entire country backward by whatever means they can.

it means realizing they were duped ever since Reagan at least. That's why the ones that know what's been going on don't mind the Republican obstruction. A successful black Democrat President would turn their world upside down. Even if it cost them personally, getting rid of him in four years would be worth it.

It's the same thing with issues like marijuana too. They think it's letting the hippies win. They'd have long hairs smoking in front of them just to rub it in! I have to admit that 20 years ago I would have done exactly that. Fire up a big fatty right in front of some rednecks, just daring them to try and do something about it! It would have been too hard to resist.

mellow it out.

Credit to Wanda Sykes for that one!

I think that's why they're always going on about "we want to take this country back!!". They want to take it back to a time and place that never existed in the first place!!! They want this country to be like the shows they grew up with - an America where the guy was in charge and nobody questioned it. Think Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith, or The Honeymooners.

like that. ... ha!, the theme song line for "All in The Family" just popped into my head ... 'those were the times.'

And in their desire to prevent change, they overcompensate and espouse radical control over everything which is, after all, a larger change than what they are staving off. Might makes right to scared little wussies.

I've said for a long time that the Republican Party platform can be summed up in one sentence: "They're gonna take our shit!!!"

Every last right-winger believes that he/she has some shit to which he/she is entitled (be that money, guns, freedom, religion, rights, some other kind of property, what-have-you), and that some OTHER (gays, minorities, illegal aliens, the government, you-name-it) is currently plotting to take it away from them, and they need to FIGHT to the death in order to keep their shit.

Name any issue. You can reduce the right-wing argument to a guy poking his head out of a bomb shelter and screaming, "I believe XYZ on that issue because...........they're tryin' to take our shit!!!"

Try it. You'll see I'm right. Pick ANY issue. It can ALWAYS be reduced to, "They're tryin' to take our shit!!!" Always.

Much like that South Park episode where every time they interviewed a person from the town on the news, they ended up shouting, "They took our jobs!!!"

"They're tryin' to take our shit!!!" That's pretty much what it always boils down too.

They've gotten even crankier and more paranoid as they got older too.

If you pay attention to any of your conservative 'friends' long enough, you will notice they seem to be a little skittish, suspicious of little things you and I only notice on the edge of our consciousnesses. Little things like normal house noises, or street noises from outside.

wasn't a bit paranoid.

who I barely speak with any more, but since I've known him 21 years I consider him still a friend - is uber macho, homophobic, racist, owns 100 guns and all that stuff, acts real tough, doesn't take any shit from anyone... but... he has agoraphobia and will never, ever go anywhere! ha ha ha!

That's what they fear, and they condition everyone that isn't a white man to fear it too, like end times are coming if white men stop controlling everything.

Change scares the hell out of them.

You name it, they're afraid of it.

toss in a conservative and in no time they start bringing up anxiety and fear. I've seen conversations/gatherings erode until people just walk away. Many conservatives can't even have a conversation without moving into fearful and aggressive body postures.

that was my immediate thought when I saw this post. They are attempting to cling to power in any way they can.

That's why, IMO, the war on women is being waged. For the first time in history, we are the majority (numerically anyway).

basically anyone who is not a white, male, heterosexual, conservative Christian capitalist is a threat to them.

Is the unwashed masses,the ignorant villagers,will finally realize the ways they've been used and duped,for decades,and gather their torches and pitchforks and come after them.....