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With both their foreign domestic policies in smoldering ruin, fear-mongering is the sole remaining weapon which rightwingers have at their disposal to steer public support toward the GOP. When Karl Rove says, as he did recently, that national security and the war on terror is going to be the centerpiece of the GOP pitch leading into the 2006 elections, what he really means is that they are going to spend the next three months doing everything possible to frighten that key voting demographic consisting of the most fearful Americans into, once again, ignoring real-life issues and throwing themselves into the arms of the party of George Bush, the Great Protector. There is a convenient shorthand for voters of this stripe. They are the bedwetters.
And when it comes to fear-mongering, the GOP's audacity knows no bounds; as evidenced by Orin Hatch's recent, wacky assertion that al Queda lies in wait for the Democrats to sweep into power. Unfortunately, Hatch's goofy comment-- throughly derided in the blogosphere-- plays as a legitimate critique in the Corporate media. After all, each time the Republicans have gone to the terror well in the past two election cycles, the water has been cool, clear and free for the taking.
Face it, an American today has a greater chance of being struck by lightning than being killed in a domestic terror attack. Yet certain Americans-- generally those who tune in to the Limbaughs, Hannitys and O'Reillys of the airwaves -- are absolutely petrified at the prospect of death by terrorists. It dominates their lives and broods over every public decision they make. Lacking physical courage, and egged on by these chickenhawk talking heads, they project their cowardice onto public officials who do not share their irrational priorities. By their lizard-brain reasoning, only a Bush-led GOP, busily blowing up brown people the world over, can save them from instantaneous, fiery death. Unlike the majority of Americans who who have girded themselves up and courageously gone on with life after 9/11, these quivering, spineless, Rightwing wimps are so dominated by fear that they figuratively pee their beds at the slightest media-fed provocation.
This image--one of a sturdy white male peeing himself out of uncontrollable FEAR-- should become an irrepressible part of our national debate during the next tree months. That debate should be fairly and simply framed as follows: "this year, will you be voting out of fear... or out of courage?"
The GOP NEEDS FEAR to retain its domineering grip on this country. If voters reject the politics of fear and steel their hearts with courage-- the courage, having learned the lessons of 9/11, to press on with issues of real importance to Americans-- the Democrats may, God willing and the creek don't rise, prevail.
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