Dear Progressives

[Robbien]

You're doing it again. You're not seeing what is really going on. You are missing the bigger picture. You are looking at trees and missing the forest. Do you really, after all this time and all these defeats, think the Right is stupid?

You mock their politicians for flocking to this because of a Republican talking points memo telling them this will gain them a political advantage, yet you do not see that THIS WILL GAIN THEM POLITICAL ADVANTAGE.

You're nitpicking details and ignoring the larger narrative. They are "trying to save this poor woman." They are "defending this poor woman's family." Meanwhile, you are pointing out discrepancies in the finer details.

Never mind polls showing the public thinks Congress shouldn't interfere, feels they would want to die in the same situation, etc. Those are narrow issue points. WE ALREADY KNOW that we win on issues. But they win on the larger strategic narratives.

They are trying to Save Terri and the Democrats are a Party of Death.

Tune in to Limbaugh. Go read the Right's press. They are escalating this. Ask yourself why.

And watch your backs.

These are my thoughts but not my words because I cannot write worth a darn. I stole most of this from
http://seetheforest.blogspot.com/2005_03_01_seetheforest_archive.html#111160600482510549

[Trajan]

1. *blinks* ....

Limbaugh who ? ..

I think you drank too much coffee .... the polls are CLEARLY indicating disgust with the GOP position ... IF they continue to promote this, it will only get worse ....

The sky is NOT falling .. in any case ....

[Robbien]

13. The Polls were against torture also.

The MSM was against torture.

The GOP was not harmed.

Polls are against gov't interference. So what.
The GOP is trying to SAVE TERRI. Dems are the PARTY of DEATH.

[Trajan]

16. Chuckles .....

You listen to too much right wing radio .... THEY are NOT the reality .... they dont represent but a small sliver of the populace .... Your in a huff over nuthin ....

[Robbien]

22. Dan Rather was right on the AWOL issue and you see where

that got him. The general masses do not remember the AWOL issue, they only remember what was pushed by mainstream media of the fraudulent memos.

I listen to no radio, but do include right wing blogs in with my normal reading. They are focussed. Save Terri from the Death Mongering Dems. No talk about the issues or polls, just repeating the mantra.

[Trajan]

27. From tonight's Daily Kos ....

http://www.dailykos.com/

Schiavo political impact
by kos
Wed Mar 23rd, 2005 at 16:55:01 PST

It's not pretty for the GOP.

CBS News. 3/21-22. MoE 4%. (February results)

Congress Job Approval

Approve 34 (41)
Disapprove 49 (44)

Bush Approval Ratings

Approve 43 (49)

Should Congress and the President be involved in the Schiavo matter?

Yes 13
No 82

This is turning into a disaster of epic proportions for the GOP. They thought they had the Dems wedged, and instead they have wedged themselves from the American public. Congress is being exposed as the cynical, power-mad, ethics-free zone that it has become under DeLay's leadership.

Read the poll. It has nothing but bad news for Republicans. And don't miss Bush's numbers on Iraq - his approval ratings in the war are down six points in the last month - from 45 percent to 39 percent.

Update: The party breakdown for this poll is:

Republican 44
Democrat 29
Independent 28

If the poll represented the actual partisan breakdown of the US public, the numbers would be far, far worse.


-snip-

Like I said: This is a LOSER for the GOP .....

And I hope it drags down those idiots on RW radio too ....

Then you wont have to think about them so much ....

[bobbieinok]

23. but millions of people are listening to them...in many cities RW talk

radio shows are on 8+ hours a day on 2 or more stations......when this is what you listen to very much, your brain gets turned

[Walt Starr]

2. Piffle

The Republicans completely miscalculated on this one and experienced the worst case of political backlash in recorded history.

[Robbien]

14. If they miscalculated it, why are they having Rush and Hannity

escalate the issue? FAUX News is on it non-stop.

GOP is trying to SAVE TERRI, Dems are a PARTY of DEATH.

[Walt Starr]

24. Because they are trying to keep their base from jumping ship

80% of the country despise what the whackos are doing.

[pstans]

3. This a chance to promote universal health care and helping the poor

I heard this on Tuesday on Jerry Springer's radio show. He was talking about the culture of life the Republicans live behind. Sprnger said "be for life the entire life, not before they are born and before they die. Give them health insurance, don't cut medicaid. If you say your culture of life then care about culture of life all of the time."

