It's Shocking How Many Are - Once Again - Falling For It

[JFN1]

It is absolutely stunning. Dems/Liberals/Progressives are ONCE AGAIN falling, seemingly en masse, into the Republican strategy of DISTRACTING the entire country with SOCIAL ISSUES. And as they have so skillfully done in the past, Republicans are now positioned to ride this wave of cynically fabricated morality all the way to November. All he way through the election.

This very successful strategy, of course, takes the focus OFF REPUBLICANS and their JOB PERFORMANCE, off their ETHICAL PERFORMANCE, and off their overall PLATFORM of turning the middle/working class, working poor, and outright poor, into a savory meal for the 1%. Seniors, veterans, and the disabled, along with poverty stricken and homeless folk, will be 2013's dessert for the glutinous, grossly financially obese, 1% proto-plutocracy. I guess they'll have the children - at least those not toiling as school janitors - for an after-dinner mint.

Uh, Hello? McFly?

Don't remember this from just TWO LOUSY YEARS AGO? OR FOUR YEARS AGO? OR SIX? OR EIGHT????? Or, perhaps...does the name "Terry Shiavo" ring any bells?????

Think, McFly! Think! We've seen this all before!!!!

Continuing to engage the suddenly uncontrollably-boiling issues of gay marriage or immigration or abortion or Second Amendment rights or contraception or church/state separation, etc., is to FALL RIGHT INTO THE VILE CLUTCHES OF THE DISTRACT-O-MATIC 2000 Republican Messaging Machine* ruthlessly engineered and successfully deployed by Rove and his Republican/1% ilk for over a decade.

Are these social issues, then bullshit?

Let me be clear: No, absolutely not, they are in NO WAY bullshit, I am NOT saying that at all. The items I've listed remain critically important social issues. There is much important work being done which must continue as empathetic and compassionate people work their collective asses off to ensure justice is wrought for us all in these matters. I humbly salute them.

But what IS bullshit is these issues coming to the fore NOW, as election season really begins to heat up. THAT is the pure fucking BULLSHIT, as it shows only opportuistic use of the issues for political gain, rather than any true concern for the lives being affected by these matters.

History conclusively demonstrates, if anyone can manage to get over their Republican-manufactured-outrage for five seconds and go look - ELECTIONS DO NOT RESOLVE THESE ISSUES. Elections never have, and they never will.

And do you know why?

BECAUSE THE ONLY TIME SERIOUSLY PASSIONATE PUBLIC DEBATE - AT THIS LEVEL - TAKES PLACE ON THESE ISSUES IS DURING ELECTION SEASONS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gay marriage has thankfully become an exception from the issues I've listed, as it has become more actively worked on during the times between elections, and wow! We're starting to see some solidly positive results. Imagine that...

So please - STOP allowing Republicans to take the focus off their shitty agenda/beliefs/performance, and the consequences which directly result from the REPUBLICAN-BUSH YEARS and start replacing that energy by discussing how the fuck we got to where we are via REPUBLICAN BULLSHIT instead of stirring the personally gratifying pot of immediately unsolvable social issues which have been infecting our species for years and years and years.

So please, please please: Change the freaking subject. Agree its a troubling issue, perhaps suggest the courts and States are working on it, and MOVE ON to another, more election-appropriate subject (don't you worry about Planet Express, let me worry about blank!) - it’s not as if there aren't literally THOUSANDS of them to choose from - Republicans are quite prolific in this area, as you probably know.

Or, you can continue to feed the ongoing distractions and therby fuel your own personal outrage as the Republican messaging machine (Super-Social-Distraction-Division) leads the public around the heaping, flaming wreck which actually IS THEM, by our apparently forgetful and gullible noses...


*SnarkNote: The Rovian DISTRACT-O-MATIC 2000 Republican Messaging Machine is vastly more efficient than the now mothballed Reagan-era "Prop-O-Ganda Spew-Matic 9100Z," which was designed to work without total control of the mass media.

[frazzled]

1. They'll lose on their Republican social issues

Please, stop with the concern.

When an organization like Komen attacks the country's most prominent women's health organization, we respond.

