Crazification Factor Still Holding True

Sunday, May 20, 2012

There's been a lot of talk lately about the 1 percent versus the 99 percent. But there's another number that's at least as important in American political discourse these days. That number is the "crazification factor": 27 percent.

The crazification factor was first noticed by, of all people, television writer John Rogers. He first wrote about it as far back as 2005 on his blog, titled "Kung Fu Monkey." He'd observed the 2004 Illinois Senate election, in which Barack Obama ran against Alan Keyes. Keyes, as you may remember, was trotted in from out of state a mere 86 days before the election after the campaign of the Republican nominee, Jack Ryan, imploded because of a bizarre sex scandal.

Keyes was clearly a sacrificial lamb, a guy no one expected to win; not only did he have no base in Illinois, but he was also, as Rogers put it, "plainly, obviously, completely crazy ... head-trauma crazy."

Both candidates were black, so race wasn't a factor. And yet, Rogers noted, Keyes still got 27 percent of the vote in Illinois.

"They put party identification, personal prejudice, whatever, ahead of rational judgment," he said. "Even 5 percent of Democrats voted for him. That's crazy behavior. I think you have to assume a 27 percent crazification factor in any population."

It seemed like a joke to me at first. But then I noticed that that 27 percent figure kept cropping up more and more, in poll after poll. Give or take a couple of percentage points, pollsters often find about 27 percent of Americans who believe in things that are against their own self-interest or that are just mind-bendingly ridiculous.

For instance, in the darkest days of the 2008 economic meltdown, after the bankruptcy of Lehmann Brothers, the federal bailout of AIG and the collapse of Merrill Lynch, approval ratings for President George W. Bush were still at 27 percent, and hovered around that figure for quite some time before taking their final nosedive.

(Yes, He Who Must Not Be Named, and not Barack Obama, was president when the economy tanked, with his beloved tax cuts firmly in place, something you probably won't learn from watching Fox News.)

After Sarah Palin flamed out in spectacular fashion and took John McCain's presidential campaign into the ground with her, 27 percent of people surveyed in one poll still thought she would have made a good president.

A poll in January of this year on the subject of gridlock in Congress found that 60 percent of those polled believed that President Obama was trying to work with Republicans; 27 percent believed that Republicans in Congress were trying to do the same. In January, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 27 percent of people still supported the tea party.

Give a couple of points margin for error, and crazification becomes more obvious. After the 2008 election, 26 percent of those polled believed that it had been stolen for Barack Obama by ACORN, even though there wasn't evidence of a single fraudulent vote actually being cast as a result of a few registration workers boosting their paychecks by signing up nonexistent voters. (No, Mickey Mouse did not try to vote, something you probably won't learn from listening to Rush Limbaugh.)

During the health care debate, when polled as to what kind of reform bill should pass, 26 percent of respondents told a CBS poll "no bill at all."

Note well: We aren't talking about people who simply don't agree with the administration. That figure is, of course, higher than 27 percent. We're talking about people who do so for reasons that are completely and incurably crazy, people wedded to "facts" that simply aren't true and opinions with no support in reality.

They're immune to persuasion. They're aided by right-wing media outlets that reject the idea of objective facts and objective proof; any evidence you care to provide that does not fit their narrative is, to them, the product of "bias" or an "agenda," no matter how unimpeachable the source. That's one of the hallmarks of true delusional thinking: It's immune to reality, and so are the 27 percenters.

So what can you do? Well, if you're one of those people who roll their eyes at the idea that President Obama is going to send federal agents to check on your light bulbs, or who shake your heads in disbelief when people, after all this time, still put up billboards and bumper stickers asking "Where's the Birth Certificate?" - then you need to get out and vote.

Because the crazies surely will.

Dusty Rhoades lives, writes and practices law in Carthage. Contact him at dustyr@nc.rr.com.

More like this story

The_AnonymusProfit 1 year ago

This letter has brought tears to my eyes, (literally) I AM CONVERTED! I will know bow down and worship the flying spaghetti monster.

Obama Budget Raises Taxes For 27% Of Households, Report Says http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-21/obama-budget-raises-taxes-for-27-of-households-correct-.html

27% of Americans strongly approve of Barak Obama this week. (42% Strongly disapprove) http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history

Gallup shows Obama 27% on handling the economy http://hotair.com/archives/2011/02/09/gallup-shows-obama-at-27-approval-on-handling-deficit-37-on-economy/

28% (1 percent fluke) Believe country is headed it the RIGHT direction. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/right_direction_or_wrong_track

So lets see here 27% of people in this country are crazy..and these 27%... 1. Strongly approve of Obama 2.Think Obama has handled our economy well 3. Think our country is headed in the right direction.

Yea DR, your right, 27% of Americans are MOST DEFINITELY crazy!

SH59 1 year ago

Dusty, I love it! Can we just call them 27's (code for crazy)?

blake 1 year ago

Way too ironic with the 27% stongly approve of President Obama. I would imagine Dusty falls into that 27% of craziness.

MooreNorth 1 year ago

Dang. That's three minutes of my life I'll never get back.

truthmatterstome2 1 year ago

For once I find myself agreeing 100% with Dusty! I've just completed an informal poll, and lo and behold, I found that 20% (somewhat close to 27%) of those polled actually agree with Dusty, and both of them were yellow dogs! Imagine that.

