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The issue with the GOP

With the ousting of McCarty, I started thinking about the core issue with the GOP that has turned them into this mess.

Republicans, by nature, take a "trust myself before any authority" attitude. The government doesn't know more than them, scientists don't know more than them, and news media does not know more than them. Yet, most people need some kind of guidance in their lives, so they latch on to a church leader or a mostly-uncredentialed "alternative media" personality for such guidance. Democrats tend more to trust those who have more experience, experts, and professionals.

While there is something classically "American" about the "trust myself" attitude, it does not bode well for politics.
The end result is Republicans these days are led by the biggest loudmouths, why really have no expertise, education, or credentials for the offices/jobs they hold. Listen to them talk, on here, or elsewhere. They talk about what alternative media person they trust, they cite only alternative sources, and basically live in bubbles not trusting anyone outside that bubble - about anything. Anything outside the bubble is labeled "the swamp" "deep state" or "mainstream media" to the point they won't even look at it. Why? Because that is what their influencers are telling them.

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Theyitis · 36-40, M

It’s not so much “trust myself before any authority” for them, it’s “trust only [i]legitimate[/i] (right wing) authority, and trust them [i]completely[/i]”. What’s truly absurd about right wing politics, and it’s actually always been this way, this is not at all a recent development, is that they really believe that their leaders [i]don’t make mistakes[/i].

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@Theyitis I don't trust "right wing authorities" either. When Trump advocated taking the jabs, I was like you can miss me with that bullshit. I didn't trust how fast they rolled it out & I am glad I am 100% jab-free the more the days move forward.

Theyitis · 36-40, M

@SamInAZ When Trump advocated getting the vaccine he wasn’t being sufficiently right wing, therefore his authority was not legitimate.

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@Theyitis you couldn't have been right-wing enough to convince me to get the jabs, my man. It's not a political thing for me.

Theyitis · 36-40, M

@SamInAZ Getting the vaccine wasn’t a right wing thing to do. It didn’t matter who told you to get it, they would be wrong, in your view. But as long as an authority figure is always right wing he doesn’t make mistakes.

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@Theyitis lots of blacks didn't get the jab, latinos as well...are you going to sit here & tell me all of those were just right wing blacks & latinos?

Theyitis · 36-40, M

@SamInAZ No. Why would I?

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@Theyitis then why are you assuming right wingers who didn't get the jab didn't for political reasons?

Archetype · 26-30

@SamInAZ I didn't get the jab either and I found it annoying that people tried to label me as conservative or antivaxxer just because I didn't get that specific vaccine.

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@SamInAZ anti vaxxers span the political spectrum. There are just as many conspiracy nuts on the left, its just they have little pull in the Democrat party.

Theyitis · 36-40, M

@SamInAZ Because right wingers are a political group.

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@Theyitis that doesn't mean every decision we make is formulated on whether it aligned with our views on politics or not. Leftists do that for the most part, we don't.

Theyitis · 36-40, M

@SamInAZ Okay, what was your decision not to get vaccinated based on?

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@Theyitis I told you already, they put it out too fast, that was my initial reasoning. Now, it's more than that. I will never take the jab.

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@Archetype That's unfortunate. Had I been single and without kids, I likely would not have gotten it simply because I didn't want to take the time to go get it. But as it is, I have a daughter whom I has been hospitalized with asthma multiple times two immediate family members with cancer, another with ALS, and another with COPD. In the end, I had one family member and one co-worker pass away from Covid.

Archetype · 26-30

@SamInAZ Not only was it pushed out too quickly, the tactics employed to encourage people to actually get the vaccine were horrendous and stupid, it's no wonder so many people were suspicious.

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@SamInAZ I understand the first part, but why is it more than that now?

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@Archetype I think part of it was being wary of too many people telling them what to do.

Theyitis · 36-40, M

@SamInAZ How do you [i]know[/i] they put it out “too fast”? How do you know how long it should have taken them? Because right wing media told you.

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@Theyitis I went with my gut.

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@Theyitis Because it was much faster than any other vaccine, and I think that made people naturally cautious. I don't think the right wing media had really jumped on this much at first.

Archetype · 26-30

@trollslayer Well politicians who were being hypocritical not wearing masks and only put them on once they were aware they were on air.. Trying to bribe people to get it with fastfood and the eat out to help right after lockdown (they reduced food in restaraunts to half price, meaning hordes of people would flood in), the scandals with politicians having parties, the list goes on... I don't know a single person who died from Covid but I know a few who have been getting weird ass side effects after getting vaccinated.

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@SamInAZ Do you have any judgement towards those that did get the shot, or those that suggested that you get it? I had no issues with the vaccine, nor with those who chose to not get it. I do have issues with those who are spreading lies regarding the vaccine, and those who want it to be mandated.

SamInAZ · 41-45, M

@trollslayer I understand why people took it. I mean, I have judgements as far as I think they shouldn't have, but as far as making moral judgements, no.