House of Eratosthenes

The niece of a former co-worker seems to have matured a bit, or cooled down, and unblocked me for the time being, and we’re having this exchange at the Hello Kitty of Blogging which is somewhat non-volcanic for the moment and I’m trying my best to keep it that way.

How’d I do?

You know, I’ll just come out and make an observation on this directly:

I’m seeing this talking point repeated over and over, it’s clearly being disseminated from a central point somewhere: An indictment against Republicans/conservatives for promoting policies different from, and resisting the policies promoted by, democrats/liberals.

And now I’ll state the obvious.

It’s only reasonable to point that out when the policies promoted by democrats/liberals have been enacted and have been successful — or alternatively, when everything is miserable but the policies were not enacted. Just those two situations; outside of that, this isn’t persuasive. Things the way they are, the policies were rammed through and the results stink on ice. And you know what, because of this issue with the situation not fitting the pitch, I don’t think it’s even persuasive. I don’t see anyone repeating it anywhere save for people known for maintaining some phobia over a prolonged period of time, that Republicans are going to establish a crushing American theocracy (by restoring religious freedom) or a crushing new American aristocracy (by allowing productive people to keep more of their money so they can create jobs). So this pitch hasn’t found passion with people other than people who had the passion in the first place. It isn’t persuasive.

Also, opposing other parties/ideologies, is what parties & ideologies are *supposed* to do. If you believe in what you’re promoting you are supposed to resist efforts toward the opposite. I’m trying to explain that without making it sound insulting/condescending, but, like duh. I mean it’s been true for just generations and generations.

In fact, if the worst thing you can say against a political party is that it isn’t knuckling under & rolling over for the other political party, I’d interpret that as: You haven’t got much to say against them. On the other hand, what have they got to say that is substantial against the guy running for re-election? Lots! It’s like Paul Ryan said, the policies didn’t fail because they weren’t passed, they failed because they were.

The comments by Congressman Ryan being so referenced, were captured in this clip:

“It is true that President Obama, he had a lot of problems not of his own making. But he also came in with one-party rule and the chance to do everything of his own choosing. The Obama economic agenda failed not because it was stopped, but because it was passed.” (Applause.)

It is clear to me the White House, and the publicity team interwoven with & surrounding it, is promoting a message that certainly did not begin with President Obama…one that has long been associated with electoral politics. We’re not getting the results we want, because the other party still has some power and this explains ALL of your suffering. But like I said above, that is a situational argument; it doesn’t fit when the situation is not right.

Perhaps what could make it actually persuasive is if they could come up with something they wanted, but did not get. Now I’m sure they can come up with something if they’re cornered and that’s the only way out. But how tortured would it be? And so far they haven’t even tried. I’m picking up the vibe that they don’t see the need and they don’t see the point. There are too many Obamapologists who will just repeat it, mindlessly, if the jungle-drumbeat is started of “Wah, we’re being defeated again, those guys are making it hard, get them out of the way”…even when it doesn’t make any sense to be claiming that as an excuse. They get the word out anyway. The Obamapologists pick it up and re-circulate it anyway.

This may be having a net-negative effect. President Obama already has a reputation as a whiner and an excuse-maker. It’s a damaging reputation because it isn’t just the strident, rigid, uncompromising Republicans who feel that way about Him. It is a perception that has bled over into “middle” America.

I think He knows this; I think, if He had a good counterargument to offer against what the Congressman has said, someone on His team would’ve offered it by now.

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“It Failed Because It Was Passed”Friday, September 28th, 2012

“It Failed Because It Was Passed”
Friday, September 28th, 2012