Fantastique wrote:
Conservatives are (usually) easily swayed by people who agree with their opinions. Liberals usually have a more open mind, so it really doesn't matter what Maddow said on her show - no educated liberal will take her extreme stance seriously.
Both sides are full of idiots. If people were really thinking for themselves and clearly understood the way things worked they would have overthrown the government (or at least effected actual change) long ago.
The only real argument one could make about conservatives being swayed is to look at the difference between conservatives now and conservatives 20-30 years ago and see how they've changed. It is interesting to note that the "let the government burn instead of raising taxes on the richest" conservatism of today is pretty out-of-line when compared to their Reagan messiah, who raised taxes 11 times including the biggest increase in peacetime.
I would also argue that the spirit of compromise has gone completely out the window in the conservative party. The main reason liberals are disappointed with Obama is his compromises with the right. Unfortunately, instead of the right working with him they just keep stepping back every time he comes to the middle. It seems like he's the only politician who realizes the country is split between the parties, getting elected doesn't mean you just fuck over the other half.