Everyone, it seems, has an annoying right-wing uncle. He's the one who sends around those strange birther emails, makes inappropriate jokes at family gatherings, is impervious to reason and evidence, and seems a little too eager to believe everything he hears from Fox News and Rush Limbaugh.
This phenomenon is so common that The Rachel Maddow Show has made good use of it. During our recent coverage of the trumped up "Fast and Furious" controversy, you may have noticed the screen behind Rachel read, "What Your Uncle Who Watches Fox News All Day Is All Worked Up About."
For his part, President Obama campaigned in Virginia today, and not only acknowledged the problem of the wacky Fox News-watching uncle, but took the next step of giving the uncle a name (thanks to M.Y. for the tip).
When talking about his plan to extend the Bush tax cuts for people making less than $250,000 a year, Obama blamed the network for contributing to misperceptions of his tax policy as president. He chose "Uncle Jim" as a random example of the average Fox News viewer.
"Uncle Jim, who's been watching Fox News, thinks somehow I raised taxes," Obama said.
He added: "In the case of friends like Uncle Jim, who watch Fox News -- let's be clear. I've lowered taxes."
I don't imagine Uncle Jim will find this persuasive -- for the record, the president is telling the truth -- but it's oddly reassuring to realize everyone has an Uncle Jim (or perhaps an Aunt Jill?) in their lives.
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That's uncle George, not Jim. Uncle George subscribes to The Mercury and hates Roosevelt with a passion. He also roots for the Yankees.
Next, Uncle Jim will be running for congress.
Whadda mean next - you ever see Gohmert (R- Texas), Steve King (R- Iowa), Chafetz (R - Utah) - these wingnuts are ignorant of facts and plain out stooopid...
Rodger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch are personally responsible for the decline in rational conversation in this country.
They have made billions at the expense of truth and honesty
A pox upon both of them.
I don't think that's gonna work. I'm sure they have excellent health insurance.
But we can hope they end up inadvertently ingesting the very poison they're dispersing to the conservative population. Just think of the concentrated dose!!
"A hanky for your drool, sir?"
"Meehurrraaaahh."
And Rush the tealiban slut Limpbrains.
Jimbo Is unimpressed by such talk. Well at least he would be id he took the time to listen to opposing views. Rest assured he will be highly motivated by FOX when they spin this turkey into a socialist anti-'Merikan spew from a Kenyan Manchurian candidate.
I have the Uncle, the Aunt (siblings) and the cousin. I'd rather talk about my cat than politics during the family gatherings.
It's good to be up to date on the rebuttals when they veer into crazy town.
I try to keep an eye on Fox News, so I wont be blind-sided by my mother.
I had to start posting comments to let off steam - kept yelling at the TV and scaring the cat.
My real-life Uncle Jim is too nice a guy, but I guess Uncle Maurice would be too exotic a name.
Uncle Stu Pid and his wife Clara Bell
Who named their kids Rush and Rushette.
He's not, though... presidents don't do that. Presidents can support that, but presidents don't raise or lower taxes. It's an important distinction that everyone should be mindful of, whether you're the president or Uncle Jim.
Presidents have veto power to send back bills that raise or lower taxes, something else to be mindful of as to why the President is, in fact, telling the truth.
Sure, granted.. but the primary responsibility is on Congress, and Congress deserves the primary credit/blame for fiscal policy. The President didn't raise or lower taxes, he just didn't stand in the way of the bills that were passed... that hardly earns him the right to claim "he" lowered taxes any more than it gives Republicans the right to blame him for raising taxes. He has a role to be sure, but our discourse would be better served by properly assigning the credit where credit is due, and it should be up to journalists (including the namesake of this blog) to educate the confused amongst the public of the difference.
We have an entire electorate convinced we need to elect a president based on the legislation we'd like to see. Sure, the president has a role in the process, but a secondary one. If people want better legislation, if people want better tax policy they should elect a better legislature. Electing a better president won't fix those problems. People should have a better understanding of how government works before casting their votes, and everyone from Uncle Jim to Rachel Maddow to Barack Obama should be better about keeping these kinds of details in mind.
I know a guy named Jim who will be quite insulted by having his name attached to this. In my case, it's not a crazy uncle, it's my sibling who send me those crazy emails.
I have great sport at these "family gatherings", by inventing outrageous factoids to goad these imbeciles to fiery retorts.
The ensuing pyrotechnics brings tears to the eyes of the few cognoscenti among us. -And a massive depletion of the supply of distilled spirits .
"Hey, Jim Bob, did you hear that Obama found the secret tunnel to the Vatican that JFK dug? He uses it to bring illegals into OUR White House, for African rituals!"
Jim... so THAT'S Shooter242's real name. Good to know.
Ha! In my family it is Uncle "Jim"! But the real crackpot is his son, Cousin Jimmie.
In my Family it is my Daughter-in-Law ~sigh The wife of my Late middle Son
Two Grandkids, so hooked. But other than that, she is a fairly nice person with good education. ??????
I have so many crazy Uncle Jims and Aunt Judys all betted up about Fox that my friends from around the world tried to explain a few facts known to those of us who pay attention. It got so bad I had to deport the family from my Facebook account and create their own little Facebook island where they could quit disturbing the peace. Sad but true. It's family, so I gotta love them. But there's a reason I'm in Canada and they're not
Romney and Bain partied like it's 1999...through 2002!!
I have another point... the right wing got the birth certificate...why can't we get the tax statements??? Hmmm???
What is really sad is the number of people (based on FOX ratings) who are alliterate. People who know how to read and check facts, but choose not to and just rely on FOX for all their news. The person in my family is brother-in law Dave. Although, I don't think he really cares if FOX lies as long as they keep promoting his far-right agenda. I think he's pretty much OK with the lies just like Romney!
@Carole, that is basically what I've long said about the appeal of Fox News and the tactics that today's GOP have embraced. It's an appeal that tells people - no need to ever grow and improve, it's okay to indulge your worst instincts, it's cool to keep yourself uninformed - one should be celebrated for deliberately keeping oneself ignorant of facts. It's not pretty, but Fox and the GOP provide a continuous false reflection back to those they lure that it's a beautiful thing.
as long as i go to work ppl on here can rent the basement of mom+dads house and get welfare and play on the dial-up that mommy+daddy pays for
and if your uncle is black, would his name be Tom?
Another power grab by Obama and the feds....... where is Maddow and the liberal lapdog media on this?
http://www.infowars.com/obamas-latest-power-grab-rewriting-welfare-reform-law/