Shocking

[johnnylefty2000]

This is getting ridiculous. I am part of a large family and most of it is very right wing. In fact, I am probably one of the only democrats in my family. In a full family of about 200 (the entire family that is. I'm not talking about the part of the family a live with, obviously). My family never seizes to surprise me. The things they say when talking about politics get ridiculous. For example: I overheard some family members talking and the affordable care act came up (This a room full of right wingers, don't forget.) I didn't hear exactly what part of the issue they were talking about, but I heard one of them say "I knew this would happen! That ass hole of a president loves hurting the middle class!" Then it continued "He is the most destructive president we have ever had!" Then I heard my Mom say "That's exactly what he set out to be!" I have a feeling she is referring to him being of Muslim decent, more bullshit. This really troubles me. I'm not sure where the hell they come up with this stuff. One thing I know is that they always have fox news on loudly. But President Obama, the most destructive president? I get the feeling my parents must be listening to something even more ridiculous than faux news. Maybe Rush Limbaugh or some other heartless freak. What do you guys think? This has me worried. Is there anyway to persuade a right winger even as brainwashed as these. I like my parents to start using some sense!

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I don't have much first-hand knowledge of the various denizens

of the right-wing media slimepit, but somehow this seems to have a Glenn Beck-ish quality to it, just on the edge of a paranoid delusion.

[johnnylefty2000]

2. Thank you

I was really worried. Next thing you know they're gonna be believing in the illuminati or some crazy bs like that if they're that gullible !

[Jackpine Radical]

3. WHAT!!?

You don't know about the Illuminati? How 'bout the Carbonari?

[TexasProgresive]

4. What's a Carbonari, a burned out Illuminati?

Actually reading the wiki article they might not be so bad.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Jeez, that's a great line.

I'm filing it away in memory on the odd chance that I may someday have an opening to use it.

[TexasProgresive]

6. Feel free.

It's not often someone gets me.

[gwheezie]

7. My right wing family supports Bernie

That faction of the family is never going to like obama due to the years of brainwashing but they had no idea who bernie was last year and I keep sending them quotes and now they say I don't care if he is a socialist I'm voting for him. These are blue collar working slobs like me some Union and they are coming to the light. Their interest in bernie expanded to they quote Warren and Franken now.
Every once in a while they even praise obama. They said at least he didn't invade Iran. And this turn of events with Putin has them reluctantly saying obama handled it well. But they still hate him.

[johnnylefty2000]

8. Cool

I wish I could fix my family's political... Disorder. My dads parents were dems and very liberal but he is convinced that democrats are corrupt (ironic much?) and he listens to much right wing garbage and has reached the point of no return. My mom was raised by conservatives but always seemed to be more of a left wing republican (socially at least) there may be hope for her! Any suggestions?? It be great not being the on dem in the family!!! Is there anything I could tell her that might change her mind?

[Curmudgeoness]

15. What can you tell her?

I am not sure that you can change any right winger's mind, but the only option you have is to counter anything that they say with facts. This site is a great place to get facts....just do a lot of reading here. Get the facts and repeat as necessary. It doesn't always work, but it is all you can use.

This may sound insane, but see if you can find out where they are getting their information. Who do they listen to? What do they read? Then listen to/read the same things long enough to get the crux of what they are being fed. I listen to Beck and Limbaugh on occasion just to know what the arguments are that I need to disarm the liars. It is a "know your enemies" tactic.

[johnnylefty2000]

16. thanks

will do

[progree]

9. "He is the most destructive president" - see my sig line where I compare Bush to Obama

Particularly jobs and payrolls EF-1 (See http://www.democraticunderground.com/111622439#post1 )

E.g. Bush's entire 8 year record: created 1.3 million payroll jobs - by creating 1.8 million government jobs and destroying 0.5 million private sector jobs. ( the actual numbers are, in thousands: Total: 1,282, Govt: 1,744, PrivateSector: -462 ). Yes, it is ironic that a supposed "small government conservative" ended up creating government jobs and destroying private sector jobs.

