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In reply to the discussion: How did we get here? [View all]

electric_blue68

(26,274 posts)
37. Ah..."good ole" Paul Weyrich. I think Thom Hartman talked about him, when...
Sun Jan 18, 2026, 07:45 PM
Jan 18

when TH was on Air America Radio.

from Paul Weyrich

"How many of our Christians have what I call the goo-goo syndrome: good government? They want everybody to vote. I don't want everybody to vote. Elections are not won by a majority of people. They never have been from the beginning of our country, and they are not now. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down."

Remarks to the Religious Roundtable (August 1980), quoted in The Hidden Election (1981) by Thomas Ferguson and Joel Rogers

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

How did we get here? [View all] surfered Jan 18 OP
The bigger question: True Dough Jan 18 #1
I think I would rather proceed forward rather than 'return' to anything. OldBaldy1701E Jan 18 #6
Here's how... MarcoZandrini Jan 18 #19
Whenever asked how we ended up in this shitshow, I say something like this maxrandb Jan 18 #2
Great post malaise Jan 18 #3
Just one thing. OldBaldy1701E Jan 18 #5
I think that was the point.......nt Hope22 Jan 18 #7
I suppose, but there are only mentions of times since 2000. OldBaldy1701E Jan 18 #11
Yes, folks like Rumsfeld and Cheney to name a few... Hope22 Jan 18 #28
More than a century Clouds Passing Jan 18 #21
True. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Jan 18 #32
With so many Americans not voting when they could or voting Republican, this is The Will of the People. betsuni Jan 18 #12
Was the 2024 election the will of the people? Bluewonder Jan 18 #40
Welcome to DU. Chemical Bill Jan 19 #48
Don't forget Newt Gingrich, delegitimizing the Clinton presidency. SharonAnn Jan 18 #13
As I recall, Newt led the genuinely hostile/cheating, Ayn Rand mentality in congress. JudyM Jan 18 #34
That was amazing, but please do a follow-up Polybius Jan 18 #15
You nailed it once again. llmart Jan 18 #18
So true. And IMO, the 2010 midterms was the most disastrous point on this timeline we now follow.... Ol Janx Spirit Jan 18 #23
Yes, I read a comment recently about the divisiveness of the far left. LisaM Jan 18 #36
Republicans have been forcing Democrats out... Chemical Bill Jan 19 #49
I'm saving this. It says it all. mcar Jan 19 #55
There are a few crucial missing pieces in there, IMHO debsy Jan 18 #4
The 'Patriot Act' Hope22 Jan 18 #8
Very true debsy Jan 18 #9
Very important. llmart Jan 18 #17
Yes to all of this. Hope22 Jan 18 #26
I remember when I heard they named it Department of Homeland Security, MIButterfly Jan 18 #31
das Vaterland. nt Wednesdays Jan 18 #35
Man! jaymac Jan 18 #10
Good point- Leonard Leo, the wizard of the federalist society! debsy Jan 18 #14
Most Americans don't even know about him. A ton of them right wingers, too. -nt CrispyQ Jan 18 #27
The ONLY satisfaction I feel about this whole shit show Submariner Jan 18 #16
Been Sayin' For Years Mr.Bee Jan 18 #20
Insanity and ignorance did indeed trickle down. LiberalArkie Jan 18 #22
"It all began with Reagan...." Grins Jan 18 #24
I entirely agree. I watched my parents change from middle-of-the-road Democrats to full tilt right wing madness because Martin68 Jan 18 #25
Two years: 1971 and 1973. valleyrogue Jan 18 #29
50+ years, and no one has tried to undo it n/t leftstreet Jan 18 #30
Ah..."good ole" Paul Weyrich. I think Thom Hartman talked about him, when... electric_blue68 Jan 18 #37
The Powell Memorandum.... electric_blue68 Jan 18 #38
Those were key years and figures. The funding of the think tanks included Richard Mellon Scaife too. summer_in_TX Jan 18 #41
And let us not forget Barry Goldwater debsy Jan 18 #33
Missing Newt Gingrich in the scenario. Buttoneer Jan 18 #39
The two party system got us here. thought crime Jan 18 #42
Let Robert Reich explain Bluewonder Jan 18 #43
Limbaugh, Quanon, Mike Flynn, Russia, indifference. mahina Jan 19 #44
Trump is right-wing fear/authoritarian/racist celebrity conspiracy theory media empire come to life. betsuni Jan 19 #45
Raygun was the worst POTUS ever!!!!! BigmanPigman Jan 19 #46
American idiots. flvegan Jan 19 #47
It was THEM. Morbius Jan 19 #50
Elections of Republican presidents... BH liberal Jan 19 #51
Its amazing how anti Trump DrudgeReport is now BlueWaveNeverEnd Jan 19 #52
It is shocking to see... BH liberal Jan 19 #53
The fallout from the Citizens United decision... BH liberal Jan 19 #54
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