Mr. Will "take no prisoners" Hart got to me today.
I am sick and tired of being told by the MSM, "Hart-ists", and the Weimar Republican'ts that those on the liberal left and those on the rabid right are equally to blame for the increasingly divisive political atmosphere that pervades our country. Read Hart's comments here.
To say that leftys and rightys are equally provocative and venomous is patently untrue. The Republican'ts are united in following the Rules found in their Gospel of PublikSpeak, one central Rule being: If you have nothing constructive to offer, create BIG lies, REPEAT them as often as possible. and ALWAYS speak with a UNIFIED public voice. The Repubs promulgate their lies and fantastical fear-mongering with one united - VERY EFFECTIVE - voice.
The Dems seem to not understand that words truly matter when shaping the public's perceptions of an issue; and that first perceptions can be very resistant to being changed, so it is important to be the first to shape the public's perception of an issue. An example is illustrative: Too many Americans still believe the Big Bush lie that Sadam and the Iraqis were in cahoots with those who actually planned and attacked us on 9/11. That is a big fat untruth - a fantastical lie made up so that Bush could become a "War President". and thus steal a second term.
Compare the way the Repubs united behind Bush with how the current Congress has treated President Obama. The Congressional Dems have been more united in opposing President Obama than in helping to pass his agenda. Obama understands that our nation's values and economy were grievously assaulted; that despotic ruination was inflicted upon middle class Americans during the years that Busheney reigned. He needs and deserves to have help from his fellow Democrats in the Congress.
Preferring to accentuate their areas of disagreement, rather than seeking areas of agreement and actively working together to overcome the obstructionism of the Republican'ts, it seems that the Dems are repeating the same mistake they made when Clinton was President. The Dems need to join hands and stand united against the rabid Republican't politics of personal (and increasingly, their dangerously incendiary politics of national) destruction. Sadly, the Dems, with the notable exceptions of Congressmen Grayson and Weiner and Senator Boxer, have not attempted to detoxify the Republican'ts outlandish misrepresentations of Obama and of the overwhelming mess these very same Repubs created and now try to blame upon the Congressional Democrats.
Too many Dems have ceded their power to shape the public's political perceptions to the Palins, Becks, Bachmanns, Rushes, Roves, and Boniers, who are only too happy to shout out their toxic messages of Distraction, Sedition, and Treason. After years of hearing only these strident lying voices dominating the public airways and all of the MSM, it seems that it is no longer possible to have a respectful and constructive dialogue between and among liberals and conservatives to solve the many difficult problems that we face as a nation.
No, Mr. Hart, you are mistaken. The Dems and the Repubs are NOT equally adept at gaming the public by demonizing our government and creating fear-mongering lies that enrage and inflame the uninformed and the disturbed among us. The Dems do not "give as good as they get", Mr. Hart. Nor are they Chomsky's "fops".
Rather, the Dems are behaving as if they were survivors of a terrible trauma - as if they were abused spouses. Indeed, too many Dems seem shell-shocked and stupefied by the sheer number and the enormity of the fabrications, distortions, and outright lies that the Repubs use to distract the voters from noticing their paucity of
constructive solutions to our nation's pressing problems.
In truth, the Dems are actually very capable of remembering how to govern effectively and fairly. They need to remember that they truly DO possess a spine and a voice that could make a difference, if joined with others of like minds. Then they need to speak truthfully to all of us who still believe in the power of responsible and principled government to improve the daily lives of its citizens. They need to remember that they have been elected to help our beloved country recover from the havoc wreaked upon her. And then, they need to find a unified voice that can denounce the Repub's dirty little games of blame, incitement, demagoguery, lies and shameless hypocrisy.
And, it wouldn't hurt to tell us about what they have been able to accomplish - in spite of the "Just Say No" Republican'ts.
To say that leftys and rightys are equally provocative and venomous is patently untrue. The Republican'ts are united in following the Rules found in their Gospel of PublikSpeak, one central Rule being: If you have nothing constructive to offer, create BIG lies, REPEAT them as often as possible. and ALWAYS speak with a UNIFIED public voice. The Repubs promulgate their lies and fantastical fear-mongering with one united - VERY EFFECTIVE - voice.
