The smear game, as the GOP plays it is like Whack A Mole at the state fair

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

Our side does the never ending whacking at the always resilient moles. One could imagine new moles brought in to give the tired older moles a chance to rest, recupe, and regroup.

As a result of the acceptance of this kind of tactic without challenge at a tactical level, anything goes and has come to be regarded as a "normal" part of politics.

Countering each mole, the facts of each attempted smear, is a lot like the Whack A Mole game. You know there'll be more popping up elsewhere.

By the time you finish playing Whack A Mole at your state fair, sure you've scored some points, but the moles are "alive" and well and ready for further action.

Now that's okay for a cute game at the fair.

But it is really a perversion of Democracy to accept it as politics as usual.

Instead as a part of our democratic political practice, the game ought to be called what it is, thrown out and challenged each time it arises subsequently.

At some point, I have to hope that the electorate is sufficiently savvy to these games, smears, lies, deceptions etc.

At such a point, perhaps it is time to step back from Whack A Mole politics.

Maybe someone ought to be tracking the moles, their lies, their smears, how they're handled in the media. A lot of this is being done nowadays thank goodness.

It ought to be possible for Dems on the campaign trail or in Washington DC to simply label the tactic for what it is (Whack A Mole diversion) and proceed to address real issues, while on the sidelines someone tallies up and periodically reports on the attempts to substitute Whack A Mole Politics for legitimate political discourse.

We know the media would NEVER mention a gift of boxing tickets to one event received by a GOP politician, as has been done with regard to Democratic Minority leader Senator Reid. That is another insane manifestation of what passes for media coverage and politics as usual in this day and age.

It could be likened to a contortionist trying to get into the most ridiculous of positions. The media succeeds in getting itself into a laughably contorted position in order to try to create a moral equivalence between a trivial event in which a Democrat took part and an offense on a far grander scale perpetrated by a Republican. Although it can be entertaining watching the media as it bends over backwards, sideways, in and out, nobody should mistake this for actual "journalism."

This might be referred to as contortionist "journalistic" UN_moralism.

The NY Times reports the delight of the GOP of talking about Pelosi as a leader, and presents the reasons for their glee. The GOP Whack A Mole tacticians see her as a good smear target. She is married to a wealthy man, she is from San Francisco.

Why is this not condemned? Has everyone forgotten that politics is ultimately supposed to be about policy and governance, and not about who is better at smearing their opponent?

In my opinion, it ought to be possible to step back from a very empty and ugly polemic which has all but taken over completely for actual political discourse, point out what is missing, and then proceed to instead discuss the actual important policy issues.

If anyone should be smeared or ridiculed it ought to be those who employ and/or report on these tactics as a substitute for issue and policy discussion.

...

May fortune favor the foolish.

[Ready4Change]

1. It used to be that the press was a filter for this.

A news story would report the smear, and present the counter-information. It was investigative reporting and it used to be standard procedure.

But now, the smearers get the entire first story. Verbatim from the horses mouth, if not glamorized for more impact.

The next day, the counter story appears, in smaller type, on page 20, if at all. And THAT's usually written by the very few, die-hard old school reporters, who diligently present both sides of the issue. In their valiant effort to do right, they give the smears second coverage as well.

News reporting today is, largely, crap. If you are not reading between and behind the lines then you ARE misinformed. Dig.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

2. Yes, agreed.

It is so sick and not what it is supposed to be.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

3. Call them on their carp.

:kick: