These sound like leading questions. For example, how many Democrats would answer yes if somebody sent a survey asking questions like:
Is GW Bush a chimpanzee?
Did GW Bush do many similar things to what Hitler did?
Does Dick Cheney bite the heads off of bats?
Is Dick Cheney Darth Vader?
Your linked post by Avlon gives no link to the poll or its methods, just summarizes in order to sell his own fear-hyping book. We're spinning in circles here, thanks so much.
These are the same people who believe Darwin was wrong and DNA doesn't exist. They also believe in Bigfoot and UFOs. What was that about fooling some of the people all of the time?
Percentage of Americans in a recent poll who believe that the sun revolves around the Earth and not the other way around: 18%
Percentage of Americans who failed to answer "one year" when asked how long it takes the Earth to make one revolution around the sun: 53%
#13. Seriously, with any of these nonsense-gauging polls, there needs be ancillary, sanity-affirming questions that either are included in the poll results, or disqualify the respondent.
anything this spectacular deserves deeper scrutiny. #6 is right - all polls are not created even remotely equal, and i'd really want to see the questions and method on this one.
but i take the point. americans in general and republicans specifically are fucking nuts.
Those numbers are pretty much par for the course when it comes to Americans believing wacky stupid bullshit. I mean, throw in the number who are young-earth creationists, or who use homeopathic products, or who believe vaccines cause autism, and you'll find that they fall along pretty similar lines.
There just kind of always seems to be a pretty consistent demographic of people who've never had a critical thought in their lives, or people who are reasonable in some ways but have massive blind spots.
If these people could actually define "socialist" accurately I would take this poll seriously. As it is, what they know is that "Obama is a socialist" as an axiom. What is a socialist? I dunno - it's what Obama is.
To the extent that these polls are valid, I think we're overlooking the sources of the misinformation. The ultra-right media giants are largely -- if not entirely -- the sources of this information.
Some people are simply gullible. Don't blame the victims; blame the perpetrators.
If "some people are simply gullible" - and I don't dispute that - then the perpetrators are each and every American individual who has allowed every last vestige of critical thinking to vanish from our public education.
"I don't know what 'socialist' means but that brown man is one and it's bad" is only a thought you can have if you never received an owner's manual with your brain.
Yes Gaylord Tarragon. The vast majority of teabaggers want their socialism and fascism to come from a Republican, not the scary black guy with a foreign sounding name.
They are just like the militia nuts jabbering about a race war back in the mid 90s when a Democrat was in the white house.
I am thinking that Southerns had as much hate for President Lincoln when they succeeded from the Union as these Republicans have for President Obama now.
The Southerners tried to take control of a federal fort, and began the Civil War.
Mrs. Jarvie, clearly you've only heard the story from the winners and not the losers. South Carolina legally seceded from the Union. The North invaded, thus beginning the civil war (a/k/a the War of Northern Aggression to anyone south of the Mason-Dixon line).
Can I quote you on that? And if the "backlash" doesn't happen, or it turns out to be a piddling one like I HAVE seen before, do I get to punch you in the arm or something? You know, nothing overtly violent, just a symbolic gesture to reinforce your sense of humiliation?
These are the same people who answered Family Feud's surveys to say you can find penguins at the South Pole. You know. Salt of the earth. The common folk. Morons.
Actually, @38/39 you won't find penguins at either pole; 500 km is a long way for a flightless water fowl to walk from the nearest shoreline on the Antarctic continent to the pole without so much as a bit of herring to tide them over for the journey.
How can Obama be the anti-christ? People thought *Reagan* was, and they had data. Because he has 6 letters in each of his names: Ronald Wilson Reagan. 666.
Hell, I bet that 90% of Republicans commonly do things that Hitler did.
After all, like my friends and I like to say, littering is something that Hitler does.
I understand Hitler loved dogs. I can identify with that.
Didn't Vonnegut write something like Hitler and Einstein were 98% similarity 2% difference, as it is with every human being, but that it was a very important 2%?
Sour crazy-grapes.
Is GW Bush a chimpanzee?
Did GW Bush do many similar things to what Hitler did?
Does Dick Cheney bite the heads off of bats?
Is Dick Cheney Darth Vader?
In that context, this is probably GOOD news...
Percentage of Americans who failed to answer "one year" when asked how long it takes the Earth to make one revolution around the sun: 53%
No, seriously.
You didn't actually think they were all there, did you?
but i take the point. americans in general and republicans specifically are fucking nuts.
There just kind of always seems to be a pretty consistent demographic of people who've never had a critical thought in their lives, or people who are reasonable in some ways but have massive blind spots.
Some people are simply gullible. Don't blame the victims; blame the perpetrators.
If "some people are simply gullible" - and I don't dispute that - then the perpetrators are each and every American individual who has allowed every last vestige of critical thinking to vanish from our public education.
"I don't know what 'socialist' means but that brown man is one and it's bad" is only a thought you can have if you never received an owner's manual with your brain.
Hitler liked dogs. Obama likes dogs. Obama is just like Hitler!
QED
this poll is bunch of shit.
I believe Obama may be African-American...but I don't share my views because I'm very shy.
A backlash like you've never seen will sweep all the Marxist homosexuals out of power in November.
IF...Obama allows the elections to go forward.
Considering all the backroom deals that were needed to get this monstrosity passed, I would put nothing past that usurper!
All you have to do is pay $49.95 plus shipping and handling.
Guaranteed to keep you safe from socialism.
They are just like the militia nuts jabbering about a race war back in the mid 90s when a Democrat was in the white house.
Seriously. When I see a Loveschild post, my temples throb. When I see a Lord Basil post, I giggle maniacally. It's a fine art.
The Southerners tried to take control of a federal fort, and began the Civil War.
What will these Republicans do?
http://scottthong.files.wordpress.com/20…
Can I quote you on that? And if the "backlash" doesn't happen, or it turns out to be a piddling one like I HAVE seen before, do I get to punch you in the arm or something? You know, nothing overtly violent, just a symbolic gesture to reinforce your sense of humiliation?
*oops*
Incest is purifying, amirite?
How clear is that?
After all, like my friends and I like to say, littering is something that Hitler does.
Didn't Vonnegut write something like Hitler and Einstein were 98% similarity 2% difference, as it is with every human being, but that it was a very important 2%?