when the barrage of ads comes out this fall, the idea that the GOP is "tanking" this election...

[scheming daemons]

...will be a distant memory.

The GOP has a seriously flawed candidate ... but the conspiracy theorists that think they are tanking this election on purpose need to wake the hell up.

The PTB on the right are going to spend more than a billion dollars trying to defeat Obama.

They aren't tanking anything. Stop with that nonsense and get ready to fight like your life depends on it.

Because it does.

[cali]

1. absolutely right.

[DearAbby]

2. AMEN

[CrispyQ]

3. The GOP always plays to win.

Even with a candidate they are not thrilled about, they will do whatever they have to to win.

[Jackpine Radical]

43. Permit me to deconstruct that "not thrilled about" business--

It breaks down into 2 components, each with its own set of adherents.

The first group is unhappy with Romney because he is a Mormon, too liberal, tainted with his Massachusetts health care history, etc. These are the ideological fundamentalists of various stripes, who never trusted Romney in the first place because he fails too many of their litmus tests for ideological purity. The wacko end of the Tea Party & various evangelical/snake-handler fundies fall into this category.

The second group is the Big Money bunch, who are perfectly happy with Romney's ideology, which amounts to giving them everything they want: elimination of regulations, bank bailouts, elimination of taxes on the rich, etc. To the extent that they are not thrilled with Romney, it is only because his blatant personality disorders (narcissism, psychopathy) are making it more difficult for him to be elected. It is not the narcissism or psychopathy that bothers them--it is the blatancy of these conditions.

He's too enwrapped in hubris to understand that the general voting public, who don't have to be afraid of his vengefulness, will not necessarily display the adulation, fawning and forelock-tugging he's used to from his sycophants when he exposes his meanness, pettiness and lack of compassion.

The ideologues have no-place else to go. He can control them with his dog whistle. It's the latter category, the pragmatic Robber Barons, that he really needs to worry about.

[coalition_unwilling]

58. The aphorism of 'throwing good money after bad' comes to mind, as does

the image of letting Romney twist in the wind. If Sununu is the best they can come up with to speak on his behalf, it's done. Game, set and match.

[flamingdem]

63. The Robber Barons are demanding he hand over more tax returns

What do you think they hope will come of that? Is that their way of clearing up some of his psychotic blockages to soothe the public or do they want to jettison him?

[Laurian]

4. Yes, I worry about this too. The rich and powerful are giving mega bucks to win, not place or show.

[flamingdem]

64. They may dump a billion on Senate races so they can hinder Obama

It looks like they will go that direction, especially towards the end.

[onenote]

5. +1

[ljm2002]

6. So very true...

...this last week has been extremely entertaining, and more -- but don't think for a moment that they won't hit back, and hard. They will, and they will inflict some damage, too. Count on it.

With the kind of bankrolls they have, and ownership of the media and its sycophants, they are always a force to be reckoned with. Even with Mitt Romney, a bland, dissembling, sociopathic, criminal CEO as their standard bearer.

Good reminder.

[CrispyQ]

9. "ownership of the media"

Lotta power in that one! The 24x7 info-tainment is especially effective with our dumbed down population.

[randome]

7. They ARE going to tank but we can't let up the pressure.

Palin and Romney did not occur in a vacuum. Neither of them was vetted because no one is in charge of the GOP. No coordination of messaging, nothing.

The reality of climate change will be the final nail in their coffin.

We must make sure that the GOP does not rise from the dead to haunt us again.

Take them out now while they are at their weakest in decades!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. I believe the goal has to be for Obama to win by more than he did the last time.

Plus swing the House hard over to the Democrats, keep the Senate and require actual filibusters.

[randome]

30. Yes! We need the House!

Otherwise, we will be the same place where we are now!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

48. Actually, if Republicans hold the House they'll spend the second term in Impeachment mode

Just to keep their base happy.