When the 9th Circuit strikes down an unjust law discriminating against an entire group of Americans' civil rights, we respond (this time positively).

When Republicans make racist attacks based on ethnicity, using immigration issues, we respond.

The American people are with us on these issues.

And we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Dealing with the ongoing issues of the times (and yes, all these issues are ongoing) does not mean we can't focus as well on their ethical challenges, on their damaging economic proposals, and on anything else.

Stop being a baby and cowering in the corner. What, you want women to sit down and be quiet when Planned Parenthood is singled out and health care is denied to poor women? You want us to sit down and shut up when gay rights or immigration policy issues are brought up? You want we should step back and cede the discussion to them? That is plain silly.

[JFN1]

2. Sigh.

Not what I am saying at all. Controlling the debate - controlling the subject of the debate - is how elections are won and lost.

Not recommeding cowering - it takes less courage, IMO, to "go with the crowd" and engage in "popular" debate, than it does to focus on acquiring the tools needed to positively affect troubling social issues in the long term, as in actually WINNING important elections.

But hey - feed the rage all you want; I'm sure it is very personally rewarding, moreso than changing the subject to shake off the distraction these issues are merely being USED AS, by Republicans, in order to gain/maintain power.

This Republican distraction strategy has a much more profound effect at the local/State/District level than it does macroscopically...for this is the level where perceptions sway the makeup of our legislatures and judiciaries both locally and nationally...funny how that works...control the debate -- control perception..and all that...

[jberryhill]

3. Meh

They don't win on those either.

You just can't tell other people what their priorities should be.

Frankly, I vote on social issues, foreign relations, and Supreme Court appointments.

The President, also frankly, has little influence on the economy, particularly now that many of the challenges ahead involve international cooperation. Absolutely the President sets the tone and can influence the Congressional agenda, but all this election year horseshit about "I'm gonna do this with taxes" or "I'm gonna create jobs" way overstates the President's actual powers, as opposed to those issues above, particularly Supreme Court appointments, where the President has primary and direct power.

We are going to see a knock down drag out to end all, in the event that enough Supreme Court appointments become available.

[kysrsoze]

4. I don't see too many falling for it. Have you seen recent Repub turnout?

Nobody's falling for their shit anymore... except the true believers.

[JFN1]

6. Perhaps...

I hope I'm wrong, but this is just the beginning...and CU is going to interject lots of cash to influence the debate. SGK dissing PP is just the tip of the iceberg, more (and louder) manufactured controvery will follow...but you may be right...I sure hope so...and I don't think its wrong to remind our Dem brothers and sisters of the dangers this strategy has done/can do...

Here is an example of what I am talking about, just posted: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002282745

[Obama3_16]

5. What are you talking about? Polls show people are tired of culture wars.

Only extreme minority of refucklicans are voting on values.

[JFN1]

7. And they are very loud and persistent.

Don't underestimate the influence a minority can have on "free" elections...or public perception.

I'm just saying we CAN fuel the social issurs debate and allow Repus to distract their voters - but I think it is a mistake to take anything or granted this go around...CU is soooo fucking huge, and no one knows the total effect it will have.

If SGK was their trial balloon, we must be vigilant...

[Populist_Prole]

8. If it makes you feel better, I'm a defector

The GOP has moved so far right I ditched it. It became so obvious to me that they are using stupid social issue bullshit like religion, "values" stuff etc to conceal their plutocratic or/and authoritarian aims. I hate them now. Really. It is unfortunately seriously straining my relations with some friends or family that have ironically become even more conservative. I feel very bad about that.

[jsmirman]

10. I don't know if I'm violating anything

by "de-anonymizing" this but I gave you a heart for having to deal with that shit and for having a heart!

[Populist_Prole]

11. Not at all, and thanks very much!

[AndyTiedye]

9. The Subjects of Debate are Decided by the Republicans and Communicated Through the Media

That is the way it is, and that is they way it will be for the foreseeable future.

We cannot hope to control the subject of the debate. The media does. CU only makes it worse.

