Saboteurs in the Potato Salad

[phantom power]

I don't know why I'm surprised anymore, but... What kind of person is OK with conducting political discourse as a literal confidence game?

Just now, a cell of several hundred people has been dispatched into the American summer, to picnics, town halls, radio stations, hospitals and Little League playing fields, with a mission to derail the economic recovery and drum up support for sabotaging federal law. They’re not terrorists, nor are they agents of a foreign government. This is your United States Congress, the Republican House, on recess for the next five weeks.

They even have a master plan, a 31-page kit put together by the House Republican Conference, for every member to follow while back home with the folks. It’s called “Fighting Washington for all Americans,” and includes a prototype op-ed piece, with a political version of the line usually reserved for dumping lovers: “This isn’t about me. It’s about you.”

Here’s a sample suggestion, from Page 28, of how to stage a phony public meeting with business owners:

“Confirm the theme(s) prior to the event and make sure the participants will be 100 percent on message. (Note: while they do not have to be Republicans, they need to be able to discuss the negative effects of Obamacare on their employees.)”

And what if I have a child with cancer, and the insurance company plans to dump him if Republicans stop Obamacare in its tracks? Can I attend? Or what if I’m counting on buying into the new health care exchanges in my state, saving hundreds of dollars on my insurance bill?

The kit has an answer: planting supporters, with prescreened softball questions, will ensure that such things never get asked. More important, this tactic will assure that any meeting with the dreaded public will go “in the direction that is most beneficial to the member,” as the blueprint states.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/01/saboteurs-in-the-potato-salad/?_r=0

[northoftheborder]

1. Absolutely disgusting.

[Mc Mike]

2. 31 pages -- that's way bigger and more detailed than their jobs plan.

Imagine if they put some of their energy & effort into doing something that helped the country, instead of serving their swine-like 1% masters.

[phantom power]

4. Heh, reminds me of conversations with my daughter

"What if you just did your chores, which takes maybe 10 minutes, instead of arguing with me about it for half an hour?"

So crazy, it might work.

[Mc Mike]

5. If only we could ground the GOPers

and take away their phone and computer privileges, and allowances, until they do their chores.

We'd probably get more responsible and reasonable legislation if we subsitiuted kids under 18 for the GOP reps, too.

[barbtries]

3. scandalous.

they redefine "low" over and over and over.