re: #89 Obdicut

Well, of course it works both ways. I’m not sure you read the original post very carefully.

Given the extremely large percentage of conservatives and, unfortunately, the significant number of actual GOP officials who indulge in birtherism, I’m really unconvinced that bigotry isn’t playing a significant role. Given the large amount of anti-Muslim rhetoric, birtherism, the Paulian perspective on civil rights, the resurgence of Confederate apologists, etc, why are you so certain that these are all symptoms and not, in fact, at all causal?

Yes.

American extremism is a symptom (look at the number of people who believe 9/11 was an inside job) of frustration.

The Tea Party isn’t about ideas- it is about attitude.

Arianna Huffington is right to warn the left that to ignore the TP’ers frustration is to invite all kinds of grief.

I do agree this cycle the loudest (obnoxious) voices are from the right. They are after all, the party out of power.

In the previous cycle, it was the left voices that were most extreme. That’s just the way it is.