A Little Straight Talk for the GOP

[NanceGreggs]

A Little Straight Talk for the GOP
By Nancy Greggs

So I hear you people have your knickers in a twist over this flag-draped coffin ad thing, and to be perfectly honest with you, I am beginning to see why.

By using the image of dead soldiers in their campaign ads, it looks like the Democrats are trying to steal your thunder, doesn’t it? Looks to all the world like THEY’RE trying to take credit for all of YOUR hard work.

It’s not like you didn’t contribute to those casualties, what with not insisting that every soldier have proper body armor, helmet inserts, and communications equipment that actually works when they’re out in harm’s way. And now these Dem pikers come along and try to steal all the glory that rightfully belongs to you.

Yeah, I gotta agree with you on this one; this is pretty low. I mean, what are those shameless Democrats gonna do next? Maybe produce some of those Swiftboat-type commercials, where they just out-and-out lie about good Republicans who didn’t mean to take those bribes and got railroaded into prison? Honest to Pete, you’d think some people would have a sense of decorum when it comes to political discourse.

So let me tell you what I’m going to do to make it up to you. I’ve got a few good ideas that can help you turn this thing around.

First off, why don’t YOU run your own ads with caskets representing the dead. Of course, you’re going to have to limit it to just US military deaths, because if you start adding in all of those Iraqi casualties – well, you’re gonna need a bigger screen.

So you have all of these caskets lined up, and on each one of them you have a little sticker that says “Brought to you by the Republican Party” – now, how’s THAT for marketing genius? Let the American people know who REALLY gets the credit here, right?

Now, you’ve got to follow this up with more ads, just so there’s no doubt about who’s who in this war game, right? How about an ad with the eighteen-and-over kids and grandkids of Republican senators, congressmen, administration types – you get the idea – showing them NOT in uniform. This conveys the unmistakable message that even though YOU don’t have any kids serving on the front lines, that doesn’t mean you don’t empathize with the folks that do! And if you could have them dress up in those preppie-type uniforms from expensive private schools, all the better! I’m telling you, I’m even impressing myself here.

You could do a series of individual photo ads, too – like a GOP elected official standing in front of limo with a “Support the Troops” sticker on the bumper, with the message: “Mr./Ms. GOP So-and-So smiling proudly after having voted to slash military pensions and benefits yet again!”

Or maybe a video ad of one of you walking down a busy DC street, where you see a homeless vet and you stop and drop a quarter into his tin cup? Voice-over: “Who says the Republican party doesn’t care about the troops?”

Like we used to say back on the block, “If that don’t get it, it ain’t in town.”

Listen, I‘ve got lots of great ideas – this is just the tip of the ol’ Titanic-sized iceberg. So have your girl call my girl. We’ll pencil in some time to chew the fat, and get you guys back on track with this thing, okay?

Hey, don’t thank me. It’s the least I can do. Because when it comes to keeping our military safe and secure, you’ve shown the absolute least YOU can do time and time again.

[rosesaylavee]

1. Get 'em Nance.

Happy to give you rec #3.

[Mythsaje]

2. You need to start writing ads for the Dems...

Of course, I think a few of us here could come up with some great ones.

As long as we were willing to pull no punches.

Have you seen my latest post? "Saying Goodbye?"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1637513&mesg_id=1637513

I was feeling satirical. :evilgrin:

Oh, K&R, of course...

Edited to add the link

[rosesaylavee]

3. Kick n/t

[C_U_L8R]

4. There is nothing wrong with honoring the greatest sacrifice

while pointing out the stupid fools who wasted the lives of so many brave souls.

No wonder the Republicans are squawking and squirming... their idiotic war
planning and pathetic beliefs put these young men and women in their graves.

This needs to be said LOUDLY AND OFTEN.

It's the Republican policy that is WRONG... skewer them with it.

[ptolle]

13. certainly better

Any recognition of these souls sacrifice is certainly better than sneaking them into the country under cover of darkness and in some cases as freight in the cargo hold of aircraft.Were it up to me I'd stick each and every one of these up the fundament of the nearest war lover, regardless of party, and ask how do you like your blue-eyed boy mister death
No confirmation, but I heard or read that the DSCC dropped this ad when the repigs squealed. If that's the case they've seen my last red cent. I will likely contribute to individual candidates in individual races, but none will funnel through the DSCC.Anyone here know if it's the case that the ad was pulled?I figured the squealing was a good indicator of the effectiveness of the thing.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. I am honored to K&R this one.

great job

[Lasher]

6. Support the troops or support Junior's failed policies?

Right wingers don't seem to notice the difference between support for our soldiers and support for The Decider's policies - or maybe they just want the rest of us to know. Well, we do.

