Not sure if this is just a particularly bizarre name, or if I am being dumber than usual (a terrifying thought, really), but I have no idea where the name comes from in this 52 to 48 stuff.
What am I missing? And what is the point of this? And if the point is for Obama supporters to be “nice” to Republicans, are they not aware that most Republicans are going to rightly see this as taunting them (“har-har- we won, but want to be gracious and gloat, so we will make all these pictures showing you we won but love you anyway.”). Talk about Passive-Aggressive.
Or am I way off base here?
Zuzu's Petals
Well, there do seem to be a fair number of posts by 48 percenters.
Though technically, I guess the name should be "From 53 to 46."
neal peart
Geddy, Alex and I like the unity pony.
Comrade Stuck
Well, if they called it 50 50, wingnuts would claim an ACORN conspiracy and demand a recount, and that would spoil the whole "We Are the World"
theme.
MTHS
I think it’s incredibly stupid. Sorry, but having been insulted and vilified by "the 48" for eight years and more, I have nothing but nyah, nyah, nyah for them. Actually, less than that. I really couldn’t care less how they feel.
Lesley
Not sure what the name means, but since the site features both Republican and Democrat voters pictured together, it’s clearly a message to about cooperating and getting past partisan differences.
If a wingnut actually perceives this as a liberal taunt they’re even more whiney and pathetic than I thought.
Gemina13
I don’t trust them.
For the last eight years the right has unloaded some of the foulest shit on Democrats, calling us "traitors" for opposing Shrub’s Folly, jeering at us for trying to mobilize against the most corrupt Administration of the 21st Century (so far), and otherwise making it clear they felt superior to us.
And now they want to make nice?
Fuck ’em. They helped to prop up this gang of morons and criminals, and I don’t care how sorry they feel. They weren’t sorry enough to vote against the GOP in 2004. They weren’t sorry enough to call for Bush’s impeachment. They weren’t sorry enough to call out the media for its continued bullshit stories on made-up conflicts and obfuscations. All their apologies doesn’t begin to heal the thousands of injured soldiers who were treated by shit by the VA. It doesn’t rebuild New Orleans. It doesn’t jump-start the economy. And it doesn’t begin to make up for the years of being made to feel we were traitors to our country for caring that the Criminal In Chief wanted to start a war based on a pack of lies.
In the meantime, they can get off the cross. A hard winter’s coming and we need the wood.
KatinPhilly
I actually think it is kind of nice, and Zuzu is right – there are a fair number of Reds there, too. The message of unity is good, and the only people it will piss off are the far-right wingnuts, so that is a good thing about it, too. I think you are off base here (although you rarely are:)). I would think you of all people would appreciate this!
Zuzu's Petals
@Gemina13:
I know what you mean. It’d be pretty hard for me to post a nice note up there. I’m so very angry about the lying and the sleaze and the degradation of the national discourse by the administration and by GOP candidates and operatives.
On the other hand, I’ve had very conciliatory exchanges with my brother, who is a diehard wingnut … so ya never know.
Rosali
My guess is that 52 to 48 comes from the Arab version of American Idol.
Possible meanings are: We are more alike than different ?? We have more in common than not ?? Can’t we all get along ? I know I said nasty things about you, but why don’t we let bygones be bygones ??
Vincent
I kinda like it. I find it a good reminder that in our daily lives we interact with and are friends with plenty of ideologically different people who we don’t think are batshit crazy. I like to joke that I’m the token liberal whenever I go out drinking with some of my more conservative friends.
Or, in other words, we can disagree without being disagreeable. Unless you’re an insane social con who believes the Earth is only 6000 years old. Tolerance and respect only go so far!
In other words, nobody’s telling you to go make nice with the likes of Malkin or Limbaugh. But surely you know reasonable conservatives that you’re okay with. Hi John Cole!
No idea what 52 or 48 signifies.
Comrade Stuck
PoTD!
I say let them be heated by their own steaming piles!
Blue Raven
I am feeling sufficiently adult, thanks to Pres-elect That One, to wish for better cooperation with the saner segment of the population that voted for McCain. We need all the hands we can get to fix things around here. But I agree that the ones who taunted and raged and accused need to be introduced to the business end of a wood chipper.
kommrade jakevich
Christ at a sugar cane mill, that shit is more saccharine than a My Pretty Pony/Care Bears orgy.
[Urrgh.]
I’m guessing it’s the percentage of the popular vote. Sounds much more egalitarian than 364 to 163.
Dave
@Zuzu’s Petals:
I agreed with your first post. I think it’s an acknowledgment that they’ve slipped from the majority party to the minority party, ensconced in a typical wingnut attempt to fudge the numbers, even when the numbers are bad. (Like Monica Crowley constantly trying to tell us that Bush is at 30% approval rating — he wishes!)
Jim Henley
What’s this "48" shit?
CJ
These photos are definitely aggressive, but not passive. And while one could argue about their efficacy (or naivete), there is no reason at this stage to not take them as intended, i.e. as an olive branch.
Much has been made about changing demographics in this last election. Just who do you think is going to be swayed or assuaged by this? The younger, changing demographic, that’s who.
I prefer cynicism, but its not always warranted.
CJ
binky
Seems to be a variant on this from a few years back. Based on zefrank’s blog post, it looks like they intend this to be percentages (because there is mention of Bob Barr’s 1% too).
Fr33d0m
Well the URL is http://www.zefrank.com/from52to48withlove/ which would indicate it is from Obama supporters to McCain supporters. Further the related blog post States:
I haven’t done a compete review of the BLOG but I would guess this person is taking P.E. Obama’s inclusive messaging to heart.
Comrade Napoleon
Like when those clowns "won" in ’00 with less of the popular vote they they were all "can’t we all just get along".
F them, we won.
Zuzu's Petals
Slightly OT, but hi-larious:
Get Your War On: New World Order
neil
Was it really 4 whole years ago that we were hearing about how a 51-49 victory was stunning and unprecedented?
Jennifer
I think most of you will enjoy this: it’s Sadly, No’s take on the whole thing – from 48 to 52.
Nim, ham hock of liberty
I have been assuming that it’s supposed to be messages from 52% of the country to the other 48%
52-48 being the margin of victory for Obama, iirc, when it was called….before the late CA votes came in and the margin got wider.
But that’s just my guess.
Tom
This is a take off of that page someone created after Bush defeated Kerry that had images of Kerry voters with hand-written apologies to the rest of the world.
Anyone have a link to that?
Lesley
Btw, SadlyNo has a wingnut version up.
From 48 to 52.
http://www.sadlyno.com/archives/14123.html
lovethebomb
Well, all this syrupy feel-good cotton candy butt-flapping is due to the rare incident in which the feel-gooders, the do-gooders and the make-nicers won the election. This sort of candy cane dildo action is also why it is so rare. The wingnutters always play hard ball, take their marbles home when they lose and rub your face in the mud when they win. I don’t expect this dynamic to ever change. I do have a lot of concern, though, about these types of frolic bunnies trying to have tea with the wolves and snakes of the right. It never ends all that well. I say fuck em. They sure as hell fucked the entire world for the last 8 years. And it is for damn sure that if McCain had won, they would be gloating and punishing Obama supporters with a vengence. Never suspend extreme vigilence with the political right. Never trust em and don’t write any fucking poetry to em either. If you give them an opening, as did both Gore and Kerry, they beat you with the olive branch you extend. They all need to be quaranteened in a metaphorical Guantanamo Bay for the next several administrations.
Libby Spencer
Jennifer that’s a hilarious link and no doubt all too true but I think there really is a slight merging of red-blue to purple among the saner,moderate middle of the 46 percenters. I actually have a fair number of wingnutty friends and a lot of them are willing to give the unity pony a trial run.
The 23 percenters on the extreme fringe, will probably never get over it though, so it’s not like you can trust it entirely, but damn if President-elect Obama hasn’t inspired some hope even in unexpected places. He may turn out to be a lot more transformative than anyone expected.