The Dems seem to not understand that words truly matter when shaping the public's perceptions of an issue; and that first perceptions can be very resistant to being changed, so it is important to be the first to shape the public's perception of an issue. An example is illustrative: Too many Americans still believe the Big Bush lie that Sadam and the Iraqis were in cahoots with those who actually planned and attacked us on 9/11. That is a big fat untruth - a fantastical lie made up so that Bush could become a "War President". and thus steal a second term.Compare the way the Repubs united behind Bush with how the current Congress has treated President Obama. The Congressional Dems have been more united in opposing President Obama than in helping to pass his agenda. Obama understands that our nation's values and economy were grievously assaulted; that despotic ruination was inflicted upon middle class Americans during the years that Busheney reigned. He needs and deserves to have help from his fellow Democrats in the Congress.
Preferring to accentuate their areas of disagreement, rather than seeking areas of agreement and actively working together to overcome the obstructionism of the Republican'ts, it seems that the Dems are repeating the same mistake they made when Clinton was President. The Dems need to join hands and stand united against the rabid Republican't politics of personal (and increasingly, their dangerously incendiary politics of national) destruction. Sadly, the Dems, with the notable exceptions of Congressmen Grayson and Weiner and Senator Boxer, have not attempted to detoxify the Republican'ts outlandish misrepresentations of Obama and of the overwhelming mess these very same Repubs created and now try to blame upon the Congressional Democrats.
Too many Dems have ceded their power to shape the public's political perceptions to the Palins, Becks, Bachmanns, Rushes, Roves, and Boniers, who are only too happy to shout out their toxic messages of Distraction, Sedition, and Treason. After years of hearing only these strident lying voices dominating the public airways and all of the MSM, it seems that it is no longer possible to have a respectful and constructive dialogue between and among liberals and conservatives to solve the many difficult problems that we face as a nation.
No, Mr. Hart, you are mistaken. The Dems and the Repubs are NOT equally adept at gaming the public by demonizing our government and creating fear-mongering lies that enrage and inflame the uninformed and the disturbed among us. The Dems do not "give as good as they get", Mr. Hart. Nor are they Chomsky's "fops".
Rather, the Dems are behaving as if they were survivors of a terrible trauma - as if they were abused spouses. Indeed, too many Dems seem shell-shocked and stupefied by the sheer number and the enormity of the fabrications, distortions, and outright lies that the Repubs use to distract the voters from noticing their paucity of
constructive solutions to our nation's pressing problems.In truth, the Dems are actually very capable of remembering how to govern effectively and fairly. They need to remember that they truly DO possess a spine and a voice that could make a difference, if joined with others of like minds. Then they need to speak truthfully to all of us who still believe in the power of responsible and principled government to improve the daily lives of its citizens. They need to remember that they have been elected to help our beloved country recover from the havoc wreaked upon her. And then, they need to find a unified voice that can denounce the Repub's dirty little games of blame, incitement, demagoguery, lies and shameless hypocrisy.
And, it wouldn't hurt to tell us about what they have been able to accomplish - in spite of the "Just Say No" Republican'ts.
If I got this rant right, Emily is calling out Will (Take No Prisoners) Hart and accusing him of taking prisoners? Not only taking prisoners, but letting them off Scott-free?
ReplyDeleteYes, N.P., my good friend Hart takes prisoners. But I wouldn't go so far as to say he catches and releases. Dearest Emily, OTOH, clearly takes no POW's!
ReplyDeleteIt's starting to sound like Britain over there!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand a word of it. Oh well. It's an age thing I guess...
ReplyDeleteI challenge anybody to read my blog and say that I let the Republicans off "Scott free". I criticize the right at least as much (and probably more so) as I criticize the left. Just a few minutes ago, in fact, I was lumped in with Vig (by a conservative colleague) as a "dove". I've also been accused by another conservative blogger of being a "member of the Obama police". The fact that I get criticized by both sides is a sign to me that I've been doing a pretty job of late.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vig. I think. LOL
ReplyDeleteOf course you don't understand, amadmike1. You're the Larry King of the Internet.
ReplyDeleteVig,
ReplyDeleteI remember the days when Democrats WERE bad asses. Along the picket lines in LA trying to keep scabs out of the building. Labor cops arresting and harassing us, company goons (the real goons) harassing us but we kept coming back. And the Democrats stood with us. No more tho.
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ReplyDeleteGot to throw in with Will here, I read his blog regularly and he is about as even-handed as they come calling both the left and right out to task. Going ballistic on one of the few fair-minded people I see on the internet solves nothing.
ReplyDeleteRather, the Dems are behaving as if they were survivors of a terrible trauma...
