Ryan is oversimplifying the Republican mentality, however it is true that the Republican party uses fear to gain support. As jpn stated, their policies do not benefit the majority of Americans, and as a result they are forced to use smear attacks and accusations against their opponents.

Stereotyping will never get you anywhere ryan

That was all CLinton dont cha know.

This is not an argument. You are not saying anything. You don't get to make this argument unless you can back it up with FACTS and EVIDENCE. I am not hearing Barack Obama telling old people the Republicans are going to take away their social security checks. I am not hearing Joe Biden telling old people the Republicans are going to take away their social security checks. I am not hearing Nancy Pelosi telling old people that, or Harry Reid, or any of the other Democratic leadership saying that. So what are you talking about? Exactly who in the Democratic leadership are you referring to? Please cite specific names and quotations of Democratic leaders telling old people Republicans are going to take away their social security checks.

You see, this is what I am referring to when I talk about the intellectual laziness around here. People make these inaccurate and intelluctual lazy comments with absolutely no evidence to support them.

Yet another intellectually lazy response. Just because a comment is a stereotype does not automatically mean it's incorrect. Saying that Muslims are more likely to commit acts of terrorism than any other ethnic group is a stereotype but it's also true. Saying women are physically weaker than than men is a stereotype but it's also true. Saying a young African-American male has a better chance of ending up in Prison than ending up in College is a stereotype, but it's a stereotype that has plenty of evidence to support it.

1. Do non-Muslim ethnic groups commit acts of terrorism? Of course.
2. Are some women physically stronger than some men? Certainly.
3. Do some young African-American men go to college instead of prision? Absolutely.

However, in any matter, it is impossible to operate off of or draw accurate conclusions based upon the exceptions. It's no different in politics. Certainly there are some extremely intelligent, insightful, and well-educated members of the Republican Party who vote for their candidate based upon a in-depth examination of that candidate's stance on many different issues.

Unfortunately, the Party is not defined by these members nor does the Republican establishment and leadership cater to these members. It is universially agreed - let me repeat - UNIVERSIALLY AGREED that in 2004 Dr. James Dobson and Dr. James Dobson alone single-handily handed George W. Bush a 2nd term in office by turning out millions of single-issue (abortion / gay marriage) Evangelical voters who went to the polls and pulled the lever for George W. Bush based SOLELY and ONLY upon the single issue of Abortion and/or the single issue Gay Marriage without any consideration whatsoever for Bush's position on the economy, on the war, on healthcare, on education, or any other major issue.  

In fact, after the election, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney picked up the phone and called Dr. Dobson to PERSONALLY thank him for handing them a 2nd term in the White House. That kind of single-issue power simply does not exist on the Democrat side - and thank God for that - because it's possibly the most frighteningly ignorant form of political participation a person can practice.

That could certainly be true but at the same time, many give Clinton credit for the good times in the 90s and blame Bush for a tough economic 2007-08.


You are correct here. Our borders are too open and our society too free to stop someone willing to kill himself in the act. Much luck is involved. Bush has done some good things to make it more difficult, but he hasn't been good enough to eliminate the threat completely.

well, Clinton was responsible, in part, for the prosperity of the '90's.  He kept a balanced budget and actually cause prosperity.  For example, because of his anti-gun programs, he was known at gun shops as their "#1 salesman", because people flocked to buy guns fearing he would make it more difficult to acquire them.

  Bush is also responsible, in part, for the tough economic times we are having now because he is spending money like a school girl, the Iraq invasion is a huge money pit as well as his tax cuts for the rich.  He also came to power at the turning point of the decline of the dollar (from decades of debasing the currency) which his spending has only exasperated, but did not cause.