Chup
I have a new hero, and his or her name is Gemina13.
Well done.
Svlad Jelly
I wanted to send in a picture of my ass with this message written on it:
52 & 46,
You can both kiss my ass.
Your’s truly,
The Other 2.
But I didn’t vote third party this year. And I can’t write on my own ass.
Comrade Darkness
I have a message:
"53 to 46,
Because facts matter …. now."
but I suspect it’s not in the spirit of it. Especially not the:
"p.s. what, now we’re not traitors? I can’t keep this straight…"
added: and it is 53-46 barack’s count currently is 65,189,669 and mccain’s 57,214,704 that’s 53.2%… ah, but third party. huh, msnbc doesn’t seem to acknowledge a third party…
kth
I wouldn’t read much into that page deeper than it’s cute and sweet and totally irrelevant.
Genine
I think its a true, heartfelt message. I’ve been reading Yes magazine for some time and have gotten involved in a few things with Network for a Positive Futures. One of the big things being pushed now is the whole Purple America thing.
I think its a great idea. I have my days too when I am angry and want to strike out at some Republicans. But I remember they’re not all evil and everyone is trying to do the best they can with the consciousness that they have. Some are very genuine and believe they are doing the right thing. Some are just crazy, hateful, spiteful hacks that want to continue the divisiveness. I’d like to keep my focus on the former and ignore the latter.
One thing I have learned over the years is that maligning one side isn’t the way to go. It just continues the cycle of us vs. them. I think we are truly headed in a new direction now that people are coming together to deal with issues that affect everyone "Red" or "Blue". Also, once everyone is feeling more safe and secure, the more progress we can make for human rights and civil liberties. If people are feeling unsafe or under-attack, they won’t budge from their positions.
It will take a while, but I think we are headed towards true change and some healing. There will always be hateful whackjobs, but leave them to stew in their own misery and the rest of us can continue ahead.
Chris Johnson
It was organizing and work that won the election, not having appropriate feelings. Neither kumbayahs or kill-them-alls were necessary.
Let these people have their fun because they’re not the ones likely to cause trouble in either direction… and let the Secret Service stay on top of the ones who figure they’ll just kill everybody and have a coup, probably to install Palin as God.
It’s nice to see that SOME people still are interested in kindness. Our policy isn’t going to be set through the practice of political kindness, but it’s a nice thing to see citizens doing.
AkaDad
For the 46ers who called me unpatriotic, Saddam’s best friend, and terrorist appeaser:
[grabs crotch]
I got your unity right here.
Z
I’m sure a lot of 48 folks found it passive aggressive, but they ate it up at The Corner:
Mark Hemingway: "A bit syrupy, but a nice gesture nonetheless."
Ramesh Ponnuru: "That was really sweet."
Peter Kirsanow: "I thought 52 to 48 was very nice. But then, I haven’t been much concerned about continued good will between 52 and 48."
Having just been informed that an acquaintance lost a good chunk of friends who happened to be Republicans and now happen to be irreparably bitter Republicans, it’d be nice to seem some reconciliation coming the other way, but that’ll take some time for most.
Eric U.
46%’ers are our burden, pretty much. And they have had lots of time in power to damage our country, and taken every chance to do so.
That web site represents the Obama supporters I don’t really understand, but it’s probably just because I’m not as nice as they are, and I hold a grudge for years and years of slander and lies coming from the other side. If half the things limbaugh says about me were true, I’d hate myself.
JL
This morning I listened to five minutes of Chris Wallace discussing the future of the Republican Party with Mike Pence and Eric Cantor. They didn’t get the message about purple America.
AnneLaurie
To put it sweetly, we can quote St. Ronnie of the Wingnuts: "Trust, but verify!"
W.E.B. Adamant
To be fair, the actual page does say "52 to 48 | 48 to 52."
