GOP Insurrectionists

The Insurrectionist wing of the Republican Party has problems.

Fox News Republicans…

…Live in their own little world.

But most objective observers already knew that – or, at least, strongly suspected it.

Now, scientific research has shown it to be true.

On practically every issue in society touching upon government has policy, or law, Fox News Republicans are far right wing extremists on everything.

And, their opinion of the 45th President is similarly high – and disturbingly so, at 98%.

The negative correlation – that of overwhelmingly negative views of high-profile Democrats – is no less than 93%.

There is in many cases a disparity between Fox News Republicans (FNRs) and Republicans (Rs). For example, FNRs gave the 45th President an 80% Strongly Approve (SA) rating, while Non-Fox News Republicans (NFNRs)  gave him 42% Strong Approval (SA). There were similar disparities between FNRs and NFNRs on matters of economic importance, with FNRs expressing 86% SA, while NFNRs were 53% SA.

Even on handling of the coronavirus pandemic, FNRs were almost double the SA difference with 59%, while NFNRs were 29%. And on dealing with protests following police killings of Black Americans, FNRs had 55% SA, while NFNRs had 28% SA.

The disparity, chasm, and gulf between FNRs an NFNRs demonstrates that the Once Grand Old Party is not merely fractured, fissured, or split, but broken asunder, and perhaps beyond repair.

The differences and the issues were almost stereotypical in their responses, whether Abortion, Appointment of SCOTUS Justices, Jobs/Unemployment, Immigration, Federal Deficit, Trade Agreements, Healthcare, coronavirus pandemic, Foreign governments’ interference in US election, Racial inequality, Increasing disparity between rich & poor, and climate change. The differences between FNRs an NFNRs was at least 3%, and as great as 20%+.

And this is telling, as well:

“Fox News Republicans are more likely than all Americans and non–Fox News Republicans to say that Confederate symbols are more symbols of Southern pride than symbols of racism. More than nine in ten Fox News Republicans believe that both Confederate flags (92%) and monuments to Confederate soldiers (94%) are symbols of Southern pride. Non–Fox News Republicans are only somewhat less likely to say the same about flags and monuments (81% and 87%, respectively). All Americans are much more divided, with 47% who say the flag is a symbol of Southern pride and 59% who say the same of Confederate monuments.”

And interestingly, they also believe that they are victims of discrimination:

“Consistent with their other views on discrimination, more than eight in ten Fox News Republicans (83%) agree with the statement that “discrimination against white Americans has become as big a problem as discrimination against Black Americans and other minorities.” Two-thirds of non-Fox News Republicans (66%) agree with the statement, compared to just 42% of all Americans.”

Fox News Republicans
• Urban/Suburban 79
• White 81
• Male 57
• Evangelical/Mainline Protestant 36/21
• No College Degree 70
• Attend religious services once or more weekly 46
• Almost evenly distributed ages 30-65+ 30-49/30; 50-64/28; 65+/32
• Household income $50,000-$100,000 43

The survey was conducted in all 50 states by NORC (National Opinion Research Center) for PRRI (Public Religion Research Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization) by the University of Chicago, in English and Spanish among 2538 randomly sampled adults from September 9-22 2020, with a margin of error of +/- 2.6% at the 95% level of confidence. A supplemental survey of 1070 adults using the same methodology was conducted October 9-12, 2020 “to assess likely turnout, presidential candidate choice, and motivation for voting (for/against the candidate)” and had a +/- 4.0% margin of error at the 95% confidence level.

https://www.prri.org/research/trumpism-after-trump-how-fox-news-structures-republican-attitudes/

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While it’s no secret that Fox News has a right-wing slant, it is my considered opinion that the Fox News division may not be as much to blame, per se, as the opinionators who regularly spew their vitriolic venom – including Sean Hannity (who got his start at WVNN AM-770 in Athens, AL), Laura Ingraham, Lou Dobbs, Tucker Carlson, et al, via the network.

