Among Republicans, there are competing explanations for what went wrong in the 2012 elections, but Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has reached his own conclusion: Americans just aren't sharp enough to appreciate the far-right message.
Johnson attributed Obama's win on the heels of those Republican gains in Wisconsin to an uninformed electorate who voted in this election but not in the [Scott] Walker recall.
"If you aren't properly informed, if you don't understand the problems facing this nation, you are that much more prone to falling prey to demagoguing solutions. And the problem with demagoguing solutions is they don't work," Johnson said.
For the record, Ron Johnson believes affordable contraception is easily distributed over the Internet, thinks "sunspot activity" is responsible for global warming, believes the Great Recession ended before President Obama took office; and sees public investment in alternative energy as roughly the same thing as "the Soviet Union."
He may be the wrong guy to give lectures on being "properly informed."
Also yesterday, Johnson felt comfortable taking a rather condescending attitude towards his new home-state colleague, Sen.-elect Tammy Baldwin. The far-right senator said, "Hopefully I can sit down and lay out for her my best understanding of the federal budget because they're simply the facts."
It's worth noting that Baldwin, who has a degree in mathematics, has been in public office for two decades, including having been in Congress since 1999. If anything, Johnson would probably benefit if she sat down with him and laid out her best understanding of the federal budget.
Update: Ta-Nehisi Coates goes with the headline I wish I'd used on this.
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Ron Johnson's gonna mansplain the budget.
Ron Johnson is the prototype Koch Brothers office holder. He is committed to the "tax relief for billionaires" agenda. There are two reasons that the "people" do not understand Johnson's plan: 1) the plan is written in obtuse and contradictory language and the math doesn't make sense. The people can understand math, but the Johnson-Koch plan is written in inverse math, i.e., + is - and * is /, 1 billion is less than 1,000, 4 billion in oil subsidies is less than a retiree's monthly social security check. People just don't understand that kind of math. 2) the media puts out a message that the Johnson-Koch plan is "right for America." Listen to and read the message presented by the media, especially the 80% owned by a few .1 %ers. Across the dial on radio comes Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, the great "fair and balanced" salesmen of the "conservative" agenda.
Why were the people able to get Obama's message? Because he came to their hometowns. He spoke to large crowds. His volunteers contacted the voters (more than once). He had neighbors talk to friends and neighbors.
Obama won, but you haven't heard the last of the Koch Brothers and Karl Rove. Make sure that 2010 is not repeated in 2014.
From: The Majority of American Voters
To: Republicans
We didn't trust your guy. We didn't know what he stood for, we didn't believe him. We didn't like him.
We don't like your obstructionism, your cowardly pledges, your narrow-minded and intrusive “family values,” your corporate welfare, your coddling of fat cats. We don't like your policies.
We're not lazy and shiftless. We paid for our Social Security and Medicare. If you don't like the math, we can talk seriously about fixing the math. We don't need to destroy them to save them.
We depend on our government for clean air, strong defense, a sound infrastructure and, now more than ever, a stable financial system. If that's “dependency,” so be it.
It's not “white voter suppression,” it's not “clever politics,” it wasn't the hurricane, it's not voter fraud. And it's probably not a good idea to tell us we're stupid. The reason is much simpler. You lost because we're just not that into you.
Well, Tammy sure needs to get off on the right foot with the SENIOR senator! Bringing him his pipe and slippers would be a good start. . .
As to the ignorance of the electorate- I agree! Look how many of the unwashed, uninformed, and ungrateful voted for Romney.
Ron certainly is the poster boy for all the uber-conservative johnsons remaining in office in WI!
Our governor in SD thinks the same thing...that we are ignorant..
"The voters don't have time to dig into and understand the facts that bare upon an informed decision and so when voters don't have that time then most are included to say, 'Well, I don't have time to dig into this and so I'm going to vote no,'" Daugaard said.
Well next election day, we will know which box to check for governor.
your intelligence got Mitty elected rigt?
In this next Congress, the issues of character have been pinned on the lapels of Republican suits. I don't think the dear Senator realizes we're mad as hell toward his party, and its obstruction, and we're just a waiting for the next election cycle to clear the table of those who haven't learned to share their food in a decent, democratic way! -Kevo
Nobody messes with a Smithie. Go Tammy Baldwin, Smith '84!