Libby Spencer
I don’t blame the commenters on this thread who are angry and want revenge. There’s a part of me that wants that too. I’d like to throw it in their faces, the same way they did to us. Tell them to just get over it. Remind them that it’s unpatriotic to criticize your president. But we’re facing some really critical problems right now and perpetrating the GOP tactics of divide and conquer aren’t going to solve them.
I’d like to think that the best revenge is being a gracious winner and accepting those who are willing to change their thinking into the fold will be a lot more productive than stooping to their level to give them a taste of their own medicine. In some way, shrinking the rabid base to the bare, hard-core haters would be the best revenge, especially if we manage to save our country at the same time.
However, in no way should that be construed as a call for the kind of fake bi-partisanship that buys into the stupid narrative that we’re a center right country and should continue to employ GOP policies. The mandate is clear for a shift to the left. If there are some who are willing to step over that line and join us, I’m not going to kick them out because it would be more satisfying to just kick them in the balls instead.
gbear
I have no idea what you’re talking about…
Gemina13
@Zuzu’s Petals:
Zuzu, thank you. I do know there are some Republicans who’ve changed their minds–a very good friend of mine didn’t support Bush in ’04, and voted for Obama last week.
And I also know I’m a raging partisan bitch at the best of times, but this Administration’s action kept me on the boil from 9/11 onward. The corruption, disdain for dissent and intelligence, and overall justification for bigotry, torture, and murder just floored me. And people made excuses for it! They believed it was the right thing to do!
I should restate my post as, "I’ll believe it when I see it." Because under the swearing and rage, that’s my take on it. Show me. After eight years of "we won, so suck it up and deal," I take nothing on faith from Bush’s Cheerleaders anymore.
The Grand Panjandrum
It’s just more of the internet FUSS (faux unity & sympathy shit).
The Democrats won. Republican’s lost. I don’t give a fuck if someone is conservative/liberal or Republican/Democrat. I do take issue with willful ignorance and some little chickenshit punk calling me a traitor or a terrorist sympathizer. Fuck them.
Svensker
I’m pretty much with the "fuck them" thing, but if THEY want to be nice….
Not very Quakerly, is it?
Dave
From 53 to 46:
You can kiss 100% of our ass.
Limniade
Part of me would love to go around and personally kick the GOP Kool-aid drinkers in the nuts, or better yet, declare openly that they are traitors preaching sedition and should be punished accordingly. See how they fucking like it.
But I’ve had enough good feeling and a sense of relief that Obama DID win, that for the most part, that’s enough. I don’t have to gloat, he won. My reward will be seeing the bullshit end. And I’ve seen enough Republicans who have posted, "You know what? He won, McCain lost, okay, I’m going to get over it and be cool with it," that my need for revenge is being tempered.
The ones who are still trying to play the Limbaugh game, well, they can still have a kick in the nuts.
harlana pepper
Looks like somebody’s scared. Good. They can take their love notes and cram ’em.
Malron
Why is it that Republicans only want "unity and togetherness" when they lose? Do these doorknobs really think the GOP worshipers would be preaching love and forgiveness if they had won?
Adam
That site, and everyone posting there, has a serious case of teh ghey. What a bunch of shit. Hey democrats, grow some balls, and let’s get to work kicking these fucking doofuses while they’re down. 64% of the 48% still thinks that having Sarah Fucking Palin in the white house is a great idea.
Fuck them.
binzinerator
Fuck yeah!
Second that too.
I will sing these 46ers a kumbaya when I see them making even a half-assed effort in the next 4 years to learn the melody.
They aren’t, they won’t, so fuck them.
Limniade
Yeah. Republicans aren’t afraid of what we’ll do to the country, so much as they’re afraid of PAYBACK.
If I were them, I’d be fucking nice too.
John T
When I saw the 52-48 site I assumed it was the liberal equivalent of when christians say "I’ll pray for you".
LiberalTarian
Well, last week at work they announced several grief seminars for people in our building. Now, they say it is because a lot of people died this year, but I have my doubts. I think it is because a lot of Republicans feel the way I felt when Kerry lost–devastated and surrounded by people who were gloating over my pain. I am not gloating–I am relieved as fuck that we don’t have another bunch of years of a Republican misadministration being shoved down our throats. I can see how someone might think that is a hairline distinction.
