Scratch a modern Republican and you reveal a fascist
This new YouGov poll demonstrates something that I’ve been saying for a while. Republicans don’t like, and do not feel very attached to the our crappy old Democracy. It is messy. They lose… a lot. Many of them, (even, no doubt, Republicans you may consider sober, and level-headed), would just as soon see a military takeover of the government.
“Republicans (43%) are more than twice as likely as Democrats (20%) to say that they could conceive of a situation in which they would support a military coup in the United States.”
More to the point, only 32 percent of Republicans state unequivocally that they would not conceive of a situation in which they would support a military coup. One would be tempted to think this is simply a matter of partisanship, but there is no evidence that Democrats have ever entertained the notion of a military coup, no matter who was president, even one as widely loathed as George W. Bush. It’s as “un-American” as it gets.
I’d wager 75% of American have no idea what a military coup is or what the consequences would be. I would have asked a follow-up. “Define the word ‘junta’ in this context.” Nine out of ten Americans couldn’t do it. That’s my guess.
Many probably suspect a military coup would involve guns, which they like. We also have no idea what type of hypothetical situation these people could conceive. Many believe the book of Revelations is true.
If you can glean anything useful from this poll I salute you.
It is hard discern what the feeble minded may be thinking, but we know what modern Republicans typically say.
Republicans view themselves as victims. Their language about “taking the country back” simply means that they feel the country has been taken over by Mexicans, gays, abortionists, and libertines who enjoy sex for pleasure.
The modern Republican believes he is enduring an occupation. It stands to reason that he can conceive of a situation in which a military coup in the United States would be a great outcome. The coup that they support would be couched in exactly the kind of language that Trump is currently using on the campaign trail. “Make America Great Again.” “Restore the masculine, hetero-normative America of yesteryear.” “The Bible, ” Etc.
Jason, why don’t you put it in the context that it was originally written: Is there ANY SITUATION. You should have included the question that was asked. I would have to agree with DG, because people probably don’t know what it is and too many people watch the movies.
YouGov
September 2 – 3, 2015
14. Support Military Intervention – Any Situation ever
Is there any situation in which you could imagine yourself supporting the U.S. military taking over the powers of federal government?
15. Support Military Intervention – Elected Leaders Violate Constitution
If elected leaders of the federal government began to violate the Constitution would you support or oppose the military stepping in to take control of the federal
government?
https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/s5sbcesczz/tabs_OPI_Civil_Military_20150903.pdf
“Elected Leaders Violate Constitution” We have elections and courts to remedy such a situation. According to the poll, Democrats seem to realize this. Republicans dream of a simpler world, where democracy is saved at gunpoint.
OK jason this may come as a surprise to you, but on this one we agree completely.
There is NO situation in which I am comfortable with a military coup followed by a military junta. None. There are always other options for military officers (and law enforcement) faced with the nightmare/fantasy situation of a “rogue” government, and the simplest one is simply to refuse to obey illegal orders and resign. Everybody. As their oaths of service require of American officers.
And the second point of agreement: the modern GOP is authoritarian to the point where we have “viable” presidential candidates regularly including options of simply disobeying the Supreme Court or violating the law as part of stump campaign rhetoric. That’s not the solution; that’s the problem.
Again, that’s because you’re a university professor who actually has a very strong grasp of what a coup would mean. Anyone who really understands it would reject it as ludicrous straightaway.
People (including most of us) get carried away with campaign rhetoric when we should know by now that what’s shouted at the stump rarely becomes policy/law. It’s an advertisement. Like the supermodels in beer adverts. They’re not coming to your Super Bowl party. The fact that the takers of an online poll think something equivalent to Kate Moss & friends popping in at halftime for some wings seems pretty irrelevant.
in my opinion I am comfortable with a military coup followed by a military junta.
Military coup and a junta? You’ve seen it hundreds of times in South America, the middle east and other places for hundreds of years. It’s military dictatorship, plain and simple. As for today’s Republicans as Fascists it fails on several levels, notably a controlled economy. While they love a “rigged” economy their far more in favor of a Laissez-faire approach, to everything. Authoritarian rule? Perhaps. Suppression and control of the masses, some yes, others no. Love of military adventures and intervention, well…. that’s been going around hasn’t it?
Dorian: Again, that’s because you’re a university professor who actually has a very strong grasp of what a coup would mean.
No, not really. It’s because I’m American citizen who spent 21 years in the US Army and has a very strong grasp on what a disaster that would be, even if one could stomach it philosophically.
The beginning of conversation about a coup is the canary gasping in the coal mine for a republic.
Duly noted. However you learned it… Even entertaining the idea shows a very scary level of ignorance.
I learned it by reading about East Timor, Burma and Indonesia. Seems like lining up intellectuals and mowing them down with machine gun fire for thought crime is not the way we’d want to go under any circumstance. But hey that’s just me…
What is so funny about this is, we don’t know how the question was asked.
We don’t know how this “survey” was conducted.
Or how people might have been prompted to answer in a certain way.
But……..