Friday, March 17, 2006
There Really Is a Culture of Republican Corruption.
by Rob Kall
OpEdnews - 3/17/06
Republicans think the world is corrupt and they act accordingly. Here's proof. Our OpEdNews / Zogby People's poll found one interesting thing about voters' attitudes towards corruption. Republicans think everyone is corrupt. While only about 5% of them think just republicans are corrupt,and 20% think Democrats are currupt, 70% think everyone is corrupt, which adds up to a total of 75% of them thinking Republicans are corrupt. Under 2% of Democrats think Democrats are corrupt, and 83% of Democrats think Republicans are corrupt. But only about 16 percent of Democrats think a combination of democrats and everyone is corrupt.
This tells ME that Republicans have a much more jaded view of the world. They cynically think that that the whole world is corrupt. There's one group that varies from this-- the very conservative respondents. They didn't feel that Republicans are corrupt at all, and 69% of them thought that Democrats are corrupt, with 30% of them saying both are corrupt. These ultra-koolaid drinkers are in a very sorry state of denial. AFter the very conservative, the people who think Democrats are more corrupt are NASCAR fans, at 28%, Republicans overall, at 21%, then Born agains and weekly church-goers, at 20%. Note that outside of the very conservatives, no group comes close to rating the Democrats as corrupt as the Republicans.
Here are some of the stats on groups that think the Republicans are more corrupt:
It gets more interesting. Half of the moderates think Republicans and Democrats are both equally corrupt. But 48% think Republicans are corrupt compared to 1.4% who think that Democrats are corrupt. That's similar to the view of Independents. 48% think both parties are corrupt, but 46% think Republicans are corrupt compared to 7.5% who think Democrats are corrupt. 84% of Libertarians think both parties are corrupt.
89% of progressives think Republicans are corrupt, 1% think Democrats are corrupt, and 10% think both are.
94% of liberals think Republicans are corrupt, none think Democrats are corrupt and 5.7% think both are equally corrupt. Different Koolaid?
The most extreme on either side hold the other side in most contempt. Born agains and NASCAR fans are most likely to find Republicans less corrupt. These same born agains are most likely to reject taking away tax exempt status from churches that violate rules about keeping politics out of the church. How does a party which sees the world as corrupt function? It's clear from the DATA, from the facts, that the lobbyists invest more dirty money in Republicans. People invest money where they expect to get results.
It's sad that the people who are most blind to the corruption of the Republicans. No, cancel sad. Make it pathetic and disgusting. These are the people who are distorting and betraying the teachings of Jesus to break the law, to support a lying administration all so they can support their one twisted issue-- their anti-abortion issue. And that's not really a bible issue. It's an issue for the weak, insecure men.
Let's look at the emographic against demographic "Crosstabs" stats on this, doing statistics comparing one demographic against another.
9% of men describe themselves as very conservative compared to 3% of women.
21.5% of Born agains are very conservative. But 79% of those who describe themselves as very conservative are born agains. Interestingly, 12% of liberals and progressives describe themselves as Born-agains. We have some wonderful bornagains writing for us here at OpEdNews. But they are lonely folks, in their churches.
By Gender, Men outnumber women in the bornagain category-- 53% to 47%.
When we look at the demographics by gender, we find some interesting ratios:
On ideology:
I've written about this before. The most conservative men base their politics on issues that take away women's rights. I call them victims of "little dick" syndrome. They need to feel they are dominating and in control, superior. It's disgusting-- neanderthal, if that wasn't an insult to neanderthals. We don't know that they were so weak and backwards.
As I've reported before, 64% of the members of the democratic party in this poll are women. Sixty percent of the men are republicans. It's Michael Moore's book title at work.
One interesting stat-- while 58% of Protestants are female, our poll found that 53% of bornagains are males. Since we only asked the question of protestants, this means that there are a lot more females who are NOT born agains who are protestant. When we look at the cross tabs for religion against ideology, we find that 74% of those who describe themselves as very conservative are Protestants, compared to 25% for Catholics and Zero percent for Jews.
