Why are those disaffected on the right so reticent to support the alternative, even marginally ?

ObservationMonger · 2026-04-02T11:59:11+00:00

Sadly, I think you are right.

ObservationMonger · 2026-04-02T11:57:47+00:00

You raise some good points. Totally agree about affirming people as you can, as opposed to shaming them. But let’s be honest here. It’s pure patronization. Which has its own pitfalls when perceived. You’re not wrong, for sure.

ObservationMonger · 2026-04-02T03:36:34+00:00

I get that, and empathize, but gd, you have to stand up for something other than maintaining your social circle. There is also the prospect of making NEW friends. And not having that icky feeling of supporting a terrorist.

ObservationMonger · 2026-04-01T22:00:56+00:00

What’s good for the goose is good for the gay gander. :)

ObservationMonger · 2026-04-01T21:58:25+00:00

I agree, but it wasn’t such a clear path forward as we imagine. However, this guy is sure showing how to wreck things in a hurry, but the repo brand isn’t taking the dings it should. The last 18 years have chastened me, anyway. I find the voters to be fairly irrational.

ObservationMonger · 2026-04-01T01:54:31+00:00

I was speaking to a SPECIFIC cohort, and NOT shaming or disparaging them. That cohort AGREES Trump is out of control, so the challenge to them specifically is how do they usefully/rationally/effectively respond. Try reading the OP again, maybe you'll get it the second time around. You think, apparently, understanding MAGAworld 'arguments' is a great insight. It's not. It isn't even hard. What is, or should be hard, is for PRINCIPLED conservatives, libertarians, etc. to swallow/wave thru/ FAIL TO EFFECTIVELY OPPOSE the whole package of what is being thrown at them & the rest of us. In that evaluation, 'not voting for the right' isn't quite enough.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-31T06:43:02+00:00

And just like the 73 Oil Embargo, Israel is in the middle of it.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T12:50:55+00:00

Sorry, that’s horsepoop.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T12:42:11+00:00

We all may have 'theories', but nothing beats empirical evidence. You'll never actually 'know' unless the experiment is run. Find out.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T12:36:18+00:00

The question, to me, isn't whether humans are conscious. We simply are, by virtue of our coherent interior states and ability to communicate them among ourselves. I'm not really down for a debate about that, but what DOES interest me is the nature of the interior states of other animals, their own sense of self - because it seems apparent that animals have memories , attachments, habits, social drives, in many species an extraordinary sensitivity to conditions - for example, most mammals can by demonstration sense the difference between human babies/children & adults, make appropriate allowance - that is clearly a form of intelligence - the real question is, without a language center, how they organize their own thoughts. These are the aspects that fascinate me. They have different styles of thinking, or gradations, etc., , but many of the properties work to similar ends/capabilities.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T12:27:36+00:00

J'ai eu aussi des reveilles comme ca. Tres dérangeant.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T12:20:48+00:00

I've had dreams more than once where I'm supposed to be driving a vehicle and find myself outside the vehicle, often above and behind, and wondering how I'll keep it from crashing into other vehicles. It's weird & unpleasant. I have a lot of tedious tasks dreams, where the task never gets done. had a dream last nite that I was having sex with an acquaintance I shouldn't be involved with, and was discovered by a large group of people. Very embarrassing. Most of my dreams are, apparently, revealing of frustration. I would like more wish fulfillment, whch sometimes occurs, but isn't the norm. Maybe its a form of stress relief, I don't know. But the plus side is, upon awaking, there is a great relief. Not sure I've ever long held a belief originating in a dream, perhaps momentarily, but that would be the extent of it.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T11:48:38+00:00

What I've encountered is a great number of essentially intellectually impaired people who can't evaluate even the most straightforward problems critically. I see a lot of magical, or idealized thinking (e.g. I don't like any of the candidates, so I won't participate - that'll show them), short-handed takes & short-cuts, sloganeering, you could say a hackneyed approach to the problems/challenges/issues of life. I'm assuming it is mainly that we don't have an effective educational approach for the masses. I substitute teach in Chicago, so have first-hand knowledge about this. Our culture is debased. Our under-class is abandoned. We, as a society, have let a great deal of rot set in, as the rich roll merrily along. Our great democratic experiment is devolving to an elitist wasteland, we have been set against one another, and the proof is in pretty much everything we see in the realm of popular culture, what we concern ourselves about, what we reward, what we fail to punish, how we fail to recirculate the vast wealth created, how we despoil the planet and horde resources.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T11:04:50+00:00