Thatcher 1 year ago

According to polls, 42% of Americans consider themselves to be conservative, while only 20% claim to be liberal. http://www.gallup.com/poll/141032/2010-conservatives-outnumber-moderates-liberals.aspx. Where is this extra 7% of "crazies" coming from?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDwODb.... This is one possible explanation.

MikeNC 1 year ago

Roseann Barr is making her move to run for President in 2012 ...In a presidential nomination poll conducted on Green Party Watch, Barr received 29 % of the vote. That qualifies for the Crazification Factor plus a 2 point bump. This is good news for the anti-Ammendment1 voters as she could dominate the lesbian and gay vote.... Mike http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/celebritology/post/roseanne-barr-is-officially-running-for-president/2012/02/03/gIQAitrgmQ_blog.html

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

Crazy is taking a 11T debt and turning it into a 16T debt and never accepting any responsibility for it.

Thatcher 1 year ago

fugitiveguy-- Well said! Taking it one step further, crazy is calling folks who oppose deficit spending "crazy."

nothingspecial 1 year ago

Oh Lord, AP, you're the best up there!

moonchild7 1 year ago

Dusty, the best commentary ever. So great. Been busy this weekend with my son in town. He has just a couple of comments.

posternutbag 1 year ago

Hi, Hello, Hello to fugitiveguy. Son of Moon to comment: President Obama's qualification's to be President, he's 35 and a U.S. Citizen, he won the popular vote, he swore to defend the Constitution. He's a follower of Rev. Wright, easy going on the Russians, how's that? Debt Crisis? Not the problem since the economy needs stimulating. Taxes need to be raised on the wealthy because they won't be hurt by them. Hedge funds produce nothing and do not hire people. Stop the 1950's PipeDream. Problem's solved. Back to NYC.

geoffcutler 1 year ago

Ah yes, NYC...cradle of the uber-leftist intelligentsia and fiscal responsibility. Fugitive...you've just been enlightened. Now, let that be a lesson to you! I wonder if he has own shuttle, or if his Mom still has to drive?

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

Just like Obama, posternutbag was oversold and has under delivered. I had such high hopes for both.

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

What blog about crazification would be complete without an appearance by Moon?

Courseaire 1 year ago

Dusty - I'm behind you 27% or 3% cubed. Here are a few more 27% factoids:

In a new report "Perceptions of Poverty" released Wednesday, some 27 percent of Americans said they believe people are poor because they are lazy, not due to economic circumstances.
27% of India’s doctors exist only on paper
Only 27 percent of Americans say they back the Afghanistan war effort
Twenty-seven percent of all births from 2003 and 2010 were to unmarried couples
27% of the women serving in Congress are women of color and
27% of all E-mails are opened on mobile devices

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

Teacher yells at student because of a question he asked about Obama! by rossache19

Speaking of craziness This is what passes for a teacher these days. Skip the first minute. My guess is that even Moon will not be able to defend this buffoon.

Reggie_Mantle 1 year ago

Who's nuttier: the crazy person or the person trying to argue with him?

JD 1 year ago

So who will be Mittens running mate is my question. No body wants to be the VP and it is hard to run on a ticket by yourself for that office.

TOYTIME 1 year ago

@ JD... Dr. Condoleeza Rice.

teufelhunden 1 year ago

Toytime-she would be great, I agree.

LeeMcGraw 1 year ago

I can't believe it. I just read today a 27% fact. Amazing! Now I cannot verify this, but it is being reported that if 27% of all far left wingers were laid end to end in a straight line, 3/4 of them would drown! Oddly enough, in the late day press, the same stats were said of the far right. I am so confused. I don't know who to believe. :>) Yeah...you're right...I have nothing to offer here.

Thatcher 1 year ago

Polls show that 7 out of 8 liberals (nearly 50%) support increasing taxes. Other polls show that liberals, by a 2 to 1 margin (nearly 15%) support increasing spending on domestic welfare programs. Yet another poll showed that liberals unanimously agree (42%) that the rich should pay more. Lastly, almost 100% of those liberals polled (37.2%) claim that Gregg Allman and Bigfoot are the same person.

LeeMcGraw 1 year ago

lol...Allman Brothers...excellent music. Much better topic. Hey, if the Allman brothers, gregg or duane can jam like that, let 'em yell sasquatch! Of course I happen to thinkg Bob Dylan is the best songwriter ever...many think I am a nut just for that. Gregg Allman is right up there....sorry again I am diverted..What is the topic? Oh yeah...ummmm 27% of all people disagree with 73%....and Condi? She would scare the daylights out of the democrats. I like it.

Thatcher 1 year ago

LeeMcGraw-- I love the Allman Brothers, because 100% of the band members say "Ramblin' Man" is a perfect song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCOiIl7Xu3w. Cheers!!

Guy_Forks 1 year ago

Once again Mr. Rhoads prominently displays his ignorance of reality. Here he touts the Golden Ratio as if it was some great revelation.

In crayon:

20% of humans have below average intelligence. OMG! who knew?!

I did! it's obvious to anyone in the 80%! Since this is such a revelation to Mr. Rhoades, (without regard to last weeks performance) it's safe to assume that he firmly resides in the same boat as the 20%.

Crazy or not, I believe as Eisenhower did: People are backward because they are poor, not poor because they are backward.

LeeMcGraw 1 year ago

Thanks Thatcher. Excellent...going to Duanes site this week while in Macon area. Rose Hill...never been. I will say hello if no one is looking.

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