Breaking through the illusion that Bush* is a 'great leader'.

[Q]

- Can you feel it? Something wicked this way comes. It's like a snowball rolling down a mountain...picking up momentum and size as it smashes and smothers everything in its way.

- Those of us who have watched and participated in politics since the 70s have been witness to changes in the American political landscape that inevitably brought us to where we are today. These changes came about when the so-called 'Religious Right' and 'Neoconservatives' joined forces and organized an effort to buy up the American media and place like-minded individuals in positions of power.

- It took them 30 years and loads of cash to do it...but they now dominate in nearly every segment of state and national government, the courts and the media. It's no coincidence...it's the 'Republican Revolution'. Installing Bush* into power in 2000 was the culmination of the '30 year plan' to control every aspect of American society.

- If this sounds like hyperbole...you haven't been paying attention. GWB* is riding a wave of zealotry and anti-Democratic hysteria promoted by a media that long ago sold out the American people to corporate ideologues. The New Media can have it both ways: promoting Bush's* far right policies while being known as the 'liberal media' when someone steps out of line and exposes the truth.

- Bush* can and will stay in office if the most we can do is run a candidate against him in 2004. Too many lies have been established as truth by a media that wants the 'party of the corporation' instead of the 'party of the people' in power. It's no longer a 'conspiracy theory' that the media has covered up Bush's* past and ongoing corruption while helping to smear his opponents. It's a reality we must face or suffer the consequences of losing yet again despite representing the majority of Americans.

- 2004 will not be about a Democrat versus a Republican. It will be about a Democrat versus the IMAGE the media has created for Bush* as a bold leader fighting a war against terrorism...a war we'll be told that Democrats were too afraid and weak to fight when they were in charge.

- Democrats CAN win if they can find a way to break through the illusion that Bush* is an honest, christian man doing only what's right for this nation. This can't happen without a concerted effort by the entire party. It's counterproductive when some high profile Democrats continue to play to the illusion by saying Bush* has done a good job in the 'war on terrorism' or inferring that he's a great, but 'misguided' president*.

- The Bush* administration is the most corrupt and self-serving in history. This is what we must campaign against...not the false image the media will present to the American people.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[displacedtexan]

2. we are trapped in the web

of politics, which is the art of making vast numbers of people reach the conclusion we want them to reach. with the points you make so well in your post, our goal is difficult to achieve... but we can do it.
i've started asking questions, instead of confronting conservatives with obvious facts:

does your (insert person or institution here) have your best interests at heart? if not, what do you plan to do about it?
some inserts:
boss
church
local gov't.
state lege
US congressional reps
president
major corporation community presence
health care industry

it's just a start.

[librechik]

3. Oh, but even a direct factual criticism is "hate speech"

Watch this ams Washington Journal on C-Span--

They are making hay out of the CA attormey General's admission that he voted for Arnold. The topic is "Are the Republicans now the dominant party?

Who cares ? AS LONG AS THEY VALUE AND TREASURE THE DISSENT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON!!! AS LONG AS THERE ARE FREE AND LEGAL ELECTIONS!! AS LONG AS THE PARTY WITH THE FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE PLAYS FAIR!!!

The Republicans aren't the dominant party, they're the domineering party.

[leetrisck]

4. Because they have the Courts, they

are the dominant party

[sangha]

5. Very good, Q!! I have a question.

Democrats CAN win if they can find a way to break through the illusion that Bush* is an honest, christian man doing only what's right for this nation. This can't happen without a concerted effort by the entire party. It's counterproductive when some high profile Democrats continue to play to the illusion by saying Bush* has done a good job in the 'war on terrorism' or inferring that he's a great, but 'misguided' president*.

Since you acknowledge that Bush*'s credibility has been wounded, do you give any credit to the Democrats, or do you think it's just some sort of natural phenomena?

[RichM]

7. It's a natural phenomenon. Democrats have helped PROP Bush UP.

Remember Clinton saving Bush's bacon back in the late July Larry King call-in, when Bush was under fire for the "16 words?" Remember Chris Dodd on a Sunday talk show in June, coming out with a huge defense of Bush regarding the "missing" WMD?

