This strategy was suggested by CNN political reporter Candy Crowley on “The Joy Behar Show,” one of the many shows on CNN with a leftist bias. This is telling for it shows that the Left is not going to be gearing up for a policy fight, an ideas fight, but instead will opt for a name-calling match, something that they have excelled in for many years. On the same program, Huffington Post editor Roy Sekoff suggested that the Democrats try to throw the focus off of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and the Democrat-controlled Congress and instead focus on Sarah Palin and “the lunatic fringe” in the Tea Party.
Again we see the left grasping desperately as straws, trying to throw anything and everything at their political opponents while they use their majorities to impose their agenda. For the conservatives out there, be prepared for the onslaught, thicken your skin for the vile invectives to come, and polish your rhetorical guns for battle… here comes the crazy-conservative meme.
Think, for a moment, about how both Hollywood and the Mainstream Media has been fixated for more than a year now on Sarah Palin, slamming her day after day after day for being stupid, for being greedy, for being anything negative that they can think of. What is the motive behind this? She is not the leader of the Republican Party. She is not an elected official. She is currently simply a political contributor, an actor on the national stage, if you will, but this does not stop the media machine that plasters her name and face in articles, newspapers, blogs, etc. on a near daily basis. The reason behind this is clear, the Democrat strategy is to ridicule, attack, and tear down people personally instead of on a substantive basis. The same goes for the Tea Party movement which has been accused incessantly of being racist, homophobic, and insane by the mainstream media. Why not turn their cameras around and focus on the real internal dangers to America, the ones who are piling on national debt, the ones who are issuing mandates, increasing taxes, and taking over free enterprise piece by piece? Ultimately, Palin and the Tea Party have no official power in this country, yet. It is the Democrats who are currently wielding the sword of government and using it to get their way no matter the cost. There is absolutely no doubt that the mainstream media is in bed with the Left, pushing forward almost every policy that comes out of the crooked mouths of Obama and his cohorts.
This reality means that independent thinking Americans must look to the media with a skeptical eye. We must educate ourselves, in essence “arming” ourselves, so that we can navigate through the mass information being spewed by the Left’s mouthpieces. Most importantly, though, we must not be afraid of speaking truth to power.
Many times throughout history, the people who spoke the truth were branded as crazy, and today’s America is, sadly, no different. So when the Lefties say “let’s just call them crazy extremists,” we will reply with truth. When they try to drown out opposition with cries of racism or homophobia with no proof, we will reply with truth. And when they try to distance themselves from their damaging acts against the American people, we will continue to reply with truth. It is of utmost importance to arm ourselves with knowledge, to recognize when the media says outright “we won’t debate substance, just call them crazy,” and to be able to explain our positions to others.
Most Americans do not have the time or energy to invest in researching for themselves, they rely on soundbites from the mainstream media to form their opinions, this makes it harder for wisdom to prevail, but we must not let up. Ideas about freedom, responsibility, and opportunity are, in themselves, more powerful than the Leftist demands for collectivism, wealth redistribution, and perpetual dependence. It is the leftists who are the angry ones, the ones that tear down the bonds between our fellow citizens, the ones who try to pit one against the other and, after wreaking so much havoc, throw their hands up and say “ONLY GOVERNMENT can take care of us now.” We are the optimists, the ones who believe in human potential, in human achievement, and the ones who do not see color or religion or class… we just see human beings, friends… and if that makes us crazy, then lock us in the loony bin!
-AG
Original Post: NeoRepublica
Matt
I believe that future generations should have the same opportunities that myself, and those that came before me, had. My parents taught me that I could do anything I wanted to do. I don’t want to have to tell my daughter, “You can do whatever the government tells you to do.” We are at a crossroads in this country; are we going to be free, or are we going to be slaves to the nanny state. I choose freedom.
Good one AG. It doesn’t come as a surprise, but it is useful to take a look at what the left is doing. I keep coming back to the fact that less and less people are paying attention to them. The MSM, their propaganda wing, is losing audience in massive numbers as well.
Democrat Strategy for 2010 Elections: Frame Conservatives as Crazy | Conservative Hideout 2.0…
This is telling for it shows that the Left is not going to be gearing up for a policy fight, an ideas fight, but instead will opt for a name-calling match…
A conservative talkshow host down here in Atlanta, Herman Cain, who just happens to be black, says we should use this to our advantage, and say we’re crazy about the Constitution and crazy about this country and crazy about freedom and crazy about free markets. You should check him out; he spoke at CPAC and knocked ‘em dead. He’s quite inspiring (and he may run for prez): http://www.hermancain.com/
Was he on Hannity this week? If he’s they same guy, then yes, he’s formidable. I’d have to look at him more closely, but from the segment on Hannity, I would definitely consider giving him my vote.
He’s pretty good. We now have to be well-versed in not only policy, but in rhetorical judo, using our opponents force against them. Maybe this should be our strategy in general, use their smears against them like this. I know that I am truly crazy about our country, our Constitution, and our freedom… we should try to infect everyone else with this insanity.
