"breaking their backs"

[wellstone_democrat]

If you think that the combination of "The Passion..."; the "Amendment" and Ash Wednesday were a coincidence, think, think again. But, what I think most have not connected is the Social Security statements by Greenspan and the "NEA as Terrorist Organization" by the Sec of Edu recently.

Some of you know enough about me to know that I am professionally involved in politics---advisory, and, yes, Dems only. I'm on leave from the "day job" at the moment to work on policy and speechwriting (as well as all the other stuff like focus group interviews)for a campaign for (shall we simply say) "federal office". What I am seeing here among my long-time DU friends is a lot of sharp connecting but, as you are meant to, you are missing the overall shape of the recent announcements. The key is "divide and conquer" the oldest trick in the book. Pit the 'secular' against the most "fundamentally oriented"; pit the "baby boom" against the more "market minded" Gen X, Gen Y and whatever the hell we will be calling the 15 year olds next week. Oh, and that old punching bag the NEA---that's all purpose: angry parents in poor neighborhoods, underacheiving suburban kids, and all those who, in general, don't like something but for whom blaming the "NEA" is easier than looking at home or on the local schoolboard.

These are active topics of conversation within the culture. But the fact that they are thrown up at this moment in the way they are is to take advantage of timing----Gibson's movie and Newsome's actions in SF. They are meant, just as the posters I've seen on specific topic threads for two weeks are meant (and paid), to do what I heard one Republican PR type in DC say last week: "break their backs."

This isn't a normal election. You *know* that. Don't let them break us by dividing us. Differences do exist but pay attention, the "disruptor" who is a professional cultivates a "soul of reason" and "honest disagreement, please educate me" persona.

FWIW

[Lindsay]

1. Are you saying that

Newsome is on the dark side?

No disagreement that there's a lot being thrown out to distract us...but it's not gonna work on me, at least. I don't see anything inconsistent about supporting my brothers and sisters in a civil rights battle and fighting to get BushCo and as many other Repugs as possible out of office.

[wellstone_democrat]

2. NO! That others are taking advantage of his actions

not that HE is involved but that to the Replicants, he created a moment with which to move on a front that they already planned to. Their vaunted "base" is in a frenzy over events in SF---the amendment speech was ready to roll out and Newsome's (great!) actions provided the moment they wanted: Bush* gets to look "decisive!"

Politics is often waiting for the right moment to do what you already planned to do.

[jansu]

3. We can fight them on all levels! The more they bring out, the more we..

can show how wrong the are! Against Gay marriage, then they are against human rights, who will be next to lose rights? Everything they bring up we must fight! We have the power if we take all of it to them! Keep everything "in the news" by e-mailing every media outlet on all the subjects! I am suggesting that all of us print out 100 position papers, that are thoughtful and polite, and leave them in places that you go to, the laundry mat, your doctor office, cafes, etc. Ask everyone who reads it to take one home and copy it 100 times a leave it where they go....this will go around the media. How did our Founding Fathers get there message out? By printing pamphlets and distributing them. It was much harder for them to do this than today with computers!

We can keep it all in the publics mind.