A right-wing Republican (a former "friend" from many many years ago) sent me a copy of a letter sent out to SC residents by the "honorable" Lindsey Graham.
This letter shows tactics Republicans are using to build a grassroots movement to gain ground in the next election.
This letter uses the key phrases to instill fear tactics in people who are not necessarily well-versed in politics such as:
"pork filled 'stimulus' bill", "expanded government control of health care", "adding to our national debt", "money that you and your children will pay back for years to come", need "to stop the attacks on our common-sense, conservative values", "make your voice heard", "spending away our children's future and heading down the wrong path".
Rush and his ilk are trying to rally the ignorant so we'd better figure out a way to educate everyone we can.
The "call to arms"...
Subject: Stand up and make your voice heard
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:14:12 -0500
Dear South Carolinian,
Have you heard some of the items that were included in the pork-filled "Stimulus" bill that Democrats passed and President Obama signed into law last week?
Mind you...not a full text of the stimulus bill...just a few tidbits to anger the uninformed (and no mention that this stimulus bill was approved by Congress during the last administration and that it would require much time and effort to "undo" the items that were added prior to approval):
$140 million for volcano monitoring systems
$50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts
$125 million for restoring trails and abandoned mines
$200 million to furnish the Department of Homeland Security headquarters
Tax breaks for buying golf carts
Expanded government control of health care
No mention how monitoring volcanos could save lives by enabling scientists to predict eruptions and move people out of harms way.
No mention that Arts funding has been cut to bare bones by Republican administrations. Who needs the arts??? Let the artists get "real" jobs.
Homeland Security? Why would we need that????? Those crazy Democrats must think there are "terrorists" out there waiting to attack us!!
No mention that money was cut for restoring mines that have already been restored but were still getting money (heard that on CSPAN last night).
Tax break for buying a golf cart? I must rush out and buy one...mmm maybe I could drive it to the store instead of my gas guzzler? Don't know where this one is coming from but it is apparently included to induce outrage. Wonder who added that on last term? R or D?
Expanded government control of health care?...The insurance companies are handling that quite nicely thank you. Anyone worth their salt can afford health insurance. Lost their jobs and the insurance went with it? Oh well...they must have done something to lose their jobs in the first place...they don't deserve health insurance!!
I fought and voted against the pork-filled "Stimulus" package because it creates more government than jobs. The original goal was to work together to stimulate our economy and create jobs. It's clear we failed miserably in that endeavor.
Yes, look what a great job the Financial sector has done with no government breathing down its back. Lots of top-paying jobs...had to lay off the peons but hey, look how many CEOs still have high-paying jobs or great retirements...nothing to worry about there. Besides that, the media seems to be hiring lots of "journalists" and those jobs pay lots of money...radio...tv...don't even need much of a resume...just look good and be able to chit chat, giggle, guffaw, and banter...oh yes...and read talking points.
Every dime of the $787 Billion is borrowed and added to our national debt. When the interest payments for the next ten years are included, the bill will actually cost more than $1 Trillion - money that you and your children will pay back for years to come.
And where did we get the money to fund the war in Iraq? Who did we "borrow" that from? Our ancestors? The surplus left by the Clinton Administration? Who cleaned out the coffers left by the Clinton Administration and left us broke?
Without access to health care, "you and your children" may not be around long enough to worry about it. The old "concern for the children" mantra...yet it isn't important to provide them with health care or food if they fall below the poverty line. If people die from poor health, they won't need health care, right?
This is not the change we need!
And "we" would be...??? The upper-income Republicans, of course. The rest of us 95% are BEGGING for change.
Republicans stood strong for fiscal responsibility. Seven Democrats joined all 176 Republicans in the House of Representatives to oppose the bill. Only three Republican Senators voted for the package, but it was enough to make the difference.
"Fiscal responsibility"?????? How did we get to this point again? Please explain...oh yes...Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and those stupid people who bought homes they couldn't afford when the interest rates and payments ballooned...I forgot.
And those three Republican Senators...practicing "bipartisanship"...oh how disgraceful.
So what does all of this prove? Elections matter.
YES they DO matter...and you seem to have forgotten who was elected. This is a cry for the "poor republicans" to stand up and be heard by going to the polls. (We HAVE to keep them informed. We do NOT have the media to get the message out...WE need to find a way to do that.)
It also proves that we must redouble our efforts to stop the attacks on our common-sense, conservative values.
Hear that..."redouble our efforts"...they are mobilizing behind the facade of Limbaugh tripe. "Common sense?" I see much common, but not much sense.
