Distraught Conservatives Retreating into the Realm of Fantasy

I'm not a psychologist, but this is really fascinating if you put it all together: It appears that distraught conservative pundits and bloggers are actually in the midst of collectively retreating into the world of fantasy as a psychological defense mechanism. Let's take a look at three recent exhibits that illustrate what I'm talking about.

Exhibit A: The RedState Army Strike Force

Earlier this month, the most prominent conservative blog, RedState.com, began promoting what they've dubbed the RedState Army Strike Force. They've even gone so far as to design a unit crest reminiscent of an actual military insignia:

This Strike Force is apparently code for a political "field organization." And yes, it's funny. But what makes it a little odd are the periodic posts on the website that use an overabundance of military language when referencing normal political field activity. Like this excerpt from a post by founder Erick Erickson called "Soldiers on the Ground:"

In Kentucky we have only 75 members of the RedState Army of Activists. We need a surge in Kentucky -- we need an army of activists who are willing to pick up the phone and metaphorically kick Mitch McConnell in the nuts as situations warrant.

McConnell either works for our side or he works for the Democrats. But the only people he'll really listen to are in Kentucky. Same with other Senators.

So if you haven't signed up and aren't willing to help, stop the bitching. It's time to deploy the troops and fight.

When faced with the reality that they don't have any field infrastructure remotely close to anything progressives have put together in the past two years, it's almost as if these bloggers start... fantasizing. Like kids. What their project doesn't demonstrate, however, is any in-depth knowledge of field organizing or any seeming long-term commitment to the hard work that accompanies the act of successful political organizing. It's as if, rather than facing up to their electoral failures in 2006 and 2008, they'd rather take solace in pretending to be "warriors" locked in "battle" with their Democratic enemies.

But here's where they really start to make the stampeding retreat into fantasy:

Exhibit B: Repeated References to a Fictional TV Character as a Role Model and Source for Torture Policy

Just watch:

Ryan Powers does the honors for ThinkProgress:

The right wing's love affair with Bauer's use of torture is rooted in fantasy. The so-called "ticking time bomb" scenarios that Bauer often finds himself in and that conservatives cite as instances where torture should be allowed rarely, if ever, occur.

Unfortunately, Powers adds:

If right wingers see Bauer as an example of how to prosecute the war on terror, they might be disheartened to learn that even the man that plays Bauer, actor Keifer Sutherland, doesn't see his character's torture techniques as effective in real life. "You torture someone and they'll basically tell you exactly what you want to hear, whether it's true or not, if you put someone in enough pain," Sutherland said last year.

But that's no matter for your average conservative talking head or blogger. To them, Bauer has become a surrogate -- a stand-in -- for the leaders they wish they had. Even a number of my conservative Facebook friends have begun updating their statuses to praise Mr. Bauer. It's catching on. Thus, while liberals and moderates rally around the upcoming inauguration of a real, actual, charismatic leader and role model, conservatives are left to soothe their scared and broken psyches by taking comfort in the efforts and tribulations of a fictional character on a TV program.

Lastly, we come to my favorite:

Exhibit C: Making a Regular, Blue-Collar Guy into a War Correspondent who Delivers the News They Want to Hear

Whereas most of America sees a largely incoherent plumber from Ohio wandering cluelessly around Israel with a microphone, conservatives are witnessing the reincarnation of Ernie Pyle before their very eyes. Of course, if you've heard the guy open his mouth, you know this is, indeed, fantasy. But it had to be done. When the bad news delivered by the likes of Nic Robertson, Michael Ware, and Christiane Amanpour reached a crescendo for conservatives toward the end of October, they decided to invent their own reporter. In their own minds, they pined for one who wouldn't challenge their long-held beliefs that Arabs are Muslims and Muslims are bad, that Saddam did 9/11, and that there was no way a man named Barack Hussein Obama could ever be elected as President of the United States.

That trailblazing, fearless reporter for truth became Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher -- a man who, as soon as he got there, proclaimed "the media should be abolished from reporting."

I have to say, though, that of all the recent conservative fantasies, the idea of Joe the Plumber as the voice of conservative American media is the least surprising. That's because it is a persistent belief among many on the Right that training is unnecessary, that education is for elitists, and that wishing hard enough for something can supersede those things.

And I'm okay with all this. To me, it's evolution. By retreating so deeply into this fantasy world of strike forces, pro-torture heroes, and swashbuckling, allied journalists, we're witnessing a self-induced thinning of the herd by conservatives. They're actively choosing not to participate in the reality that is present-day America, instead opting to fall back on the comforting, familiar images of handymen and handsome actors on their television sets.

So much the better for the country. We'll tackle real problems head on -- with real solutions starting next Tuesday. And we will progress without them.

Comments

[AtheistInsurgency]

Republican Leader John Boehner complained last night on PBS's News Hour about the bailout.
Really? Really? After six years of majority control, do Republicans have a right to complain about what has to be done to clean up their mess?

