The numbers of the Republican Base are presented to us most everyday in those polls of who is still with George and the war. It hovers around 33% of the American electorate. This means about one third of Americans are crazier than Lisa Nowak on acid.
I have to apologize for implying a few weeks ago that John McCain was in election trouble because he was so thirsty for more war in the Middle East. I was wrong, the Republican Base is full square for more war in the Middle East, including a new war with Iran. McCain drew the ire of the Republican Base on two issues. First that he is not on board for the mass roundup, incarceration and deportation of 12 million Hispanic men, women and children. And secondly, he has put his name to legislation decrying lobbies and corporations paying House and Senate members for their votes. Both issues anemia to what the Republican Base stands for. The wealthy writing the laws and our new American brand of ethnic cleansing.
Compared to the rest of the electorate, the Republican Base has a higher rate of voting, political activism and pulling the lever for straight GOP tickets. There is nothing that can be done about that, disregard it. The Base is made up of three fairly equal groups.
First are the Christian Fundamentalists – represented now again by Pat Robertson as Jerry Falwell has gone to Hell – who are locked into voting on only three issues: Giving the government control over women’s reproductive rights, pushing the government to deny Gay and Lesbians the same rights as anyone else and having the government help them force their religious beliefs upon the rest of us. All while screeching about getting the government out of our lives. They are obviously crazy, but not as crazy as the next group.
Here we have that gang of Gun Funsters best represented by Ted Nugent, the capital “L” libertarians, the NRA Life Members, the militias and the racist groups which when added up have become a powerful enough voting block to make or break many local elections. This group is much like watching the Jerry Springer Show. Whenever they come to our attention it’s a feel good day verifying that we are at least smarter than someone.
Lastly is the historic base of the Republican Party, the Unearned Income Crowd which is represented these days by Grover Norquist. They control our corporate board rooms, Wall Street, K Street and by spending billions in public relations have managed to put the other two groups of crazies in their back pocket.
So… Disregard this Republican Base of 33%, they are what they are and will not change. And from now on when seeing political poll numbers subtract 33% from whatever it may be. If you see Hillary with a negative to 49%, subtract that 33% who would not vote for a Hillary or any Democrat even if their own candidate was caught eating children with Boy George in an airprot Men’s Room. Hillary’s negatives are 16%.