We are "attacking their common sense, conservative values"? Though I do not live in SC (I live next door), I know enough people who have a knee-jerk reaction to statements like that. They are sure the "libruls" want to take away their guns, their religion, and their way of life." Many of them are still fighting the Civil War...though there are many progressives inhabiting the state...they are not yet in the majority. Graham is trying to mobilize the "flag" carrying conservatives.
We need good citizens like you to get involved in the Republican Party if we're going to prevent Washington from spending away our children's future and heading down the wrong path.
FEAR...protect the children...don't feed them or give them medical care...just protect them from big bad Washington "spending away their future". Poor blokes who don't have enough money to buy food or medical care can envision Washington trying to rob them blind. For the most part they don't keep up with details of politics. It is too easy to get the "facts" from the "good ole boy" reps like Graham.
Stand with us. Get involved. Make your voice heard.
Yes...identify with us...the big guys who are trying to "protect" you and "help" you. (Don't look at my big ears and my big teeth little girl.)
Unite with us to build a tremendous grassroots network in the Republican Party that can bring common sense back to Washington.
Yes...we can "show" them we can "stand up to them" and prevent the "gubment" from taking over your rights if we stick together.
Political parties are built from the grassroots up - not the top down. Starting at the neighborhood level and ending at the state convention, I'm asking you to get involved and help grow the Republican Party.
Well...they must have found something they LIKE about the Democrats. Even though they have never been a party for the little people...they must have realized that every little vote counts when you aren't tending the machines.
The Republican Party's precinct meetings - where concerned citizens organize neighborhood by neighborhood - are coming up in the next few days across South Carolina. I'm asking you to participate, even if you've never gone before.
HELP!!! Come out of the woodwork please...we NEED your votes to stay in to protect you from the big powerful gubment.
Now is the time to speak up and make a difference.
Let me give you your talking points.
While you're at the precinct meeting, consider running for precinct committeeman. This will allow you to vote at the county meetings on behalf of your precinct. And sign up to be a delegate to the county and state conventions. This will allow you to have input at both the local and state levels.
Hear that folks...we need to be just as vigilant in the primaries because these rethugs are not going to sit back and let a Democratic majority retain control of Congress.
Each county has a different day when they hold their precinct meetings and county convention, so click here for specific information on your county. Meetings start as soon as this Monday, March 2nd, so don't delay.
They are starting now to organize while Rush is braying his rhetoric.
If the Republican Party can grow bigger and stronger, we can change our state and nation for the better.
And for some reason it works almost every time with this bunch...they think the Republican party is going to change the state and nation for the better for the little people. I hope they are getting it...but some won't.
It all starts with you. Will you stand with us?
Sincerely,
Lindsey Graham
United States Senator
And who wouldn't stand with such an "honorable" fellow so willing to fight for the little folks!
P.S. If you're disgusted with Washington's pork-barrel "stimulus" like I am, make your voice heard. Get involved in the Republican Party. Take the first step and attend your Republican precinct meeting. The first precinct meetings begin Monday, March 2, so click here to find out when your county is getting started. We can bring common sense back to Washington, but we need your help. Let's work together to make our Party bigger and stronger.
Yes...I'm "disgusted" but not with the stimulus bill. I'm disgusted with obstructionists who refuse to acknowledge that American citizens elected a President we trust and that we want to move away from policies that got us into this financial fiasco.
Notice how Graham skirted the issue of "whose" pork-barrel "stimulus" by calling it "Washington's" pork-barrel "stimulus". Again, he failed to mention that it was the stimulus bill approved by the previous Congress at the urging of Bush and Paulson.
And on one last note...I attended a "rally" in SC in the mid 60s out of curiosity. The fear tactics were the same as today, the "stand up to the big bad "gubment" cries were the same, many of the driving forces were the same as today, but the language was less subtle and at the end, they all rallied around a blazing burning cross made out of a huge telephone pole. You could feel the searing heat from a great distance. I know what the "fear" tactics do to people. I watched it and was terrified at what I saw.
The National Guard was there with rifles to "keep order" I suppose. There was one black National Guardsman and I remember wondering how he had the restraint to not take aim at the ignorant pudgy racist "preacher" spouting his vile venom...(very much like that of Limbaugh)...rallying the crowd. The "leaders" hiding behind their hoods and sheets then passed a helmet to take up money from the poor (and I mean POOR) people who were in attendance with their children. I heard one little girl who was about 6 say "Daddy, how are we going to buy food?" as he put their money in the helmet.
Ignorance is a quality the POWERFUL value in the less-powerful because it makes the less-powerful easier to manipulate.