Bush`s most effective political tool is fear.

[democrank]

The Bush political machine calculated that many Americans are willing to allow someone else to pinpoint what should be feared. The transition from freedom to fright was easy, given media`s participation in the process: shark attacks, wrinkles, indigestion, bird flu. If we accept worrying about finding someone`s missing finger in fast food chili or a BREAKING NEWS two-inch snowstorm in the Northeast, we certainly could be trained to fear a bearded guy at our community picnic. With Bush or with the terrorists. On the side of spreading freedom or willing to aid our enemies. Clear, clean choices.

If a voice breaks through the wall, we`re immediately told to think Liberal or wussie or unwilling to defend America. This is a Rambo Nation with big guns and big bombs. No place for weak-kneed sellouts waving library cards and spewing allegations at the Department of Homeland Security. No.
We`re Arnold on his motorcycle or Junior in his Mission Accomplished flight suit. And, if we have to give up some freedoms to stay free, so be it. If the government needs to eavesdrop on our telephone calls, well....if you`re doing nothing wrong you shouldn`t worry. They`re just after terrorists who are after us. In fact, there is so much to fear out there that many in Congress decided to just let Bush be Bush. No oversight needed. The president can decide which laws apply to him and which ones should be ignored in the name of national security. See how that works? Forget the "nothing to fear but fear itself" stuff. This is a different time.

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. With fear, you can fool most of the people, most of the time.

[ret5hd]

2. "The whole aim of practical politics...

is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."
-H. L. Mencken

[Daphne08]

6. I only wish Mencken were still alive. He would have a field day

during these times!

[no_hypocrisy]

3. On the other hand, when a populace decides it will override fear with

what it wants, then it can't be manipulated.

This is not my best example, but here goes: The MSM kept the story going this week-end about the snow storm and the predicted 7-8" of precipitation and how horrible the Superbowl would be as a result. But it also showed that weather didn't discourage fans from flocking to Detroit for their sports spectacular. If American citizens wanted their Constitution, their freedoms, and their democracy as much as they wanted their Superbowl, we wouldn't be having this discussion. * could say in his Chicken Little manner that the sky was falling, and it wouldn't make a difference.

[MarianJack]

5. Very Valid Point, no_hypocrisy,...

...but most Americans don't know, and unfortunately don't want to know, about the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It might keep them from catching the next episode of "Desperate Housewives".

This is one reason that ** can get away with his attitude that the Constitution is just a "goddam piece of paper"!

Peace!

[Surya Gayatri]

7. Point well taken, no_hypocrisy,

and therein lies the crux of the problem--
the average Joe Schmoe continues to ascribe
more worth to his creature comforts and
entertainments than to his basic rights
and freedoms. SG

[MarianJack]

4. As Rep. McDermott (spelling?) Said in F9/11,...

...they knew that you could get them to do anything as long as they're scared!

[Chef]

8. The War President

Through the summer of 2001, it was becoming clear that we had a looser on our hands. This bumbling incompetent president was on his way to a one term disaster. Then he got lucky and the country lost. The damage OBL did went beyond the attack on the WTC by legitimizing the unelected fool. It provided insulation from the critical eye of the public and allowed the * government to carry out the destruction of our democracy for four more years beyond what would have been the normal life of this corrupt gangs misgoverance of our nation. The most galling thing is that *, and the media have worked together to frame him as the "war president", thereby anointing him with more protection against critic sm and scorn that would rightfully be heaped on this dufus. He is not a war president.

Now. the excesses of his stupidity are becoming apparent, even to his fellow kool aid drinkers. In the long run, I don't think he will get away with it. At least I hope.

I think about the captain of the Egyptian ferry and the analogy to *. Stay the course and head the wrong way. Sooner or later, the boat sinks.

[Unmarked Poster]

9. and ignorance

:kick:

[hadrons]

10. media fear machine is in full gear .....

they even fooled some into believe that "they" were going to take Christmas away

[pocket]

11. fear and suprise

and an almost fanatical devotion to the pope.



Oops, nevermind. That's the inquisition.

[FrenchieCat]

12. Fear, Fear, Fear.....

And don't forget how "they" slapped our face time and time again with the "pandemic" story.

The Republicans along with their media minions know how to market FEAR really, really well!