What causes extreme loyalty to a party or President that withstands ample proof of misdeeds and incompetency?

Question

What is it? I've run through a list of possibilities, and I realize its probably not one factor but a combination of factors, but it (this question) just confounds me completely!

Is it semiotics? Is it crafty manipulations of language fed to people in short tiny bursts that take hours to deconstruct and refute?

Is it fox news? Is it some desperate cling to some misguided group identity of what it means to be midwestern (where I think most of his few remaining supporters are)?

Is it the dependence of the American mind on authorities to tell us which authors, politicians, newscasters, and pastors to trust, such that people fail to investigate both sides and make their own conclusions based on the evidence?

For those of you who so astutely brought Clinton to the fore, I would like to make a few comments.

1) It is possible to seperate the President and his political actions from the man and his personal misdeeds. I do not approve of his adultery.

2) Clinton did make some mistakes while in office, and given that a source I trust (whom everyone wants to pin as a liberal, but he really in his own words, "Doesn't give a toss which rich white kid won the election" has said that he has dug up some seriously bad actions on Clinton's part, and I believe him.

Answer 1

All that you've named contribute greatly. But I would also say that people in the US today are just too busy-with jobs(we work more than ever with less vacation time), children(kids today have more extracurricular activities than ever before). Add to that the tendency of media(which is more consolidated than ever because of de-regulation) to have headlines that proclaim one thing, but in reading the story says something completely different(and people are likely to only scan headlines). Add to that the desire of people to read the "positive" news(we're winning in Iraq, the soldiers support the war versus the Iraq war gets worse every day and military support of the war falls steadily while injured veterans that are home are not being treated well).

It's "Newspeak" and Doublethinking: The key-word here is blackwhite. Like so many Newspeak words, this word has two mutually contradictory meanings. Applied to an opponent, it means the habit of impudently claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts.”

“To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed."

And of course-fear makes people do a lot of things they'd never thing of otherwise. Fear of terrorism and calling everyone who speaks out aligned with terrorists or non-patriotic.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Göring while in his jail cell during the Nuremberg Trials

Answer 2

the fact that parties exist is to blame. If people had to investigate candidates more closely, we would be better represented. If you get complacent, you don't vote (only about 25% of americans vote) and you let politicians come in and change everything around, which is what happened with the 'neo cons' and the death of true conservatism in the 80s (religious right). No, you never know what you will get with a candidate as everyone hides behind their party. i say get rid of party affiliation on the ballot and in the campaign and stick to the issues. Then, overturn the supreme court ruling that 'money = speech' so that the most money = the most time spent dissing the other guy. And return the election to the people. We got the government we deserve, and if we don't like it, we have only ourselves to blame (except 2000...we can blame the FL supreme court for that one)

Answer 3

Both parties have their share of misdeeds and incompetency. Don't forget double digit inflation, unemployment, and interest rates under Carter. The Clinton presidency was marred with a major sex scandal and impeachment. Johnson and Kennedy were known to be ladies men and Johnson had more soldiers dying in Vietnam than in any war since; so don't blame one party for misdeeds and incompetency. There are good and bad people in both parties.

Answer 4

apparently, we each pick and choose the pieces of info we draw our conclusions with....it doesn't seem to matter what our 'party' is,..we grow passionate and defend our selves against one another.

consequently, as result of our inability to unite and demand from government a representation of any common ideology, we are inadvertently creating a fragmented and controverted bureaucracy that can not serve any one,or any cause without controversy.

just a casual rummage through this forums 'respondents' is revealing and relative to what must be represented in the House, the Senate, and by our Lobbyists.

perhaps one day we will pause and inventory objectivly some forum like this one and weigh the affect of the overall reality that our personal ideology may be flawed..erronious..or inadiquate.

maybe not

Answer 5

Actually it's the fact the other side can't field a candidate who seems to be a viable alternative. And then there's the track record vs talk of Democrats. They keep telling me how smart they are and how stupid Bush is. But it's their guys who came in second in the last two elections.

Besides why should I listen to you. You are doing the same thing you accuse others of doing. You want me to listen to you but you want me to make up my own mind? You can't have it both ways.

Answer 6

The same thing that causes loyalty to Global Warming despite all the evidence against it. The same thing that causes loyalty to Al Gore even when he's shown to be a fraud.

We need to put to a stop to Big Government, whether it be conservative or liberal. We need a return of Small Government. Ron Paul 08!!!

Answer 7

Pied piper mentality. I was just accused of conservatism, but truth be known I have voted for three different parties. Some who know me call me a moral republican and a fiscal Democrat.
Personally, I think people who vote party, not people.... are just lazy and not to bright.

Answer 8

It's lack of education. People aren't intelligent enough to form their own opinions so they just regurgitate what they are told. We still have a quite a few of the supporters here in the South, as well.

Answer 9

It's basically convenience. Most of us are too busy to actually keep up with what is going on. We choose a political party, because we believe that party is acting in our best interest. Whatever we determine our best interest to be. I voted exclusively for Democrats, for many years, because I believed them when they said that they represented the "working class".
Now I understand that they are selling out the working class just as quickly as the Republicans are. I forgot the wisdom that my father tried to pass on to me: "Never trust any politician.".

Answer 10

Ask a Democrat, they still support Clinton even after he was impeached.