And these are just a few of the times that big-name Democrats have gone to bat for Bush, when he was near the abyss. That kind of reckoning leaves out the uncountable scores of times that cowardly Democrats have FAILED to raise their voices to make the case against Bush. Even this past Friday, you had 37 out of 48 Dem senators voting to collaborate with Bush on the $87 billion.

There's a small group of honorable Democrats - Kennedy, Kucinich, Byrd etc. Most of the rest of them are miserable cowards.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[diamond14]

9. bush* said TWO YRS AGO, bin laden would be 'dead or alive'

yes, I'd like to see bush* fulfill his promise to bring bin laden to justice DEAD OR ALIVE...and I am sick of shrub spending BILLIONS of dollars and American Soldiers lives to do that mission and COMPLETELY FAILING to find one guy, there isn't even questions about the logic of major wars to kill one guy...such failure is truly unacceptable...TWO YEARS, Billions of taxpayers dollars, OUR soldiers lives...and no bin laden...seven months, BILLIONS of dollars, hundreds of our soldiers lives, and NO saddam...who knows when these thugs will come back...in fact, I think bin laden is already back in power, watch for saddam to assume power again at a later date...

hold bush* accountable....we need a NEW commander-in-chief who can get that done ASAP....


we must stop these conversations about 'the administration' and 'the military' and replace with the word "bush*" (which is the only way to hold bush* accountable...make the buck stop at his desk for all actions of OUR government)...there are too many media remarks about tom ridge needing to improve homeland security or asscroft not doing well finding the anthrax killer...but the media MUST be force to "bush*"...just like rush and o'reilly always called everything done in the government "clinton'

[Q]

19. Heaven forbid that we should criticize those who won't...

...take Bush* to task.

- It's a strange thing the way Bush* has been able to 'get away' with things his whole life. I get the feeling that MONEY is behind it...and it doesn't hurt to have a Poppy that has been a director of the CIA...VP and President.

- Bush* wasn't qualified to be president by any measure. But he WAS qualified to head the oil/energy/military cartel installed in aftermath of the 2000 election.

- The majority of representatives in government seem afraid to admit it. Well...we KNOW why Republicans can't or won't admit it. They reap all the benefits. But why are the majority of Dems afraid to admit and confront this reality?

- Little George* also happens to be the must vulnerable president* in history because he has so much to hide. If he were a Democratic president he would have already been thrown out on his butt. So why then is George* not only still in office...but more popular than ever among his fans* and supporters?

- His power rests...not in those who support him...but those who refuse to oppose him.

[Q]

17. Actually....I don't acknowledge that Bush's* credibility has been...

...'wounded' to any serious extent. A concerted effort by the entire Democratic party is needed to break through the IMAGE created by the Image Makers in the media.

- Kennedy and Byrd have made great inroads into breaking through the 'illusion'. They not only outline better policy alternatives...they've expose Bush* for what he is: a lying coward.

- The media is NOT on our side. We must create the news for them to report.

[janekat]

6. We need to "grab back" the media from Murdoch & Co.

This is our single biggest problem: Local talk radio, local newspapers, Leno, Oprah, Fox, etc. THAT'S where people get their news.

People also get their news from their husbands, fathers, mothers, their bosses, co-workers, etc. - and THESE people get their news from those venues.

If we can raise all of this money for our candidates - then why can't we raise it to buy back the media - and get it out of right wingers hands?

[sendero]

11. Isn't that...

....what Al Gore is trying to do?

[Q]

21. It's about more than just owning networks...

...and newspapers. Lately I've noticed that the MAJORITY of talking head pundits on various news channels are of the neocon persuasion. Rarely do you see an opposing point of view presented at the same time. And when they DO offer a different POV...it usually comes from someone PRETENDING to represent the Left.

- I hate to admit it...but the Democratic party needs a public relations team to counter the constant onslaught of disinformation from the GOPers. They need to insist that their side is represented in the news.

