We have to invade, spread, and take over. We have to do it under the radar. We have to have it mostly completed before they even notice. Because they have POWERFUL weapons, they've assembled and/or overtaken major media outlets that only spout and reinforce their propaganda farther and wider and more ubiquitous every year. They've elevated people like word-twister/slogan tester frank luntz to near god-hood, and they pay attention to him while the vast majority of policy-makers on our side probably never even heard of George Lakoff. And all the while, our side has sat and dozed, and assumed that - hey, the people will understand! The people will see the truth! The people will know! AND THEY DON'T!!! Not when they're hammered with this constant repetition about "government bad," "tax cuts good," and "greed is good," and the underlying unspoken corollary: "hey, selfishness is OKAY!!!!"
We have to start thinking like the enemy, and OUT-thinking them, and we have to take over systemically, starting from the bottom - the way they did 30 years ago when ralph reed of the so-called "Christian" Coalition was advising operatives to get in at the low, local, boring, seemingly less-important levels like the school boards and alderman levels. And from there you can build a power base and run for some office slightly higher up. Maybe city councilman or something. After that, maybe state legislator? Or a Congressional seat?
And after that, you're off 'n' running, and they built TONS of bench strength that way. And besides that, they got their asshole "college republi-CONS" stoked and started growing a lot of kkkarl roves and lee atwaters and other dirty tricksters who then connected with other young reckless, highly ambitious, and ruthlessly Machiavellian operatives and THEY start running for office, and connecting with powerful and wealthy elders looking for proteges and ways to manipulate the system and control it. Which eventually leads to powerhouse operations like ALEC and Pox Noise and the rest of the roiling toxic viper-pit.
We HAVE to support Democrats everywhere. Whether you're annoyed by their spinelessness or their shirking of the left, they're all we've got. What? You'd rather trust mitt romney??????? You'd rather try your luck with paul ryan's ideas?????? You'd rather trust your privacy and your rights to reince priebus or bob mcdonnell?????? You'd rather have mitch mcconnell or scott walker speak for you??????? Because that's the only alternative - for now and for probably a LONG time.
I'm reminded of this movie from, I think, the mid-80's, called "The Competition" - starring Richard Dreyfuss, Amy Irving, and Lee Remick. Dreyfuss and Irving play brilliant young classical musicians up against each other in a prestigious international piano competition. Naturally they eventually become lovers who then have a falling-out. Lee Remick plays Irving's wise and world-weary teacher and mentor. In one key scene, all the finalists and the winner are at a private post-competition party and Amy Irving's all bummed out because of the way things had gone with Richard Dreyfuss on a personal level - not the piano competition, and how imperfect and disappointing this dream romantic suitor turned out to be. So she's off moping while the party's going on in the next room. Lee Remick comes up to her and gently scolds (I'm paraphrasing): "it's going to take Nature another 100 years to evolve the kind of man you have in mind. Until then, get out there and dance with what there IS!"
I think we all need to heed that advice, politically. Get serious about Democrats NOW, because it's going to take Nature who-knows-how-long to evolve the kind of liberal and progressive representatives we have in mind. So until then, we URGENTLY NEED to get out there and dance with what there IS!" I don't care how many mistakes Obama's made or how many different ways he's come up short. He beats the living hell outta ANYBODY on the other side. And ANY Democrat is better than the most temporarily amiable republi-CON.
And yes, trying to reason with people who think like jan brewer is a colossal waste of time! Better to focus on ways to weaken her influence (no like-minded majorities in the legislature to have her back), and ultimately replace her - AND make sure that replacement has majorities of Dems to back him/her up as well! It's not good enough just to get the guy/gal at the top of the ziggurat. They have to have plenty of reinforcements standing behind them. There's too big a mess to clean up, and too many major extreme-rightward trends to reverse. We have to throw everything we can behind Democrats everywhere - from top to bottom - if we're ever to have a prayer of moving the pendulum back toward the left.
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