# Underestimating the number of stupid assholes in America **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 8, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057 "2012-09-08T01:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/41 "2012-09-08T19:46:55Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Horseshit. The Dems are influenced by lobbyists, sure. But the Pubs take their orders from them. > > If you think both parties are equal, you’re either not informed, or trying to delude yourself because you want the Republican party of your youth to not have fallen so very far. Isn’t **Cat Whisperer** Canadian? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/42 "2012-09-08T19:48:46Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Force every child to attend public school for 3yrs, between 1st grade and 12th. While they are still impressionable, so they can see the real world as it is, good and bad. It’s a good thing most of these stupid, asshole Americans don’t read this MB. They would have their worst fears about liberals validated. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/43 "2012-09-08T22:53:08Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You’re all wrong - the enemy are the lobbyists. The political party in power makes no difference. I’m with you there to an extent. That is a major flaw in the American system. Both parties are equally the [del]victim[/del] co-conspirators of lobbying on some things, such as banking reform. But as far as what the parties stand for, there isn’t so much equality. One side is going to back lobbyists out to discredit science and promote religious law-making. One side is going to back lobbyists out to discriminate. One side is going to back lobbyists out to fuck up the environment for profit. Etc. The Ds have their flaws too, but IMO they tend to be more about trying to move stupid legislation with reasonable goals in mind. The Rs are just off the rails right from their motivations. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/44 "2012-09-08T23:20:31Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > \On many, many issues, people get more conservative as they grow older. [Actually, no.](http://news.discovery.com/human/voter-conservative-aging-liberal-120119.html) ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/45 "2012-09-08T23:36:10Z")
And another thing, the people making up the parties have different reactions to the crazy shit that lobbyists get done. D voters tend to be discouraged that D reps are being lobbied into things like stopping banking regs, campaign finance reform, environmental regs, and allowing things like insanely low taxes for the rich and voluntary wars for fun. R voters line up with their reps and lobbyists on those things. ---
**Author:** ![Makeitstop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@Makeitstop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Makeitstop)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/46 "2012-09-09T00:15:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Here is wisdom, and no great mystery: People of **every** political (and religious) viewpoint tend to overestimate its popularity, and underestimate that of opposing viewpoints. It comes of (1) hanging out mostly with like-minded people, and coming to think of them as the normal people; and (2) knowing in your heart that your own world-view is such plain common sense that only a nutcase fringe could be seriously diametrically opposed to it. Yeah, pretty much this. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/47 "2012-09-09T09:17:05Z")
I’m with the OP on this. People are a superstitious and persuadable lot, and the churches and schools have done a good job of persuading people to fear “liberals” and vote “conservative.” ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/48 "2012-09-09T12:55:22Z")
I can’t explain why “sheeple” lead themselves to slaughter; I can only rankle them enough to make them do research to prove me wrong…and thereby find some facts. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/49 "2012-09-09T21:25:48Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I blame home schooling. It’s hard to develop critical thinking and a wider world view, when you’re being instructed by one person. You pretty much get told what they think is important, and only their world view. Discipline runs high often, critical thinking skills would only interfere with that, so it gets left behind. > > Force every child to attend public school for 3yrs, between 1st grade and 12th. While they are still impressionable, so they can see the real world as it is, good and bad. > > I choose to believe a lot of Christian’s do believe it’s hateful to deny SSM rights, etc. And I’d be willing to bet a fair number of staunch anti abortionists (for themselves), have been glad it was available to someone they knew. I think a lot of Republican’s won’t speak up to the issues they disagree about, but may secretly vote Obama, for such reasons. > > Of course a lot of endless polling is driven by the twenty four hour news cycle. If it’s clear Obama’s going to walk away with it, what will fill their time? Real news? Easier to manufacture non news, tempests in teapots. Fanning the flames of whatever stupid surfaces, ever driving the two sides further apart. And all to feed a 24hr news cycle and provide advertising income. It’s really hard not to believe the media is the problem. > > There isn’t any idiot they won’t put a mic/camera in front of. There doesn’t seem to be anything they think too stupid or unrepresentative to take to air. They stand right beside the stupid and never bother to ask the obvious questions, seek clarity, or challenge outright lies. I don’t like to paint them all with the same brush, but at some point the whole lot just get covered in the same scum of incompetence, when there is never any sign of caring that their entire profession is being seriously degraded, while they all just pretend not to see or care. Huh? The only home schooler I know is a liberal atheist. