So this weekend the TPM folks sent a reporter down to KY to watch some good old fashioned politicking at Fancy Farms. See TPM for more details: http://ow.ly/...
While Rand Paul has been making it easy for Jack Conway, the fact still remains that Conway threw some body blows at Paul that were quite true. To put it into Southern terms, he called him on his shit. Now Rand Paul has quite a bit of this material he can be called on and I honestly believe there are some serious parallels between this race and the rest of the elections that are coming in November. Not so much with voter confidence and such, but with message and force.
The first point is that Rand Paul is not some GOP outlier, the guy represents all that the GOP have been trying to pander to for the last ten years or more. All his base are belong to GOPosaur. Small government mantra? Check. Privileged? Check. Endorses inherently racist or unequal policies, while at the same time claiming not to be a racist? Check. Encourages the repeal and destruction of the basic tenets of the Constitution? Check. My main question at this point is with this kind of ammo, why are we worried about Dems reelection prospects?
Are you listening Tim Kaine? I am fucking talking to you!
Sorry about that. My turrets must be acting up.
Maybe it is because the Democratic party has taken the high road, maybe it is because the GOPosaur was lumbering down this road any way. Whatever the case, we have a party that endorses inherently racist policies, wants to actively legislate against American citizens of different sexual orientations, religions or non-religious, or those they view as unpatriotic. And while they do this a significant number of their core supporters want to repeal significant portions of the Constitution. Portions that guaranteed significant freedoms to vast majorities of the citizenry. I have lost count, how many amendments do they want to repeal now? Four? Five?
Calling the DNC DCCC, SCCC, and any other DC Dem CC! Are you listening you fucktards??
Damn. Excuse me, I will go take my meds now.
Where is the string of national adds tying the GOP and Tea Party together? I am sure we could lend them the GOPosaur. The GOP could be the head and the Tea Party can be the tail with the small brain that knocks shit over, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
Where are the national adds that clearly say: The GOP wants to repeal this amendment and take away your rights. They could do one ad per amendment and hammer it home until the regional party becomes the super minority party.
Where is the ad that says the GOP is for small government, the Dems are for effective government?
Where is the ad showing every major piece of legislation passed or defeated with a resounding GOP NO juxtaposed on the other side? Healthcare? NO! Women on the Supreme Court? NO! Fair pay for women? NO! Accountability for corporations? NO!
Seriously Tim Kaine, what is going to fucking take?
Ok, that one he deserved.
I don't care if we can't agree on everything. I hate corporate Democrats and what they represent. I think that they are the reason the Roberts Court exists. But surely we can agree that more Democrats in the House and Senate is a good thing and that Tim Kaine needs to locate his testicles! If he can't find them I am sure that Sen. Feinstein can lend him a pair. (Not an insult, that woman has balls and backbone to spare.)
I am glad that the Dems are coming out with a unified strategy, using the President as the mouthpiece, but it does not mean much if we have the GOP, Faux, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce coming full swing. He is one voice and they are many with significant cash. This November will not be about one message against one message, it will be about how citizens united allowed for the death by a thousand cuts of the Democratic majorities. This will be coordinated by the USCoC and echoed by the GOP on their personal message service Faux.
Yes the picture I have painted is a worse case scenario. That is intentional to make the contrast clear. How do you fight against a thousand different attacks from three different organizations when you are using one mouth piece? Simple answer is you can't. Not defensively in any case. The only solution is to brazenly attack the sources, put them on the defensive and make it clear that their little arguments don't matter compared to the shredding of the Constitution that they endorse. This is happening to some extent with the Chamber of Commerce, but their are people out there calling them on their shit and hitting them with the reality of fact. Not that facts always matter in politics, but you get my point.
This November must be about big ideas and not wonky minutia. It must be the battle of the bumper stickers, because we have better slogans. Only once you win the slogan war can you begin to debate the issues. I may be young but it seams to be a rare opportunity in history when a party becomes so extreme that they will actively legislate against large swaths of the citizenry. Why should Democrats not take advantage of this?
It is about the American fucking people, stupid!!
No, fuck you. I am not apologizing for that one.
You know when you are out in public and you see that kid, maybe three of four years old, misbehaving? The kid is screaming, acting out, and nothing the parent says or promises will help bring the kid to a sensible frame of mind? Then the kid starts throwing things, hitting people, screaming inappropriate content, and in general throwing the most God awful tantrum you have ever seen? It is a that point the child has gone to extremes and needs to be instructed that, no this is not acceptable and you need to change. In short, it is time to whup that ass and make it clear the child is in the wrong. You must get their attention and earn their respect at the same time.
The child in this case is the GOP, Tea Party, and many of the corporate owned Democrats. They need to be reminded that service to this country is about the majority of the American people, not a small minority in their state who happen to make the most noise or donate the most cash. There is more change that is needed in the areas of election reform if this country is going to survive and be a benefit to those that live within her borders.
We need a second change revolution in this country and the only way to do this is to go on the offensive, pull no punches, and make the messages big and bumper sticker friendly. Tim Kaine if you can see this, just know you have been wrong in being nearly silent, wrong in not playing tough, wrong in not using every major flaw the GOP has to your advantage.
Wouldn't you like to be right for a change?
-SR