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DEL.ICIO.USA lonely Democrat in Cherokee County
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Delores “Dee” Nickel describes herself as “an endangered species” - a liberal Democrat in heavily Republican in Cherokee County. And living there has given her new insight into the conservative mindset.
-“Any taxpayer money used to help the poor or disabled is socialism, the result of an individual’s failure to accept personal responsibility. Period. There is no other reason. Tornadoes hit, Katrina devastates, floods destroy. Have insurance, and do not expect governmental intervention. Never mind that insurance companies earn billions and will find every reason not to pay. If one chooses to live in Florida, California, Louisiana, Mississippi or any damaged area, that is the price you have to pay.
-“Illness? Disability? Poverty? The fault lies with the individual. “
She further writes, “Remember, these are all Christians who are devoted to the Bible — but not the admonition to take care of the poor and ill among us. It is one thing to perform an individual act of charity and kindness, which they all do, and quite another to use taxpayer money to assist our own people. “Unbelievably, all support the war in Iraq. All believe weapons of mass destruction were actually found but “hidden” from us. Most believe, to this very day, that Iraq was involved in the horror of 9/11, never mind the evidence to the contrary.”
Nickel concludes, “I can easily see the huge political divide in this country and do not believe there will ever be a unification of ideas or ideals.”
What is your take on her take of suburban Atlanta conservatives?
Permalink | Comments (20) | Categories: Forum
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By hogleg
June 17, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
liberals always rail against personal responsiblity!
By Brian
June 17, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this
Where you discussing this with all your fellow democrats in the welfare line? If you don’t like the republican ideals and values that your area abides by then GTFO. I’m sure you’ll not be missed.
By Brian
June 17, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
Since we are pulling stuff out our nether regions.
All Democrats want 100% welfare as long as it doesn’t affect their income.
All Healthcare should be provided by the gov’t. forget the fact they bankrupt and screw up every program they initiate, bloat the costs by adding layers and layers of red tape, and enjoy 0% accountabity.
All democrats believe Bush flew those planes into the World Trade Center himself and that the World is going to explode tomorrow if we top off the gas tank of our SUV.
See, making up crap is easy and fun Dee!
By Bill Brown
June 17, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
You are not alone. My name is Bill Brown and I am a democrat from Woodstock. I am also running for the Georgia General Assembly House District 22 to represent Woodstock, Holly Springs and the southern part of Canton.
You can learn more about me at www.ElectBillBrown.com and I encourage you to share this web site with all your friends, republican and democrat alike.
You are not alone and together we can make a difference.
Bill Brown Candidate Ga. House District 22
By Citizen of the World
June 17, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
I think a lot of people who identify themselves as conservative Republicans began as people who had little more than a passing interest in politics, because to be truly aware, they had to read and watch a lot of borderline boring, high brow discourse. Then along came right wing conservative radio and TV talk, which, with its high repetition of oversimplified messages, played on their fears and prejudices, brainwashed them into thinking they were victims, and gave them the language to talk about it. So now, they’re all experts. Some of the messages put out by the conservative machine are: 1) Liberals want to take all your hard-earned money and give it to lazy no account bums, 2) You are 100 % responsible for your own success and never got anything from anybody, so if you could do it, why can’t “they”? 3) poor people are 100 % responsible for their underclass status, and if they would just take advantage of all the opportunity that America has to offer, they would not be poor, 4) everything government does, business could do better, etc. (Like there’s no waste, incompetence or corruption in business!) At the root of the conservative right-wing Republican’s susceptibility to these messages is their lack of understanding of history. First of all, they don’t see the parallel between today’s brainwashing techniques and those used by political regimes in the past. Secondly, they don’t understand that the strong middle class of which they are a part did not happen by accident. Throughout most of history (and still in many parts of the world today) there have been super-rich and dirt-poor, with not much in between except for perhaps a small merchant class. It was only through progressive (dare I say liberal?) policies — such as labor laws, unionization, the GI bill for military service, widespread access to education, etc. — that the middle class emerged. But now that they’re comfortable, they conveniently forget all that and want to go back to “every man for himself.” As for why so many are concentrated OTP, perhaps it’s because they’re descendants of white-flighters, perhaps they are caught up in group think, perhaps it’s because they live insular lives where they’re never really exposed to enough class and race diversity to see that a lot of poor people work very, very hard and that perhaps some of the wealth they enjoy is subsidized by that poor person’s hard labor at less than a living wage. So, maybe if their tax dollars have to help that person out during a rough time, it’s only fair. My appeal to everyone — regardless of your political persuasion — is to read and listen as broadly as you can, get out more, don’t be so sure you have the answers, count your blessings and have a heart.
