As usual, the Republicans are winning the meme war: "endless deficits, government run health care, stimulus not working, bailouts, taxes going higher, murdering the elderly" and Democrats respond with the predictable foot stomping, finger wagging outrage. "How dare they say these outrageous things. Have they no shame. Well at least we are civilized and won't stoop to their level." It reminds me of the old Staney Myron Handelman joke where a guy comes up and starts beating his wife right in front of him. His punchline:"Boy I can tell you I was getting madder by the minute."
Unfortunately outrage is not enough. We need to change the media memes. To be blunt, we need to to be blunter.
Whenever the token talking head liberals get onto Morning Joe or Fox News or whatever, they need to keep it short and sweet. Use words like "insane" all the time when faced with insane statements. Challenge the mental health of your right wing opponents. Call them racist when they say racist things. Change the meme. Push all of the following:
- Single Payer Health Care? It's 47% of the national health care budget right now. Demand that Gallup, Rasmussen, NBC/WSJ, CBS/NY Times and Zogby poll only those people currently covered by single payer and ask them how they like their "Socialized Medicine". Remind the viewers that everybody in Congress already gets "Socialized Medicine".
- Call the Blue Dogs out for what they really are trying to do: add to the deficit, not cut costs. None of what they propose saves the American taxpayer a cent. They just added $1 trillion to the government deficit with their antics. Say so. Don't let them get away with it.
- Talk about how a strong public option saves the American Taxpayer $3 trillion dollars over the next 10 years, and another $3 trillion in premium increases. No matter what you are asked, repeat the $6 trillion dollar savings figure over and over again. Make it a well known fact.
- Bipartisanship is the same as appeasement. When you appease terrorists (and call them terrorists) American families lose. Max Baucus is an terrorist appeaser.
- The Republican Party is the party of sexist, racist, homophobic xenophobes. They hate women, people of color, gays and foreigners. Period. If you are not a gun toting white male (or white female who knows her proper place) no need to apply. That's their entire purpose for existence.
Stop being reasonable with these people. The Snowes and Collins think that Democrats are too polite to go there and really challenge them on their duplicity. When appearing on the MSM, Democrats and their surrogates need to stop being so goshdarned polite and go on the attack at every chance. Believe it or not the Chuck Todd's, Joe Scarborough's and their ilk would love it. All they truly care about are their ratings. Give them what the want. Attack Republicans, call them what they are and get the truth out. Stop overestimating the intelligence of the American people. Remember that 46 out every 100 voters thought Palin/McCain was the better answer.