The Final Push: Republican Fear versus Democratic National Unity

Democrats must be immune to fear mongering. Let Trump and his minions rant. Show up at the polls where hope outshines fear. That's the true MAGA, Without Trump's blind followers, America and the world will be a better place.

Democrats must be immune to fear mongering.

There's some strong science to support that claim, particularly in association with a hyperactive amygdala in both hemispheres:

Political conservatism is associated with an increased negativity bias, including increased attention and reactivity toward negative and threatening stimuli. Although the human amygdala has been implicated in the response to threatening stimuli, no studies to date have investigated whether conservatism is associated with altered amygdala function toward threat. Furthermore, although an influential theory posits that connectivity between the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is important in initiating the response to sustained or uncertain threat, whether individual differences in conservatism modulate this connectivity is unknown. To test whether conservatism is associated with increased reactivity in neural threat circuitry, we measured participants’ self-reported social and economic conservatism and asked them to complete high-resolution fMRI scans while under threat of an unpredictable shock and while safe. We found that economic conservatism predicted greater connectivity between the BNST and a cluster of voxels in the left amygdala during threat vs safety. These results suggest that increased amygdala–BNST connectivity during threat may be a key neural correlate of the enhanced negativity bias found in conservatism. academic.oup

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Substantial differences exist in the cognitive styles of liberals and conservatives on psychological measures [ 1 ]. Variability in political attitudes reflects genetic influences and their interaction with environmental factors [ 2, 3 ]. Recent work has shown a correlation between liberalism and conflict-related activity measured by event-related potentials originating in the anterior cingulate cortex [ 4 ]. Here we show that this functional correlate of political attitudes has a counterpart in brain structure. In a large sample of young adults, we related self-reported political attitudes to gray matter volume using structural MRI. We found that greater liberalism was associated with increased gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas greater conservatism was associated with increased volume of the right amygdala. These results were replicated in an independent sample of additional participants. Our findings extend previous observations that political attitudes reflect differences in self-regulatory conflict monitoring [ 4 ] and recognition of emotional faces [ 5 ] by showing that such attitudes are reflected in human brain structure. Although our data do not determine whether these regions play a causal role in the formation of political attitudes, they converge with previous work [ 4, 6 ] to suggest a possible link between brain structure and psychological mechanisms that mediate political attitudes. ncbi.nlm.nih

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It certainly helps explain conservatives' irrational and racist response to refugees.    There's more detail and a good summary here - it really does explain a lot about why conservatives are so easily manipulated through fear mongering:

psychologytoday

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Unfortunately because it's a brain structure issue it's unlikely that conservatives can do much to overcome that handicap.   However at least one research group has discovered how conservatives can overcome that deficit at least temporarily:

In a new study to appear in a forthcoming issue of the European Journal of Social Psychology , my colleagues Jaime Napier, Julie Huang and Andy Vonasch and I asked 300 U.S. residents in an online survey their opinions on several contemporary issues such as gay rights, abortion, feminism and immigration, as well as social change in general. The group was two-thirds female, about three-quarters white, with an average age of 35. Thirty-percent of the participants self-identified as Republican, and the rest as Democrat.

But before they answered the survey questions, we had them engage in an intense imagination exercise. They were asked to close their eyes and richly imagine being visited by a genie who granted them a superpower. For half of our participants, this superpower was to be able to fly, under one’s own power. For the other half, it was to be completely physically safe, invulnerable to any harm.

If they had just imagined being able to fly, their responses to the social attitude survey showed the usual clear difference between Republicans and Democrats — the former endorsed more conservative positions on social issues and were also more resistant to social change in general.

But if they had instead just imagined being completely physically safe, the Republicans became significantly more liberal — their positions on social attitudes were much more like the Democratic respondents. And on the issue of social change in general, the Republicans’ attitudes were now indistinguishable from the Democrats. Imagining being completely safe from physical harm had done what no experiment had done before — it had turned conservatives into liberals.

washingtonpost

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Of course there's a solution. Vote those that support Trump out of office, then vote Trump out of office. Allow independent minds to control policy in this country and allow and encourage real debate on issues. Allow the public mind determine political direction. Another idea would be to make elections not red or blue {eliminate party designation} and have the people listen to policy rather than threat. Make voter registration and participation easier. Allow mail in, and, if possible phone in ballots, along with early and extended voting in all states. We will always have 20% in each tribe (political party} who will not move to support any candidate that the tribe dictates heretic. We have to find politicians that attract the majority.

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Was that really called for?

