Nothing in politics is as powerful as the blunt, honest truth..

[kentuck]

That is the major reason the Repubs are trying so desperately to "character assassinate" Governor Howard Dean. He is blunt and honest. That is the type of message that supersedes Party labels. That is the type of message we need to put out to Middle America. Basic truths.

Our economy is not doing good. We are in debt up to our eyeballs. The war is Iraq is a quagmire. We are losing our freedoms with the Patriot Act. The propagandists want people to believe things that aren't true. The taxbreaks did not benefit average Americans and has done a great deal of harm to our country in the long run. There is no free lunch. This is the first war in history in which our leaders asked for taxcuts. The people in charge are not conservatives - they are radical neo-con Republicans. Our country is on the wrong path.

[GreenArrow]

1. "my opponent

has had conjugal relations with a sow".

Lies are pretty powerful too, and sell better.

[Triana]

2. EXACTLY. This is why we need Dean

We need him to talk and talk and talk and to keep talking. I saw another DU'er post some T-shirts saying Dr. Dean is the Dr. of Truthology.

I'll go along with that!

[quiet.american]

3. He also co-ops their "Stern Father" model that their base so loves. n/t

[PurityOfEssence]

11. That's a VERY good point

Like wimps watching gangster movies, far too many Caspar Milquetoasts love to live vicariously through the no-nonsense directness of the man of action.

More than anything else, people like people for being something, not for not being something; this is why appeasement and coddling the middle is inherently silly.

The case must be made for what one's side is attempting to DO, and here's the inescapable truth: it's about class warfare and economic tyranny; until the Democrats make that case loud and clear, there's no reason anyone should vote for them. The monarchists have cowed us from ever mentioning such things, and it's the smartest thing they ever did. Inciting jealousy among the working have-nots, like what's being done in Rhode Island right now, is classic: it ain't fair that those other guys get a pension and I don't. The reactionaries have been adept at this for years: the whole "southern strategy" and Reagan's groundswell came from things like raging against affirmative action. The poor were set against the poor, using wink wink, nudge nudge racism as a catalyst. Works like a charm.

Much as many think of themselves as free thinkers, the vast majority of people are followers or onlookers. Hero worship is a very potent force, and by taking that mantle, many will be swept along.

[getmeouttahere]

4. Great post, kentuck....

I particularly like the part about tax cuts during war. During WWII, the country was asked to make sacrifices, not the least of which was having their taxes RAISED to pay for the war. Not only have we not been asked to make sacrifices (except for our civil liberties) but we are in so much debt that unless we reverse it AND quick we will find ourselves in a depression. And the generations that were raised in our consumer republic couldn't handle something like that.

[Ravenseye]

5. My Opponent is a Homo Sapien

It's happened for years, it'll happen for many more to come. Play to people's ignorance without actually telling an outright lie. Spinning to ignorance in a way that sells your idea, while playing it as something completely different or even opposite of what it is.

[kentuck]

6. A candidate in Florida won by saying that his opponent was...

" a practicing heterosexual"... :)

[WePurrsevere]

7. Which just goes to prove the adage....

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups".

[WePurrsevere]

8. Blunt & Honest

That would be why so many of the Repigs are after him... they can't stand honesty.

Instead of sitting back and rolling over like a submissive pup he's a rottweiler standing up and getting in faces. IMO Dr. Dean's doing something his predessesor didn't do... he's grabbing the attention of the American people, challenging their thinking, stirring things up. Even with his making a few Dems upset he's at least bringing the party back to life, getting the blood pumping and getting some folks back into fighting mode and out of the last few years of flight with your tail tucked mode.

Dean's not John Kerry nor Al Gore with their quiet methodical approach, nor Clinton with his charm and charism but he IS very good at galvanizing folks and he's also far from being a stupid person so I tend to think that there's a method to his "madness" which will reveal itself as we give the Republicans the kick of our mule right out of office...
:kick:
and take back our beloved country over the next few years.

[kentuck]

9. He's the man for the season..

imo..

[Al-CIAda]

10. Pedestrians should be kept away from children! n/t

[WePurrsevere]

12. ?? n/t