What does it mean to be a Republican? What exactly is a "REAL american?" (Rush Limbaugh, interstate)

[EDUCATED MAN'S PERSPECTIV]

After watching all of the forums and shaking my head at all the craziness I wondered who in their right mind would say they were Republicans? What does being a Republican mean? And if most people in America are AMERICANS, then what's with all this "real american" code talk? What the hell does that mean?!

[baxendale]

I don't know if I qualify as a "real American" although I was born in this country, spent 3 years in the Marine Corps and fought in Vietnam. But I'll hazard a guess. It's a guise used by political factions to discredit those that think differently by questioning their patriotism. Nazi Germany used it quite effectively. The same question may be asked about "real Christians." We live in country that is predominately Christian, but only the "real Christians" can recognize one another. I don't think it's a coincidence that people that think they are "real Christians" also believe they are "real Americans"

[subsound]

It's factionalism. People only consider what they want as "Real", and only the "Real" people matter and are better then everyone else.

Reminds me of an Emo Phillips routine.

Emo Philips - Wikiquote

I was walking across a bridge one day and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said,
"Stop! Don't do it!"
"Why shouldn't I?" he said.
"Well, there is so much to live for."
"Like what?"
"Well, are you religious?"He said yes.
I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?"
"Christian."
"Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"
"Protestant."
"Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"
"Baptist."
"Wow, me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"
"Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"
He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915."
I said, "Die, heretic," and pushed him off.

[Wingfoot]

Means you are in the catch-all area for haters of every stripe,type and form.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by EDUCATED MAN'S PERSPECTIV

After watching all of the forums and shaking my head at all the craziness I wondered who in their right mind would say they were Republicans? What does being a Republican mean? And if most people in America are AMERICANS, then what's with all this "real american" code talk? What the hell does that mean?!

Today's political labels do a very poor job of describing people and it's almost impossible to use the terms with any true meaning. Mostly, today's labels are used as epithets and smears.

A Republican used to mean a person in favor of:

- balanced budgets (Gramm, Rudman, Hollings Balanced Budget Act)

- personal responsibility (don't have kids if you cannot afford to raise them; Goldwater was proud his wife worked for Planned Parenthood)

- keeping the governments nose out of your bedroom (no one blew the whistle on Hoover, JFK or others for their frolicking)

- ethical business practices (no one got liar loans in the old days; a AAA rating really meant something; frauds were few and far between, found out quickly and the guilty carted off to jail)

- safe food (Teddy Roosevelt started moving in that direction a hundred years ago after abuses in the meat packing biz)

- anti trust law (Teddy Roosevelt busted up the interlocking directorates and disbanded the worst of the robber baron schemes)

- environmental stewardship (Teddy Roosevelt moved forward with a system of national parks that are our national gems today)

- civil rights (Eisenhower started the Civil Rights Commission, used Federal troops to integrate schools in the south)

- investing in infrastructure (Lincoln started the transcontinental railroads, Eisenhower started the Interstate Highway System)

- avoiding foreign wars (Eisenhower warned us to stay out of ground wars in Asia, Nixon finally got us out of Vietnam)

- healthcare for all citizens (Nixon was for this)

- bi-partisanship (recall the amiability btw Reagan and Tip O'Neill; awesome to see and made you appreciate the system)


Somewhere along the way, the GOP changed into pretty much the opposite of all of the above. It defies explanation. Today's Republican bears little resemblance to the GOP'ers of yesteryear. FWIW, today's GOP is down to about 25% of voters who'll declare a party and far too many of them are religious zealots and/or racists. Many fiscal conservatives have left the GOP for Independent, Libertarian or even Blue Dog Democrat status.

Sarah Palin's terms like "Real America" or "Real American" are code for white, religious, gun owning, NASCAR-loving, pickup driving, rural folks or what some GOP'ers refer to as the "angry white male" demographic.

[Wingfoot]

Defies explanation ???
Any historian/political scientist knows that when Johnson signed the civil rights voting act the entire Democratic "solid south" turned Republican overnight,Where else did all the haters have to go?
Even the rabid militarism masqerading as patriotism is an expression of hate towards others etc etc etc.

When ALL you have is a hammer,everythings a nail so hit it and hit it hard.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by EDUCATED MAN'S PERSPECTIV

And if most people in America are AMERICANS, then what's with all this "real american" code talk? What the hell does that mean?!

It's sort of like calling someone a racist because they are in favor of enforcing the immigration laws.

[ELOrocks17]

A real American puts country before individual.

[mackinac81]

Well, if you ask the people who use the term, a real American means...

1. Anyone who listens to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity or Michael Savage (preferably one after the other) without questioning a word of it.
2. Anyone living west of the Appalacians and east of the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades.
3. Anyone who believes that Jesus was a Republican.
4. Anyone who listens to country music, watches Fox News and shops exclusively at Wal-Mart.
5. Anyone who lives in a town of under 50,000. Only small town folks qualify.
6. Anyone who thinks book learning and thoughtful reflection is a waste of time.

Specifically excluded are

1. Residents of Manhattan, Boston, DC or any other east coast liberal cesspool.
2. Anyone who watches MSNBC, listens to NPR or shops at Whole Foods.
3. Anyone who has ever been to one of those uppity east coast schools where they don't accomplish anything of any value.
4. Anyone who thinks that public education *might* have some value to society
5. Any union worker, because they are evil, communist pawns who must be crushed.
6. Anyone living in the Puget Sound, the Willammette Valley and San Francisco Bay.

I'm exaggerating of course. I just couldn't resist.

[Wingfoot]

Really ?

I thought you were understating things out of innate civility.mackinac.