The Right-Wing Smear Machine Cranks Up

{cross-posted at JohnKerry.com}

I think we all know it - next year the Republican Party is going to run as dirty an election campaign as we've ever seen in this country. I've seen it first hand, and their shadowy front-groups are going to be out in force.

And it won't just be the Presidential race, but the entire apparatus of the Republican Party will use the same right wing “Swift-Boat” style attack tactics in every race at every level.

And in the run-up to 08, it's already happening in a state legislative race in New Jersey.

Unfortunately, the term "Swift-boating" which should apply only to the boats and sailors we knew and loved, has taken on a whole new meaning today. It pains my crewmates.

But the best way to reclaim the real meaning of the word is to stamp out the ugly politics it’s now associated with on the Republican side: the use of outside, shadowy groups with lots of money to spread smears and lies about someone.

Which brings us to Common Sense America. This group, run by a James Dobson acolyte, has smeared a number of New Jersey Democrats who have supported clean elections and civil rights in New Jersey. They are spending more than a quarter of a million dollars just to defeat Linda Greenstein, a key fighter for clean elections in New Jersey, in the 14th Legislative district. These right-wing front groups are trying to infiltrate elections on every level, trying to turn their weapons of fear and smear against Democrats no matter the time or place.

I know people are sick and tired of these kinds of attacks, but it's up to us, the activists and public servants on the other side, to fight against them. I'm just starting - just gearing up for the battle - there's no way I'm going to stand by while Democrats are mugged by the hired thugs of the right-wing hit machine. From Linda Greenstein to our eventual Presidential nominee, if the right-wing thinks they can slime their way through another election, they've got another thing coming.

They have damaged our country with their ideology, they are throwing up roadblocks in DC to our getting about the business of fixing their damage, and they are going to pay for it at the ballot box – and that starts now.

update: I have a moment with Internet access here, and I noticed a lot of discussion around what we should do about this over the next year. It's good discussion, and I don't claim to have all the answers. I'll read through the whole thread when we're through to get some more ideas. But there are some things I know I will do. Like speak out at every opportunity to show everyone what the Republican Party has become. We are all hungry for a new direction. But the Republican Party is stuck in the tear-it-down tactics of the past, offering no hope, no solutions to anything. Nothing but fear and smear. I have a pretty big megaphone, and I intend on using it.

As activists, you can't be everywhere. So my suggestion is to try to focus on races in your region and dedicate some time to countering the smears in those races. And focus on a few national media outlets and dedicate some time to writing them to point out whenever they follow a right-wing story-line. But I think a big point is to make sure you don't spread yourself thin and look to make a difference with what you do.

We've made progress in the last few years, which has forced the smear machine to get nastier and sneakier. But with the great work done by local blogs (Blue Jersey in NJ, or BlueMassGroup in my state), you can keep up with things locally, as well as nationally at places like here at dKos. We have the facts, we have great bloggers putting those facts out there, and it's up to all of us to make sure those facts are heard.

In this case, if you're in NJ, help out in the fight there. But what this story did to me - and why I came here to post it - was it reminded me once again how much the Republican Party has come to depend on tactics like this, and how hard I'm going to fight over the next year to fight against it.