The War President griped that various pay-and-benefits incentives added to the 2004 defense budget by Congress were wasteful and unnecessary - including a modest proposal to double the $6,000 gratuity paid to families of troops who die on active duty. Increasing the widows' and widowers' death benefit would be an example of supporting the troops, wouldn't you think?

But these chickenhawks want us to forget all that help them keep soldiers' coffins hidden from view, so that the mounting casualties in Iraq won't seem quite as bad. And they want us to believe this is what really supporting the troops is all about.

[durrrty libby]

7. K & R

You are so bad that you are good.

:toast: :hi: :loveya: :yourock:

[tavalon]

8. Damn, girl

Do you ever lob a dud?

I'm not going to say best rant ever, because I say that too much about you.

My new repeatable phrase for you is gather these essays and make a book. Become an international best selling author like Will Pitt. You two have different styles but you are equally good!

[speedy gonzalez]

9. good article!!

Is there no footage of the actual bodies, though?

[catmother]

23. nance is my little sister and back when she was about 14, one of

her teachers asked my mom to come in and talk to him. my mom wondered "what did nancy do?". well the teacher told our mom that nancy had a natural ability for writing and that she should be encouraged. i definitely see a book in her future.

[tavalon]

32. Or two or three

She's good and she's angry and she needs to be out there with a wider audience.

[timontheleft]

10. RIGHT ON, NANCE!!!

I don't know how you do it, but please don't stop!!!


:toast: :headbang: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause:

[Mugsy]

11. A Dem "Swiftboat ad". Great idea! Picture this...

I can just envision a Democratic "Swiftboat ad", it may go something like this:

"John Kerry's did not deserve all the medals he received for serving in Vietnam. Max Cleland, who lost three of his limbs while serving in Vietnam did not serve with distinction. Al Gore didn't *really* serve in Vietnam. He didn't have a gun when he was sent into the line of fire, just a camera.

By comparison, George Bush served with distinction in the Texas Air National Guard for AT LEAST 24 months... many of them in a row! Vice President Cheney, proving the importance of FAMILY, might not have served in Vietnam, but he had CHILDREN at home to take care of... or, well, he didn't at the time, but he made sure he had some when his time came. While he never actually went to Vietnam, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld trained our boys how to fly those dangerous missions over there in the Mei Kong Delta from a training facility here in the good ol' U.S. of A.! So if anyone knows anything about sending your children off to fight and die in a war, it's Old "Blood 'n Guts" Rummy!

Now ask yourself: "Whose 'family values' do YOU share?"


End scene. :)

[speedy gonzalez]

12. sweet job mugsy!!

Was there ever a book produced of the photography Al Gore took in Vietnam? I'd like to have a copy of that.

[bperci108]

15. Self-delete.

[Mugsy]

18. Gore's photos

Gore was a photographer for "Stars & Stripes", the military newspaper/magazine that has been around since WWII (longer?). They probably have an archive, though I haven't checked.

[speedy gonzalez]

20. cool...

thanks

[blm]

22. MILITARY NEWS REPORTER - he wasn't there taking vacation photos.

.

[grannylib]

14. Well done! This is great. Keep up the great posts! eom

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Great job!

[sonroadera]

17. kr

[ComerPerro]

19. nice piece of writing

[patdem]

21. Nance...can you have a 'alert' when you post something new?

I am always afraid I have missed something you have posted...EACH one is, if not equal...better than that LAST one. You have more irony/sarcasm in your little finger than I do in my whole extended family!

[The_Casual_Observer]

24. The coffins are a horrible embarrassment and a reminder

of how badly they underestimated and mismanaged the situation in Iraq. If I were them I probably want to hide the whole damn thing too.