[diamond14]

10. Kerry/Clark can beat bush*...and shatter the bush* image of

protecting our nation and fighting wars...

dean will be smashed on the national stage for skiing during Vietnam, and sliding out on a medical deferrment...and the ONLY issue for this election is bush* terror wars....

our only chance to beat bush* is to bring on the guys who FOUGHT in Vietnam and served honorably....it's time...bush*'s Vietnam is Iraq, and that is also bush* only claim to re-election....

and the only way to beat the bush* Iraqnam is with REAL VIETNAM HEROS...Kerry/Clark.....

[Q]

22. How can we 'win' in rigged elections...

...and a media determined to undermine our every effort? We need to understand and confront the fact that an 'equal playing field' no longer exists in American politics.

- Even when Democrats win elections...they're prevented from governing by an opposition that will use any means necessary.

[kentuck]

12. Impressions are part of "reporting" also...

The media, across the board, give the "impression" that somehow the Democratic candidates don't measure up to the "great" leadership of George W Bush. This, when the re-elect numbers of GWB are about 43%? They give the impression, and sometimes say outright, that they are like the Seven Dwarves plus Two. This impression is just as powerful, or moreso, than if it is spoken outright. A little laugh or giggle at just the right moment can have a powerful effect for purpose of ridicule. All the media indulges in this..

[stopbush]

13. Bush is a WEAK pres who is SELLING OUT the USA

that's the message that needs to get out there. The statistics prove it, why not use them against him?

[Justice]

15. Need Media to Tell the Truth

It would be nice, but media makes it virtually impossible.

Notice whenever a foreign poll or opinion piece or other article is printed in the US that relates how Bush is viewed by citizens of another country the media pits Americans against the foreigners (they are just jealous of us, they are envious of us, so what if they don't like us).

The story being relayed is not that foreigner don't like Americans, it is that they don't like Bush. But our US media changes the story and tells us to be isolationists.

Edit to change Subject line

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

14. I wonder of the Republicans are going to make bigger use of Bush Sr.

and Babs this election. I was thinking that the award to Ted Kennedy was a cover to give Poppy some bipartisan credibility. Then, while Rove and Ralph Reed and crew do their usual filthy tricks, Poppy and Babs will be out there saying how it's terrible how those nasty Democrats are attacking their little boy. The recent interview could have been a trial balloon for this.

I can't imagine where we would end up if enough people were so gullible to put this crook into office legitimately. It seems that would mean a majority of voters implicitly does not want democracy because the Bush administration has demonstrated they depise democracy and think they are above the law in so many ways. What would that make our system then?

[Tatiana]

16. It continues to amaze me....

that Democrats don't talk about money more. If it weren't for Krugman, the public would be totally uninformed about what Bush* and the neocons' eceonomic plans are. We are contributing more towards aid in Iraq than our total foreign aid budget. Our manufacturing jobs have gone overseas, our I/T white-collar jobs are in India now, American companies are setting up house in tax shelters like Barbados...

WHERE ARE OUR LEADERS ON THESE ISSUES?

The sheeple may believe the Resident is a good Christian man, but if they start to believe he's bad for their pocketbook, things will begin to turn around.

[Q]

18. I get the impression that many Dems...

...are trying to once again ride out the 'patriotism' issue until after the next election. Now that Bush* has us in Iraq...many are reluctant to appear as if they don't support the troops. But some Dems...like Kennedy...have put an end to that charade.

- If enough Democrats got behind those leading the charge against Bush*...he would end up severely weakened in the eyes of at least the Democratic base.....and more than likely many of the renowned 'swing' voters.

[Q]

20. RWingers brag that Bush* is a 'man of the people'...

...yet a vast majority of his monetary support comes from those he later showers with favors and no bid contracts.

- And even though the Bushie PR team has convinced most Americans that the majority of the 87B is 'for the troops'....in reality it's going to defense contractors that 'support' the troops. It's the biggest war profiteering scam in history.