It appears to me that. . .?

Question

. . . patriotism, religion, and flag pins are the favorite tools of con-artist. Do you agree?

Answer 1

I agree with you. It's a simple manipulation of symbols to ensnare gullible people and create hostility toward those they disagree with. The cons do not have a monopoly on patriotism

Answer 2

add ignorance to it. f.p

Answer 3

Actually, no, they aren't.

The preferred tool of the con artist is to make the victim think they will be getting something that they know they do not deserve. The most skilled con artists make the victim think they are the ones perpetrating the scheme.  

Sometimes that is done through a vague reference to patriotism or religion, but not always.  

Con artists always make you think you will get something for nothing, or somehow take advantage of someone else.  

"I'm a banker in Nigeria, with your help we can swindle the banks for 12 million dollars. Just send me....."

"I'll increase your welfare/food stamps/housing/corn subsidy/abortion rights/etc"

And they do sometimes wrap it into patriotism or religion. "Jesus would increase welfare" or "Jesus would lower taxes" or "Jesus would increase taxes" or "Patriotism is bringing the troops home" or "Patriotism is not questioning the war effort" or "Patriotism is questioning the war effort" or "Patriotism is drilling offshore to reduce our dependency on foreign oil" or "Patriotism is forcing Americans to get a windmill by blocking drilling to save the environment".

But not always in the name of religion or patriotism.  The con is in making you think you'll get something for nothing.

That's what W.C. Fields meant when he said "You can't cheat an honest man."

Answer 4

Add arrogance and "more lies" a la Rove

Answer 5

Trust those that are searching for the truth, distrust those that say they've found it...

Answer 6

The con man is all about the show, the distraction.  It's important because it diverts your attention from the real deception.  That is what Republicans are good at, deception.

Answer 7

In some cases it is but not in all.

Answer 8

It appears to me that your generalisations are not useful for the productive discussion of issues, nor for creating a deeper understanding of an opposing political side. It would appear that you just like to hurl insults and innuendo.

Disappointing. Boring. Useless.

Answer 9

Always have been, always will be.

Coins and Crosses never know their fruitless worth...

Answer 10

Pretty much.  All the things that don't matter are at the top of their list....

Sad.

Answer 11

it's all about empty symbols that can be filled up with whatever the person with the money for the ads wants. the GOP know that they can't win with a side by side comparison of obama's and mccain's policies so they resort to the tried and true method of witch-hunting and character assassination. if no one is paying attention to economic policy because they are worried about flag pins and american pride, the GOP will win.

Answer 12

Nope...

Although idiotic puns and pointless generalizations tend to be the tools of the insecure and ill-informed far left.

Answer 13

What kills me is that they continue this game while Rome burns!  We've got some pretty serious problems out there from affordable health care to dependency on foreign oil and all these guys do is try to distract the people with nonesense.

Unfortunately, the majority of our citizens fall for it.