Yeah, I see that but, and people are going to get mad with what I'm about to write, you have to let go because playing the victim card ain't working. If liberals want to get mad at anyone all they need to do is look in the mirror. Huge majorities in both houses of Congress from the 2008 election and it took a brain-dead male model winning Ted Kennedy's seat to get them mobilized to pass a half-assed health reform bill.
Moreover, let’s be honest, some liberals expected Obama to be sworn in and wave a magic wand making everything lollipops and rainbows while they returned to their lives.
Yes, the Teabaggers carrying guns and talking some serious trash scares the Hell out of me, especially since I work around at least ten card-carrying members but then again you said yourself only Grayson and Boxer had the "balls" to stand up to the crap. Whose fault is it that the rest of teh Dems are for the most part hiding?
I regret that amadmike was unable to understand my post. Hopefully, he heard Pennsylvania's Governor Ed Rendell, speaking with Rachel Maddow lastnight. The Guv's comment that "The GOP has the Democratic Party cowering behind the shower curtain" is exactly what I was attempting to say. Democrats, Governor Rendell said, need to stop cowering and start fighting for our democratic values and convictions by talking about them out loud and in public. Again, this is exactly what I tried to say in my post.
ReplyDeleteDemocrats, he noted, fear that they will lose seats in the upcoming national election. Rendell says that that needn't happen, but it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy unless the Democrats stand up and talk about the values and goals of the Democratic party. The rabid right is hugely motivated and energized. The left is dispirited and disorganized. Which party is likely to get their voters out come next November?
Imagine what could happen if Democrats were to find their voice, and use it to engage the public in a dialogue dedicated to identifying what can be done to restore and rejuvenate our government. Maybe then, we could recapture the hope that Obama spoke of so eloquently. Who knows - conversing respectfully with one another about issues and solutions, rather than screaming incendiary and fear-laden lies over the public airways, just might motivate our fellow citizens to come out and vote for men and women with spines in their backs, and a willingness to work to restore our sense of a unifying national purpose.
Hey Beach! Good to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering what suggests to you that the Dems are "playing the game of victimization"?
I don't see their silence as some sort of political gaming.
Rather, with the exceptions of Anthony Weiner of New York, Florida's Grayson, and California's Boxer, the Dems seem to be so terrified of the Republican'ts unending vitriolic demagoguery that they cower and remain silent.
Dems need to point out that the Repub's obstinate refusal to work together constructively is toxic for our country.
It doesn't help that Obama continues to pander to the GOP in hopes of engaging them in seeking solutions to the many problems he inherited from Busheney. He needs to accept the reality that the Repubs talk a good game of bi-partisanship, but their actions betray their true goal:to regain political power. Obama has been "played" by them enough already. Give it up, Mr.President.
The Dems seem genuinely silenced by the Republican'ts unrelenting distortions and outright lying, which demonizes, blames,and distracts.
The "leaders" of the GOP continue to perfect and practice their outrageous political games with such wanton disregard for the truly evil forces their poisonous words may unleash upon our beloved country, that they truly deserve to be hauled into court for their treasonous and hate-filled actions, which now threaten our nation's unity.
Remember how Repubs accused any Dem who dared question Busheney's actions, of being a treasonous traitor?
The shameless hypocrisy of this GOP beggars the imagination.
The Dems MUST face their fears and begin to identify and discuss the consequences of the irresponsible and toxic game the Repus are playing.
So today's question to all of us who love our country and want it to stop the Repub's dangerous and poisonous game is:
How can we help the traumatized and shell-shocked Dems find their backbones and their voices?
You got me on that one, Emily!
ReplyDeleteDems need to point out that the Repub's obstinate refusal to work together constructively is toxic for our country.
ReplyDeleteOn my little rant about democrats playing the victim, that is pretty much what I meant. Strictly from my strange point of view all I have seen for months are the assorted democrat talking heads and politicians whine about the mean and nasty republicans. When at least in how I see things it was the various special interests on the liberal side that caused far more delay in getting anything done. Yes, the republicans were playing the part of asshole very well but like the twit Joe Scarborough said on his show a couple of times President Johnson would have cut off body parts of any democratic congressmen playing funny with the bills he wanted passed.
the general public isn't as dumb as some may think ... i believe most progressive people are not buying the propagandas and lies of the media ... we are just quiet ... there are many with blinders on and so self-consumed they either don't care or self-preservists ... also, where and what's the criteria for these so-called studies the media presents as factual statistics probably with high error margins
ReplyDeletealso, since the war began, there has been a surge of English on T.V. I don't know the numbers of their presence in other industries, but I have definately seen them in entertainment
ReplyDelete