The New GOP Meme and The Tools To Fight It
The GOP machinery seems to be gearing up and I hear the familiar workings of their engine. Their new meme: Barack Obama failed to unite Politicians in Washington.
I've heard this recently on the talk shows, but heard it on NPR last night on the lead-in to the convention and again this morning on the morning talk shows. The surprising thing is, especially about last night's interview of NPR with *Democratic* Politicians, was that the Democrats seemed caught off guard by the questions and did not know how to answer it.
The question was this: Has Obama failed to deliver on Hope and Change by failing to reach out to Republicans in Congress. There were three Democratic law makers present in the interview and all three basically conceded. I was shocked and angry at the same time. Were they not prepared for this? Were they not aware of what the Republicans have done, beginning on the night of Obama's inauguration?
Finally, they opened it up to listeners and I was relieved greatly. Even if our lawmakers don't get it, the people of this Nation do. Listener after listener called in saying Obama has delivered on Hope and Change and they cited his many accomplishments (the following were all cited by listeners): The economic stimulus that saved us from a Second Great Depression, The ACA (aka Obamacare), Lilly Ledbetter Act, Ending the War In Iraq and establishing a timetable for ending the War in Afghanistan, Cash For Clunkers and saving Detroit, The Killing of Osama Bin Laden, Repealing DADT, historic appointments to the Supreme Court, and a few other achievements. Hope was restored for me. The shared thought was that Obama has accomplished a great deal *in spite of* great opposition. The listeners all knew the story. Why can't Obama's surrogates?
The fact is, American voters are *not happy* with the current progress and direction. They want *more* of what Obama has done, not a regression or to turn back. All of the listeners who cited the Stimulus said it needed to be bigger. We need *more*. And they put the blame fully where it belongs: On The Republicans in Congress.
This is reflected in the polls. According to the CBS/NYT tracking poll of right/wrong direction and job approval, 62% of adults nationwide think the country is going in the wrong direction, and 66% of the country believes that Republicans in Congress don't share the same priorities as the people; while at the same time, Obama's job approval remains between 48-50%. These numbers have remained relatively static throughout the year.
The people get it. But if the Republican Propaganda Machine has it's way, they will change this natural perception. We must not let that happen. Here are the facts:
1. On the night of Obama's inauguration, fifteen members of the GOP (14 from the house legislature) plotted to obstruct "every single bill", even at the expense of good work that would help the American people. This goes beyond politics and is a betrayal of the trust of the American people.
2. Republicans have blocked more judicial nominees than at any other time in history. 1 in 10 seats for Federal Judges is vacant. Since cloture was adopted in the Senate in 1917, it's been used 22 times to block District Court nominees. Republican Senators have used it 19 of those 22 times against judicial candidates nominated by Obama. During Bush's time as President, the GOP complained that Democrats were gumming up the works by blocking judicial nominees. Obama's court nominations are having to wait 5-6 times longer than Bush nominees, over 100 days, between committee vote (when they are voted in) and confirmation (when they are legally allowed to take the position). Because Democrats do not control 66 seats in the Senate, they cannot stop this obstructionism.
3. In discussing political tactics against Obama and Democrats, Rep. Sessions (one of the 15 members who plotted against Obama) likened their strategy to the Taliban Insurgency:
"Taliban Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban. Insurgency is the way they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person's entire processes. And these Taliban -- is an example of how you go about to change a person from their messaging to their operations to their frontline message. And we need to understand that Insurgency may be required when (dealing with) the other side"
...
"If they (democrats) do not give us those options or opportunities then we will then become Insurgency ... I think Insurgency is a mindset and an attitude that we're going to have to search for and find ways to get our message out and to be prepared to see things for what they are, rather than trying to do something about them"
Yes, they describe themselves as the American Taliban.
4. Newt Gingrinch, also one of the 15, also present at the above mentioned meeting to undermine the President's efforts to unite the country,
admits to the meeting in the following video and says that the Republicans could not allow Obama to work in a bipartisan fashion or he would get re-elected. Gingrinch admits that it was more important to stop Obama from getting elected than it was to do the Business of the American people. Yes, he admits to being a traitor.
If you come across any Republican spouting the lies that Obama has failed to unite, you show them these things. You ask them how the American Taliban of GOP Lawmakers thought it would be better to block the business of the American people because they didn't like the President. Bookmark this thread and remember it. Then use it to remind people why this election is just as important as 2008.
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