Bringing Logic and Reason to a Hate Fight

Your grandmother was right: never argue with drunk, crazy or stupid people. The repugs are all three, plus driven by blind hatred. Of course they're winning.

Steve M at No More Mister Niceblog:

Really, that's it: A lot of conservatives and right-centrists support the policy of stronger background checks, but they're so conditioned to distrust Democrats that they can't support the policy they support because Democrats support it.
This isn't about logic. It's about tribal loyalties and tribal hatreds, the latter reinforced by decades of tribal-hatred propaganda.
Mr. Hensley goes on to say:
"Yes, I believe the Republicans should have voted for background checks, and they should not legalize automatic weapons," Mr. Hensley added. "I was against the repeal of the ban on automatic weapons, and I don't support the N.R.A. But it's like marriage. You stick with your wife no matter what, and you don’t just ditch your political party on one issue."

So because of party loyalty, he opposes the party that does what he supports.
And in the Gallup poll, opponents of the actual background-check bill -- including the ones who'd have voted for a theoretical background-check referendum -- give reasons for their bill opposition that suggest loyalty to the NRA and its talking points:

SNIP
Republicans and right-leaning groups understand how public opinion works. Democrats and liberal groups don't. Republicans and right-leaning groups know that the point is to create generalized feelings of hatred toward the other guys, as well as hatred on specific points, and reinforce that sense of tribalism every hour of every day.
It works. It's worked with virtually all of heartland white America. And our side still tries to fight back with logic and reason. That will never be enough.

It won't be enough until Democratic voters hate repugs as much as repugs hate liberals.

That's not creating hate, or even enabling or increasing hate. It's fighting fire with fire.

And it's that or burn to death.