What We're Getting Is Just a Taste

[babylonsister]

http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=07&year=2010&base_name=what_were_getting_is_just_a_ta

What We're Getting Is Just a Taste


You've probably heard about the New Black Panther Party "scandal," in which a guy stood outside a polling place in a heavily black precinct holding a billy club (Adam has been talking about this extensively; see here). Well it's starting to break through to the mainstream media, as these things always do; see, for instance, this Washington Post article in which the passive voice is used extensively. It "has become a political controversy for the Obama administration," yes indeed.

The conservative media pushing this story are indignant that anyone could suggest that race has something to do with their interest in it. After all, they're just passionate defenders of voting rights, and it's obvious that after looking through all the voting rights cases that have occurred in recent years, they decided that this was the most outrageous, and demanded wall-to-wall attention.

We didn't need a lesson in how good the right is in kicking up these dust storms, because they've done it so many times before. It's a very simple formula: take some incident or person who can embody something you want people to believe about the left (elitists, scary black people, etc.); put it into heavy rotation on Fox and conservative radio; immediately begin screaming that the liberal mainstream media are ignoring this vital story; watch while the mainstream media pick up the story to prove they really aren't liberal. Rinse, repeat. It works pretty much every time.

Just something to consider: If Republicans take back the House in November, they'll barely need Fox and Rush Limbaugh and the rest to do this. They'll have subpoena power. And once they start holding hearings, the press will dutifully cover them. Back when Bill Clinton was president and they controlled Congress, they took 140 hours of testimony on whether Clinton had abused the White House Christmas card list. And the GOP is even more conservative now, and even more fervent in their opposition to the current president than they were to Clinton.

-- Paul Waldman

[JoePhilly]

1. You would think this would be Crystal Clear to the left ....

We simply can not let the GOP have any control whatsoever ...

When they control congress, they gut regulation, they cut enforcement, fines become warnings ... and they attack the Dem President over ridiculous things.

If they took congress ... you can BET that the birther lawsuits would be run straight from the House of Representatives. Every financial transaction in Obama's past would be investigated. Michelle's too.

And we on the left would no longer be debating health care legislation or whether Obama should overturn DADT with an executive order or Congressional action.

We'd be watching the GOP cut taxes for corporations further ... while trying to impeach Obama.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mopinko]

3. now there's a phrase to make you insides churn

republicans with subpoena power.

[Cha]

4. Thanks babylonsister!

[kickysnana]

5. Why have the Dems not used any subpoena power?

(Rant on)

Why have they not marginalized and/or purged partisan people in the government?

We should have had them on the run instead we are dismantling Social Security, privatizing education, cutting the unemployed adrift with no hope of jobs, continuing to fight budget-busting wars, waffling on the environment, wiretapping, and DODT, and giving Wall Street almost everything they want.

This is the laziest scaremongering excuse for propping up people who do not share what used to be even moderate core Republican values in the 1950's. Scaremongering itself is the antithesis of Democratic values.

(Rant off)

[FrenchieCat]

10. Because Democrats aren't Republicans?

They aren't in Washington for revenge, hate and fury. They want to govern.

And please....we are not dismantling shit, or privatizing education, or
none of that other shit you mentioned. The Teacher's Union happiness or
lack thereof, does not dictate the entire educational system, last I checked.

Some folks just need drama and to be happy about being unhappy.
Perhaps those are your values.

[kickysnana]

12. Prosecuting criminals is not revenge...

Nobody is happy about the educational system that has been underfunded and siege since the 1980's. But turning it over to Corporate failed charter schools is beyond belief.

Nobody but stepford wives was happy under Hoover either.

I didn't expect Obama to be able to erase the last 10 years, I did not expect him to keep adding to the misery with his Conservative Corporate advisers.

He does give great speeches, Michele is stunning and his kids are cute.

[Scurrilous]

6. K & R

:thumbsup:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. Spot on!

:kick:

[SunsetDreams]

8. K&R

[ProgressOnTheMove]

9. Yes, the potential for damage is probably greater than when Bush is in power and a protest none vote

will only ever hurt us than the Representative. It's repeating history Clinton's presidency would of been more kindly remembered had he held majorities in '94 we can avoid '94 even if it mean electing Alvin Greene the law will decide for or against on his case. Sure Democrats will disappoint us realistically, but they won't ever abandoned the citizens without a thought. I remember the story heard on the radio, where a grandma said in the depression Republicans let people stave and only Democrats made sure everyone was fed and that's why you vote Democrat all the rest are details. Sure we'd all love a system that didn't resist change in having so few Senators, but given that's how it is we have to vote in as many Democrats as is possible and hope for the best. All the commentators on our side are right to try to push the party to improve itself, but when the rubber hits the road we have to come out for Democrats because regardless of what people do say they do come out for us.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

11. Cenk is at his best when he's on MSNBC but we got to keep Ratigan, Keith and Rachel and Ed. Joe's...

slot would be perfect and a great start to the day or maybe dynamic tension and Cenk presents with Joe. There's a lot of presenters on Joe mix it up a little put Montell on there too get some real debate.