However, Ad Fontes Media (Latin “to the source”) is a public benefit corporation “with a mission to make news consumers smarter and news media better.” As they further state about their objective, and raison d’être, “we have a big problem in our news media landscape: too much junk news. Junk news is like junk food, and just like junk food has caused massive health epidemics in our country, junk news is causing a massive polarization epidemic.” Toward that end, they “rate the news for bias and reliability using a rigorous methodology and a politically balanced team of analysts,” with a specific focus upon “analyzing the news content of articles and shows.”

Their analysis, which I trust – I don’t recall the last time I ever watched Fox News; seen excerpts, yes; entire episodes, no – depicts Fox News in their News/Media Bias Chart as being “Hyper-Partisan Right” with “Selective, Incomplete, Unfair Persuasion, Propaganda, or Other Issues” and therefore, being less reliable and of lower value than many other more reputable news reporting agencies such as: 1.) Associated Press, 2.) VOA (Voice of America), 3.) PBS, 4.) NPR, 5.) BBC, 6.) CBS, 7.) UPI, 8.) Stars and Stripes, 9.) Bloomberg, 10.) FT (Financial Times), 11.) Christian Science Monitor, 12.) The Economist, 13.) Forbes, 14.) Politico, 15.) South China Morning Post, 16.) New York Times, 17.) NBC, 18.) Pro Publica, 19.) Al Jazeera, 20.) MarketWatch, 21.) US News and World Report, 22.) CNBC, 23.) Reuters, etc., most of which are straight up the middle as regarding skew, and highly reliable as regarding original fact reporting.

But the greater matter of course, is that the gradual downfall in the reliability of “media” came about through the elimination of the FCC’s Fairness Doctrine, and drastic changes to their Ownership Rules, which the SCOTUS has recently upheld. (Read: Encyclopedia Britannica article on FD.) (See: FCC Broadcast Ownership Rules page.)

Much, if not most, or even all, of these changes have been brought about over time (in my lifetime) with a basis grounded in the desire for money, wealth and control.

We The People have been sold a bill of goods beginning with the Reagan administration, in which he stated in part in his first Inaugural Address, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

Trump2020 mobsters scale the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. as they initiated their attack upon Congress. Georgia Republican Representative Andrew Clyde (CD9) said, “There was an undisciplined mob. There were some rioters, and some who committed acts of vandalism. But let me be clear, there was no insurrection and to call it an insurrection in my opinion, is a bold faced lie. Watching the TV footage of those who entered the Capitol, and walk through Statuary Hall showed people in an orderly fashion staying between the stanchions and ropes taking videos and pictures, you know. If you didn’t know that TV footage was a video from January the sixth, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit.” (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

It’s easy to understand that if “government is the problem,” the solution to that problem is the elimination of it.

And that is anarchy.

And yet, in his carefully crafted address, that was precisely what he was intimating – the abolition of government.

In April 2020 I had written about another, separate and different study (peer reviewed research) made upon a very similar topic of research, which found very similar results, in “Scientific, Peer-Reviewed Study: Conservative-Only News Consumers Ill Informed, Believe COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories”

Having made the decision some time ago to close the social media accounts which I operated, I remain quite glad that I did, knowing especially the cesspool of vice and corruption, and tool of international governmental abuse, which they have become.

However, as I always have, I continue to politick and attempt to persuade with logic, and reasoning, those who will listen. And I remain convinced THAT is precisely how Progressive ideas will win the day.

Almost every time when I have engaged in reasonable, rational, conversation with those who have opposite political stances, we share much common ground… even though superficially, it wouldn’t seem so.

