Recently, I received a meandering, three page, fund-raising letter from my “senior” (and hopefully “lame duck”) US Senator, John Forbes Kerry. I found this to be comical on many levels, not the least of which is that my career and personal focus is to remove as many politicians of his ilk as possible from elective office. Clearly, the Senator from Massachusetts does not read my blog or follow me on Twitter!
On a more serious note, I found the text of Kerry’s letter to be quite revealing. It is a blueprint for the 2010 liberal game plan! The first paragraph sets the tone:
“I have been a senator for 25 years and I’ve never seen anything like this. As President Obama works to dig us out of a deep hole and build our country back up, the Republicans in Washington at the highest levels have adopted an entirely different goal: Force his failure. It disgusts me every time I see it.”
Analysis: Demonize dissent. Imply Republican racism and personal animosity toward Obama. Remind people about the famous “inherited mess”. Label Republicans as “obstructionist” and “The Party of No”. Feign indignation.
Forget that this Administration’s policies are clearly digging a deeper hole. Forget that conservatives want America’s citizens and businesses to climb out of that hole without the added burdens of unsustainable debt, stifling over-regulation, massive tax increases and an endless stream of unfunded entitlements. Forget that saying “no” to bad policy is in the interests of the American people (who, incidentally, are also saying “no” to said policy). Forget that alternative solutions offered by Republicans, and even some moderate Democrats, have been totally ignored by the Administration and its puppets in Congress. It is much easier to label and demonize than to explain and defend ill-conceived and potentially disastrous legislation.
Later in Kerry’s comical yet disturbing letter, he revealed the tired and increasingly ineffective strategy of isolating and demonizing Tea Party patriots.
“We must defend our majority against a Tea Partier crowd that wants to make the ideology of the far right fringe the basic operating procedure of the federal government.
Analysis: Use the word “crowd” to imply “dangerous mob”. Label the Tea Party as “extremists” with the word “fringe”. Link a grassroots, bottom-up movement to a top-down GOP strategy.
Forget that Tea Party activists believe in the US Constitution, the “extremist” document which all Senators, including John Kerry, took an oath to defend. Forget that this movement is composed of Democrats, Independents, Libertarians and Republicans. Forget that “the Tea Party crowd” self polices and has no use or tolerance for “fringe” elements. Forget that lawn chairs, microphones, home-made signs and American flags, their “weapons” of choice, are not a threat to anything other than the careers of “out-of-touch” politicians. Again, ignoring the substance of the opposition’s arguments with a labeling strategy is much easier for the Left than listening and engaging in civil debate. This tactic is at best intellectually lazy and at worst “Alinsky 101”. Fortunately for Senator Kerry and his “crowd”, the main stream media supports this approach. Unfortunately for the far left, the American people overwhelmingly reject it.
The letter rambled on, consistent with Senator Kerry’s droning style, but I will point out one more statement before I close.
“Let’s not forget the outcome of eight long years of Republican administration: an economy in shambles; two wars waged without focus or resources; record high unemployment rates and an America isolated from its allies.”
Analysis: What a surprise–BLAME BUSH!
There is no debate about the condition of our economy when Barack Obama took office, but his solutions are exacerbating our problems. The cure is worse than the disease. Forget that unemployment has increased dramatically under his watch. Forget that he has created more debt in one year than the combined totals of several of his predecessors. Forget that our troops are still fighting, and shedding blood for our liberty and safety, in Afghanistan. Forget that the Bush surge improved matters substantially in Iraq. Yes, Republicans deserve their fair share of blame for the “inherited mess”. But no, President Obama and Senator Kerry, this does not justify your tyrannical big government solutions. In terms of foreign policy, Obama has done more to isolate us from our allies than any President in US history. He bows to dictators and shuns our friends. His policies have been both naive and dangerous–and his answer to Bush’s so-called “Cowboy Diplomacy” is one of acquiescence and weakness. But, let’s just forget about all that for now. Republicans are bad. Liberals are good. “Something is better than nothing”, even if that something is insane.
Conclusion
I was amused by John Kerry’s solicitation. (Senator, if you’re reading this, please be “green” and take me off your mailing list.) But I must also thank Senator Kerry for confirming the predictable political strategy of his liberal friends in 2010. I’m sure most conservatives running for office will appreciate this “teachable moment” in November.
Senator Kerry, I am an Independent voter in Massachusetts. I helped Scott Brown become the 41st vote in the US Senate. You and your liberal friends are not listening to me and the majority of your constituents. Your attacks on dissent are neither substantive or compelling. Stick with the strategy and I’ll see YOU in 2012!
This tactic wasn’t just used by John Kerry, in the speech last night by Fl. Congresswoman Debra Wasserman Schultz, she did her best to make it a point that the “TEA Party” was an “Extremist”/”Terrorist” group trying to bankrupt America. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojyCCYNBjs0 at the 12:00 to 15:00 mark.
Agreed, Warren. It’s all part of the Left Wing game plan…most of them use it because it has been effective for them in the past. They can’t possibly defend failed policy, so they demonize, distract and deny.
One more thing: HELL YES, KERRY, WE DO WANT THE TEAPARTY FISCAL CONSERVATISM TO RUN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! GO AVOID SOME TAXES WHILE SIPPING CHARDONNAY ON ISABELLE (I HEAR CHARDONNAY IS GOOD WITH KETCHUP MIXED IN)
Sorry John, Kerry brings out the YELLING part of me. Double, triple UGH.
Why aren’t you writing for a major news outlet? Must have been that Catholic schools upbringing…bruised knuckles when using incorrect punctuation.
Thank you, Susan, but as you know, I’ve taken a (hopefully temporary) sabbatical from blogging to try to save my country from the progressives.
Well said, John.
Senator Kerry also called the Tea Party a “circus side show.” Nice, huh? Hope he’s working on his resume!
Very well written, and the rote response from your commenter above is to be expected, they have their talking points of which they drone on void of any pragmatic reality. Keep up the good work
Ha, ha, ha, Republicans in power are just what this country needs again-NOT.
Oh, and no where in that letter did I read that Senator Kerry accuses anyone of racism. Frankly, I think that no matter who the Democratic president was, you and your party would find reason to go after them and not support them. What a sad commentary for our country. Politics trumps all the good that President Obama is trying to do for our country. And, you know as well as I that the unemployment numbers reflect the ecomonic policies of the previous administration.
Marc–
If you re-read my post, you’ll see that I’m a registered Independent. You’ll also see that I said personalizing dissent vs. Obama is a method of implying racism. This is consistent with ongoing liberal strategies both in the political world and main stream media. Finally, I conceded that the Bush Administration and Republicans deserved their fair share of blame for the economic crisis.
But times are changing my friend. This is not so much about Party affiliation as it is about restoring discussions of liberty, accountability, transparency and integrity to politics. You may think your hero, Barack Obama, is doing good FOR the country. I think what he’s doing TO the country is shameful. We’ll have to agree to disagree on that point.
I do agree with you that we do not need a return to GOP dominance just for the sake of having a different Party in office. The GOP candidates who are elected in 2010 and 2012 will be held to a much higher standard this time around. Tea Party activists and the growing citizen media (Twitter/blogs/etc.) will criticize and rally to unseat them if they ignore the will of the people and act disgracefully like Obama, Pelosi, Reid and their puppets.
Great analysis John