It's odd that Republicans aren't able to make arguments for their point of view...

[Kablooie]

they rely on lies and false scare tactics to convince people to support their positions.

They must have reasons for their point of view but I rarely hear them discussed in public.
They simply invent wild inflammatory lies and let it go at that.
These shallow, frivolous, transparent falsehoods are sufficient to retain a devoted following.

This is opposed to most Democrats who try to present the actual issues involved.
Republicans used to do the same but not recently.

It is so off balance that no one should take them seriously anymore but Republicans remain a formidable opposition in spite of it all.

It's puzzling to me.

[FrenchieCat]

1. When one has the corporate media spinning your shit,

anything is possible.

[EFerrari]

2. It's not really odd given that their base doesn't want an argument to consider

but a directive to follow because they are authoritarian followers.

The left and the right are not mirror images of each other. They make decisions based on very different processes, afaik.

[PinkFloyd]

3. What worries me is it seems to be working.

I heard Nate Silver say we could lose as few as 15 or as many as 70 house seats. The economy is one hell of a wild-card. Independents, some of whom don't keep up with politics, may forget it was the GOP that got us into this.

I think if the GOP ever re-gain control of the gov, it'll be more of the same as it was when Bush was in. Tax cuts for the super rich, more deregulation, repeal hcr & implement tort reform, privatize social security, war with Iran, maybe restart the Korean war....basically fuck the country up more.

[zeemike]

6. It has always worked for them

That is how Nixon got elected and that is how we got Raygun after Carter
And their campaign over the last 50 years has been scuessful...so they will not change.

[PinkFloyd]

8. The problem is more with the Dems more than the Repubs

Repubs are just being what they are. But by now the Dems should know to anticipate their dirty tricks.

I can't remember much about the Clinton days, I was too young. But what I seem to remember is the Democrats made the same mistake they made this time with Obama. That is, they did little to nothing about the PR war that was waged against them and allowed the GOP to define thme Dems as well as the issue itself. Sadly, in politics the GOP proves the truth means little, what matters is what the people think is the truth.

[zeemike]

9. I think of it as good cop bad cop

Because they are both on the payroll of the same enterprise.

[Jade Fox]

4. All they're really interested in is power....

and they'll do whatever they think will work to get it.

I believe the Right is over-playing their hand right now. Take the Tea Party (please!): The more exposure the TP gets, the stupider and scarier they look to sane Americans. Same with the "say any crap as long as it contradicts the Democrats" behavior you have described. Eventually, people will tire of tricks.

[AnArmyVeteran]

5. They seem to be "Buzzword Bozos"

(copyrightlsr2101) :)

[Javaman]

7. talking points are their "truth".

there is a video floating around of an interviewer talking to people at a recent tea party rally.

He asked, "what are you protesting?"

The responses were nothing but talking points.

When pressed to clarify their views, they either fumbled a response or reiterated the same talking points in a different manner.

We dems are missing a golden opportunity.

When dealing with a tea partier, just ask blankly with no smirk, or nuance what they are protesting. Then like the interviewer, ask them to clarify. When they fumble again, politely say, you just said that and to please explain what they are protesting against. It will eventually dawn on them that they have nothing.

Granted there will be the morons that will begin to scream and yell because their ignorance and stupidity will frustrate them. But there are many that will be open to reason. Just choose wisely.

seeds of reason can be planted.