It looks like born again men, tending to be rural and small town, make up the biggest group of very conservative voters who see the world as corrupt and justification in supporting corrupt politicians.
These are some of the "stupid white men" that Michael Moore's book referred to. Ironically, these same men are the ones who are most hurting themselves. They help the wealthy to get huge tax cuts, transnational corporations to get massive corporate welfare, regulatory concessions and special privleges. They support politicians who keep the poor impoverished, keep the 45+million without health care uncared for. All this to keep their Paternalistic, dominating and controlling needs over women met. These are the guys who run the megachurches, who run the little churches-- weak, needy men who don't have the spine to respect women as equals. They need to treat women as lower, people who don't have the right to use contraceptives or abortion to control their bodies.
Don't get me wrong. There are women who are just as corrupt. But they are the minority. We on the left need to get a handle on WHY these people have fallen prey to the toxic mindset they hold. Until we do, the US will be prey to corrupt politicians who will do ANYTHING to steal elections, grab power and hold onto it. Honest practices on one side are not enough. It will take tough, principled action on the part of the left to beat back-- yes BEAT BACK-- the dishonest, crooked practices and processes, the crooked judges, policies, regulations and laws, appointees and employees who have been put in place by these corrupt right wingers.
And let's be honest. There are dishonest Democrats and left wingers too. But they are far fewer, and the mentality that drives them may be different. As we attempt to clean up our politics, our laws, regulations, election and judicial systems, we should try to create laws and rules that keep them as clean as possible so neither side can corruptly influence them.
This task of cleaning up American corruption may dwarf Hercule's task of clean King Augeas' stables. He just had to divert a river. We have to turn a huge tide that is already at tsunami height.
Rob Kall is editor of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, and organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology.
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by Rob Kall
OpEdnews - 3/17/06
Republicans think the world is corrupt and they act accordingly. Here's proof. Our OpEdNews / Zogby People's poll found one interesting thing about voters' attitudes towards corruption. Republicans think everyone is corrupt. While only about 5% of them think just republicans are corrupt,and 20% think Democrats are currupt, 70% think everyone is corrupt, which adds up to a total of 75% of them thinking Republicans are corrupt. Under 2% of Democrats think Democrats are corrupt, and 83% of Democrats think Republicans are corrupt. But only about 16 percent of Democrats think a combination of democrats and everyone is corrupt.
This tells ME that Republicans have a much more jaded view of the world. They cynically think that that the whole world is corrupt. There's one group that varies from this-- the very conservative respondents. They didn't feel that Republicans are corrupt at all, and 69% of them thought that Democrats are corrupt, with 30% of them saying both are corrupt. These ultra-koolaid drinkers are in a very sorry state of denial. AFter the very conservative, the people who think Democrats are more corrupt are NASCAR fans, at 28%, Republicans overall, at 21%, then Born agains and weekly church-goers, at 20%. Note that outside of the very conservatives, no group comes close to rating the Democrats as corrupt as the Republicans.
Here are some of the stats on groups that think the Republicans are more corrupt:
- Gender: Women 60% vs. men 36%
- Age: 18-24 year olds 66%, 55-69 year olds 41%, 70+ year olds 69.3%
- Locale: Rural 36%, suburbs 40%, small city 58%, Large city 67%
- Marital status: Married 40%, single 50%, DWS (divorced, widowed, separated) 66%, Civil union 70%
- Religion: Catholic 32%, Protestant 39%, Jewish 71%, Born Again 10%
It gets more interesting. Half of the moderates think Republicans and Democrats are both equally corrupt. But 48% think Republicans are corrupt compared to 1.4% who think that Democrats are corrupt. That's similar to the view of Independents. 48% think both parties are corrupt, but 46% think Republicans are corrupt compared to 7.5% who think Democrats are corrupt. 84% of Libertarians think both parties are corrupt.
89% of progressives think Republicans are corrupt, 1% think Democrats are corrupt, and 10% think both are.
94% of liberals think Republicans are corrupt, none think Democrats are corrupt and 5.7% think both are equally corrupt. Different Koolaid?