[KOisGod]

Are they going to go into the woods, put on tights, don capes and hats and swing swords at each other made of foam rubber?

I hope none of them get hurt !

[Bonobo]

Be very careful about applying evolutionary analogies to human cultures. Mass movements, by definition, involve lots and lots of people. The more people involved, the more difficult it is to transmit nuanced information. In this sort of scenario, the more simplistic the message, the more likely it is to succeed. Democrats often fail to win elections because they get caught up in complexities and nuance. Republicans have the opposite problem. They often win elections, but carry over that simplistic message into actually running a government.

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

Here's exhibit D: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

The Wall Street Journal opining that Atlas Shrugged is the answer to the present crisis.

Right. Exactly. Telling us that it is the solution, not the cause.

I did positively vomit. It is the low-point of the Wall Street Journal. They need to shut down their business. Now. Not one more edition of this bs. This is UNBEARABLE. I am still vomiting.

[laocoon]

I would have more respect for this crowd if they would eliminate all the government services that assist the rich. they always talk as if property rights are something the government is uninvolved in - the opposite of government. In reality they expect the government to be active in enforcing those rights when the owner seeks assistance. How much property could anyone effectively possess without government's interference? No where near the wealth which many have and feel entitled to have government interference to ensure they can possess all of it. Put your "money" where your mouth is and exempt that pile of property you own from the jurisdiction of government- government cannot tax or seize it but neither can you expect government to defend it for you. Government divides up all of the property among some of the people and enforces that division even if the outs starve or must submit to defacto slavery. Enough.

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

I agree, of course.

What I found so surprising is that even at this juncture, the Wall Street Journal didn't hesitate to warm up the old sickeningly distasteful Ayn Rand stuff.

It looks like it is necessary to flood the media with a certain counterculture, with a certain Anti-John Galt type of meme.

I'm working on it.

[Lefty Illuminate]

I'm with laocoon. The problem isn't Libertarianism, per se. The problem is Right Wing "Selective Libertarianism". I'm reminded (as nauseum) of the stock Republican version of the "free market" -- "government regulation of the economy is bad unless we have some half-baked 'moral' objection to the good or service being sold; at which point we regulate the market to death." The problem is that they don't seem to see the contradiction. They'll strip necessary financial and commercial regulations in order to facilitate 'economic growth', and talk us to death concerning the unfairness oof a progressive income tax system. Then they turn around, and enforce the most extreme interpretation of property 'rights', even when such enforcement is truly counter to the common good. It amounts to socialization of loss, and privitazation of gain. Methinks we need a little more consistency, and a littlle less greed.

[DavidMcK]

I think all conservatives haven't figured it out that The Nile (denial) is not just a river in Egypt, ha ha ha ha! I love reading all the comments. Keep them coming.

[IllinoisTexan43]

I looked at that Red State insignia and the first thing I thought of was how back during the race, PE Obama was stumping in Ohio and was on a stage with some flags behind him. Some rightwing nutjob ranted how Obama had made up his own flag; that this was the first step of a dictatorship. Turns out the flags were the official state flag of Ohio. These people truly exist in their own little world. Now Red State has made up their own insignia. What are we to infer from this?

[Chaimirija]

That they are guilty of what they accuse others of?

[mapleaforever]

Heavens to mergatroid!!

Exit, stage left!!

[lonnie93041]

HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAH!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!! Oh God that's funny!

[genia]

Brandon.....reading what you have laid out here .............is it fantasy? Or....is it the beginning of radical domestic terrorists? Only thing missing...so far...is the ..."in the name of God"
I imagine this is how the terrorists cells are started?
Makes me wonder .....how long before these freaks are willing to hurt us for the cause

[JeffmChicago]

Brandon that was a very good read. You wrote precisely what I couldn't convey. These conservatives are living in a fantasy world. There denial of what is happening right now in the USA is stunning to say the least.

Bravo to you for a well thought out blog. Thanks!

[Eris23Skidoo]

Tomorrow's conservatives will probably want to return to the halcyon days of "24".

[ceasespin]

under a news quality rating system it is very likely that Joe's reporting would be heavily caveated - it would also be redundant, since his name and lack of skills precede him - http://CeaseSPIN.org

[TomFox]

Wow...perhaps "Community Organizing" as a skill set is valuable after all.

[dryrock]

No surprise to see this analysis, which I found largely on target. Especially after a generation of the gumping of america.

[Subversive]

Oh, and let's not forget the important fact that "24" is produced by Fox. Hmmmmm.

[jackbutler5555]

"24" is entertainment. The torture decisions are set up. They are not typically like the torture decisions the Bush Administration has made. It's a great show, but it is a show.

[jackbutler5555]

Will the time ever come when we will stop demonizing people with different political perspectives? Will we ever reach a level of wisdom to understand that many of the folks who consider themselves conservative are really fine people who prefer a different flavor of Kool-Aid? Many of our political opponents are sincere, intelligent people who have come to different conclusions than we have. For that matter, there are a significant number of people with whom we ultimately agree who may not be all that sharp. Maybe we can learn something from our favorite President-Elect.

