Stop thinking like targets and start thinking like aggressors

[madison]

During the Civil War, when the North had been having a rough time at the hands of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant heard his officers worrying about what Lee would do next. In quiet anger and determination, Grant said, "Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do. Some of you always seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time. Go back to your command, and try to think what are we going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do."

Grant and the Union went on to win the war.

Similarly, we must stop worrying about what Karl Rove will do to the eventual Democratic nominee and start thinking about what we will do to the Republican nominee, George W. Bush.

We need to stop thinking like targets and start thinking like aggressors.

We also need to stop worrying about how much anger -- according to the right-wing pundits -- is "okay" for us to express toward Bush. We're not nearly angry enough yet. Not only do we need to be even more angry, we need to make it permissible for more Americans to vent their own anger at what Bush and his cohorts are doing to this country, and the world.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. We must direct our anger

and use the facts to show the lies the Bush Administration has used to try and steal this country. Watch and listen to average Americans, and tell them the facts, backed up with sources. You'll be surprised how many will wind up agreeing with you that Bush has to go.

[blm]

5. Almost every American agrees the outing of a CIA agent was traitorous.

Most want a thorough investigation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Well here are soem things WE can do to rove

And yes I will use the Rush Technique of simplifying issues

"well our boys are dying in Iraq, for what? Bush? We ain't getting
nothing, just like Nam. We need to pull out, it is that simple!"

(No it is not but joe sixpack will get it)

"Look you vote Republican next year next thing you know you'll be
working eighty hour weeks with no overtime pay, is that simple."

"George cares for you like Tyson cares for chickens."

"Look this crew wants war all the time, but they have weakened us
in the world. People are laughing, insteand of fearing us, you really want these clowns in office?"


Did I simplify things? Absolutely, but this is the 30 second spot that we need to capture.

And yes I am pissed at them... but cannot afford to hate.

[Nay]

3. I agree completely. The repubs just smell blood in the water if

Dems keep acting like hand-wringing wussies. We need to get angrier and hate the kind of person Bush is -- lazy, ignorant, worthless, living on his family's money -- and go for the jugular.

[blm]

4. That's Kerry's plan. He put together an A team to go after Bush.

Gary Hart, who has the pre 9-11 goods on Bush and what he failed to do.

Rand Beers, who has the post 9-11 goods on Bush and what he failed to do.

Max Cleland, who has the goods on Bush from the 9-11 commission. Swings the AWOLSTICK at Vets' organizations all over the country.

William Perry, who has the goods on Bush's incompetence in N. Korea.

Joe Wilson, who has the goods on Bush's cooked intelligence on Iraq and his treasonous outing of a CIA agent.

And all the intel and military community who have aligned with these men.

Too bad so many don't want these men to carry forth with their match up against Bush.

on edit: Kerry's great at taking on popular Republicans, Reagan and Bush on BCCI, IranContra and CIA drugrunning, William Weld in Mass. But I don't think going after fellow Democrats is a comfortable fit for him.

[Isome]

6. Perfectly stated... bravo... bravo!!! n/t

[Upfront]

7. Yup

Just as Dean has beeen doing for over a year now. It is time to start the letters to the editor attacks on Bush*. Sent mine in a week ago. Strangers called me to thank me for telling the truth about Bush. Not trying to toot my horn at all, just want you all to know it works. One voter at a time. They are waking up.

[sweetheart]

8. no anger... its an election loser

On camera, anger loses to a smiling apology and a lie. "you invaded iraq in an illegal war".... "come on *smiling* we overthrew an evil tyrant who killed and tortured thousands. They did not have the right to say what you are saying right now."

Result... loss.

Use anger to get motivated, walk from door to door and get your neighbors registered to vote. Democrats always win in a high turnout.

[grasswire]

9. absolutely

And that's why I continually cry for the Dems to hire some strategic thinkers.

Right now they ought to be strategizing both the post-Bush scenario. They should have already gamed events up until election day.

But there NEVER seems to be any strategic thinking. Only reactionary.

Take the initiative! Find ways to trap Rove.

[brava]

16. Trap Rove in his own arguments

Look, let's acknowledge that support for Bush and the war was never for love of Bush or liberating the Iraqis, it was fear based. 9/11 traumatized this nation, and many people are still afraid of another attack. Fear is irrational -- thus, rational arguments that try to raise moral conscience don't work. While people are in that state, you have to replace one fear with another, just as you sometimes have to slap someone who is in a state of hysteria.

"You cannot reason people out of something they were never reasoned into." (Jonathan Swift).

Remember that all the neocon arguments exploit people's fears.

For instance, the most recent rationale for "staying the course" in Iraq is the argument that as long as the terrorists are killing our soldiers over there, they're not killing us here at home. It is a horrible, morally reprehensible argument, nevertheless it works, because the fearful don't care about anything but their own safety.

But here is the counter argument: Remind those scardy cats that while our troops, including our National Guard, are over THERE fighting terrorists, Bush has left the homeland virtually defenseless, should there be another attack.

Spin the fear-based arguments around, shove it right back at them.

[kyrasdad]

10. Yes... we have to be aggressive in our fight against Bush.

We have to "go after" him, instead of defending ourselves. By going after I don't mean a rabid assault, I mean pinning him down to a point of view and not letting him shrug his shoulders and giggle it off. Keep at him. Show that he won't or can't answer, or that his opinion is really flawed.

That being said though, we need to make sure our anger is tempered in the right areas. Indignant anger towards Bush in talking about men and women being killed will work. Anger towards him in saying he started an illegal war, will not. See the difference. The loss of our men and women will ring with people, especially those with kids. Anger about starting a war will go back to the usual "liberal v conservative" issue.

Anger could also work in the unemployment area... a raised voice about 87 billion bucks to Iraq, tax cuts to the super rich, but no unemployment extensions for men and women who are part of the 3 million others that lost their jobs under the Bush Economy.

The rest of the time, pin the little worm down and make him look like the incompetant he is, the liar he is, or the wing nut he is.

[Vitruvius]

11. KICK

:kick:

[alcuno]

12. I can't say his name anymore.

We should constantly vent our "hate" toward the administration so they can't pin it on "hate" for one person.

[jpgray]

13. When you don't control the media, you are always a target

The public is like a child--right now they have shiny things waved in their direction, like a Paris Hilton, Kobe Bryant or Britney Spears publicity blitz, and if nothing directly and noticeably harms them, anything can go on in the background. The foxes are guarding the henhouse anyway, since we have military industrialists in control of most of the media, and jobs are being ferried away faster than one can blink. Since the corporate system can take little bites out of the public anytime it wants as long as they are too small to attract attention, how does the aggression get started? Who starts it? Our politicians, who have to ignore the benefits they receive from the system? Will the media who benefits enormously from this system expose it? Really, I'd like to hear your plan to get an aggressive message out there, to all people, and mobilize them to change everything. It must be a very good plan, because the obstacles to be overcome are overwhelming.

[blm]

14. You are right on about GE. The fact they have 3 news networks

on at any one time to control perception should be a big heads up. Geez folks, they gave a BFEE star propagandist/language expert HIS OWN SHOW during an election year.

[quaker bill]

15. Exactly

And well stated.

Either we meet them head on or get run over. Our biggest risk is picking someone too polite to fight back.

[sandnsea]

17. The boxer beats the brawler

We have to fight smart, not wild. Uncontrolled emotion causes mistakes that lose the fight in the end. And the fighter who executes a focused strategy defeats the fighter motivated by vengeance.

Evander Holyfield
John Kerry
Smart Fighters
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