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/50 "2012-09-10T10:14:29Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Huh? The only home schooler I know is a liberal atheist. Check out the documentary “Jesus Camp”. There are a few Young Earth Creationists deeply disappointed by sex education and science that refuse to allow their children to be educated in such a fashion (and can’t afford private education). ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/51 "2012-09-10T10:28:56Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Huh? The only home schooler I know is a liberal atheist. As gamerunknown said, home schooling is much more common amongst evangelical christian and mormon families than “liberal atheist” ones, mostly because they don’t want to learn “the gay” and “evolution is real” and other nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![RealOmegaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/958977/32.png) [@RealOmegaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealOmegaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/52 "2012-09-10T10:48:01Z")
Its not just the US that has dumb assholes, they breed all around the world. Here in the UK you need look no further than the EDL (English Defense League) A bunch of bored football hooligans who realised the number of people who also liked to fight after a game was dwindling, picked up the whole anti Islam thing and ran with it like a bunch of ill educated dickheads. Also as a non American i can honestly tell you the Republicans scare the living shit out of me with their Fundamental Christian outlook. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/53 "2012-09-10T12:05:22Z")
Yeah, I don’t get it either. I have a friend who is a teacher and is going to vote republican. His main reasons seems to be that he is against “Obamacare”, that big business and corporations are providing all the jobs, and Abortion. He just thinks that people should go find a job with health insurance if they want one and that all abortion should be illegal (unless it was a kid who got raped). Again, he’s a teacher and a Christian and he’s like my best friend. Im at the point where I’m just saying “you’re being stupid.” and dropping it all together because it’s like a wall of impenetrable unreasonableness. What could I possibly say to him to knock some sense into him? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/54 "2012-09-10T14:17:58Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Before Facebook I’d have laughed in your face if you told me that ALL the C-students in my high school would turn into R-voters as adults. It boggles the mind. Hmm, I know a couple of dumb Democrats. You know the ones I am talking about, they’re the ones that haven’t figured out that the rest of the dixiecrats moved over to the Republican party 40 years ago. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s a good thing most of these stupid, asshole Americans don’t read this MB. They would have their worst fears about liberals validated. Education and helathcare are two things that should not be distributed based on ability to pay. They are also things that should be provided to minors regardless of how their parents feel about it. You can home school but if your kid isn’t going to understand biology and natural selection by the time they are 18 then we should make sure they do. > [@Scotty Mo](#): > > Yeah, I don’t get it either. I have a friend who is a teacher and is going to vote republican. His main reasons seems to be that he is against “Obamacare”, that big business and corporations are providing all the jobs, and Abortion. He just thinks that people should go find a job with health insurance if they want one and that all abortion should be illegal (unless it was a kid who got raped). Again, he’s a teacher and a Christian and he’s like my best friend. > > Im at the point where I’m just saying “you’re being stupid.” and dropping it all together because it’s like a wall of impenetrable unreasonableness. What could I possibly say to him to knock some sense into him? I know folks who were single issue voters (on abortion) 20 years ago who have adopted the entire conservative agenda. These are folks that didn’t really have a strong opiniobn on the size of government, supply side economics, gay rights, women’s rights, the minimum wage, gun control, taxes, etc. but now they line up consistently on the conservative side of all these issues. Pro-life was the gateway drug for their current broad conservative outlook. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/55 "2012-09-10T14:25:52Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Education and helathcare are two things that should not be distributed based on ability to pay. Name one democratic country in the world where this is true of education. (We’re not talking about healthcare here.) Remember, the proposition is that kids be forced to attend public school, not making sure all kids are able to go to public school. Those are two completely different things, and the latter is already the case in the US as it is most of the developed world. > [@](#): > > They are also things that should be provided to minors regardless of how their parents feel about it. You can home school but if your kid isn’t going to understand biology and natural selection by the time they are 18 then we should make sure they do. Well, that’s fine in theory, but there is no way you can force children to believe something if their parents don’t want them to. You can expose them to it, but you can’t prevent their parents from telling them it’s the work of the devil (or whatever). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/56 "2012-09-10T15:30:05Z")
I see. So, we parents can be assured that our children will listen to us, and and mold their views to fit the received wisdom we pass down. Right. Of course they will. How many kids you got, **John**? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/57 "2012-09-10T15:34:23Z")