[FSogol]

8. GOTV. K&R.

[daybranch]

11. psychology matters

Recent recall in Wisconsin showed most voters had already made up their minds before advertizing blitz. Psychology also teaches us that right handed individuals tend to rely upon earliest knowledge and compare everything that follows against that to discover the truth of the following information. Thayt is why Obama easrly ads are so very important.
I have been very disappointed many times that people who continue undecided up until election time appear to be persuadable during the entire period to visits by individuals who want to persuade them. So rather than believe any message that would have us reduce our efforts I work as hard as I can and as early as I can. Do not believe any myth stating that working nearer the election is more productive. It just is not true. Come early into the campaign. By doing so your recruitment of others has the time and opportunity to grow. Bring your friends with you and never never stop recruiting. When GOTV efforts start in earnest the last few days before the election, you will be amazed at how many volunteers turn out to help. I have seen it first hand and I know it works, but we have to start volunteering as early as possible to get that avalanche of volunteers and voters going.

[lovemydog]

15. great post

welcome to DU!

[FailureToCommunicate]

12. Scary, but true. The 'low information voter' is eating ice creme on

the beach, NOT paying the slightest attention...

From the Atlantic Magazine:

"One thing that especially resonated with me about Mike's piece is the importance of "low information" voters. The mainstream media absolutely fails to understand how little attention average Americans really pay to what goes on in all forms of government. During our 2008 race, our pollster taught me (hard to believe it took me 24 years to learn this) that the average voter spends only 5 minutes thinking about for whom to vote for Congress. All the millions of dollars of TV ads, all the thousands of robo-calls and door-knocks, and it all comes down to having a message that will stick in the voters' minds during the 5 minutes before they walk into the voting booth.

The media likes to call this group "independents," which implies that they think so long and deeply about issues that they refuse to be constrained by the philosophy of either party. There may be a couple of people out there who fit that definition, but those are not the persuadable voters campaigns are trying to capture. Every campaign is trying to develop its candidate into an easy-to-remember slogan that makes him or her more appealing than the other guy. Actually, because negative campaigning is so effective, they are more often trying to portray the opponent as more objectionable ("I guess I'll vote for the crook because at least he won't slash my Medicare&quot ."

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/09/people-dont-realize-how-fragile-democracy-really-is/244559/

[AlbertCat]

18. this group "independents," which implies that they think so long and deeply about issues

I think most "independents" think long and hard about whom everyone else they know is gonna vote for, and then they go with the flow. That's their main issue. Being on the winning side, whatever it is.

Then there's a whole set of voters who hate their GOP rep and/or Senator but will vote them in simply because they won't vote Dem.

[docgee]

27. great post - from the Obama Ad...

"Romney is not the solution, he's the problem" is the perfect slogan to stick in their heads.

[FailureToCommunicate]

44. Welcome to DU!

[flamingdem]

66. This is a bumper sticker

if you live in a liberal area!

[ieoeja]

38. As a former (and hopefully future) Independant ... I always made up my mind fairly early.

I would say there is a difference between undecided and independant. And then, of course, there are those who only pretend to be one and/or the other. In the bar I currently frequent after work, all but two who claim to be independant are staunch Republicans. At the moment every one of them says they do not know for whom they are going to vote, but I am pretty certain I know how each and every one of them is going to vote (assuming they bother voting).

The Republicans are going to vote for Romney or possibly not vote at all. One of the Indpendants will either vote Obama or not vote at all. The other will vote third party or not vote at all.

Frankly, most of them will not vote at all. I'm usually the only guy in the crowd who gets his free beer for voting.

Of course, this is Chicago. I feel really good about Democratic chances here.


On edit: what you posted does very much describe the younger folks at the bar I frequented in years past. They tended to believe whatever they heard last. Fortunately, none of them voted.

[FailureToCommunicate]

45. You had me at "free beer for voting"! Now, that's AFTER voting right?

That just might be the kind of motivation we need...



I believe it's Australia where they fine you for NOT voting?

[ieoeja]

50. After. A lot of bars in Chicago will give you a beer if you show your voting receipt.

I knew one bartender who wouldn't because she was convinced it was illegal. I never bothered arguing with her, but I'm fairly certain it is not illegal paying someone to vote. It is illegal paying them to vote in a certain manner.

So paying me just because I voted when you don't know for whom I voted : not illegal.

My grandfather in southern Indiana paying people to vote Democratic after verifying they left a tell-tale sign on the written ballot : illegal.

Republican precinct captain in that same southern Indiana district paying the exact same people to vote Republican, but failing to arrange for proof so that my grandfather could get them to really vote Democratic while they also took money from the Republicans : hilarious!

