Robert Creamer: Three Fatal Republican Mistakes That Could Spell Their Defeat Next November

[highplainsdem]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/three-fatal-republican-mi_b_832118.html

Robert Creamer
Posted: March 7, 2011 08:48 AM
Three Fatal Republican Mistakes That Could Spell Their Defeat Next November


-snip-

First, Republicans forgot the fundamental truth that it is much more difficult to take something away from people that they already have, than to prevent them from getting something for which they aspire.

-snip-

Want to know how completely they've forgotten this lesson? Just last week, House Speaker John Boehner actually told the Wall Street Journal that his budget will attempt to cut Social Security and Medicare. This, in spite of polling that shows virtually zero support among the voters. There will be a firestorm of opposition. Go right ahead, John, make our day.

Second, the Republicans have forgotten the all-important political principle, that you can't believe your own spin. That's especially true if you spend all of your time talking to the small group of people who agree with you. Take the House of Representative's newly-elected Tea Party Caucus. This insular crew talks to each other -- repeats each other's slogans -- listens to Fox News and has convinced themselves that most Americans agree that government spending is the worst thing since murder and mayhem.

-snip-

Third, the Republicans have failed to learn that you can tell people that up is down, and black is white, for only so long. Or to paraphrase one of the founders of the Republican Party: "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

-snip-

[SpiralHawk]

1. "We are morally superior to you smelly Americans." - Republicons

"And we have an unshakeable belief that you pathetic, smelly Americans are deeply grateful to us Republicons for constantly reminding you of our moral superiority, and thus you vill show no hesitation to vote for us. Sneer."

- Republicons
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vz5k7TLVNqs/S7X9-b2VFXI/AAAAAAAAAWY/AFF-82fkO0Y/s1600/Republican+Family+Values.jpg

[MrTriumph]

2. Mr. Creamer forgets DEMS need to offer something beside hollow promises.

So if "runaway spending" did not cause the Recession, what did? Wall Street misconduct? Well, then where are the indictments? Oh, maybe it was needlessly jumping into Iraq? If, so, why is no one accountable?

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. +1

[jtown1123]

4. I agree. Runaway spending was clearly not the problem but I have yet to hear Dem leadership

say so in a consistent manner. Better messaging people.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. It was that piss-poor messaging that cost them the House.

I could hear that from the phone banking I was doing back then.

[SlimJimmy]

9. +1

Guess what? We always seem to find it easy to blame others, but difficult to look at our own faults. I guarantee that the mid-term elections weren't a fluke. I'll say it again THEY WERE NOT A FLUKE. The voting public was genuinely pissed off at us. We need to be better, bigger, and get it done faster if we want to see a rebound in 2012. Oh, we can sit around patting ourselves on the back and pointing at others and laughing, but if we do, it will be at our own peril.

[elocs]

5. To any Democrats thinking of sitting out the next election, a message from Madison:

[FSogol]

8. +100 n/t

[Arugula Latte]

7. I don't know. They've been pushing the "Guvmint Iz Bad" thing for 30 years

and tens of millions of dumbasses have taken it to heart.

[damntexdem]

10. Yeah, but the voters have to remember until November 2012.

Still, what the GOP is trying to do, and more-importantly what it may succeed in doing (government shutdown), may well have effects that remind the voters through November 2012.

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. You don't need to fool all the people all the time

Fool 50%+1 of people who show up to vote for a few weeks before an election is sufficient. Considerably less than 50% need to be fooled, if you have good friends counting the votes and you can block eligible voters from casting ballots.

The GOP is does fine with a base of around 25%.