A successful advertisement depends on making a contrast between the other brands, brand X, and the brand being promoted. The democrats could learn something from watching commercial advertising. Even though voters have given them the Presidency, and the House and Senate, their incessant capitulating to the republicans continues. In 2012 the republicans will remind voters of Obama’s support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The media echo chamber will tirelessly advertise that Obama, thanks to republican criticism, increased funding and troop strength so terrorism could be kept an arms length from U.S. shores. They will remind voters of the Guantanamo detainees and how the democrats, after token disagreement regarding the rights of imprisoned enemy combatants, crossed the aisle to agree with republicans. Finally voters will elect whichever party they see as doing something, even if it’s wrong.
Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, got all tongue tied and unbalanced when republicans challenged him about closing Gitmo. Harry knew the republicans were trying to hang a false accusation that he supported the release of terrorists inside U.S. borders. A reporter threw him a life ring saying, “Look Harry, no one is discussing releasing terrorists.” A thoroughly confused Harry replied "Can’t put them in prison unless you release them." And right you are Harry . Okey Dokey.
House Speaker Pelosi has made her leadership role a study in groveling. So fearful is she of the republican scary stick, she kept mum during committee meetings about proposals to use torture as a means of extracting information. Pillsbury Doughboy, Karl Rove, sniffing like a blue tic hound trackin’ a possum shrieked. “Nancy Pelosi was an accomplice to 'torture!” The media solemnly broadcast what has now become an incontrovertible fact. Pelosi’s horror of offending the republicans has finally caught up to her.
The democrats were handed the reigns in 2008, not because the democrats made a prevailing argument, but because voters could not help but see the results of the Bush Administration’s abysmal failures. Voters, as usual, picked what they believed to be the lesser of two evils. Obama would bring a new dawn to Washington. But the republicans, handed lemons, made lemonade and soon had the democrats back to their boot licking selves. Obama, with every new day, seemed more of a sop. By the time his vaunted 100 days were over he had somehow morphed into a Bush aficionado.
Cheney emerged, defending himself and spitting venom, and accusing Obama of recalcitrance to terrorist threats. Decisions Dick made were ones that Obama could adapt to if only he weren‘t so soft. In his recollections of challenges overcome, and opponents bested, Dick often deviated from even loose definitions of truth. But no one cared. Ol’ Dick was aimin’ his scatter gun at Obama, and any other democrat who isn’t ready to stick pins in voodoo dolls dressed up like Osama bin Laden. “You just gotta torture folks if you wanna feel safe,” Dick maintains, trying to maneuver Obama into a disadvantaged position from which he‘d appear weak - a tactic that Obama fully cooperates with. The president obviously deferred to whatever viewpoints the republicans required of him, even though they knew, Obama would ever grasp the shuddering horror of terrorists at the gate.
Where was Obama, and other leaders of the Democratic Party, while Dick stole the show, and warned Americans of dire consequences if someone didn’t wake Obama up, and fast! Obama was consulting with two of the Wall Street ringleaders who helped engineer the financial communities collapse at the expense of taxpayers.
Elections are about change. They are never about more of the same. Whichever party most effectively gets this message across wins. The democrats are, as usual, demonstrating they have absolutely no backbone with which to change anything. Indeed, their incessant bowing and scraping sickens even their strongest, liberal supporters. The republicans need only brandish their scary stick, and the democrats will cup their ears with both hands, to better hear what it is they should do next.
There are unlimited polling data which clearly show American voters existing in a vacuum of political ignorance. Polls conducted after 9-11 reveal that many Americans believe that Iraq ordered the strike and that Osama bin Laden, in league with Saddam Hussein, were key players. The republicans know this, and they how to exploit ignorance to their advantage. The democrats are led by a male version of Nancy Pelosi. They flounder weakly about in a futile effort to find an identity. The republicans encourage them to lurch right, and damned if the democrats don’t ask, how far?
Obama, Pelosi and Reid, along with most of the democratic hierarchy, are setting new standards in flunking leadership, 101. Their supporters, who thought they were getting a name brand, instead got brand X. Is Obama repaying his campaign contributors? Is that it? Is he and other democratic leaders, under some kind of threat, and must capitulate or else? Could it be possible something has been added to their water, by the republicans of course, and turned them into spineless, sniveling, republican conspirators? In 2012 the republicans will successfully nail the democrats as a Bush lite continuation, that is unable or unwilling to stand up for their beliefs, whatever they are. Sadly Obama and his entourage will have helped the republicans load the cannon that will blow them out of the water.
Lies emanate from D.C, like heat off a baking, tarred road. The center of American politics is a crumbling castle, surrounded by a mote filled with alligators, and other disreputable creatures. These toothy, fearful animals carry pens and notebooks in lieu of teeth. The game is played with lies and subterfuge, and the winner is determined by who lies the most and gets away with it. Republicans excel.
Milling around in the background are millions of peasants who work ceaselessly. They are taxed for their Herculean efforts so the rich folk may further control their impetuous natures while relieving them of significant portions of their earnings. This is how royalty, the upper class, has always operated. It’s nothing new, and the common folk are happy with their lot, as long as the believe they are working for one noble cause or another. Obama was given an exceedingly rare opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of over 300 million Americans. But he hasn’t the imagination, or the determination, to do any such thing. No one can respect a person who won't stand up for himself.
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