By Sam
June 17, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
Hah! You think that’s bad. Try being a Conservative in DeKalb County!
By Gary
June 17, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
Do not feel alone! Join the Cherokee Democrats at www.cherokeedems.com. We are growing bigger and bigger every day! We meet the 3rd Monday of every month at the Holly Springs Communit Center (the old train depot) at 7 PM. Many would be quite surprised at out numbers…
By Gary
June 17, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
Do not feel alone! Join the Cherokee Democrats at www.cherokeedems.com. We are growing bigger and bigger every day! We meet the 3rd Monday of every month at the Holly Springs Communit Center (the old train depot) at 7 PM. Many would be quite surprised at out numbers…
By Gary
June 17, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this
Do not feel alone! Join the Cherokee Democrats at www.cherokeedems.com. We are growing bigger and bigger every day! We meet the 3rd Monday of every month at the Holly Springs Communit Center (the old train depot) at 7 PM. Many would be quite surprised at out numbers…
By Gary
June 17, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this
We also have a Breakfast meeting the first Saturday of each month at Ryan’s in Canton. Go Dems! www.cherokeedems.com - we also have a location on Facebook!
By Jane
June 17, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
Dee Nickel has not checked out the commitment to those suffering by the Christians in Woodstock. We have free medical and dental clinics, job banks, food pantries, clothes closets, pregnancy centers, counseling, etc. Real help comes from individuals, not the government, which has ravaged families.
By RNB
June 17, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
Could Dee Nickel (“A Lonely Democrat in Cherokee County,” 17 June) be a little more condescending to her knuckle-dragging Republican neighbors? Could she stuff a few more straw men, sneer at what she misapprehends as their opinions a bit harder? Could she possibly come across as a little more arrogant, superior, and self-absorbed? Final question: Would the AJC have devoted nearly 700 words to a shallow, mean-spirited screed against Democrats? Never mind — it’s a rhetorical question.
By Chris Salzmann
June 17, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
She’s right. I’ve met literally dozens of these idiots who believe that Iraq had a hand in 9/11 and that WMD were found in Iraq. These folks typify “Don’t know nothin’; Don’t wanna know nothin’.”
In short red-necks, even if they live in mansions.
By Copyleft
June 17, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this
If only we could run cars on ignorance, the price of gas wouldn’t matter.
By GeoffDawg
June 17, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this
Does anyone else ever get tired of both sides calling the other idiots, morons, uneducated, and the like? If you believe all the rhetoric, we must be a nation of people that can’t tie their own shoes. I’m fiscally conservative and socially moderate and I also happen to be educated and fairly sophisticated. Be that as it may, that doesn’t mean that I automatically believe those that disagree with me are brain dead buffoons. We just have philosophical differences.
Sometimes I wonder if all the name calling is a result of their own feelings of intellectual inadequacy. Analogous to the balding, middle age guy who rides the Harley.
By GeoffDawg
June 17, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this
By the way - to citizen, govt programs do not make a nation’s people affluent. It’s true that they do a better job of ensuring that everyone has some low level of subsistence but they are in no way responsible for a strong middle class. That can be credited to capitalism and innovative technologies which allow for opportunities of individual growth.
By GeoffDawg
June 17, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
Also, not be argumentative, but what is a “living wage” really? If they make less than that, will they die? Do we really believe people will keep doing what they’re doing if it’ll kill them? alcoholics and chain smokers excluded
By Cassie
June 17, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this
I have never met a racist democrat or one that refuses to help the poor. I think the Democraric party si the true party following in the foot steps of Christ. We care for the sick, widows and orphans. We care for our soldiers and our fellow citizens through our tax dollars. We care for those who cannot care for themselves, the weak, mentally ill, disabled, elderly. We are happy to pay taxes to be sure a child has enough to eat. We dont dangle the offer on the tip of a Bible either. We expect nothing in return. We hate war and death so we oppose the death penalty and the war for profit. We believe in civil liberties to so allow a mans’ or a womans’ body to belong to her, not the state or the church as it does in Ireland and other countries. Democrats believe by holding each other up we are stronger. Republicans just want out of taxes so they can buy fancier cars, put more in the collection plate to look good and get more tv stations. They all turn into Democrats when they are disabled or have to turn to social services for aid though.
By GeoffDawg
June 17, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
Cassie, I’ve met many racist democrats. They’re just racist against white people.
By Nancy Pelosi
June 17, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
Well Dee, if you shoveled out a few more stables a day than the bare minimum required to provide you with a meager living then who knows, you just might find yourself leaving the democratic plantation one day as a freeper.