Watergate was an unnecessary mess because Nixon was winning anyway. In politics and policy, you have different layers and levels of involvement. The average American voters wants the nation to function better. Then, you have your issue activists and party enthusiasts who mean well but tend to get carried away and swear that the other side is never correct.
I am ticked-off with the Blue Dogs who supported Bush 41 and Bush 43 when these presidents were somewhat right yet those same conservative Democrats aren’t turning to the GOP members with whom they worked in the past and saying “come on fellows…not all of these ideas are bad.”
The most dramatic level of politics and policy would be the professionals who earn a living from the conflict—more mess, more money. I am one southerner who has grown weary of fighting for fighting sake.
To the people I know in the GOP, you can win in November on the issues but resorting to fear, hate and traditional ugliness is unbecoming and counterproductive. Your team should notice how Rep. Paul Ryan, Mario Rubio and even Senator Isakson debate and voice opposition constructively. The worst-case scenario would be the continue use of techniques and methods similar to the hate-baiting from our past. It is interesting that some of those “win at all cost” political leaders of the past had righteous transformation before going to glory and explain what they did for opportunistic purposes. Of course, the same can be said about folks on our side. To feed your family, a hater got to do what a hater got to do.
Earlier this year, President Obama told the both sides that they should be careful how they debate because the average Americans is going to start believing that they really hate each other. Newsflash: they don’t; it’s political theater. While they sincerely hate the issues and the growing debt, I don’t think there is a member of the Georgia congressional delegation who “hates” another member.
The wildcard factor is the successful division of the media that “stays paid” from the conflict. I want to say that I have recently learned that this division is not really journalists but some new form of political commentators for entertainment—Rush, Glenn, Michelle, Ed, Keith, Rachael. (Thank you Glenn Beck for explaining it.) Can the average American separate political entertainment from Cronkite-style journalism. Cronkite and Brinkley would turn to another camera and the words “commentary” would appear across the bottom of the screen.
On MSNBC’s Morning Joe today, they did a report about a coming RNC insider effort to drive donations with fear and boy won’t it work. But, playing this card from your sleeve is not needed when the cards in your hand are not that bad. Can you see why centrists support the few sensible people on the Right? The old Chinese proverb goes “it is better to light a single candle than curse the darkness.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/35706805#35706805
March 4: Msnbc’s Joe Scarborough offers his take on an RNC fundraising document, obtained by Politico, that encourages the use of “fear” and “negative feelings” to solicit donations.
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