horse of george

I find it hard to believe republicans are as stupid as they sometimes seem - I won't sell them short, many do indeed deserve the title of idiot - but are all drowning in stupidity? Because polls have turned in favor of them viz gun control they seem to want to mock Obama's demagoguing of the subject - do they really not understand that it costs Obama nothing to plead gun control in sentimental, highly emotional terms but that if another disturbingly violent display happens in the run up to the midterms that plays perfectly with his wrought pleas that he will reap huge electoral gains from it? It's a disgustingly cynical way to look at it, sure - but this is what he's doing - are they really so stupid they can't see it? Maybe they do and simply realize they can't accuse him of something so vile - maybe that's it - does nothing to put my mind at ease. When the West was way ahead of the rest, democracy as we practice it seemed fine, flawed but fine - now though? As mismanagement and the welfare state and rising competition from China et al have set us back on our heels, suddenly the inherent inefficiencies of democracy don't seem so harmless. This toxic mix of highly seductive mass media that is incorrigibly left wing and an electorate that is ignorant, unwise, ill informed and increasingly dependent on a nurturing bureaucracy is causing me to seriously wonder if we have what it takes to survive.