Someone said "You can't fix stupid" and this guy is living proof
Exactly right. Ron Johnson is a giant douche and it still amazes me there were enough stupid people in the great state of Wisconsin to elect this guy rather than keep Russ Feingold.
It was called a lot of misleading ads and money behind Johnson that got him elected. This guy from my state is a Bozo of the 1st order...
I wonder how many people even watched those ad this election. My DVR came to the rescue, I simply record all my programs, even the news and fast forwarded through all the political ads. I don't think I saw even one complete ad during this election cycle. Things they is achanging.
I had the mute button almost wore out lol...
What ever works. The reality is more voters were better informed in this election.
Mr. Johnson,
I think that you're living in a fantasy world about who understands what.
Poll after poll. Democrats tend to be college graduates more than Republicans. Republicans tend to be high school drop outs more than Democrats.
Our GOV Walker did not even finish college.....What a joke the GOP is in WI thinking they are real? They are just Roves and Kochs Bros puppets!!
LOL
Tammy then said ok but we will take the other 55 mins and i will show you how it works and not enplane it.
Just one more example of the RWNJs refusal to acknowledge that it's the message that lost the election, not the candidates. America's demographics are changing and have been changing, but no modification to the Republican platform to keep pace with that change. The last time White males were the majority voting bloc was 30 years ago!! The Right Wing Conservatives are all dinosaurs who cling to the belief that everyone else needs to swing their views to the Right, that there is nothing wrong with the Conservative message. If the Conservatives continue to adapt to the changing demographics, they, too will become extinct. I enjoy the irony of a party that, in some large circles, also do not believe in evolution. They could learn something from Darwin....survival of the fittest.
America's demographics are changing and have been changing
You're not kidding. America has more drunk, lazy, welfare addicted nanny staters (aka Obama's base) than ever before and Obama is determined to make those numbers grow.
Yo Wally: Us sponges rarely imbibe this early. If my nanny says it's OK, bottoms up...
Walt Walt Walt. Please step away from the FUX Noise and Lush Limprod for long enough to clear your feeble mind.
Our country is still reeling after 8 years of republican incompetence. As is always the case, it's republican policies that crashed the economy causing unemployment and welfare rolls to swell.
Your president Obama has begun to turn things around, despite treasonous tea party and big money obstructionism, but it's going to take more than 4 years to fix the colossal mess he inherited. Even two very conservative economic authors stated that historically, after a systemic economic meltdown like the one caused by republicans in 2008, it takes the country on average 10 years to recover.
Your president Obama is ahead of the curve. And once we rid ourselves of the treasonous tea party in 2014 and take control of the house, the democrats will be poised to finally take on the real challenges of the 21st century, a century right wing whackos like yourself refuse to join.
It's a pity you live your life in fear and cowardice, unable to come to terms with the changes in society.
Please just go away and let the rest of us evolve.
Our country is still reeling after 8 years of republican incompetence
NAAAAH!
We're still reeling from Carter forcing banks to loan billions to America's finest. Of course nobody asked America's finest if they had any intention of paying it back.
Please just go away and let the rest of us evolve.
Evolve?????? Is that what they call it today? 47 million non-taxpayers evolving into liberal democrats...or is that progressive, or is that socialist.
Lebowsky:
Na Zdorovie
Walt
If America has become such a den of iniquitous moral decay I have a solution: LEAVE
We have one among us who's in the top 1% income bracket! Right, Walt? No? Then lucky for you your man lost; he was taking you for a sap. His "plan" (such as it was, and wow do I love the past tense sometimes) was to decrease his own tax burden (which was what? He never told us!) and increase yours and mine.
Well, it's certainly left you enough time to post on this blog.
Keep cashing your social security checks!
Walt, you need to go outside, take a breath of fresh air, take the time to smell the roses.
Carter has been out of office for 32 years.
What a classic example of right wing unaccountability. My 7 year old daughter has more responsibility for her actions that the entirety of the conservative movement.
You people are a plague to modern society.
Citizen pain,
And Republicans say we should stop blaming Bush for the economy and yet they go back 5 administrations to put blame on a Democrat.
I think Walt's name was Scott yesterday....same old crap spewing
Keep cashing your social security checks!
LOL
I have direct deposit......for what's left after taxes.
Walt...there are these buildings in just about every town in America...they are called "Libraries"...they are full of these other things called "Books" and the nice people who work there let you borrow them...for FREE
Carter has been out of office for 32 years.
