when he wrote for the Baltimore Sun. Usually comparing Chicago’s reaction to snow to Baltimore’s. Hard to believe what he’s turned into.
MattR
@Litlebritdifrnt:
I will never bet against the stupidity of the American people.
Bubblegum Tate
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther:
Ahh, the Fear of a Black Hat defense.
vtr
How many Republicans who believe President Obama wasn’t born in the United States also believe in Remote Viewing?
Does the name “Orly Taits” make you think of uncomfortable underwear, too?
Triassic Sands
This is one of those surprising versus shocking cases. It is (or should be) shocking to any sentient being that half of Republicans don’t believe Obama was born in the US. But however shocking it is (or should be), it isn’t the least bit surprising. The stupidity of the American people isn’t exactly a secret, and wingers constantly display their own profound stupidity for all to see.
Of course, their stupidity is so obvious that it should have stopped being a shock long ago — even to the MSM — but if we don’t pretend that Americans (and/or Republicans) are smarter than they are, then one pretty much has to accept that there is no hope for this country. Sometime in the nineties, I decided that the US had amassed a critical mass of stupid people — once that number has been reached, there is almost no possibility that the ultimate failure of the country can be averted. Nothing that has happened since 2000 has made me any more optimistic. Even Obama’s election (and then even if he had turned out to be the progressive champion that many hoped he would be) couldn’t change my conviction that we are racing headlong into the abyss and our brakes were long ago appropriated by M&M Enterprises. Thanks a lot, Milo.
Tax Analyst
@vtr:
Actually more like “unanticipated anal discharge”.
matoko_chan
Master, what do i keep telling you?
Conservatism is memetic selection for stupid.
And fuckers like EDK keep the lies alive, like the foul fetus=slave meme.
Conservatism– where even the smart people are retards.
matoko_chan
@El Cid: i responded. hate for you to miss it.
sure looks like bloviating to me.
The Death of Intellectual Protestantism.
idc if you wanna be a Malkin/Spencer islamophobe.
it doenst bother me a whit.
and…….chu mad?
lolollllololl
matoko_chan
@El Cid: and that all sounds very familiar….are you jackin’ Pam Geller’s style?
Suffern ACE
@A Commenter at Balloon Juice (formerlyThe Grand Panjandrum): Regarding that Palin connection, are these guys getting their news from WorldNetDaily, like Palin asked them to?
And the Horse He Rode In on
@dmsilev: And that, my liege, is how we know the world to be banana-shaped
Jebediah
@Loneoak:
Thanks for that – right about now I REALLY needed a dose of high-powered cute.
Wotta face!
bob h
When you consider that two-thirds of them deny manmade global climate change and evolution, this Birther figure is hardly surprising.
matoko_chan
Look. the leaders of the right have an unimpeachable argument.
That is why EDK and McMegan and Douthat are equally loathesome. They have abdicated their responsibility to educate their base IN ORDER TO WIN.
Has EDK ever retracted on fetus=slave? nope.
They think their base is too stupid to learn.
and after 50 years of racebaiting and IQbaiting, they could be right.
Only conservatives have been observed to exhibit backfire effect. That is where conservatives ideas (like AGW denialism) increase in salience after being corrected.
That is why I was banned at LoOG, because i wanted EDK to stop pandering and try to educate people. I wanted him to stand and deliver on conservative ideology. Those guys just slide out from under conservatism with a wink and grin– we are libertarians, or liberaltarians, or classic liberals…..but they arent. They are CONSERVATIVES because they SUPPORT CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY w/e they SAY they are.
Don’t look at what they say, look at what they do.
Mistermix and Cole are high on imaginary unicorn farts. Those guys are not open to discussion or exchange of ideas. They are fighting for a dying ideology, and they dont fight fair. They are dishonest.
And when i POINT THIS OUT people get mad at me.
fucking shoot the messenger, you stupid cattle.
they are not the same as us. EDK and Conor will do anything to win.
so lower your dumbass cow heads for the kerbstomp you are surely going to get.
Bob
The problem is that the media and political class has a wink wink nod nod game going on. They don’t actually believe half of what they say, but they act shocked..SHOCKED…when the people they lie to believe what they’re told.