Wally, your math is bad.....I grade you with an F. 47.2% does not constitute a majority. Losing by 2.9 million votes doesn't even amount to a plurality. The only place he led was the electoral college. Now if this election runs a similar course {w/o an electoral college}, the Republicans are standing knee deep in horseshit. We would see a House of Representatives that swings by about 35 to 45 seats, about 6-10 state governorships move to the Democrats, and 6-13 state houses flipping. If that happens, the Trump presidency is cooked, and his legacy is in the toilet.

BTW, there were 4 million more democrats than republicans registering to vote. It sort of blows up your second argument.

Let Trump and his minions rant.

THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR IS RUNNING OUT OF THINGS TO FEAR!

(Brought to you by, "Make America Piss Itself In Fear - 2020" )

Yet the last financial crisis came under a Republican president.

It almost always does. Since Reagan, republicans have added more to the debt, by far, than democrats. 

Democrats want to pay off the debt, or at least stop it from running out of control. If you want to pay something off, you have to raise taxes. It's very simple and basic; don't spend more than your income. Trump has added more to the debt in 2 years than Obama did in 4 years. Yet the right wing, that complained daily, for 8 long years, about the debt....doesn't say a word now. 

Everyone wants lower taxes, the republicans want to pay off the debt, but they want to increase spending and lower taxes. It doesn't work, it never has and it never will. To top it off? Now McConnell, trump and many members of congress wants to do away with Medicare and SS to pay for the tax cuts that the 1%er's got. But the right says that the tax cuts were for the middle class? Um, nope. Not even close. 

"It almost always does. Since Reagan, republicans have added more to the debt, by far, than democrats."

[ Deleted ]  Obama alone is responsible for half the national debt.

debtconsolidation

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Nope.. 

Ronald Reagan:
Took office January 1981. Total debt: $848 billion
Left office January 1989. Total debt: $2,698 billion
Percent change in total debt: +218%

George H.W. Bush:
Took office January 1989. Total debt: $2,698 billion
Left office 20 January 1993. Total debt: $4,188 billion
Percent change in total debt: +55%

Bill Clinton:
Took office 20 January 1993. Total debt: $4,188 billion
Left office 20 January 2001. Total debt: $5,728 billion
Percent change in total debt: +37%

George W. Bush:
Took office 20 January 2001. Total debt: $5,728 billion
Left office 20 January 2009. Total debt: $10,627 billion
Percent change in total debt: +86%

Barack Obama:
Took office 20 January 2009. Total debt: $10,627 billion
Total debt (as of the end of April 2011): $14,288 billion
Percent change in total debt: +34%

Now let's do this by year:

Reagan 8 years (democrats controlled spending) 27%/year

Bush 1 4 years (democrats controlled spending) 14%/year

Clinton 8 years (democrat to republican control) 5%/year

Bush 2 8 years (republican to democrat control) 11%/year

Obama 2 years as per your sample (democrat control) 17%/ year

BTW whoever controls congress dictates spending.

Obama alone is responsible for half the national debt.

Take it up with your buddy up there that is saying it's Obama's fault. Congress approves the spending, but that's not cut and dried either. Al presidents DO have control over spending. Speaking of which....Trump has increased the debt more in two years than Obama did in 4...with a republican congress. How you going to pin that one on the dems? 

Had you actually read the article you posted, you would know that Obama is NOT responsible for half the debt. Nice try. 

Without Trump's blind followers, America and the world will be a better place.

I only see fear mongering coming from the left.....on everything from climate change to selecting a Supreme Court Justice. The truth is, is that the left has nothing to offer other than angry divisive hatefulness and worn out ideas for the future. A majority of the people in this country are not willing to buy the stinking pile of BS that the left is trying to sell. They've been there and tried that and came away disappointed.

Over 60 million people can't all be blind or wrong.

Over 60 million people can't all be blind or wrong.

I am sure a lot of people said the same thing about Hitler. 

everything from climate change to selecting a Supreme Court Justice.

Yep - walk back all the progress made battling climate change and push a credibly-accused sexual assailant onto the court.    No wonder the science and gender gaps are so large.

Very revealing too that the GOP has such profoundly low standards for SCOTUS justices.

Apparently sane people and women find Dr Ford to be very credible.    Heck, even Trump and Grassley said she was credible.

Thanks to Trump's misogyny and Kavanaugh, this election will have the widest gender gap on record....and this poll was taken before the Kavanaugh hearings:

A new Quinnipiac University poll finds that among women Democrats are leading on the generic congressional ballot by a 58% to 33%, a 25-point margin. Republicans, though, lead among men 50% to 42%, an 8-point margin.

That large gap between how women and men say they will vote in the midterm election is consistent with an average of live interview polls taken since June. The gender difference in the average is 26 points.

I think you'll find most women are not stupid enough to fall for the Democrats confirmation farce.

Apparently sane people and women find Dr Ford to be very credible.

