The Republican Election Play Book is Simple

[Tom Rinaldo]

Pin the blame for massive unemployment and small business failures on Democrats for resisting "opening up our economy" soon enough, rather than taking blame for the epic mismanagement of the Covid-19 threat that forced our economies to shut down to protect us. They hope to thread the needle by instigating high profile extreme "open it up" protests while simultaneously counting on enough civic and municipal common sense public health restrictions continuing to keep the pandemic from totally blowing up in their faces before the 2020 elections. This isn't about public policy, it's about political branding.

Republicans will paint Democrats as being responsible for most of our continuing economic hardships when we continue to resist the irresponsible wide spread exposure of the public to escalating lethal risks. But they expect us to resist their extreme calls successfully enough, in order to contain a death rate rise just enough, to prevent it from racing off the charts prior to ballots being cast. What happens with any second or third waves of this pandemic after election day is not their concern. Securing their control of the government in November is. It is cynical politics at the highest level. It is standard operating procedure for the Republican Party.

[The Magistrate]

1. From Time Immemorial, Sir

Calamity is blamed on the persons actually in charge, no matter how they may wriggle or what they may say....


"He can't even make it cold in winter! However will he make it rain come spring?"

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. Agreed. Which is why they want to shift the focus onto the State and City level

where many Democrats "are in charge", which is why there is an absolute refusal to implement and promote any bold Federal level policies and initiatives, which is what this pandemic actually calls for. I am not saying that this branding effort will ultimately succeed, but at this point it is the best strategy left available to them.

[The Magistrate]

3. Not A Chance In Hell It Will Work, Sir

In national calamity, nobody blames yamen clerks or even magistrates --- they blame Emperors.

[lame54]

7. Trump's polling higher than ever

[beachbumbob]

4. playbook only works on their faithful, the other 60% know the facts

[tinrobot]

5. Absolutely. They truly love placing blame. It's their standard play.

According to them, it's already Obama's fault for not having enough tests.

[Submariner]

6. They are currently co-mingling in big numbers

so we should just let them potentially die in the tens or hundreds of thousands as they practice their freedom. I have zero sympathy for them. State CPS programs should be seizing all their children to protect the innocent kids health.

[yonder]

8. I've always liked your far too infrequent posts, TR.

This is another good one.

[Tom Rinaldo]

9. Thank you

That means a lot to me.