[flamingdem]

65. Just heard one on NPR, he said he'd "vote if Condolessa Rice runs"

These "independents" are very fickle, they really don't give a shit about government but they love to criticize the low hanging fruit.

[jimlup]

13. The problem is that...

There is not a "conspiracy theory" It would be wrong to relegate those who hold this position to the "tin-foil hat" group. From my perspective anyway - it is only a matter of the some of the political heavy hitters in the GOP realizing that this one is likely a lost cause. These would include Jeb Bush of Florida. Chris Christi of NJ and Pawlenty of MN.

Yeah the Koch money is indeed flowing and it is dangerous. I don't disagree on that. And if things don't align as we hope Bully boy Romney could actually win. It wouldn't be unprecedented. Sometimes "throw away" candidates actually win.

[fredamae]

14. I believe GOP is focusing on Congress/Senate races

They understand they won't win POTUS race-Romney's candidacy is just a distraction. Keep an eye on House/Senate races-the Tons of cash being heaped upon the GOP Candidates in states and support the opposition. The GOP understands they can Do some damage with big majorities and present even more obstruction to Pres Obama. With majorities in both houses--Maybe even impeachment(?) not to mention the SCOTUS picks that will surely come during the next four years...

[ThomThom]

25. maybe some money scandals will pop-up

you can't have these huge sums of money and no sticky fingers
check the freezer

[ananda]

16. I tend to agree that they're not tanking on purpose.

It's more what the party has become: full of crazy and ignorant people
whose appeasement draws bad candidates.

[Thor_MN]

17. People keep asking where the GOP jobs plans are..

I think we found them. They are going to pump a billion dollars into the economy in the next 4 months. It will be interesting to see if they can avoid spending their own money the way they spend our money, funneling it into sweetheart deals to connected companies, paying much more than the actual costs...

[Hubert Flottz]

20. They will drive up the cost of fuel again and

pay for the GOPer's campaigns with the windfall.

[Hubert Flottz]

19. You got that right.

The thieves are waiting to spring on America!

[HopeHoops]

21. The fact that McCain/Palin was even considered a contender is proof enough.

[Patiod]

22. All of those Voter ID acts weren't just for fun

I'm seriously worried about what they've done in PA. So many people won't be able to vote.

We've been told people who have voted for 50 years will be stopped because their name doesn't match exactly to the name their ID, or if their ID is expired (my name doesn't match exactly, so I'm re-registering this week). We've been told that the state government will be threatening the people who work the polls with jail unless the new law is carefully enforced.

I'm trying not to imagine what's going to happen in Philadelphia when people go to vote overwhelmingly for Obama, and when Judge of Elections tries to tell them they can't vote this time. I wouldn't be surprised if there were violent reactions, which the Republicans, who caused them, will blame on Obama.

I'm also thinking enforcement of the law in hardcore conservative upstate PA will be far lighter than it will be in the cities and Democratic-leaning suburbs.

We've been told that there will be very long, slow lines, which will do a great job suppressing voter turnout, which can only help the Republicans.

[graywarrior]

23. Yup, 17 rich old white guys

[TomClash]

24. A sober and wise assessment . . .

. . . among the deluge of cocky threads.

The GOP dumps a ton of cash into the election during the final weeks; it will be much more this time. A million or more people will be disenfranchised in key states. The economy sucks. They will lie, cheat and steal.

And, by the way, with all the Bain Capital/tax return talk, the polls have not changed much at all.

[warrprayer]

26. Count me in

... on this fight

[WI_DEM]

28. I laugh when I see posters on DU saying that Mitt is toast and the election is won...

because basically they don't understand politics and this is just the beginning. Obama has had a good start but soon enough the media will switch tactics and start focusing on Obama and Mitt and his pacs will begin to spend their billions which they haven't really as yet done.

[ncgrits]

29. Preach it, sister (or brother!) nt

[OverseaVisitor]

31. The fact is they are tanking the economy

Just stick to the fact.

Reason why not important

[caseymoz]

32. One shouldn't be complacent, but . . .

. . . Romney is going to be a very difficult sell against Obama. I see a second factor occurring anytime a lot of money flows into an industry: inflation. The price of ads are going to blow sky-high. That's a lot of money flowing from wealthy pockets into the middle class.