Consider those who oppose abortion. Many do so upon religious grounds. And, not too long ago, as I was returning from downtown, I stopped – in the 2-lane street – by the Planned Parenthood clinic where protesters have regularly gathered, and engaged a few of them in rational conversation, while in my automobile. I pointed out to them that I know personally of women who underwent therapeutic abortion – even though the pregnancies were wanted – because the foetus had ceased developing, and would have, or did become, a carcinogenic hydatidiform mole; or had gross malformation which is inconsistent with life – anencephaly, absence of a brain, brainstem, and/or spinal column. And then, I also pointed out the case of small females – midgets – whose bodies cannot physically bear a child to term simply because there’s not enough room, and thereby place their life at risk by becoming pregnant.

In each case, the women made a fully-informed decision in their own best, self-interest, and not only lived to see another day, but in at least one case, became pregnant again.

But in no case did the government tell them they had to, or could not, make a free will, fully-informed decision. They were free agents, in a manner of speaking. And as I shared with the protestors, if the government, or even their neighbors, told them that they had to do something which violated their conscience, they would holler loud, and long in protest. And that is precisely what is occurring in these scenarios – neighbors, or others, often via the government – are telling people that they MUST – under penalty of law – do with their bodies what others think they ought to do. They are being forbidden from exercising autonomy, and liberty – the very thing protestors cherish. And that is hypocrisy.

When they realized that their arguments could not hold water, they quickly faded away, for their exclusive position was opposition based upon their religious convictions, and no other. And to force their beliefs upon others is abhorrent to them, and they would not stand for it themselves… and yet, they are not merely attempting to persuade, they are actively engaged in legislative fiat to prohibit liberty.

There are many changes which We The People need. A nation of 330,000,000 cannot have a smaller government, and any “downsized” government becomes inefficient when there are not enough civil servants to meet the need and demands placed upon them, and the services requested from their government.

Consider the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States).

The court today hears FEWER cases than they did in my lifetime – under the CJ Warren Burger-administered court – a Republican. In 1940 they heard 151 cases. And in 1980, the Supreme Court heard about 150 cases annually.

In the 2019-2020 term, the SCOTUS agreed to hear 74 cases, and rendered decisions in 63. And between 2007 & 2019 inclusive, they heard 991 cases, averaging 76 per year. Since 1880 the SCOTUS has maintained and published statistics on their caseload, and may be found here: https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/journal.aspx. Additional figures for the SCOTUS may be found at the Federal Judicial Center’s website: https://www.fjc.gov/history/exhibits/graphs-and-maps/supreme-court-caseloads-1880-2015.

Moreover, because there are 9 justices, 5 makes a majority.

Should just 5 people decide the fate of a nation?

The size of Congress – which has been constrained since 1911 at 435 – is similarly much too small.

Yes, it’s true.

The ratio of People to Representatives then was 220,020 : 1.

Now, it’s 764,048 : 1.

If you feel like you’re not being represented, it’s because you’re not.

If we had the same ratio now as then Congress’ size (the House of Representatives) would be 1511. If we made the ratio 500,000 : 1, the House size would be 664. If we doubled the size to 870, the ratio would be 382,024 : 1. And we desperately need a much larger House.

In September 3 years ago I wrote about both those subjects in: “Size Matters: Neither The Congress Nor The Supreme Court Are Big Enough.”

This current slate of GOPer Congress Critters are, for the most part, more than inclined to “Just say ’NO!’” And that is but one significant reason why the obstructionist practices associated stemming from abuse of the filibuster by Kentucky’s senior Senator who is now Senate Minority Leader, must cease. If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything is a nail. And the cudgel he bears as a hypocritical legislative bludgeon is evidence, and proof positive, of the truth of that adage.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”

–– Dr. Jessie Potter, PhD (1922-1994), Founder/Director, National Institute for Human Relationships, Oak Lawn, Illinois; faculty member University of Illinois Medical School, Northwestern University Medical School, as featured speaker at the Friday opening of the seventh annual Woman to Woman conference, as published in “The Milwaukee Sentinel” of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 24 October 1981, in “Search For Quality Called Key To Life” by Tom Ahern, Quote Page 5, Column 5, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself –– nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

– President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, first Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933, Washington, D.C.

Thank you for your time, and attention.