I truly agree with your premise that the goal will be to make conservatives look crazy. What I might challenge is “Most Americans do not have the time or energy to invest”. You give the general population too much credit. It is not time or energy they lack it is concern and personal responsiblity that comes up wanting.
In today’s busy world everyone has an excuse. We have all been guilty of using excuses in the past. Many will continue in their ways but some will blog and tell others and march and protest and, and, and… Surely you are right. They will make us out to be kooks. Long live the kooks!
You’re right… I am being too soft on “most Americans,” since personally I have little time to spare but still try to put my thoughts out there and try to combat ignorance, conformity, and groupthink. But how to change this apathy? It’s easy to get someone who cares to do something, less easy to make them care in the first place… This is what the Left is trying to set up, a society complacent with the little that they have and the even less that they will have. I guess we do it the old AT&T way, reach out and touch someone… and give ‘em a good kick in the behind to get them moving before the figurative socialist train runs us all over.
I think you both are correct, but that isn’t necessarily a disaster either. It’s human nature. I remember a figure being thrown around that suggested that only 5% of the population took part in our original revolution. I’ve also heard that about 18-20% of the population either participate in, or identify with, the Tea Party Movement. If just a fraction of those people become politically active, we can change the country for the better.
We’re different from the “progressives” for one reason, besides the obvious. We can tolerate dissent. A truly free society embraces dissent. A socialist/fascist/”progressive” state has to silence dissent. Their ideas are based on lies, and if people are free to exchange ideas, it will undermine the state. That’s why the “progressives” want to control the media, use the schools for indoctrination, and tries to marginalize any opposition. They can’t take dissent-we can. That’s how we’ll win, but we need the people that are solidly on our side to contribute to the cause, and stay active.
It’s a classic desperation strategy. They can not compete when it comes to logic, so they try to attack their opponent. Anyone who is fooled by this, is likely not smart enough to make an informed choice anyway. I like the idea of turning this against them, saying we are crazy for America and such.
This may be desperation but, personally, I think this is part of a broader strategy… socialist dictators in other countries often say this of the opposition right before they accuse political opponents of planning assassinations. We’ve already seen them test the water with this, with the Homeland Sec report that called conservatives, libertarians, and veterans potential terrorists, with their efforts to tie every case of political violence to the Tea Party, they even trotted out Clinton a few days ago to hammer in the point. While the Left is going as far as claiming that they are being violently targeted by the right and with the entire establishment Media in their pocket, they may dissuade enough “moderates” from opposing the administration.
As long as the election is about issues the Democrats will lose, even they know this. So instead of an honest debate they will attack those of us who do not agree with them on the issues.Then when we respond they will call us haters and violent, it is a vicious circle. They are masters at deflecting attention away from the important issues, and that will be their tactic once again.
Indeed, democrats are masters at this. I worry most about the accusations of violence, since this is probably the worst thing they can say about us… hopefully Americans will realize that conservatives love the Constitution and fellow Americans therefore by definition we would never be violent against our fellow countrymen… but by repeating these accusations on TV, print, and the internet who knows what the lay person will believe. We must counter there disinformation campaign.
AG, sorry I’m chiming in late on this. It was a great post that highlights what conservatives are up against. This is clearly their game plan now. If you say a lie enough times it eventually sticks with a certain segment of the population. This is what the left is doing. This tactic is not aimed at conservatives; it’s designed to target moderates and independents. They know independents are moving away from Obama and the left in droves and like a hole in a dam they’re throwing anything and everything at it the plug the leak.
We’ve known for a long time the left doesn’t care about the substance of issues, this is why they use emotionally charged words. We can beat them at every angle in the debate; this is why they work so hard at depicting us at nut jobs. If they can just get a fraction of the independents to buy the snake oil their peddling, then they believe they can minimize the damage this fall. It’s really that simple. Our job is to expose this tactic and minimize its effects.
No worries, I’m not so good at chiming in on time either. I think that in addition to what you just said and what I wrote about violence, the Democrats have another trick up their sleeves, something along the lines if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em. The Left is not content with marginalizing the Right, especially since they know that this is statistically impossible, so they will try to minimize the damage of their defeat, not only by scaring away the children, but by scaring potential candidates from the conservative movement. This way, they will get “moderate” Republicans, which is a euphemism for Big Government Republicans, who will work with the Left. They are trying to have chips on both red and black. The PC, Cultural Marxist atmosphere that exists in America is most pronounced with politicians, who fear that they may say a word/phrase considered insensitive or racist by someone somewhere somehow. The Left is trying to turn Conservatives into an untouchable class, so that when Republicans actually come into power, they will be undercover big government, corrupt politicians.
And yes, as you said, our job is simple: Expose and explain.
Fantastic post, AG. I think things are heating up big time… people are getting angrier. Good.