Dr. Ford? What are we talking about? Dr. Ford? Not running the country. Not the economy. Not the issues. But Dr. Ford. We have a country to run and you're talking about Dr. Ford.

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With democrats holding a 16-22 edge with the preference of women.  Your argument seems particularly lame.

I only see fear mongering coming from the left.....on everything from climate change to selecting a Supreme Court Justice.

No kidding! Let's not forget the Democrats have been (literally) shouting and screaming that elevating Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court would result in legions of women bleeding to death in the streets (I'm sorry, I meant "back alleys"). If that's not campaigning on fear, I don't know what is.

So calling refugees an "invasion", sending troops to the southern border as a show of force isn't an appeal to fear. Trying to appoint SCOTUS justices who lie to senate committees is an appeal to fear {save my presidency}. Taking children away from refugees is an appeal to fear. Telling people that guns should have been in a synagogue, or church is an appeal to fear. The speeches that are whistles to the alt-right is an appeal to fear. The list can go on and on.

So calling refugees an "invasion", sending troops to the southern border as a show of force isn't an appeal to fear.

Sure, I think you can argue that, and God knows Trump can be dramatic with his language. However, fear can be part of a reasonable campaign message if the statement is true. For example, "Democrats want to raise your taxes" is true and something people reasonably fear. The caravan is a mass of people intent on entering a country even without permission. Isn't that an invasion? Having said that, I still want us to help the people who need it if we can absorb the burden.

Taking children away from refugees is an appeal to fear.

No one is taking children away from refugees. Claiming they are is an unreasonable appeal to fear.

Trying to appoint SCOTUS justices who lie to senate committees is an appeal to fear

Neither Neil Gorsuch nor Justice Kavanaugh were appointed because Trump thought they would lie to the committee. Why would he hope for a thing like that? That doesn't even make sense.

Telling people that guns should have been in a synagogue, or church is an appeal to fear.

Is it? What does it mean when we put armed guards in a bank? Is it an appeal to fear or are we trying to deter bank robbers? 

whistles

I think most of the time the only people hearing whistles are the people on the extreme Left.

The truth is, is that the left has nothing to offer other than angry divisive hatefulness and worn out ideas for the future.

More succinctly worded than I could have.  Well done.

Too many on the Left lack self-awareness. To wit . . . 

For the Republicans the main closing relates to fear.

How do you get "fear" out of "Make America Great Again???" Like wtf! What could be more hopeful? And let's talk about fear-mongering for a second. The media and the Democrats predicted disaster if Trump was elected. That has not happened. Not even close. In fact, things are going pretty well - not perfect, but pretty good, better than they were a few years ago. They have also spent the last 2+ years telling the public that the president is racist, hates women, hates our allies, hates Jews, hates black people, will start a nuclear war, is Hitler, is Stalin, is insane, and it goes on and on and on and it's on TV every damned night and every damned morning and it never stops. And you suggest that Democrats are not running on fear?

they are 1200 miles from the Mexico/USA border

So we should ignore this problem because they are far away even though we know they are coming?

a predominance of women and children

You and I and most people, have no idea who is in the caravan, really. The really dishonest thing is when people say they are all this or all that. The CNN people have been insisting the caravan is all women and children, desperate families, etc. They won't even allow for the possibility that there are bad actors in the group. I would say from what I have seen in the videos that, for sure, there are women and children, but certainly not all. I see a lot of solo young men, too. Many of the women we see with kids appear to have been bribed to march where cameras can see them and Border Patrol will have to go through them to get to the bad guys. The evidence from people who are actually paid to pay attention to this stuff is that the group is not "predominately" women and children. It is about half single adults, and several of them are criminals. Our Department of Homeland Security has already identified some of them.

Q: Are there criminals in the caravan?

A: Yes – so far, there are over 270 individuals along the caravan route that have criminal histories, including known gang membership. 

On October 29, the Mexican ambassador to the U.S. described some of the caravan members as “very violent:”  “Unfortunately, some of the people in the caravan have been very violent against authority, even though they have offered the possibility of entering in compliance with immigration law and refugee status.”

On October 30, Mexico’s Interior Minister Navarrete Prida speaking on Radio Enfoque (Focus) 100.1 FM, confirmed that some criminal groups have infiltrated the caravan: “I have videos from Guatemala that show men dressed in identical clothing, sporting the same haircuts, handing out money to women to persuade them to move to the front of the caravan…We know, for a fact, that some members of the caravan threatened [Mexican] Migration Institute personnel and we have images showing many of them preparing Molotov cocktails.”

Q: Is the caravan only women and children?