A lot of the conservatives are like my mother. My Mom is 85 but about as sharp as anyone can be at that age. She is vehemently pro-choice and worked with her church in North Carolina in FAVOR of gay marriage, heck she was almost an activist on the subject. Not to mention that she supports my younger brother ( who has some psychogical issues ) and his teen-aged daughter and (sometimes) his 21 year old son. They rely heavily on food assistance and other government programs to make ends meet…not to mention that she has the health care issues typical of someone her age. And she is intending on voting Republican and was assuming that I would. When I heard this I snapped at her, something about “what’s the matter, don’t you like eating anymore?” Really, all I can figure is that she has always voted Republican and doesn’t even absorb the concept that she or anyone she knows would ever do otherwise…she may think that would dishonor my father who was a stanch Republican although he died before the Republican Party went totally ape-shit crazy. Well, I still havce two months to work on her …and her boyfriend, who is in the same age group as her, is voting Democrat which gave her pause. But I think lots of the older people just don’t keep up and they think they are voting for the Republican Party of 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/58 "2012-09-10T15:38:57Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > As gamerunknown said, home schooling is much more common amongst evangelical christian and mormon families than “liberal atheist” ones, mostly because they don’t want to learn “the gay” and “evolution is real” and other nonsense. To quote the devil himself ( Rick Santorum ) on evolution and global warming **“Science should stay out of politics”** I wish I was making that up but I’m not. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/59 "2012-09-10T15:47:29Z")
just to re-emphasize my point in this thread… A lot of people are posting about “omg I know a stupid asshole R voter also”. That is kind of a tangent to what I was trying to get across. And we have dozens of threads about that. My point was more specifically about the number of Dopers who don’t appreciate the _amount_ of them. People who naively expect America is going to breed its way out of being dominated by the stupid. People who think the Rs can possibly turn hard enough to the right that they will become irrelevant, when it has been demonstrated that half the country loves their crazy tea party bullshit. People who think all the swing states are all going to come through for Obama. And even if he does win them, that 51-49 is OK. Granted, it’ll keep him in office, and that’s no small thing, but the fact that 49% would vote for Rs today is pretty disturbing just the same. That congress will still be R is a sign of desperate madness throughout this country. If America had the amount of good sense these people want to ascribe to it, it would be 80-20 D over R. But its not. I contend that the Rs have not yet reached the point of backlash for the right turn, but the Dope likes to think they have, and any day now the tea party will fade cuz it is so obviously stupid… but really, it is exactly the stupid America craves. Dopers think Romney/Ryan/Boehner/McConnell are animals for pushing such nonsense, without appreciating that half the country really digs nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057/60 "2012-09-10T17:47:35Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Horseshit. The Dems are influenced by lobbyists, sure. But the Pubs take their orders from them. > > If you think both parties are equal, you’re either not informed, or trying to delude yourself because you want the Republican party of your youth to not have fallen so very far. I sound like an old school Republican? Sheesh. That’s just weird. > [@Peanut\_Gallery](#): > > I’m with you there to an extent. That is a major flaw in the American system. Both parties are equally the [del]victim[/del] co-conspirators of lobbying on some things, such as banking reform. > > But as far as what the parties stand for, there isn’t so much equality. One side is going to back lobbyists out to discredit science and promote religious law-making. One side is going to back lobbyists out to discriminate. One side is going to back lobbyists out to fuck up the environment for profit. Etc. > > The Ds have their flaws too, but IMO they tend to be more about trying to move stupid legislation with reasonable goals in mind. The Rs are just off the rails right from their motivations. I think you’re demonstrating the problem with the US American system - you still think that there is a difference between political parties. The politicians on both sides are paid for by lobbyists - the lobbyists pay for the election of the politicians, then they decide which laws are going to be created. The people making the policy decisions for the US are not the politicians that people vote for - your votes make no difference. > [@Peanut\_Gallery](#): > > And another thing, the people making up the parties have different reactions to the crazy shit that lobbyists get done. D voters tend to be discouraged that D reps are being lobbied into things like stopping banking regs, campaign finance reform, environmental regs, and allowing things like insanely low taxes for the rich and voluntary wars for fun. R voters line up with their reps and lobbyists on those things. Do you think the Democrats would support changes to the way people are elected in the US that would make it illegal for corporations to donate to political parties, and to outlaw lobbying? I’m pretty sure the Republicans wouldn’t, but you know the Democratic party better than I do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underestimating-the-number-of-stupid-assholes-in-america/634057.md?page=4)