Carter passed the CRA, Clinton sent Chris Dodd and Barney (Don't worry there's no problem in the housing market) Frank around to banks to threaten them with legal action if they didn't lend money to America's finest.
Walt you can whine and complain all you want, but your Fux Noise created alternate reality doesn't play well here.
It's been said that reality has a liberal bias, and it does.
Real Americans are brave and courageous, they are ready to face the real challenges our country has to deal with in this 21st century.
You and your fellow right wing whackos, who have created an alternate reality that only those with their heads in the sand live in, are cowards.
Real Americans are brave and courageous
LOL
Real Americans are part of the 53% that support this country not the 47% that CHOOSE not to.
You mean the 47 percent who pay no taxes who are the members of the military, retirees, the physically and mentally disabled, the working poor, and an awful lot of upper-middle class folks who know how to use loopholes and deductions to zero-out their taxes?
Yep...............those are the ones.
"We're still reeling from Carter forcing banks to loan billions to America's finest. Of course nobody asked America's finest if they had any intention of paying it back."
Walter, my boy. Let me explain something to you that undoubtedly you already know because it has been explained ad nauseum to the ignorant. The banks that are subject to the law that was passed under Carter and the lenders who made the vast majority of the toxic loans are two entirely different groups. The vast majority of the bad loans were made by private lenders like Countrywide who then promptly sold them to some sucker. That the rightwing can't come up with a better way to blame the Democrats shows that they have absolutely nothing to defend themselves with when it is pointed out what a hash deregulation made of the economy.
Don't feel bad Steve, you are very good. That Coates guy is sensational, a coming superstar.
Funny thing about facts - they are facts regardless of whether or not you understand them. If you have to explain YOUR BEST UNDERSTANDING of the federal budget, you're not necessarily explaining facts. It just might be - you may want to sit down for this - your opinion.
That's just what I was thinking, slappy. Plus, real facts don't require explanation.
I'll bet Johnson thinks that saying "Spending on programs like Medicare and Medicaid is too high" is a statement of fact.
*If the Conservatives continue to refuse to adapt to the changing demographics, they, too will become extinct. I enjoy the irony of a party that, in some large circles, also do not believe in evolution. They could learn something from Darwin....survival of the fittest.
(coffee hasn't kicked in yet)
Another right-wing ignoramus. I hope these people never stop talking.
Ignorance + arrogance is a condition that is hard to live with.
Mr. Johnson; are you saying that 61 million people are 'ignorant?' I would really like to hear you say that out loud, because that is your meaning........
Dear Mr. Johnson, have you ever heard of the phrase "pot meet kettle", or has that gone over your head?
Mr. Johnson, you are so smug, arrogant, and condesending that you are worthy of your very own South Park episode!
LOL. I can see it now - Mr. Johnson, meet Mr. Hanky!
Got Enraged and Engaged:
Mooched the Vote 2012!
;-)
Mr. Johnson meet Lemmiwinks!
Better yet...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMTkedIUX8U
The people of Wisconsin elected Johnson over Russ Feingold in 2010 and also brought in Walker, et al. Then fail to recall Walker but take the majority in Wisconsin Senate (barely) and then give the majority back to Republicans in 2012 and they elect Tammy Baldwin to the Senate. Wow, a volatile electorate? What explains this, ignorance? Too much/not enough lithium in the water supply?
BILLONS of money from OUTSIDE WI bought the recall elections and rigged voting machines, voting districts and anything else Cheaters do!
Apparently Americans were smart enough to see through the lies...
Had me scared there for a bit!! But we prevailed!! truth won out over lies!!! Go America!!
Hey, how's that working out for you?!
"Conservatives say if you don't give the rich more money, they will lose their incentive to invest. As for the poor they tell us, they've lost all incentive because we've given them too much money." George Carlin
Well, folks..I think it's time for Walt to strap his dog to the top of his car and go home.
If America has become such a den of iniquitous moral decay I have a solution: LEAVE
Sorry sonny, it doesn't work that way. This country belongs to the "makers" not the "takers".
What do you make? Besides money off the government and asinine posts on this blog?
Ahhh... division politics. Divide away, go for it, just prepare for defeat. You all feel the House Republicans and their 9% appoval rating are going to deliver the goods.
What do you make?
I make something that the 47% needs desperately. I think you can figure it out.
So proud of it you won't put it into words. I assume you make SS deposits.
Delusional.