I didn't see complacency from our side, but relief from unrelenting pessimism. This is a good thing.

[Guitarzan]

33. Thanks for pointing out the painfully obvious...

Not tanking the election(s).....REALLY?! Look @ all the facts, let alone the all of the signs right in front of your' naive faces...THEY ARE TANKING EVERYTHING, it's a con job to the n'th degree & you're fucking A+ right about one thing, our very survival is @ stake...not just this November...this is NEVER going to stop...until the next revolution, so don't you DARE give those sorry destroyers one fucking inch of cover! Not tanking the election........a sad work of fiction, just keep telling yourselves that....right up to the point of NO RETURN, which we've probably just passed. THINK

[bonniebgood]

35. The drones thinks its winning and

losing. Its a ruse of "Selections" not "Elections" Let the revolution begin.

[INdemo]

34. millions and millions buys computer techs that can slip in there and right the machines without

a trace..ever think this could even be built in from factory

[bonniebgood]

42. Well of course INdemo didn't

the government INVENT the Internet? Why is it that every time there is a hand count
the "computer" loses? Same with the phony polls. Obama and romney is tied?

[INdemo]

46. Well when the corporate media gets millions in ads

they will read any script or poll the corporate mafia gives them..Of course they will keep it close in order to steal it .
Kerry won,Gore won..Obama won because of such a fantastic grass roots organization and this election I dont think its any different.
But the Citizens United wasn't around in 2008 either.Millions will buy election officials and crooked computer techs...

[yardwork]

36. Agreed.

[alcibiades_mystery]

37. Absolutely goddamn right

Romney and his Super PACs will try to do nationally and in the battlegrounds what they did to Gingrich in Florida and Santorum in Michigan: absolute carpet bombing with negative ads. Absolutely bury us. They know they can move the needle with these things, and it's their only hope. DO NOT think that they don't know how to do it. They do. They are forced to hold fire until after the Convention in the case of Romney's own cash-on-hand, and the Super PACs are just getting organized. They will hit us hard with everything, believe that.

This is the first Citizen's United Prez election - they made CU happen for a reason, and you'll start to see it in late August and through September and October. Do not be lulled: this is going to be beyond brutal. Fight like hell. Hit them constantly. Don't give a millimeter. But give a lot to the Obama campaign.

[NNN0LHI]

39. I haven't seen anyone saying the GOP is tanking the election

I believe you when you say you see it, but I haven't seen it here.

I have said they do know they aren't going to win and I stand by that.

Don

[cutroot]

40. Summer '79 reagan was a joke

He was quirky and had the leadership qualities of an animal trainer. Even the republicans had been making fun of him. I remember waking up that cold November morning in total disbelief. He had won because democrats were just worn out on politics. The right is clearly using the same strategy again. Pick your battles carefully. Stay on point and don't get caught up in back and forth over trivialities. They keep their base motivated by stimulating them with fear and hatred. Keep revealing the truth and you starve their beast. It is a waste of time to simply attack. They fully expect it.

Never believe for a second that romney is too slimy to be elected. Complacency is the greatest enemy. VOTE!! And do what you can to instill the importance of voting to others.

[Rozlee]

55. Boy, do I remember that.

I used to think Reagan's own mother wouldn't vote for him if they could resurrect her. The guy was nothing but hoopla and inspirational sayings dressed up to make Americans feel better about swallowing his toxic policies.

We still haven't really brought out the big guns against Romney: the Ryan Plan and Romney's huge tax giveaway to the rich. He'll be adding over 5 trillion to the deficit and making draconian cuts in Medicare and other social programs.

But, I agree with you. The Republicans are reeling right now. They're used to being the ones who fight dirty, and getting their asses handed to them is something that's new to them. But, they'll get on their feet again some day and start hitting back. 6 million voters stand to be disenfranchised by these new voter ID laws. Republicans could win if we lose some of those votes in swing states.

Welcome to DU.