But, re reconciliation? I have a friend who says it is hard to forgive when you can’t forget. But, it is a lot easier to forget when someone says, "Hey, I was a jerk, I’m sorry." I then might be able to say, "Well, there was plenty of dick behavior to go around, so let’s call it over and forget it." But, if the apology comes dressed in "I’m sorry I got heated, but y’all made me so mad," I just can’t let bygones be bygones.
When Joe the Plumber admits he was politically retarded during the campaign season and made up shit because that was his world view at the time, I could accept he might not feel that way any more. But, unless and until, well, I can’t forgive because I can’t forget.
And, considering the skyrocketing sales of semi- and automatic weapons, I’m not sure I ought to assume they are planning to make nice.
harlana pepper
I myself haven’t seen any conciliatory behavior, just a lot of pissing and moaning from my bosses about socialism.
I say "suck it up and take it like a man." Cuz I thought you guys were all tough, wicked shit, right?
Dennis - SGMM
Thank goodness they’re not clinging to guns and religion in their bitterness.
Punchy
its amazing these raging fucks only find "reconcilliation" after they’ve gotten electorially sodomized. I’m firmly in the "suck my ass, you lying bitches" camp.
jcricket
What Libby said.
I agree that true bipartisanship (actual compromise, negotiation, honest discussions) is a fine goal. And it’s better than just ramming your agenda through specifically to fuck over the "other side".
That said, no faux centrism for its own sake. No saying, "well, some believe the moon is made of green cheese, but we disagree, so we’ll meet in the middle". No appeasement or engaging of the hardcore righties.
I’ll work with Snowe and Collins. With Specter (and Hagel, ‘cept he’s gone). I’ll work with Holy Joe Lieberman, assuming he doesn’t become a vindictive prick.
But it has to be with a recognition that we control all three branches, we control the agenda, and the American people want progress and solutions, not gridlock and rhetoric.
mikefromtexas
From a proud member of the 53 to the 46: First, kiss my liberal ass. Then make like a bunch of lemmings and go find a cliff. I for one am not ready to make nice.
A la lanterne les aristos
I’m prone to cynicism and certainly noticed that there were some petty messages over there, but overall I think it’s a nice gesture, just like sorryeverybody was.
Nice as it would be to believe that every single McCain voter was a true believer, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing lunatic, it just ain’t so. This wasn’t the Civil War, guys.
Anger and sweeping generalizations are comforting but ultimately stultifying, just look at what they did to the GOP.
We’ve got a country to fix, y’all and as the man said on Tuesday night he’s their president too now. Let’s act like it.
Genine
@Libby Spencer:
You said it much better than I did. :-)
Joel
Nevermind the fact that their numbers are off.
From fivethirtyeight.com.
Adam
Exactly. Shit like the 52-48 thing is dangerous because it advances the notion that "hey, we’re all Americans and we’re basically in this together and want the same stuff," when the reality is that the majority of the modern GOP think Dems are traitors and baby-killers. These people don’t believe in facts or science and want America be a theocratic plutocracy.
There are hugely important fundamental differences between the 53 and the 46, and the type of feel-good bullshit false equivalence that this site promotes serves only to obfuscate and trivialize them. Democrats are on the right side of history in every sense right now and would be fools to cede a rhetorical inch to the increasingly irrelevant 21st century No-Nothing party.
Dennis - SGMM
Amazing, innit, that the other side wants to make nice after their scrotums have been kicked up to their bowties. Next they’ll be rediscovering the Constitution and decrying the unitary executive. I don’t hate them and I don’t want revenge I just want them and their sorry-ass agenda marginalized. They played dirty and they cheered on while their fearless leader drove the entire fucking country into the ditch. And no, not every McCain voter was a "was a true believer, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing lunatic" they were just co-conspirators who replaced thinking with an American flag lapel pin. They can move from being part of the problem to playing a part in the solution if they choose to do so. Until then, fuck ’em with a 2X4.
