Looks like we have to update another maxim. It should now read: There are lies, damn lies, statistics and republicans. Here’s a draft chapter of a look at part of what makes republicans tick. This is very much a work in progress. So, suggestions are not only welcome, they are encouraged.
A Field Guide to Republicans
Lies
Donald tRump has told over 15,000 public lies in the last 3 years. He’s not even close to the biggest liar in the full republican roster. Limbaugh averages around 9,000 lies per year. Any 24/7 hate radio station is pushing over 50,000 lie per year. Add in Fox, Breitbart, InfoWars, Congressional (R)s and the rest of the hateosphere and we are looking at somewhere north of 1,000,000 total public lies told by republicans just during tRump’s time in office.
Admittedly, most of these lies are not new. It’s the same set of several hundred distinct lies repeated over and over and over again and again. Some of the lies are trivial. Many are not.
Lies and still more lies are key to republican electoral strategies. The only way to succeed with voters is to make facts mutable. By creating an alt-fact universe and working very hard to dumb America down so far that the word ‘discernment’ falls into disuse, they are hoping to continue to hoodwink their voting base and drag in just enough voters to squeeze out wins in the next cycle.
In this chapter we will explore creating a formal taxonomy of republican lies.
A Taxonomy of Lies
Casual lies — Lies that serve no discernible purpose except to prove the speaker is a liar. "As part of our push to renew our prosperity, I'll also be making a very historic trip on Friday, as I said. Our visit will take us to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, the Philippines. You remember the Philippines -- the last trip made by a president that turned out to be not so good. Never quite got to land." The Obama trip to the Philippines never happened in the first place.
Stupid lies — Similar to casual lies, stupid lies also prove the speaker is an idiot. Examples would be the Hurricane Dorian and inauguration crowd size lies. Or this little gem, “I want to use hair spray. They say, ‘Don’t use hair spray, it’s bad for the ozone.’ So I’m sitting in this concealed apartment, this concealed unit…It’s sealed, it’s beautiful. I don’t think anything gets out. And I’m not supposed to be using hair spray?” I know the quote isn’t an actual lie. It’s just brutally stupid.
Self-serving lies — These are the lies where credit is taken when it is not due. “One of my greatest honors was to have gotten CHOICE approved for our great Veterans.” CHOICE was signed into law by President Obama.
Obnoxious lies — This is the type of lie used when punching down to make baseless accusations like, "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”
Racist lies — "These aren't people. These are animals." and “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best.” “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”
Scientific lies — “Climate change is a hoax.”
Yuge lies — “No Collusion.” “No Obstruction.” “No Quid Pro Quo.” The lies that fly in the face of facts, but are taken as gospel by the faithful.
Obstructive lies — "I have to the right to do whatever I want as president."
Military lies — Military lies get lots of people killed. Assurances of the existence of WMDs in Iraq is still taking its toll. Killing a general to prevent a nonexistent imminent attack is the newest lie of this type.
FUD — Push negative and false information to generate fear in the populace and distrust of democrats. "And the other day -- just the other day -- Nancy Pelosi came out in favor of MS-13. That's the first time I've heard that." Never happened.
Lies about lies — Start out with a lie and then deny you said it.
Structural lies — Trickle-down economics or “the Affordable Care Act is a disaster” are core lies that make up basic republican philosophy.
Reasons Republicans Lie
Debilitating fear of loss of power — Actuarial and demographic tables are moving the country away from a place where old white men get to hold all the reins of power. The closer we get to a tipping point, the more unhinged behavior we see from the McConnells and Kochs of the world. They lie to try to stave off their inevitable loss of power.
Distractions from small penises — Gun fetishists and big-mouthed bluster blasters are the kind of loud, obnoxious pretenders who have to shout out their grandiose lies to compensate for their questionable virility. They’ve even convinced some of their partners that ‘vagina’ is a dirty word and sex is to be endured rather than enjoyed. They repeatedly use this lie because of their intensely selfish natures and lack of any tiny bit of concern for the needs of others. Since most (R)s are completely unable to satisfy their partners or sustain human relationships they often end up alone even while maintaining a marriage. This lack is probably why so many republican politicians get caught paying for sex. And that, of course, leads to even more lies.
Attempts to bring on the “End Times” — The republican party has been infiltrated by a group of religious zealots whose entire political philosophy is based on their desire to create the conditions necessary for the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies relating to the The End of Days. Delusional extremists like Pence and Pompeo lie to accelerate the arrival of the Apocalypse.
Mondays are Jessiestaff’s day to give us the GNR: Monday Good News Roundup
Mokurai is back with: Renewable Monday: Sequestering Carbon in Wooden Skyscrapers
There was no Evening Shade yesterday because as I was sitting down to pound it out, my eyes informed me that they were in need of closing in the immediate future. I decided to give in to their demands and didn’t wake up again until the middle of the night. I now know that I cannot skip both a morning and afternoon nap on the same day. I wasn’t sick or anything, just tired.