I've been here a while now, and I see the same thing happening over. The Noise Machine launches an offensive - like the recent
Dems = Taliban claim.
People get really upset about the offensive. Upset is good. But I'm not seeing so much understanding of how the game is being played.
Reality based debating tactics are a weakness in the current climate. To know your enemy you have to understand the MO. And while the GOP is a hollow shell, morally, ethically, and in every other way that matters, it still has a persuasive media presence that plays by its own unique rules.
While it's true that the wheels are coming off the wagon now, with poll numbers tanking, increasing frustration and disbelief, and the beginnings of a tidal shift, the talking points are going to keep on coming for as long as there's a playbook sock-puppet preznit to make the speeches.
So here's a list of what those rules seem to be.
You can read them as snark with added shiny essence-of-cynicism goodness if you want.
Or not. Your call.
Goals
1. Power
2. Money
3. Er - that's it.
Means
1. Declare a war on something. Pick an enemy - drugs, communists, Islamicists, dangerous household appliances. Some vague threat that scares people but can't be defeated decisively.
2. Smear your political enemies as unpatriotic. Pretend instead that you are hyper-patriotic, and acting exclusively to guarantee safety and public security against the evil threat.
3. Never engage with the real issues - stuff that really matters, like hurricanes and global warming and all of that shit. You're way too rich, powerful and important for that to have anything to do with you.
4. When things go badly, bullshit, lie and bluster, but never change the plan.
5. Keep bullying your enemies with name-calling and ad hominems. The more extreme the better.
6. Repeat - never engage with the real issues. If you keep spewing the bullshit, reality won't apply to you.
7. You can say whatever you want, and just saying it often enough and loud enough makes it true.
8. Keep collecting the money. Pay off your friends and cronies with contracts, kick-backs, and tax fixes. Then remind them you know where the bodies are buried.
Useful things to remember
1. Everything is a photo opportunity
2. Poor people suck. Don't waste your beautiful mind on them.
3. Poor soldiers suck too. Cannon fodder, and oh so cheap as well. Nyuck nyuck nyuck - "support the troops?" - oh my aching sides.
4. Fundie Christians are sheep and will vote for you if you throw them some red-meat issues-stuff they care about - abortion, guns, gays, Satan possessing dangerous household appliances, whatever. Who cares? Tell them what they want to hear.
5. Booze and drugs are better than having a soul. Hookers are always good too.
Stuff Democrats don't get
1. Always keep it personal. One swiftboat attack ad is worth a thousand intellectual think-pieces criticising policy and addressing the issues in a balanced and reality-based way.
2. Buy the sheriff. Stack the Supreme Court. It's all the same game.
3. Always blame the other guy for the crap you're pulling yourself. Total HypocrisyTM makes people's heads explode. They'll be too busy making anguished `My brain! It's melting!' noises to have energy to spare on kicking your ass to the curb.
Above all
1. Never apologise. Never explain. Stay the course.