A la lanterne les aristos
Absolutely. They have to come to us.
But look at the amount of rage and resentment on this page alone. And this is still during the afterglow of a pretty sweet victory.
We got what we wanted, we won, and we’re still carrying a chip on our shoulders the size of Alaska. So tell me how gleefully grinding the losers face in their own shit is going to make them reconsider their positions?
The same discussions are going on in my neck of the woods about the pro-8 folks. It’s hard because this hit people were they live, and there’s been a huge, understandable amount of anger and lashing out. But the fact is to win the next round we need to bring people over not push them more firmly into their reactionary comfort zone.
And it seems to me that the same is true at a national level. Continuing the divisive, toxic atmosphere of the last 8 years in reverse just sounds depressing.
And it’s not like there aren’t always going to be tons of actual, fringe crazies to sharpen your claws on.
CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII
If it hurts the Talibangelicals chances of restructuring, I’m all for it. ;)
stickler
Dennis:
Bingo! Just like we always knew they would.
Here’s how it works: Unlimited power for Preznit Chucklenuts = Great! Patriotic! American! Unlimited power for Magical Unity Pony = Treason! The Constitution in Exile! Whatever G. Gordon Liddy said about where to aim!
Bastards like the useless twits at Redstate, et. al., have earned and will get no sympathy from me. We warned them, but they were too damned stupid to think more than one step ahead.
LiberalTarian
You hang around here much? ;)
Don’t go around making nice on my part. I can make nice on my own. And any rage and resentment you see here didn’t just jump out of the dust fully formed, it had origins. When the origins stop telling us we don’t have the right faith, we don’t love our country, we are too stupid to trust with our own liberties, then you’ll see the rage and resentment recede.
But honestly, you don’t see anyone talking like Freepi here. John C is recovering from movement conservatism, and the rest of us here are on the genuine side of center. Our complaints are pretty specific.
So, my fancy French Spanish friend, or Belgian, or Swiss, or whatever, you can’t force bread to rise. You need the right conditions and make sure the yeast is fresh. Meanwhile, give it a rest.
CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII
Tom, it was http://www.sorryeverybody.com
pattonbt
Let me join the ‘kiss my ass’ cadre.
When I see honest recognition and contrition for the evils the Republicans of the last 8 years have perpetuated in America’s name then I might, might be willing to forgive and move forward. I am still in shock that 46% of the American public could vote for McCain / Palin. It only proves to me how far we still have to go.
We dems need to do 2 things immediately, govern ruthlessly democratic (sane, adult and non-petty) and keep our ship tight (kick sad sacks like Lieberman out, its warranted and necessary – if Lieberman is contrite over the next couple of years he can earn his way back in).
If we dont forcefully govern and show the Repulicans (as currently constituted and ideologically based) for what they are, then we will lose again. If we let our success get to our head, we will most surely fail again.
The Repulicans have deserved the rebuke that is coming and anyone who supported McCain / Palin is in need of a serious qeustioning as to their beliefs and moral character. That may sound harsh, but actions and beliefs have consequences.
Perry Como
@neal peart:
Fucking Canuckistanis.
harlana pepper
Yup. Anybody who voted McCain needs to earn our forgiveness.
p.a.
re: reconciliation and bipartisanship.
by their acts shall you know them.
anyone have LOTR handy? Theoden’s speech to Saruman at Orthanc. That’s my take on bipartisanship with that crowd.
Conservatively Liberal
Improved.
I have more than a few Republican friends who were not happy with Bush and the mess he has made of our world, and most of them ended up voting for Obama. They are not the ones I reserve my ire for, and we (and Obama) will need these Republicans support to help move us forward. But the unrepentant Republican reptiles deserve no such consideration because, like a tiger, they will not change their stripes. They are too stupid to admit to themselves that they were wrong in demonizing anyone who disagreed with them, insisting that these fellow Americans needed to be shamed, imprisoned as traitors or kicked out of "their" freedom-loving country. They virulently hate anyone not like them and nothing will change that. They need to be derisively marginalized and kicked to the curb permanently.
