# Stop villainizing people whose political opinions differ from yours. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 21, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286 "2016-10-21T22:54:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/161 "2016-10-27T15:33:28Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No, they also had the option of keeping the cuts in place for everyone else, and raising taxes on the rich. After all, they controlled the Senate, House, and the Presidency. But they didn’t. So am I - the Dems had the opportunity to do it, they say they want to do it, they claim to believe that raising taxes on the rich is the right thing to do, but they don’t do it. They just fall back on their usual excuse - “the GOP has us outnumbered 41-59!” > > Regards, > Shodan Yeah, see, the fact that the filibuster meant that the democrats couldn’t pass bills without the consent of the republican party anyways gives me perfectly good reason to ask the question, “Why didn’t this happen”. It probably isn’t because the democrats, seeing an issue they campaigned on and to this day want passed, said, “Let’s just not do this”. It’s probably more along the lines of, “Well shoot, if we don’t do this, the republicans are going to make our lives impossible.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/162 "2016-10-27T17:16:29Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Yeah, see, the fact that the filibuster meant that the democrats couldn’t pass bills without the consent of the republican party anyways gives me perfectly good reason to ask the question, “Why didn’t this happen”. It probably isn’t because the democrats, seeing an issue they campaigned on and to this day want passed, said, “Let’s just not do this”. It’s probably more along the lines of, “Well shoot, if we don’t do this, the republicans are going to make our lives impossible.” You have it backwards. This was a bill to extend the tax cuts, which were going to expire. The Republicans couldn’t force the bill thru by filibustering it. And the Dems certainly did not say, “let’s just not do this.” As you correctly point out, they had campaigned on the notion that the Bush tax cuts were for the rich. That notion was false. Then when the rubber hit the road and they had the opportunity of letting the cuts expire, and thereby undoing what they has (falsely) claimed was happening, they bowed at last to reality and admitted, in fact if not in words, that what they had been claiming about the tax cuts all along was false - they were put in place to benefit “virtually all families”, just as Obama said. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/163 "2016-10-27T17:33:45Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > You have it backwards. This was a bill to extend the tax cuts, which were going to expire. The Republicans couldn’t force the bill thru by filibustering it. > > And the Dems certainly did not say, “let’s just not do this.” As you correctly point out, they had campaigned on the notion that the Bush tax cuts were for the rich. That notion was false. Then when the rubber hit the road and they had the opportunity of letting the cuts expire, and thereby undoing what they has (falsely) claimed was happening, they bowed at last to reality and admitted, in fact if not in words, that what they had been claiming about the tax cuts all along was false - they were put in place to benefit “virtually all families”, just as Obama said. And their choices were to let them expire for everyone, poor, middle class, and rich, or extend them for everyone. The democrats wanted to pass a bill that allowed the cuts to the rich to expire, while leaving in place the cuts for the middle class and the poor, but it could not get through the republican filibuster unless it extended the tax cuts for everyone. This is history. This is what happened. This is something that only happened a couple of years ago. There are plenty of sources that you could use to educate yourself on this matter. If these facts do not work for your worldview, then it is up to you to adjust your worldview, rather than trying to revise history. I could post a dozen or more links for you if you do not believe these facts to be true, but I think that a very quick google search could allow you to educate yourself on this subject even faster. > [@](#): > > Regards, > Shodan And you, my friend, have a great day, K9befriender ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/164 "2016-10-27T17:59:12Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > With all this talk about scientific answers, one wonders what science has to say about the effectiveness of villainizing the political opposition if one’s goal is to convince them of the errors of their ways as opposed to making oneself feel better. I accept that there are some people that cannot ever be convinced. By mocking their ideas, I do think that others who can be convinced will see the inherent silliness in many conservative ideas. Its a gamble, I get it ---
**Author:** ![ZombieFatTongue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ce73a5/32.png) [@ZombieFatTongue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZombieFatTongue)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/165 "2016-10-28T14:07:28Z")
I don’t however, after presenting them with clear, concise and irrefutable evidence they usually go off the deep end anyway. Then I get out the popcorn and watch the fire. Lol! ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/166 "2016-10-31T15:02:08Z")
In thread about not villainizing people with differing political views, there seems to be a lot of villainizing of people with differing political views. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/167 "2016-10-31T17:47:52Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > But those aren’t the only two outcomes. Personally, I don’t care about convincing the right wing to see the error of their ways, I just want them to die out and I think that’s happening. Trump supporters are largely older, white and uneducated according to what I’ve read; as long as the movement is seen as unattractive and uncool, it will die out. It’s how we curtailed smoking, it went from being cool to being a bunch of losers huddled outside in the rain by a dumpster. Hmm. If only those who adhered to conservative ideologies and religions had tiny birth rates. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/168 "2016-11-01T07:15:13Z")
True, they do have a bug like rate of procreation (must be their opposition to sex education and their reliance on abstinence only birth control), but the demographic tide is against them. They are becoming the minority and once we get past this election, demographic shifts make it very unlikely we’ll see another GOP president in years. Having said that, we do need to work with them. Any time you have a large segment of society that feels derided and not invested in our political institutions, it’s a problem. Step one would be the GOP to stop pandering to their worst instincts with racism. At some point the GOP will have to realize that approach wins them house seats, but denies them the White House, then constructive work can begin. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/169 "2016-11-01T17:09:00Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > In thread about not villainizing people with differing political views, there seems to be a lot of villainizing of people with differing political views. Most people respond to “don’t stereotype/paint with a broad brush” by…doubling down on the stereotyping and broad-brushing. \* “Category X of people is bad” “You’re stereotyping” “But Category X of people REALLY IS BAD!”\* ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/170 "2016-11-02T13:35:20Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Conservatives preach towards fear of the unknown and the different, liberals preach to love and harmony. Neither side is correct, they just have different views of the fundamental nature of humanity. Those that think we are inherently vile creatures and must stick together with those that are similar to protect us from our enemies are conservatives, and those that think that people are inherently good and should all come together to live as one big family regardless of their background are liberal. Not really. Conservatives think that people should be responsible for their own lives and actions. Liberals think that people should suck the government tit from cradle to grave. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/171 "2016-11-02T14:05:12Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Not really. > > Conservatives think that people should be responsible for their own lives and actions. Liberals think that people should suck the government tit from cradle to grave. Hilarious! Can anyone top this one? How about “conservatives want to bring back slavery”? Or maybe “liberals want to kill black babies”? Any others? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/172 "2016-11-02T18:12:28Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Not really. > > Conservatives think that people should be responsible for their own lives and actions. Liberals think that people should suck the government tit from cradle to grave. Hillary Clinton is our next president. Have a nice day! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/173 "2016-11-10T01:40:40Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > Hillary Clinton is our next president. Have a nice day! 🙂 This is what happens; fucking Trump wins. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286.md?page=8)