The most extreme on either side hold the other side in most contempt. Born agains and NASCAR fans are most likely to find Republicans less corrupt. These same born agains are most likely to reject taking away tax exempt status from churches that violate rules about keeping politics out of the church. How does a party which sees the world as corrupt function? It's clear from the DATA, from the facts, that the lobbyists invest more dirty money in Republicans. People invest money where they expect to get results.
It's sad that the people who are most blind to the corruption of the Republicans. No, cancel sad. Make it pathetic and disgusting. These are the people who are distorting and betraying the teachings of Jesus to break the law, to support a lying administration all so they can support their one twisted issue-- their anti-abortion issue. And that's not really a bible issue. It's an issue for the weak, insecure men.
Let's look at the emographic against demographic "Crosstabs" stats on this, doing statistics comparing one demographic against another.
9% of men describe themselves as very conservative compared to 3% of women.
21.5% of Born agains are very conservative. But 79% of those who describe themselves as very conservative are born agains. Interestingly, 12% of liberals and progressives describe themselves as Born-agains. We have some wonderful bornagains writing for us here at OpEdNews. But they are lonely folks, in their churches.
By Gender, Men outnumber women in the bornagain category-- 53% to 47%.
When we look at the demographics by gender, we find some interesting ratios:
On ideology:
- progressive male 44%, female 56%
- liberal male 30%, female 70%
- moderate male 42%, female 58%
- conservative male 61%, female 39%
- very conservative male 75%, female 25%
- libertarian male 68%, female 32%
I've written about this before. The most conservative men base their politics on issues that take away women's rights. I call them victims of "little dick" syndrome. They need to feel they are dominating and in control, superior. It's disgusting-- neanderthal, if that wasn't an insult to neanderthals. We don't know that they were so weak and backwards.
As I've reported before, 64% of the members of the democratic party in this poll are women. Sixty percent of the men are republicans. It's Michael Moore's book title at work.
One interesting stat-- while 58% of Protestants are female, our poll found that 53% of bornagains are males. Since we only asked the question of protestants, this means that there are a lot more females who are NOT born agains who are protestant. When we look at the cross tabs for religion against ideology, we find that 74% of those who describe themselves as very conservative are Protestants, compared to 25% for Catholics and Zero percent for Jews.
It looks like born again men, tending to be rural and small town, make up the biggest group of very conservative voters who see the world as corrupt and justification in supporting corrupt politicians.
These are some of the "stupid white men" that Michael Moore's book referred to. Ironically, these same men are the ones who are most hurting themselves. They help the wealthy to get huge tax cuts, transnational corporations to get massive corporate welfare, regulatory concessions and special privleges. They support politicians who keep the poor impoverished, keep the 45+million without health care uncared for. All this to keep their Paternalistic, dominating and controlling needs over women met. These are the guys who run the megachurches, who run the little churches-- weak, needy men who don't have the spine to respect women as equals. They need to treat women as lower, people who don't have the right to use contraceptives or abortion to control their bodies.
Don't get me wrong. There are women who are just as corrupt. But they are the minority. We on the left need to get a handle on WHY these people have fallen prey to the toxic mindset they hold. Until we do, the US will be prey to corrupt politicians who will do ANYTHING to steal elections, grab power and hold onto it. Honest practices on one side are not enough. It will take tough, principled action on the part of the left to beat back-- yes BEAT BACK-- the dishonest, crooked practices and processes, the crooked judges, policies, regulations and laws, appointees and employees who have been put in place by these corrupt right wingers.
And let's be honest. There are dishonest Democrats and left wingers too. But they are far fewer, and the mentality that drives them may be different. As we attempt to clean up our politics, our laws, regulations, election and judicial systems, we should try to create laws and rules that keep them as clean as possible so neither side can corruptly influence them.
This task of cleaning up American corruption may dwarf Hercule's task of clean King Augeas' stables. He just had to divert a river. We have to turn a huge tide that is already at tsunami height.
Rob Kall is editor of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, and organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology.
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