Democrats should be framing the Schiavo tradegy in these terms. Don't be for life when it is conviniant. Support life all of the time. Health care is a right, not a privledge. Stand up and fight Harry, Howard, Kerry, Feingold, Boxer. See the big picture. Come on, you can do it!

[Robbien]

17. Nitpicking. Yes we win on the issues. But this is not an issues fight.

Never was.

When was the last time the rabid right hate radio keep pushing an issue which did not benefit the GOP?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

4. cementing their base? where were they going to go? 80%

of the public don't agree. I hear what you are saying, and I don't ever ignore their ulterior motives. But don't see any gain here. In fact, it makes them look idiotic. And B* popularity has already dropped over this.

[Robbien]

20. Dems being a Party of Death is a buzzword being banied about

It was even used in 36 different MSM articles just yesterday and today.

When all the hubbub dies what will remain is that the GOP tried to Save TERRI and the Dems wanted to kill her.

Yes, the polls say we are RIGHT ON THE ISSUES. We have been right on the issues many many if not most of the times.

Where has that got us?

[Bluebear]

5. Not this time. Polls are overWHELMingly showing national disgust

with the manipulation of this poor woman for political points. Bush and Bush finally went too far.

[Tux]

6. Maybe that is right

We do ignore the bigger picture and only work for the next election instead of standing for something. Dems lately has stood against something and it's whatever Republicians bring out. This lady's case is a good example.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. I think they're escalating this because they are surprised they've not

incited enough violence yet. If they can't get us to be violent to convince the public they need to give up more freedoms, they will inpsire their base to riot. Either way, they turn public support toward giving up more freedoms under the guise that they will be safer.

[Bluebear]

11. I agree, they are fanning the flames of their base

Their bloodthirst is the hunger I am witnessing, not Mrs. Schiavo's.

[Mr_Spock]

8. Someone is paranoid...

Not mentioning any names....

[Flammable Materials]

9. I ain't no progressive ...

... I'm a liberal, damn it!

:)

[ruggerson]

10. This is absurd

You couldn't be more wrong. This issue can, and will, highlight the worst aspect of the secret war the religious rightwing has waged for power to rule America. It exposes them completely, it is vastly important, and it can be the turning point, after fourty years of republican ascendancy.

[Al-CIAda]

12. Dems are "Party of Death'? 100,000 innocent DEAD Iraqis say otherwise.

Environmental destruction says otherwise. Skyrocketing healthcare costs say otherwise...etc..

The fascist neo-con death cult must be labeled as such.

[countryjake]

15. I think you're wrong.

Even a majority of the people who voted to install this current administration disagree with the government interference in this case...just heard that on CBS news.


I'm sorry this post of mine will put another "S" topic to the top of the board. Shuffling back to the rear now.

[gollygee]

18. What's right is right

regardless of polls, regardless of political advantage or disadvantage, what is right is right.

It is right that T.S.'s wishes be honored, and a court went through a process to determine what that was. The court found clear and compelling evidence that she would not want her life prolonged, and several courts have backed that up.

The right thing to do is to allow that poor woman to be put to rest.

[tammywammy]

19. Well, I respectfully disagree

the Republicans made a huge miscalculation, and this is back firing on them big time even within the Rep. Party.

[jayfish]

21. The Details Are Precisely...

what will make this such a resounding defeat for the Right. We are in the court of law now, not the court of public opinion.

Jay

EDITED FOR SPELLING

[guajira]

25. I'm a Progressive Who Thinks its Barbaric to Starve Someone

to death!

Terri should have been removed from the "guardianship" of a husband who will benefit from her death, and allowed to be cared for by her loving parents.

Perhaps then she will get some actual physical therapy and a determination can be made as to whether she can ever improve or not.

[Trajan]

28. I thought as you did just a few days ago .....

I am now informed that her cerebral cortex is liquified, essentially non-existent .. it CANNOT regenerate in ANY form or fashion .....

A human being is not a human being without a cerebral cortex ... it is what distinguishes man from beast ....

Terri can be no more than her parents pet .. it is sad .. it is very sad ... but THAT is the reality ....

Like I said: I thought as you did a mere few days ago .... but I have changed my mind ....

I hope I still have a cerebral cortex ....

[MisterP]

26. Chimpy's at 43%, Congress is lower:

if the Dems marched in lockstep like the conservative factions wanted, the song and dance wouldn't change, except mebbe they'd say they'd have bipartisan support