The only way to take a particular social issue "off the table" is to surrender on it.
Then they come up with a new one. If we give up abortion, they'll go after birth control.
If we give up gay marriage, they'll go after Lawrence v. Texas, so they can start locking up gays again.

The only alternative is to fight the battles they are picking for us. What else can we do?

It is hard to win when the other side makes the rules, but that's the kind of game American politics is today.

[gratuitous]

12. No! We must compromise

Okay, so every poll on the issue of covering birth control through insurance shows that the majority of every demographic except for conservative evangelicals is in favor of it. We must let a bare majority of one segment of a minority group dictate policy for everyone everywhere. Sure, it would be a huge benefit to millions of people, but we must curry favor with conservative evangelicals, or risk losing their vote which they'll never cast for a Democrat anyway.

It all makes perfect sense.

[JustAnotherGen]

13. I understand your point

You know how I shut people down with this? Those on the right who want to have these discussions ANYWHERE - to include my Congress man on HIS FB Page? I remind those on the right that IF they were going to get their way on abortion eveeeeeeeeeer it would have happened between January 2001 and late December 2006. They've been sold out, they aren't getting their way, Roe V. Wade will not be overturned, etc. etc.

I've turned two 'one issue anti abortion' voters into Democratic party members and more important VOTERS - by pointing out that if that's the ONE issue you've got? Then you've got nothing.

And I'm also basking in the glory of the Responsible Pointed and Necessary Attack on Komen and it's DECISIONS. In the culture war - we just won a huge battle. Not only that - and I realize it won't bring ACORN back from the dead - but it gave me just a little bit of satisfaction and a 'take that' after what the 'right' did to ACORN.

Now, in terms of the debates and why these issues are coming up . . . they are coming up because it's Republicans and that's what they do: Wax poetic about God, my uterus, and how I'm (minority woman) are ruining America with our wanton ways. This is how they get attention and how they get ahead. As a progressive - it's no different than President Obama startng to mention poverty as the Edwards campaign dwindled down - it's one of OUR social issues . . . and it worked to distract me from Clinton to him post Edwards support.

When this gets to the G.E. - and THOSE debates - let's say it's Romney/Santorum or heck even my good guv'nah Christie . . . do you really think Joe Biden is going to be as polite to them as he was Palin? He won't let them get away with this nonsense. And neither will President Obama. They are too quick on their feet to allow a question about the Infrastructure be turned into a debate on flag burning. We might even here Biden say in a debate, "Look flag burning isn't a big effing deal - getting terrorists is". And he'll get away with it - because he's Joe Biden.

[WilliamPitt]

14. Um...

You're saying the Komen Foundation cut funding to Planned Parenthood as a means of deliberately redirecting the national discourse away from eceonomic issues to social issues?

Erm...no.

As the bumper sticker so wisely says, "Shit Happens." Komen fucked up, PP is in the news (which props up the contraception issue), and it'll get its due series of news cycles.

I don't think they planned this, and it, too shall pass.

Your warning is well taken, however.

[arendt]

15. A simple word search reveals the OP never said that. It was someone else.

You are right to call out conspiracizing about motives; but, you should have spent more time amplifying the OPs point.

Instead you waste more time on the distracting issue. I guess you are demonstrating the OP's point of how effective distraction is.

I'm with the OP. Let's talk about the economy, Wall St., obscene military budgets, bloated CEO salaries, the war on workers.

Anything but these bullshit social issues. Divisive distraction in an ongoing death spiral for America.

[mick063]

16. What isn't fair game?

The GOP is wrong on every issue.

Whenever their stupidity begins to dramatically impact another sect of Americans, the list of disenfranchised GOP voters grows.

My argument with the OP. It doesn't matter what issue the GOP wants to bring to the fore front, the majority of Americans typically oppose their position. This is backed up with poll after poll. Pick an issue....any issue.

Folks are marching on GOP State Houses from a "direct impact" perspective. From an image perspective, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, and Hermain Cain have particularly hurt the GOP brand with an assortment of personality flaws.

Their fumbling, bumbling of their own primarys make them the worst authority on election laws.

The list goes on and on.

The only thing they have going for them is the FOX "talking heads" that can spin just about anything to the minority of Americans that wish to follow.