No Soap, by Gregory Jefferson

[mac56]

A DU article, and one of the best I've read in a long time.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/02/p/06_soap.html

(snip)

Since Lee Atwater ran those vicious Willie Horton ads in the 1988 presidential election, the Republican Party found that it could win elections using a brutal and cynical strategy. Enhanced by Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay, and coordinated with right wing publications and radio hosts, their strategy has been to barrage Democrats with a coordinated stream of baseless or exaggerated allegations that mire Democrats in self-defense. The truth or accuracy of the allegations is irrelevant. Only their inflammatory and destructive quality matters. The theory is that by keeping Democrats on the defensive they cannot deliver their message. If some of the dirt sticks, well, so much the better.

(snip)

Bush was held out to be a successful businessman, a moral leader, a compassionate conservative, a uniter and not a divider. He was sold as a champion of the enlisted soldier, an opponent of nation-building, a balancer of budgets, a promoter of education, a guarantor of healthcare and a protector of the environment.

Clearly, he did not turn out to be any of those things. But now, as the 2004 election approaches, the Bush White House is trying to sell the same old bar of soap. And it's not selling.

(snip)

These Republican zealots say that a lie about sex justifies impeachment, yet they lie about the reason for taking the country to war. They bitterly claim that Bill Clinton was wagging the dog when he fired cruise missiles at bin Laden, and then complain that Clinton should have done more. They start a war claiming to enforce United Nations resolutions, against the will of the United Nations. These are the people who began a federal investigation of Janet Jackson's costume within one day of her Super Bowl show, yet fought the creation of the 9/11 Commission for over a year. And they claim to be patriots, caring about country over self.

They are hypocrites. And there isn't much that the American people resent more than hypocrites. Ask Jimmy Swaggart or Rush Limbaugh or Bill Bennett.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Here's the problem

Democrats are tolerant and compassionate. They try to play fair and see all sides of an issue. The Rethugs are out for their agenda, and by their rule book, anything goes. Don't think it was always this way, and I know a lot of Republicans who are bolting their party because the nastiness has gotten to be too much.

[jean]

2. thanks for highlighting this piece. It has been sent to all on my e-list