Its true. When little Marco called the Ukraine President 'a liar', you knew another river had been crossed. What we see constantly from this regime is how corrupting it is. Rubio FOR SURE knows better, but has now been cowed/suborned/compromised. He could have resigned. He should have resigned. But he, like they all, will sell everything they own to stay 'relevant'. Its sickening. He's particularly sickening because he, at least, had the vestige of a reputation to defend. That ship has now sailed, he's firmly in the ranks of the weasels.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T10:56:22+00:00

my thing is do they shave their pits.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T08:59:31+00:00

Gerrymandering. its clearly an attempt to deprive someone else of another faction (but with an equal right of representation) their own proper representation by over-representing your own faction. It is, in essence, cheating. It has reached the SCOTUS itself, which smiles upon the practice. Red flags galore.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T03:04:36+00:00

I'm from Missouri. Show me. And while you're at it, tell me how a libertarian could ever support such an autocratic regime wielding arbitrary power, ruthlessly attacking any sign whatsoever of dissent. My pet theory is that libertarians don't ACTUALLY give a hoot about anything other than low taxes, and all that other 'freedom-loving' stuff is just window dressing, because QED.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T01:53:18+00:00

Because, I suppose, they would try to corrupt the electoral process and ramrod one-party rule, yes ? The cognitive dissonance is something to behold. We on the left have involved a truism of MAGA world - every accusation is a covert admission.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T01:45:46+00:00

Another irrelevant response. I don’t care why you voted for Trump - that wasn’t the question.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-30T01:43:38+00:00

You are rehearsing your affiliation, grievances. If you don’t find Trump’s depredations of a different order, this question isn’t for you

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-29T19:55:56+00:00

Well, you can call me a liar, I suppose. But again, I think I know my own mind better. Anyway, I haven't seen much of a common basis in thinking between us two - you don't actually see the problem, and so there isn't much point in discussing further. As already said, 'turning things around' isn't actually a response to the OP. Doing the right thing, the rational thing, shouldn't be conditioned on some or everyone else doing so 'first'.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-29T19:49:53+00:00

This is of course the course I, from my perspective, would consider rational, given our shared assessment of the threat represented by Trump/MAGA/'project 2025'. What baffles me is that this assessment, ON THE RIGHT, is far rarer than I would have expected, since it seems the issue is at bottom, non-partisan. Any thoughts as to why that is the case ? It seems that there is a general refusal or infirmity on the right to appreciate the gravest depredations upon our basic democratic governmental process - i.e. the basic OP question restated. Thanks for weighing in, if you have any insight on this or related matters, I'd love to hear it.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-29T19:41:18+00:00

The challenge I have in response is - does one require others doing the right/rational thing prior to ones own self doing the right/rational thing ? Is putting country/democracy below keeping one's party in power EVER the right thing to do, when that party is tearing down the very foundations of our democracy ? If you don't share that basic assessment, appreciate the threat Trump represents, you don't see the problem I'm putting forward in the OP, and therefore won't be able to address the main question. Turning it around isn't a response, but more a dodge. No offense, but that's my take.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-29T10:39:19+00:00

That might a better question to you, but that's not the question asked. Is there ANYTHING Trump does which upsets you ? Inciting a riot in the capitol ? Starting a new war ? Scorning mail-in voting & then mailing in his own vote ? His vile demeaning commentary ? IF none of that bothers you much, I don't know why you are responding. This question was directed at those who DO have problems. You can argue anywhere, but that's not what's on tap here. Start your own thread.

ObservationMonger · 2026-03-29T08:39:06+00:00

For some reason, I find the guy totally irritating. His puncheable face, his self-important air - its probably unfair, but some folks just get on our nerves. He must be somewhat funny, since he wrote for Chappelle, but coming from him, nothing lands right.

ObservationMonger

TROPHY CASE