While Obama has gained 6.1 million jobs since the start of his presidency -- and that includes all of the jobs lost in the beginning of his presidency where he inherited an economic that lost 2.26 million jobs just in Bush's last 3 months -- an average of 753,000 lost jobs a month. If we ignored just the first 5 months of Obama's presidency -- as being job loss momentum from the Bush era -- Obama's job creation count would be 9.1 million).

Then there is the stock market - down 37% during the Bush 8 years. It has more than doubled under Obama (so much for businesses and investors not having confidence in Obama - a common rightie talking point). (See http://www.democraticunderground.com/111622439#post4 )

Then there's the dollar which supposedly has been destroyed by Obama and Federal Reserve policies

. . # Thus under G.W. Bush, the dollar index dropped 22.8%, from 110.66 to 85.38.
. . # Under Obama, it has RISEN 7.1% from 85.38 to 91.42 as of 1/5/15 close.

And that ruinous inflation? Still waiting and waiting..

Anyway, there's a lot more. I built the "DU website" in my signature line so others could have information at their fingertips -- WITH LINKS TO THE OFFICIAL SOURCES -- to counter this kind of sheer crap.

[johnnylefty2000]

10. Wow

Thanks! Thats cool. I'm worried about where my parents are getting this stuff

[progree]

11. I don't know. I got a financial newsletter talking about how Obama and Yellen have destroyed the

dollar. And how dinner in Paris is so expensive for an American because of the decline of the dollar. Yeah, right.

[johnnylefty2000]

12. Ha

[progree]

18. More on that expensive Paris dinner bullshit: dollar up 9.3% vs. Euro since Obama became president

[font color = blue]>>I got a financial newsletter talking about how Obama and Yellen have destroyed the
dollar. And how dinner in Paris is so expensive for an American because of the decline of the dollar. Yeah, right <<.[/font]

Euro to US Dollar:
http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/Currency/EURUSD?countrycode=US
1/19/2001: no data 1/20/2009: 1.3069 1/5/15: 1.1957 -- translates to an increase of 9.30% in the number of Euros a dollar buys

And I saw yesterday this headline:
Euro hits 9-year low on eurozone worries, falling oil, AFP, 1/5/15
http://news.yahoo.com/euro-hits-9-low-eurozone-worries-falling-oil-001036456.html

(The Euro of course is the currency of Paris and France)

[progree]

13. The "Beware the tricks of the economic pundits out there" section of EF-0

[font color = blue]>>I'm worried about where my parents are getting this stuff<<[/font]

Well, in EF-0 ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/111622439 ), in the "Beware the tricks of the economic pundits out there" section, I do cover some of the techniques (just about all using official statistics) that the righties use to make "Obummer" look like a disaster.

[KT2000]

14. here is how it works:

my example is the falsehood that China owns our national parks - many RWers believe this.

Hilary Clinton was in China as SOS. She urged China to keep investing in the US. China responded that they should get collateral for all the money they invest in the US. (When I told my Chinese friend this, she laughed. It is what could be called kicking sand in the face of the US.)

Hal Turner, a RW nutcase printed in his blog that Obama has given all our national parks to China as collateral on the debt. He did it as a hoax as he has done many times before. (Hal Turner is as nutty as they come. He has been charged more than once with threatening a judge and others, he was an informant for the FBI, had a radio show, is part of white nationalist movement, and has now disappeared from the scene.)

The hoax spread like wild fire through the RW blogs, obscure websites, and media. Many now take it as the truth.
Google "China owns US national parks" and take a look at the various websites promoting this meme.

Tell your family to investigate these claims - use google and snopes to figure out if what they are repeating is even true. They are being made to look like fools and as a loving relative you can help them avoid this.

[Ilsa]

17. I couldn't believe how many websites there are

Claiming that our parks have been sold off. Here's one that claims that Obama sold the Grand Canyon to China!