[cutroot]

67. I have been an observer here for many years

Thank you for the welcome. I have often taken advantage of this site for info and guidance while doing battle with trolls on other sites, and have benefited from the knowledge and wisdom that I have gained here.
The right has been dodging cavorting and wiggling for fifty years now and I am not surprised by any of their tricks. The republicans like the drama of the event. It's like big time wrestling for them. Simply pointing out facts and figures and reliable websites rarely even makes a dent in their twisted ideology. They don't like or trust each other!
Still, I endeavor to reveal the truth to them because it is important for them to have a few stepping stones on their own paths to enlightenment. It's difficult to do without hating their ignorance.
No need to stoop to their level. I believe that the quote goes something like this, "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience."
The election of President Obama, restored my faith in the sanity of the American people.

[demwing]

57. Romney has none of Reagan's charm

and Obama has none of Carter's baggage

[cutroot]

69. romney can't even charm his own party

They will probably throw that Billion dollars they have into the local races.

[uponit7771]

41. Yes, they will ...they'll have a billion dollar worth of adds calling Obama a black man

[Spitfire of ATJ]

49. Funny you should say that...

[img][/img]

[Kablooie]

47. It's all about the Supreme Court

They want an unassailable conservative court and they are very close right now.

A Rep president, ANY Rep president will insure the USA will be locked into extreme right wing law for decades.
Possibly for the rest of most of our lives.

No way they'd let that slide.

[jonthebru]

51. Norquist and McConnell are not bothered by this stuff.

Remember the speech Norquist made about how they don't want intelligent candidates, they want people in office who will sign the papers that are put in front of them.
And McConnell said from the beginning of our Presidents term that his job was to insure that President Obama is a one term President. Un-American and criminal but that is where they are. Our job is to make sure that that does not happen and give the President a Democratic House and Senate to work with.

[grantcart]

52. When the barage comes out people will be turned off and click it off. Unloading a huge 'barage'

will hit a saturation point and then there will be a reaction. They should be running the ads now, but they can't because they don't have a strategy, haven't settled on policies and don't know what to run on, except "I am not Obama".


The first rule of Politics 101 is you can move a positive down but it is very very difficult to move a negative up.

Romney enters with the highest negatives of a major party candidate in modern history. If he doesn't stop the descent now there will be no way for him to get back. Romney's chances at bringing Obama's negatives down are not great because he has been on the stage for 5 years and there are no NEW negatives to bring out. To make it simple all of the people who are voting against Obama because he is Black already know that he is black and are already against him.

It is not a "conspiracy" to see that the Bush faction of the party is not engaged in this general election.

1) All of the key Bush surrogates gave late and tepid endorsements to Romney, many stating that they would support "the party's nominee".

2) Bush bundlers are not working for Romney.

3) It is in Jeb's interest to see Romney not just defeated but defeated in a way that eliminates him for 2008.

4) It is almost impossible to defeat a sittling President and none have been defeated in modern history where a) they have a strong national security record and b) the economy is going up.

5) The Bush (or 'rational' faction) can actually add up numbers and knows that if the Republican doesn't come back from lunacy then they will not only lose the AA demographics but also the Hispanics, gays and young, while trailing with the women.

So Jeb Bush hasn't jumped on the Romney bandwagon and continues to make statements that undermine the Republicans 2012 campaign.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/12/us/politics/jeb-bush-takes-aim-at-fellow-republicans.html

But tough talk about the state of the party on Monday by former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida — who went so far as to say that Ronald Reagan and his father would have a “hard time” fitting in during this Tea Party era — exhibited a growing distance between the family, which until not very long ago embodied mainstream Republicanism, and the no-compromise conservative activists now driving the party.

Speaking at a breakfast with national reporters held by Bloomberg View in Manhattan, Mr. Bush questioned the party’s approach to immigration, deficit reduction and partisanship, saying that his father, former President George Bush, and Reagan would struggle with “an orthodoxy that doesn’t allow for disagreement.”

Its not a "conspiracy" but a rather obvious strategy by the Bush 'faction' that is quite intelligent. In fact it is their only chance to evolve from a narrow far right wing regional party.

[coalition_unwilling]

59. Spot-on. As usual, your analysis totally rocks! - n/t

[randome]

60. I don't know. If the Bush faction was intelligent in the first place...

...they would not have stood idly by while Romney racked up votes.

If anyone was running the GOP clown show, they would not be in this unwinnable position.

