With their hopes and fortunes sinking in 2006 the biggest weapon the republicans will trot out is TERROR ALERTS. Be ready for war mongering on Iran and for them to constantly start changing the color coded terror alert signs as Peter Beinhart in the NEW REPUBLIC writes
In 2002, Republicans ran on the war on terrorism. In 2004, they ran on the war on terrorism. And, last week, Karl Rove informed the country that, in 2006, they plan to run on ... the war on terrorism. It's the political equivalent of Groundhog Day.
Be ready more below
We need to start the spin cycle now! Start writing to your local newspaper editorial comments page and pre-empt this cynical attack! Also we need to get this story to the Traditional Media pronto. That way the talking heads will start to talk about this tactic. if its out in the open it will not work! Other wise all the hard work to make the culture of corruption and issue will be trumped by "the war on terror ( and other color coded signs)"
Peter Beinart also writes
Of course, every two years, the specifics change slightly. In 2002, the White House argued that, because Democrats wanted labor protections in the Homeland Security bill, they would leave the United States vulnerable to another September 11. In 2004, they argued that, because John Kerry was a serial flip-flopper with no backbone, he'd leave the United States vulnerable to another September 11. And, in 2006, according to Rove, they will argue that, because Democrats care too much about civil liberties, they'll leave the United States vulnerable to another September 11. As with any familiar recipe, you can add an ingredient here or there, but it tastes pretty much the same in the end.
The White House strategy is hardly surprising. National security has worked for them before, and, after Social Security, Katrina, and assorted scandals, they aren't exactly swamped with good alternatives. But there's a problem: Every two years, September 11 recedes further into the distance. In the late nineteenth century, Republicans won elections by reminding voters that Democrats had supported secession. In the mid-twentieth century, Democrats won elections by reminding voters that Republicans had presided over the Great Depression. But, after a while, times change, and old attacks lose their zing. You could almost detect a note of desperation in Dick Cheney's recent lament that, "as we get farther away from September 11, some in Washington are yielding to the temptation to downplay the ongoing threat to our country and to back away from the business at hand. This is perhaps a natural impulse, as time passes and alarms don't sound."
Please get this message out!!!