Every Republican position from immigration, the war on terror to the Supreme Court - boils down to one primal racist fear - "dark people who don't work are either trying to kill me or pick my pockets". Thats why they have an easier time staying united. It doesn't require much thinking to be a Republican.
For these folks Reagan is the patron saint. Reagan raised the national debt from $700 billion to $3 trillion, took the US from the world's largest international creditor to the world's largest debtor and gave massive tax breaks to the wealthy and they just love love love him.
Its not deficit spending they care about. Its the possibility that money will be spent to help poor people.
Along comes Obama who wants more sick people to be able to get medical care and these "patriots" are strapping on assault rifles and putting Hitler mustaches on pictures of the President.
No one plays the faux angry demagogue card better than the ReFoxicans. They have managed to hoodwink people who are not rich into thinking that their pockets are being picked every time someone suggests that rich people should pay their fair share of the cost of running the country.
Frank Rich got it exactly right in his NY Times Op Ed piece Sunday (2/14/10) warning that we need to stop laughing at Palin and start figuring out how such a snake oil saleswoman could fool so many people. Op-Ed Columnist: Palin's Cunning Sleight of Hand
Every day Americans who are either uninsured, or one pink slip or illness away from being uninsured have been persuaded that they have the same interests as insurance industry executives! When you're good, you're good and these guys are good.
The wolf has convinced little red riding hood that he is grandma.
Its rhetorical duct tape on the Republican's utility belt. They tear off a little piece and slap it onto the lips of any liberal who tries to start a conversation about economic justice and the corrosive impact of poverty. In the 50's another Joe used to destroy people by calling them "reds". These days instead of red baiting they socialist bait - exact same thing. Its the never fails third rail of American politics. . We say "economic fairness" and they say "class warfare".
- check mate - check please.
If we can't block this snow job with a message that appeals equally to Americans' decency and self interest we are in trouble - and by trouble I mean "911 - may day may day - President Palin and first dude Todd"- kind of trouble".
