Time is on our side. When Republicans pronounced a "long, hot" August, the keyword was long. Popular belief equated a long debate with a failed debate. Unfortunately, the Right came on a wee too strong, and a bit too fast. Nixon is grumbling somewhere.
So now "death panels," "Obama Hitler," and the results of a paranoia-amalgamation via Beck, Rush, and Hannity are producing just the results we need.
For the left, the debate began with righteous outrage mixed with deer meeting headlights. By next week, it should all seem hilarious - if not already.
Fortunately, the public isn't majorly stupid. (Obama - 53%, McCain - 46%.) Even better is that anytime policy is influenced by lies, there is bound to be a reversion. (By 2005, even Colin Powell was admitting he lied during the Iraq build-up.)
Given the relative specificity of healthcare proposals - versus, say, mass war - and the outrageousness of claims, lies may only succeed temporarily. But of course lies do not die on their own. The best way to combat it is to expose the hyperbole, underline the truth, and actually distract - get to the importance. Obama is doing this. So are some members of Congress. Activists are doing their part. A bad way is to whine about lack of details - News flash, there hasn't been a bill settled on yet. Consider this the pre-debate in which we have a function.
Now given the absurdity of the right's claims - and with Rush and Palin as spokespeople - the public is, for the most part, sort of comfortably numbed. Why should the majority, moderate to progressives, charge into the crazy meetings to add to the noise? In the end, they do the work for us. They propose some tinfoil conspiracy; we expose. Independents see the game and are turned off by the high drama of "he's going to kill granny." Obama? While he is damn adept at killing flies, the idea is mostly funny to anyone with a functioning brain.
Let them keep "talking." The town halls are helping to pass healthcare reform.
However, my one complaint is some fine lawmakers are on the receiving end. It'd be nice if we could funnel the crazies right to the Blue Dogs. We know every good dog needs a bone. But first they try the Friskies.
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