Why the GOP is winning the debate.
During the 1960s, there was much political and cultural change in this country.
In addition to the ferocious debate about the Vietnam war, and US militarism in general, historically subjugated groups were rising up and fighting to reframe the debate, and reframe history as well.
In addition to the Civil Rights movement, there was the women's rights movement, the LGBTQ movement, and many other groups fighting to be treated as equal.
As a consequence of these movements that threatened white male Christian supremacy, the right wing crafted a strategy.
First, they started buying media outlets and establishing lobbying and propaganda groups that they called foundations or research institutes. Any media consumer cannot avoid all of the right wing research foundations that put out a steady stream of articles and reports designed to advance the conservative agenda. In 41 states there is a Policy Institute of some sort that is part of this. In Illinois, it is the Illinois Policy Institute that serves as the front group. And as The Nation first reported, 90% of the US media is owned by 6 large corporations. In addition, conservatives bought up many radio and television stations to further reach the population.
Along with buying up the media, and establishing these front groups, it was important to frame the debate. The estate tax, which affects the top 1% of the top 1%, was called the death tax, to suggest that it applies to everyone.
Equal rights for the historically second class citizens named above were called special rights. The implication of this is to establish that these groups were asking for more, rather than actual equality.
Right to work was another meme, as if to say that the conservatives were fighting for a literal right to work rather than the actuality of conservatives attacking unions.
Move to the center and appeal to the center are 2 other memes that enjoy widespread acceptance. What is not mentioned is that, as the GOP moves farther to the right, this center
also moves to the right.
Voter fraud is another popular lie, but it justifies voter suppression and voter discrimination against non-white and non-conservative segments of the population.
And after the SCOTUS Citizens United decision, money was redefined as speech. So politicians only hear the sound of money.
Now, in 2017, we have had 50 years of conservatives buying the media, framing the debate, and remaking politics in the US. Voters hear conservative talking points every day from a wide variety of sources. Radio, television, the internet, all put out the conservative talking points that many accept as settled wisdom.
So when Trump speaks his various lies, a certain segment of the population has heard variations of these lies for 50 years and they are pre-disposed to believe them.
But in spite of this, there is still reason for guarded optimism because Hillary Clinton received more votes than Trump.
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