My hope is that this diary will end all other diaries about you know who. Shhh. Ixnay on the oulterCay.
By blogging about the Scarecrow we add fuel to her fire. Everybody's talking about her now because "the bloggers are outraged." That's us, well, some of us anyway.
It's important to know that creating this buzz is not just intended to sell books. It's intended to get unspeakable ideas into the mainstream. It's the Scarecrow's job to open windows on the Overton Express.
I see you looking down there.
One useful tool is the Overton window. Named after the former vice president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy who developed the model, it's a means of visualizing where to go, and how to assess progress. Let's say, for example, that you want to make education as free and choice-based as it can possibly be. Let's start by developing a continuum of educational states, from the desired extreme of total freedom, to the undesirable extreme of total statism. It might look something like this:
No government involvement in education.
All schools private with government regulation.
Voucher system with public schools.
Tuition tax credit with public schools.
Homeschooling legal.
Private schools restricted.
Homeschooling illegal.
Private schools illegal.
Children taken from parents and raised as janissaries.
In Scarecrow's case, she wants to take the desired extreme of, oh, let's say not talking shit about 9/11 widows or other "victims" to the undesired extreme of talking shit about 9/11 widows and other victims. So she smashes the Overton Window with some verbal bricks. Once she rides the controversy wave and sells a few books, her job is done.
Now it's up to her Republican cohorts to take the baton across the finish line. Tonight, that's just what Joe Scarborough did. (Note: Transcript isn't up yet. You'll have to take my word for it for the time being).
I'll offer a summery of tonight's show:
Joe: The bloggers are outraged.
Guest: I think Republicans should be outraged, too.
Joe: How come?
Guest: Because she was mean.
Joe: I agree. I think she was too harsh. But, don't you think she has a point that once somebody enters the political fray they open themselves up to criticism?
Guest: Great point, Joe.
See what they did there? They said Scarecrow was mean, but she had a great point. The Overton Express has reached it's destination. No, it's not the nasty destination in Scarecrow's brochure. Rather, it's a warning for people to stay out of the political fray, lest they be criticized - most likely by Scarecrow.
One final note. On Leno tonight, the Scarecrow let it be known that she was tired of conservatives not being able to "attack the victims of the left." The whole goal is to be able to attack the Cindy Sheehans, 9/11 widows and Max Clelands of the world without apology because they "entered the political fray."
The thing is, they wouldn't be talking about it, if there wasn't ratings generating controversy attached to it. So lock the windows and shhh. Inxnay on the oulterCay
hink