Fuck them with two telephone poles; metal rungs and crossbars included.
Delia
It’s very strange. I don’t think Rahm Emmanuel has posted a note or picture on 52 to 48. I, uh, wonder why that is . . . .
tomjones
This election showed that 53 percent of the country rejects Bush and everything the last 8 years represents. But we must be careful to remember that this does not mean 53 percent of the country believe in every plank of the Democratic platform, or even care for that much of Obama’s agenda.
The Republicans downfall was in acting out of a belief that their abhorrent beliefs would be embraced by the country once enacted. And they were rammed down our throats.
Obama’s 53 percent majority is a fragile one, but if he proceeds cautiously, but forcefully, to govern in an adult, rational, empirical fashion, there is nothing stopping that 53 percent coalition from growing.
here4tehbeer
And the 10,000 rusty staples from all the "LOST DOG" flyers.
Bill Arnold
It’s not the gloating that we saw when the Republicans were incomplete control that bothers me. It was the locking out of democrats from any input into the national governance process that was/is hard to forgive. It was Bush treating two close races as a 8 year mandate – that is also hard to forgive.
So my message to the "48"rs is (1) Stop habitually fudging everything. It’s 53/46. (2) If Senate Republicans try to fillibuster everything, then punishment by the majority will be severe. If Senate Republicans play nice, we might see some genuine bipartisanship. It would be good for us all to all work together towards fixes for this deep economic crisis we are entering.
pseudonymous in nc
It’s Ze Frank, John. It’s an example of the New Sincerity. You’re Gen X, and you’re wired for irony, so you don’t get it; Gen Xers think that the New Sincerity is just goofy and childish.
If you watch 30 Rock, your reaction to Kenneth the page is a good indicator of how you react to the New Sincerity thing.
Tom65
Nothing passive about it – I’m flat-out gloating. After eight years of having my patriotism questioned, I’m not ready to play nice just yet. And I could care less about the pearl clutching.
Comrade Darkness
Look at that voting map again, perhaps.
Esp, consider that those really large red states in the middle have negligible population. Ah, here’s a good voting map adjusted for population.
Jess
Well, I’m gloating too, but one of the things I’m gloating about is how many disillusioned conservatives broke from the pack, and how many of those who didn’t seem willing to give the MUP a chance. Whatever the intention is behind this Kumbaya gesture, it’s a savvy long-term strategy. The moderate right and the batshit-crazy extreme right are breaking up; now is not the time to drive them back into each other’s arms. We can afford to flirt, as long as we’re not going to sneak off into the bushes without a condom.
JillS
Admittedly, I haven’t read through all 82 comments to see if you got this answered, but 52-48 refers to the 52% of the popular vote that President-Elect Obama received (and while Senator McCain received 46%, that still means 2% voted for someone else).
I’m not gloating… but I am pretty jazzed…
JillS
Nemoudeis
Not at all. I myself have always tried to make a point of being at least civil towards the other (the … ehhh … "48’er?") side of the fence — and this despite the fact that they have clearly been the ascendant ones for the past two decades at least, and have used their strengths to drive this country further and further away from anything I regard as the just, egalitarian, and whole society that I was always taught America was supposed to be. I won’t demand anything more nor less from them today than what I gave them then, now that it appears that my ideals are finally seeing a few rays of sunshine popping up on the horizon.
But I will not bend over backwards for these people. They never gave my kind quarter, and in fact more often than not relished in whatever curbside beatings they could get away with against us whenever the mood and opportunity came to them. I don’t think we should thug up on them now that the shoe’s on the other foot; but it’s equally important for them to understand that we’re not fooled by the one hand they’re holding behind their backs while they’re offering the other one out in friendship.
Xenos
@Comrade Darkness:
about that map — when the Hispanics finally push Texas into the blue column it will really be lights out for the Republican Party.