A: No, reports on the ground from our foreign partners suggest that approximately 50 percent are single adults. However, the Guatemalan Intel Minister said that the caravan is employing tactics to push women and children to the front to act as human shields as the caravan pushes against its military forces.

And we're walking . . . 

Taxes are spoken of in the negative.

I'm supposed to be happy about the government taking my money? Call me immature, but I don't think I'm ever going to grow up that much.

Elect Democrats and we will have financial disaster befall the country.

Actually, that is what several Democrats and media commentators said would happen if Trump were elected. 

This is what could happen to the stock market if Donald Trump wins

Hillary Clinton Makes Dire Predictions for Economy if Donald Trump Wins

If Trump wins, stocks will crash 50%: Wedbush pro

Instead, the opposite has happened and none of them want to admit that not only were they wrong, but that the economy is doing pretty well and at least some of the credit should go to Trump.

Economists agree: Trump, not Obama, gets credit for economy

The Wall Street Journal asked 68 business, financial and academic economists who was responsible for the strengthening of the economy, and most “suggested Mr. Trump’s election deserves at least some credit” for the upturn. 

A majority said the president had been “somewhat” or “strongly” positive for job creation, gross domestic product growth and the rising stock market.

The pros cite the White House’s push for lighter regulation and the recent tax bill as critical to a pro-growth environment; more than 90 percent of the group thought the tax bill would boost GDP expansion over the next two years.

And Democrats want to undo that? No, thank you.

Attacks against Black celebrities in the entertainment and sports arenas are tinged with the underlying wink and a nod that if you let these people get a foothold in government, the White race is lost.

Sensible Americans are tired of this hysterical fear mongering from the Left. Give a real, unambiguous example if you want people to buy into your fear. Black celebrities are as open to criticism as anyone. The race card is bull. And if you have to say the racism is "underlying" and a "wink and a nod" then let's be honest: you're making something up. It's a fantasy.

Most appalling, however, is the Republican closing argument on healthcare.

Hey, we actually agree on something. Republicans, like Democrats before them, are failing on the issue of healthcare and not enough people are talking about it. Now and then each party makes an interesting adjustment to the system that benefits some people and that's good, of course. To his credit and that of Congress, Trump has actually signed a few laws that improve things. However, there are still huge fundamentals that need to be addressed and it's hard to see anyone on either side moving to fix it.

The key wording in the Democratic closing is that we are all community and must move forward as one house, one community and one nation.

That actually sounds kinda scary. That sounds what we see in the media and on college campuses, i.e. agree with us or be quiet. With communism gaining in popularity among Democrats, I am reminded that no communist nation has ever functioned without oppressing and eliminating dissenting voices. Several surveys show more and more people saying we should get rid of or put new restrictions on the 1st amendment.

From what I have seen, that is the limit of the Democratic conception of national unity. Every time a Republican suggests that immigrants (legal or illegal) should respect our laws or make a strong effort to assimilate into American culture, some Democrat accuses them of racism, xenophobia, or white supremacy. And while we're on the subject of "one nation," Trump has been saying that since he started running and it's always painted as offensive. But now if Democrats do it, it's a sign of hope? That seems a little unfair.

Fantastic. Case closed.

nd while we're on the subject of "one nation," Trump has been saying that since he started running and it's always painted as offensive.

Yeah, Democrats aren't a fan of nationalism unless it's paired with socialism. National socialism is a banner they'd march under. 

Sensible Americans are tired of this hysterical fear mongering from the Left.

Yes ...... we ....... are.  

Is this satire? 

I mean putting aside the  Democratic  mobs attacking  people for the crime of thinking differently then them, I find it almost impossible to believe anyone could be so naive as to not be aware of the blatant fear mongering Democratic leaders  are  relying on to get out the vote. 

How can anyone , while equating  Republicans to Nazis has been the go to campaign ploy of Democrats for generations, the Nazi comparisons with Trump for the last three years are almost mandatory in any communication from Democrats.  And it's not just Nazi calling, it's claiming the tax cuts are Armageddon. It's claiming they will kill people if fill in the blank policy is enacted. For fucks sake, elected Democrats were just claiming the gang rapist Kavanaugh would destroy the Constitution and  kill millions if confirmed.

Which party keeps claiming democracy is in a crisis and this is our last chance to save it?

And it not's like this is a new thing. Whether it's running ads of Republicans literally murdering senior citizens or Vice President Biden claiming Romney wants to re-enslave blacks, fear mongering and othering has been the basis of the Democratic party this entire century.  Only the blind can miss it. 

Is this satire? 

Alas, no.  He's serious.  

It's all part of the new Religion of the Left movement.  They want to believe that you can't be a good person if you're not a leftist, so they have to through all sorts of mental and emotional gymnastics to rationalize their "feelings".