Lies, Fear and Smear, Two Years Later

Two years ago, in one of my first posts as the James River Maven, I said:

Lies, Fear and Smear
The Democrats want to lose in Iraq. The Democrats want to raise taxes. The Democrats want to destroy marriage. The Democrats are in favor of pornography. If the Democrats win control of the Congress, al Qaeda will attack us here at home. If the Democrats win control of Congress, the economy will collapse. The Democrats owe no allegiance to the people of America. Every Democratic candidate is under the control of those left-wing Liberals Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer and John Kerry. A Democratic victory will mean the end of American civilization. I’ve got a list of 250 communists in the Democratic Party. Oops, forget the last one; I forgot what year it is.

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” So said Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of Nazi Germany. Murray Chotner used the big lie technique to bring us Richard Nixon. Karl Rowe used it to bring us George W. Bush. And now President George and his Republican buddies are using the big lie technique in a desperate attempt to hold on to power for the next two years.

Whether it’s the political ad trumpeting the lie or the stump speech stirring up fear, the one thing the Republicans don’t want the voters to look at is their record over the past six years. The campaign strategy is simple: make the Democrats look so evil that the voters will reelect us even if we have done a terrible job. We have to make the people afraid to vote for a Democrat.

This lie-fear-smear strategy appeals to the most basic of human emotions. It is based on a desire to get people to vote from their gut rather than from their mind. It is based on an elitist mentality that says that the American people aren’t smart enough to deal with issues. It’s based on a suspicion that if the electorate actually voted on the issues, they might vote against our side. Therefore, lie to them, terrify them, cover your opponent with slime. But at all costs, don’t let the voters think.

Citizens of Virginia! Isn’t it about time that we told the purveyors of lie, fear and smear that we don’t fall for this outrageous campaign tactic? Go to the polls next week and show them that we Virginians can vote with our minds, not with our instincts. Show them that we are not too stupid to understand issues. Show them that despite their smokescreens we can see that “the Emperor is naked.” Six years of Republican mismanagement is enough. Vote Democratic.

This year it’s McCain and Palin, instead of Bush and Cheney, but our good buddies in the GOP are still using lies, fear and smear as the basis of their attempt to extend their control over the White House for four more years. If they succeed this year by diverting the voter’s attention from their ruinous reign it could prove disastrous for our country and the world.

So, citizens of Virginia, I must again exhort you to vote with your mind, not with your instincts. Vote for Obama-Biden. Vote for Warner. Vote for Scott or Hartke for Congress. It’s time to really get the red out.

Male Bovine Excrement!!!

I CAN’T BELIEVE THE AUDACITY OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE! WHAT GALL! WHAT NERVE! WHAT CHUTZPAH!

(Maven, you’re shouting. Calm Down.)
(I DON’T WANT TO CALM DOWN! THIS TIME THEY HAVE GONE TOO FAR!).
(Maven, take a deep breath. Relax)

Okay. I think I’m rational again.

Not only are they polluting the air waves with their political lies, now, they are smelling up my mail box. It’s a huge over-sized post card and it says “Tax-and-spend liberals have a message for you.” TAX AND SPEND LIBERALS? Then they show pictures of John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, and Howard Dean. Next it says, “If the Democrats win, they will roll-back the Republican tax cuts—and that means higher tax bill for everyone.” It concludes with “Don’t let the tax-and-spend liberals win.

TAX AND SPEND LIBERALS?

Male Cow Poop!

Can we look at the facts? In the four fiscal years from 1998 through 2001, the United States Government, with a Democratic President, a Democratic Senate and a Republican House of Representatives, reduced the national debt held by the public by $394.6 billion.[*] In the five fiscal years from 2002 through 2006, the United States Government, with a Republican President, a Republican Senate and a Republican House of Representatives, increased the national debt held by the public by $1,503.9 billion.

Let’s look at this again. While the “tax and spend” liberals controlled the White House and half of the Congress, the Federal Government spent $394.6 billion less than it collected in revenue. While the “fiscally responsible” Republicans controlled the White House and the Congress, the Federal Government spent $1.5 trillion more than it collected in revenue. That is an average annual deficit exceeding $300 billion.

The Republicans keep lying and lying about spending. It is the Republican Congress and the Republican President that have continued to spend money at a deficit rate year after year after year. The “fiscally responsible” Republicans with their reckless spending have made future tax increases inevitable. It will be our children and grandchildren who will have to pay for the Republican spending binge.

Citizens of Virginia, the cradle of American democracy: Would Thomas Jefferson stand for these lies? Would Patrick Henry tolerate such rubbish? Would George Washington accept such trash? When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to get rid of our Republican oppressors, I know not what course others may take; but as for me, throw the anuses out!

[*] The debt held by the public represents the total national debt less that portion that the Government owes to the Social Security Trust Fund, the Civil Service Retirement Trust Fund and other government funds. The information I use comes from the Bureau of Public Debt website. publicdebt.treas.gov/

Lies, Fear and Smear

The Democrats want to lose in Iraq. The Democrats want to raise taxes. The Democrats want to destroy marriage. The Democrats are in favor of pornography. If the Democrats win control of the Congress, al Qaeda will attack us here at home. If the Democrats win control of Congress, the economy will collapse. The Democrats owe no allegiance to the people of America. Every Democratic candidate is under the control of those left-wing Liberals Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer and John Kerry. A Democratic victory will mean the end of American civilization. I’ve got a list of 250 communists in the Democratic Party. Oops, forget the last one; I forgot what year it is.

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” So said Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of Nazi Germany. Murray Chotner used the big lie technique to bring us Richard Nixon. Karl Rowe used it to bring us George W. Bush. And now President George and his Republican buddies are using the big lie technique in a desperate attempt to hold on to power for the next two years.

Whether it’s the political ad trumpeting the lie or the stump speech stirring up fear, the one thing the Republicans don’t want the voters to look at is their record over the past six years. The campaign strategy is simple: make the Democrats look so evil that the voters will reelect us even if we have done a terrible job. We have to make the people afraid to vote for a Democrat.

This lie-fear-smear strategy appeals to the most basic of human emotions. It is based on a desire to get people to vote from their gut rather than from their mind. It is based on an elitist mentality that says that the American people aren’t smart enough to deal with issues. It’s based on a suspicion that if the electorate actually voted on the issues, they might vote against our side. Therefore, lie to them, terrify them, cover your opponent with slime. But at all costs, don’t let the voters think.

Citizens of Virginia! Isn’t it about time that we told the purveyors of lie, fear and smear that we don’t fall for this outrageous campaign tactic? Go to the polls next week and show them that we Virginians can vote with our minds, not with our instincts. Show them that we are not too stupid to understand issues. Show them that despite their smokescreens we can see that “the Emperor is naked.” Six years of Republican mismanagement is enough. Vote Democratic.