Cynicor
I am fully willing to forgive and forget, and work together on issues that will improve our country. I don’t carry a grudge.
All I’ll need first is a written apology for the past eight years. Itemized. Including everything they knew was wrong but did anyone just because it was fun to piss off/marginalize the center-left. I think that as a precondition of "working together as one," this is a pretty tiny ask.
Dennis - SGMM
I’ll start believing in sweetness and light when they stop referring to us as "The Democrat Party."
Wapiti
Gemini13 (at #6) – Fuck ‘em. They helped to prop up this gang of morons and criminals, and I don’t care how sorry they feel. They weren’t sorry enough to vote against the GOP in 2004.
Er… actually, the 48ers are the people who did all of that, and then after 4 more years of war, the collapse of the economy, the NSA spying on Americans, and everything else, still weren’t willing to vote against the GOP in 2008. Because Obama was Muslim or something.
Nannergrrl
Let’s place the blame where it needs to go – Bush and his Cult of Personality Disorder (Antisocial var.). I am friends with many 48ers and they are not what is wrong with this country. They have never belitted me, my political viewpoints or personal ideals.
I’ve read Ze’s blog for years now and he is being genuine – I’ve never seen him post anything in all that time which would make me doubt his motives. Besides, me heart his dance moves.
Sorry to be so mellow amongst the intermittent rage, but I had a good weekend and my man is president-elect. :D
boilerman10
John,
You are being too sensitive.
Those who might be offended by this "I Can Haz Cheezburger" site for humans called 52 to 48 are going to be those who felt that their superior slanders and put-downs of Obama and his supporters were unfairly rejected. Please note, the recent rantings of Pammykins Geller, Ace and Eyeball of Spades, and our lady of oddness, Katherine Jean Lopez.
John, you know these people and used to run with them. No amount of outreach will melt their stony hearts, no kindness will peel away the bitter resentment for being rejected. They will sit and pout if they want to.
You can tell them until the cows come home that McCain’s campaign people sucked, or that Palin was about as useful to McCain’s campaign as teats on a bull after just 1 week following her introduction. It won’t matter. Palin will have been wrongfully slandered and that McCain’s clumsy campaign staff had no coherent message beyond "HE’S NOT BLACK!" It just doesn’t matter to them. They feel right and all of America opposing them was wrong.
This pitiful "Gotterdamurung" of the Bush era and it’s damnable failures is only enhanced by the weeping and knashing of teeth of the hard nationalistic right.
Sites like 52 to 48 will try to reach out. If the hard nationalistic right feels miffed, well, maybe they should spend the next 4 years looking into a mirror if they seek a reason why their warped ideology and weltanshauung was rejected by the public.
renegademom3
I like it.
where to we meet, instead of how are we different.
what common ground are we able to find?
renegademom3
I like it.
where do we meet, instead of how are we different.
what common ground are we able to find?
Tyro
Shit like the 52-48 thing is dangerous because it advances the notion that "hey, we’re all Americans and we’re basically in this together and want the same stuff,"
Precisely. Elections are not about people who want the same stuff making different decisions. That is not what politics is all about. People vote differently because they want different stuff and have strong, differing opinions about how to divide up the pie of our public funds along with different visions about what they see the role of the United States being at home and in the world. The Republicans have demonstrated that they’re willing to lie, scream "socialism" and call Obama a terrorist Marxist Muslim if they think it will get them what they want.
Duckman GR
Gemina13 has it right. Oh sure, we need to work together as Americans to address the problems the 48 wilfully dumped on us in their greed, selfishness, cowardice, and plain ignorance, but like Natalie says, forgive, sounds right, forget, I don’t think I could.
I don’t want an America that trashes the Constitution for political expediency, that hands our treasure to the lying thieves of Corporate America, that celebrates ignorance and prejudice (while denying it at all costs), that allows a great American City to drown and people to die and suffer in the Superdome because they were poor and black, no I don’t want that America, and when the poor, pitiful 48 removes the 24 or so that do and are a part of their 48, then we can talk.
Until then, we need firewood.