And Jeb Bush? I don't see that he's ever going to be viable.

[DonCoquixote]

53. amen

First off, the GOP does not have to like him, they just have to hate US.
Second, if the man is a flawed idiot, that can make certain people happy, as all they want is just a guy to sign things.

http://www.westernprogressive.com/2012/02/norquist-wants-a-yes-sir-republican-president.html

Second, If he is weak, mentally and otherwise, that will mean the billionaires who WANT A TOOL will fight harder, just like they did to put Dick Cheney, er W at the head. Funny how Dick seems to be helping run the Romney campaign, but W. is not allowed near it. They like the idea of some confused fool that can be played like a puppet.

Third, while some here do not want to admit it, we have our own fifth column to deal with. There are some who think they are far leftists who feel that Obama must burn because he is not leftish enough, combined with some who think he is too far left, and that Hillary will make it all better come 2016. As egotistical as both groups are, the GOP does not care, as Arianna Huffington, Jane Hamsher, and Ralph Nader will take their money all the same.

Fourth There are many who will respond to racism, as many in Suburban america realize that their days of being the first hired and last fired are OVER. Since American culture discourages introspection, they will not see the reason they are being sold off to the Red Chinese is because the CEO's are seeling them out, newp, much better to blame those darkies, wimmin, and other uppity sorts.

This will be bloody, painful, and nasty.

[veganlush]

54. Amen.

[demwing]

56. That was their plan, no doubt - but...

I don't think things are going as planned.

Team Obama defined Mitt Romney early, and now Romney is on defense. Every week that Romney spends trying to convince people that they don't need to see his Tax Returns is his loss and Obama's gain.

I have no doubt Romney expected to be ahead in the polls at this stage, then to use the Tampa boost and nearly unlimited cash to overwhelm Obama through September and October. But again, Chicago wrote the script early, and now Romney is playing their game, not his.

[Mutiny In Heaven]

72. I've said for a while that 1988

is the way this thing is going to look.

Bush was the de-facto incumbent, carrying on the legacy of an administration enthusiastically elected but no longer at its most popular by election year (albeit for very different reasons) and Dukakis the stiff, drab Massachusetts governor seeking to dethrone him.

Romney has a far greater cash advantage than Dukakis could've dreamt of, but he's also considerably less likeable & is up against a far more charismatic opponent in Obama. That he has hitherto been unable to open up a real lead in the polls is, as far as I'm concerned, extremely bad news for him. I think that as the year rolls on the negatives against this relative unknown quantity begin to pile up, as his stiff, odd nature is exposed during the debates, I envision Obama pulling away and winning far more comfortably than currently expected. Were it not for the inbuilt GOP cash advantage and a spineless, subservient media, I think we'd be looking at the sort of landslide not seen since the early 1980s.

[struggle4progress]

61. Proud to be rec #100

[young_at_heart]

62. Their adeptness at lying and taking things out of context will be a problem

They do it so well and so easily and what's unbelievable is that they can so easily get away with it.

[progressivebydesign]

68. Agreed!! I think that they will try to push Romney thru, san returns, and focus on attacks.

It's already started this week, and the media is complicit.

If Romney gets to be the actual nominee after all this, they'll still savage President Obama in the ads. And now that the President's campaign is pushing back on the returns, the attacks are getting uglier (i.e. he hates America and hates successful people.)

So get those stickers on your cars, pronto! Get your signs, make your donations, and volunteer. DU is fun, but it's an echo chamber... fan out and educate your undecided friends and family.

[gtar100]

70. Agreed. They never give up. Neither should we.

[90-percent]

71. CIA caliber psyops

The Nazi's got their way in large part to a splendid PROPAGANDA APPARATUS. They played their people like violins using the propaganda science of their day to the utmost.

The technology of MASS DECEPTION AND PROPAGANDA has had 70 years of TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT since then.

Compare it to the technology of a WW2 era 1940 Ford coupe vs. a hybrid or muscle car of today.

We the People will lap up their billion dollar psyops and love every minute of it. And gleefully vote for our own enslavement by our plutocracy.

-90% Jimmy

[ewagner]

73. Indeed!

The life of our country DOES DEPEND ON WINNING THIS FIGHT![/b]