Godzilla versus the Liberals

[Q]

- I've been a liberal Democrat for thirty years. Liberals were generally well thought of until the Reagan era and the 'revolution' started by the likes of Gingrich and the 'Religious' Right. Gingrich hated liberals and Democrats so much that he actually put a handbook together with negative 'codewords' to use against them.

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Language: A Key Mechanism of Control

From Gingrich's GOPAC tapes and manuals: words to use in defining Liberals and Democrats -

* abuse of power
* anti- (issue): flag, family, child, jobs
* betray
* bizarre
* bosses
* bureaucracy
* cheat
* coercion
* "compassion" is not enough
* collapse(ing)
* consequences
* corrupt
* corruption
* criminal rights
* crisis
* cynicism
* decay
* deeper
* destroy
* destructive
* devour
* disgrace
* endanger
* excuses
* failure (fail)
* greed
* hypocrisy
* ideological
* impose
* incompetent
* insecure
* insensitive
* intolerant
* liberal
* lie
* limit(s)
* machine
* mandate(s)
* obsolete
* pathetic
* patronage
* permissive attitude
* pessimistic
* punish (poor ...)
* radical
* red tape
* self-serving
* selfish
* sensationalists
* shallow
* shame
* sick
* spend(ing)
* stagnation
* status quo
* steal
* taxes
* they/them
* threaten
* traitors
* unionized
* urgent (cy)
* waste
* welfare

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- Reagan/Gingrich Republicans branded Democrats with these words throughout the 80s and 90s. Any and all opposition was labeled this way...especially anyone on the left who appeared to be gaining a large following of faithful voters.

- But a strange thing began to happen in the 90s and continues to today. A group splintered off from the Democratic party and called themselves 'New Democrats'. What was strange about it was that they joined with the Reagan/Gingrich Republicans in negative labeling of Liberals and Progressives. New Democrats called them 'out of touch' and accused them of 'living in the past' regarding matters such as 'WELFARE', 'UNIONS', PEACE and other issues and words seemingly lifted from Gingrich's list.

- New Democrats, accused Liberals of being on the 'loony left' and 'leftist fringe' when they refused to compromise and accept a (conservative) agenda that watered down the most sacred of Democratic principles and values.

- So here we are in 2004...with Liberals and Progressives being tossed aside, marginalized and demonized by both RWing Republicans and New Democrats. Liberals and Progressives haven't had a voice in government since at least the 80s and they're treated like lepers in the New Democratic Party.

- The US government...under the tutelage of RWingers and New Democrats...has become corrupt and self-serving beyond measure. Liberals and Progressives may be out of 'power'...but they're not out of hope. Our dream is to one day take our government away from those who have perverted it and give it back to the people.

- Have a wonderful Sunday.

[Khephra]

1. Why'd you bring Godzilla into this?

He's a hippie compared to the neocons.

[Wilber_Stool]

3. Thats right

Godzilla would never hurt a democrat. Although, I could be wrong.

[Khephra]

4. Well... he might step on a few

But that's not really his fault.

He made up for it by fighting the Smog Monster though. ;-)

[Q]

5. 'Godzilla'...

...is a metaphore for the 'monster' that has taken over our country using force and deceit.

- We must face the fact that our government is no longer a Democracy...and is corrupt to its core. This didn't happen in a vacuum. Democrats are partly responsible and it's up to us to clean up the mess created in the 80s and 90s by the developing Corporate State.

- Democrats can no longer afford to sit idly by and use words like 'coincidence' and 'incompetence' to describe the events of the last few years and decades. What's happening to our country is planned and intentional.

[Khephra]

6. I figured

Just giving you a hard time. ;-) Godzilla is my first hero as a child, so I have to stick up for him.

[Q]

8. No problem...

...but I'm having a difficult time seeing humor in anything these days. America and its people are suffering out here in 'reality land' and many of us are still waiting for the Democratic party to kick into gear and do something about it.

- In a two-party system of government...the responsibility to make needed changes lies with the loyal opposition.

[Khephra]

9. Dr. Strangelove

In the worst of times, humor is all we have to keep us sane.

[supernova]

2. It's ashame there wasn't DU back then

and maybe we could have more effectely counteracted this stuff at the beginning. Now it's ingrained in our political discourse.

Of course liberals are traitors. Hardly anyone except us questions the concept anymore.

I was aware at the time they they seemed to be using the same buzzwords. But it's nice to see an actual list. Thanks.

[Q]

7. On the other side of the coin:

- Gingrich's GOPAC list of words to describe...Republicans:

* active(ly)
* activist
* building
* candid(ly)
* care(ing)
* challenge
* change
* children
* choice/choose
* citizen
* commitment
* common sense
* compete
* confident
* conflict
* control
* courage
* crusade
* debate
* dream
* duty
* eliminate good-time in prison
* empower(ment)
* fair
* family
* freedom
* hard work
* help
* humane
* incentive
* initiative
* lead

* learn
* legacy
* liberty
* light
* listen
* mobilize
* moral
* movement
* opportunity
* passionate
* peace
* pioneer
* precious
* premise
* preserve
* principle(d)
* pristine
* pro- (issue): flag, children, environment, reform
* prosperity
* protect
* proud/pride
* provide
* reform
* rights
* share
* strength
* success
* tough
* truth
* unique
* vision
* we/us/our

- It's all about perception management and the power of words. That's why the Bushies throw the word 'evil' around. It's meant to describe both 'terrorists' and those who disagree with the Bush* agenda.

[Pepperbelly]

10. Perhaps this should be a blueprint ...

for turning "conservative" BACK into the dirty word that it is.