[Old School Hound]

Let me say that Mr. Gibson was dead wrong in his assessment of the purpose of my thread. There are two questions that have baffled me for quite some time. One, what is the appeal of the disgraced former president to his base of support? After talking to a lot of people I finally determined the answer to that one. But the other one that has baffled me for many years is "why do conservatives hate liberals so much"? Even during the last election, I saw signs in neighboring yards that indicated their disdain for liberals.("Make liberals cry again") . I would bet $100 that at least one of my three conservative buddies that post in this forum have a bumper sticker or a yard sign with that phrase. I've never seen a sign saying " Make conservatives cry again."  Conservatives have always had nothing but toxic venom running through their veins for liberals and I've really never understood why. So many great things about this country have resulted because progressives courageously took bold action in the face of stubborn and often bigoted opposition. Civil rights, voting rights, environmental protections, social security, and the list goes on and on and on. Again, I think it comes down to conservatives being p!ssed because they think guys like me want to take their stuff (including their glocks and their gods) away from them.  I've never known a liberal who wanted something a conservative has. I would have little use for anything a conservative finds of value.

Let me again say that I like these three right-wingers that post on here frequently. I'm sure they are fine , loving people with fine loving families and fine, loving friends.  The fact remains, it doesn't take someone with a college education to see they despise people who think like the three or four liberal folks who post in this forum. One of my music buddies hasn't minced words about how much he despises liberals.  So, Mr Gibson, contrary to what you stated, my purpose in trying to get an answer to my question had nothing to do with trying to get an angry response from a conservative poster. Hell, all I would have to do is start reciting the alphabet and that would be enough to get an angry retort from a conservative because they hate everything we say or do.  They want to make us cry...again.

I think the political forum is just fine. I enjoy it for the entertainment value .  And entertainment , I think, is primarily why any of us are members of an internet message board. I'm not sure that anything really gets accomplished, however. The ones who post here are really passionate and set in their views and nothing or no one is going to change anyone's opinion. One of my three right wing cyber ninja friends  once said I was sick and needed help. Still to this day I can't even fathom what I said to prompt that remark.     I appreciate that we are given the latitude to say the things we say in this forum. We are all adults with passionate views and opinions that sometimes get heated.  That's how it is in the real world. If   you can't take a little heat in a politically-themed forum, then maybe you should stick to non-political discussions.  What makes this forum interesting(and entertaining) are the characters who post here.  Hoot, TRT, Jet,  on the right  and  Cardsfan, Vector, Outsider, and myself  on the other end of the political spectrum leave very little room for middle ground. Diametrically opposed views makes for some good fireworks.  No big surprise here but I disagree with Mr Gibson about this thread. It asks a very legitimate question and one that I've wanted conservatives to answer for a long time.   I think the responses we've seen prove that my premise about conservatives  detesting  liberals is valid.  Heck, the topic even prompted a couple of non-regulars to chime in their thoughts.  Good stuff, folks.

It's a scare tactic simple as that the BNP(old republican party) has run on that ever since Reagan but it's gotten worse. But now they are way out there it's not about policy anymore it's about one man. For some reason they think he is the answer to all of there problems. Any conservative president would do the same things Trump has done, judges. low taxes, and less regulation. But some reason they have fell in love or should I say they worship him. There is NO way they would let a democrat get by with a tenth of what they have let Trump get away with NO way. But this has been coming for a long time it started in the 90's when Fox News started and now all this social media. Hell there is a guy here who gets his info from a catturd what's that about.
And now they are passing voter bills that will let the state legislatures step in and take over the election that's not good not with people we got today. Let the legislators write the bills and rules that's it. Keep the election local like we have done the last 233 years never had this kind of problem until Trump came a long. He has brought out a lot of bad in people.

And your last sentence gets to the reason for his cult-like appeal to his base. Mr Trump gave his most ardent supporters permission to be the worst of themselves. He validated the bad thoughts and beliefs that they have held for decades. He told my mother it was okay to be a xenophobe. He convinced my uncle its perfectly fine to hold the racist views he's had most his life. Validation of your beliefs is a very powerful thing. We want to think we're right even when we're not. Many people, including family members, have admitted to me that they like Trump because he "says what's on his mind" and "he's says the things that I've always felt." It must be quite a liberating feeling to have your president affirm that it's okay to put the very worst of yourself on full display and that the bigoted feelings you've had for decades is nothing to be ashamed of. Of course not all Republicans or even  all  conservatives are like this but I believe the vast majority of his most ardent supporters love him for the very reason I mentioned.