[mikeyj84]

30. embarrassment

This was all written in Gore Vidal's book "DREAMING WAR, BLOOD FOR OIL, THE CHENEY BUSH JUNTA" this invasion of Iraq was long thought of before 2003. Vidal talks about the Bush's being involvement with the carlyle Group and How they wanted to build a pipeline to the Caspian sea, figuring on who controlled the oil controlled the Global economy. These profiteers have no intention of pulling out of the middle east. Now there's a real quagmire brewing in the middle east With Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran not to mention North Korea. These countries know the US military is spread so thin that they"re taking advantage of the situation. 2500+ lives are far to many lost. Why is it that none of these chicken shits in the Bush administration have ever gone to war. I for one served in the army during the viet nam era and don't care to see another wall with 58,000 name. As far as I'm concerned they should take all these bastards who start these wars and let them fight them!!

[catmother]

25. hey sis. you did it again.

:loveya:

[NanceGreggs]

26. Thanks, sis!

And a :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: Right back at ya!

[Vinca]

27. Entertaining and gets to the meat of the matter.

You should turn this stuff into a book!

[The Wizard]

28. Gee Nance

Are you with the terra ists or against us?
How anyone could still get behind the lying scumbags and war profiteers is beyond reason. But reason is for the reality based among us.
They've sold this country down the river for political and monetary gain. So I was watching some old footage of Vietnam coverage and the narrator refereed to the Vietnamese who were defending their homeland from an illegal invasion as terrorists. Sounds all too familiar today. Everything we accused the Soviet Union of doing was mere projection.
Several years ago we had a president from Texas who took office under unusual circumstances. He then started a war predicated on lies. History has repeated itself, and innocent people who did nothing to harm us are dead and wounded by the thousands. Another country has been designated as a target for our misguided military. When will they stop abusing and misusing the troops?
We went to Vietnam to spread democracy at the point of a gun and because Ho Chi Minh was a ruthless dictator.
The current occupation of Iraq will cost us in blood and money for years to come. Since the wealthy got huge tax cuts and their kids don't join the military, the poor and middle class has to support the shysters who brought this disaster upon us.
Not only is our pResident a nut, he eats shit and barks at the moon. At least that's what we said about our battalion commander 39 years ago in another stupid, illegal, immoral attempt to grow an empire. The road to empire is paved with failed republics.

[Gregorian]

29. And you didn't even say "Katrina".

How restrained. I don't know how you do it.

As usual, you pulled off another bit of genius. It's almost like we can understand them now. I'm not sure if that's a good thing. Oh well, it's temporary, hopefully. (:

[Cobalt-60]

31. They never learn

While I don't think our current pack of fascist wanna bes are in the same class as the 20th Century Masters, they do have the same weaknesses.
Large among them is their image trail.
Master allied film maker Frank Capra was able to fully illuminate the threat of 20th century fascism using the fascists' own images.
Anyone wishing to illuminate the threat from our own jack booteers need only use the images they've generated in the news media.
My fave is the split screen thing where you'ge got one of them lying about something they're on record as having said on the other side. Sweet, and a gift from their own lying lips, too.
At least those evil dudes of the past didn't squeal when someone turned the spotlight on them.

[frankly_fedup2]

33. I would like to suggest using pictures of Kenneth Lay's coffin. All

bronze, all closed up for the service. Did ANYONE see the guy dead? Why the closed casket. And the comparison of Kenneth Lay to Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and then of Jesus Christ himself.

I wonder when his canonization begins?

[NanceGreggs]

34. Just loved the way the MSM showed clips all week ...

... of Kenny-Boy denying any wrongdoing, expressing his concern over the people who lost their pensions, savings.

And yet no one showed the clip of the first hearing on Enron, where Kenny-Boy invoked the 5th on every question, "... on the grounds that my answer may tend to incriminate me."

Yeah, just what an 'innocent' man would say ...

[PegDAC]

35. Another masterpiece!

Nance, you need to get into syndication, like Molly Ivins, etc., if you're not already.

:toast: :bounce: :wow: :thumbsup: :yourock: :applause:

[vkobaya]

36. Demos not blameless

Everyone here fails to remember that the Demopublicans, backed down, withdrew the ad and kissed Bush's butt promising not to do it again. Pelosi has sworn not to defeat the Republicans and in fact, is doing her best to see a massive Republican victory in November. I've been complaining over the Republican Party membership in her purse, but even more disturbing is the black swastika tatoeed on her butt.