[UKOH]

Look I'm a liberal but I have nothing against conservatives "per se". I don't consider all supporters of the Republican Party to be the devil incarnate. I have often expressed my view that democracy needs an opposition as well as government and the Republicans have a responsible job to do in constructive critisism as and when (no president is perfect so it will happen) Obama overreaches.

I have engaged in many online exchanges of ideas with conservatives and found the experience rewarding for both of us. Nobody has a monopoly on wisom or the truth.

However it is the "Sarah Palin" mind set of distortions, over simplifications and - yes - downright lies at times that get me and other liberals mad at conservatives. Recently I wrote a considered response to climate change (lets take reasonable action now and worry about the cause later on). One conservative reply was "Blah, blah, and blah".

Tell me, how are we suposed to respect people who respond to reasoned argument with that sort of thing?

[dolorean]

I agree with UKOH. Most of the Right wing is not that much different than most of the Left wing. However, it is the absolute ignorance of history or current events and pigheaded reactionary idology that seems to define your average Conservative. These are people who believe that every Liberal is a card carrying commie that screams to hug a tree and would let the Gays take over the world. Its sad to talk to a person like this, who knows nothing or close to nothing and is very proud of that fact.

[HonestGeorge]

You can tell a person by his heroes. First there was John Wayne. Then a watered down version in Ronald Reagen. Now its Jack Bauer. All three were/are icons to a majority of the conservative set. Watching the antics of a group that selects its heroes from the world of make-believe makes it difficult not to lump them together in unflattering ways.

[Tabasco]

And, of course, there was the self-proclaimed "Tail Gunner" Joe McCarthy who never fired a shot in combat, but was a journalist who was in a bomber a few times during practice runs.

But he sited his ever more expanding hero status as the reason he knew a commie when he saw one.

Reagan even slipped once and recalled his service as a gunner....... but it turned out to be one of his movies.

I still don't get why hero worship among many Republicans is often centered around actors and pathological liers.

[aniram63]

I'm pretty much a progressive and a card-carrying peacenik. And I am a fan of 24 and Jack Bauer. As a kid, I loved Superman, and that's how I see Bauer. I tell friends who haven't seen the show that he "makes Superman look like a slacker and he can't even fly". 24 is a modern-day soap opera that plays on modern-day fears. I feel that Keith Sutherland does a good job of conveying nuance and complexity in the Bauer character, but I can see how some folks miss that. It's like the different takes that people had on the Archie Bunker character. Many of us enjoyed the show and saw Archie as a loveable buffoon. Others saw him as a hero who had the courage to call it like it is. That's art and entertainment for you.

[aniram63]

[Moderator: Please correct my previous post to change "Keith Sutherland" to "Kiefer Sutherland" -- don't know where that come from. And, of course, please delete this one. Thanks]

[medici]

And don't forget, Ronald Reagan once wore a Nazi uniform.

[laocoon]

Too many conservatives do not accept the idea of balance. they abhor it. One way government that serves the "right " people and controls the others. Laws that divide up all of the property but if some starve or must do whatever the owners require or else OK. they do not reflect any sense that there are two sides to most issues and there are equities on both sides. If government does nothing but enforce ownership rights then as ownership concentrates in the hands of a few so does all the government power that exists. Instead of executing the decisions of elected officials it executes the decisions of owners. Never hear the right want to limit the power of government to evict a tenant or seize a debtors property etc. So it not about limiting the power of government it is about putting all that power in the hands of ownership without any limits. Without balancing laws, unlimited property ownership is really unlimited government. If Ron Reagan could come to own 90% of California he would in effect be a dictator of 90% of California , 90% of all government services would be at his behest, without some countervailing laws to protect nonowners. He would apparently be entitled to as much government services as needed to keep the poachers and trespassers in check. Unlimited property rights is unlimited government.

[AbsolutDemocrat]

Perhaps they are sincere, intelligent people. For eight years sincere, intelligent people drinking a "different flavor of Kool-Aid" have shredded the Constitution; reintroduced torture; polluted our planet; alienated any allies we had; gave everything to the wealthy at the expense of the other 98%; brought down our entire economy from top to bottom; fanned the flames of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and violence; derided science, intellectualism, logic; demonized anyone and everyone who even thought of questioning any of their policies, and took away any civil liberty afforded to the American people that wasn't nailed down (and some that were). I only wish our differences were benign enough to warrant a soft drink metaphor.

[motoGpifupleez]

They love the military fantasy because the RightWing 20%er has no intention of actual service.
They love the Bauer fantasy because they have no real world experience upon which to draw.
They love the "Joe the Plumber" idea because they are a bunch of Arm Chair politicos unaware of anything beyond the Talking Points delivered by FOX.
Give them their fantasy world and do your best to further the Liberal drive in the real world.