Sat, 02/07/2009 - 3:34pm — jawbone
From the NYTimes article on the Gang of Screw the People compromise Obama and Rahmbo reached last night, this amazing paragraph:
Mr. Obama called Ms. Collins and Mr. Specter, as well as Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, another Republican expected to support the deal, to acknowledge they were acting against pressure from their party and, one official said, to thank them for their patriotism in helping advance the bill at a critical time. (My emphasis, reflecting my shock.)
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WTF does it have to do with patriotism?
Didn't we get enough of that nonsense from the shitbags in the last administration?
Exactly the right play on it.
The key to co-opting the BlueDogs, and some Republicans, is to call on their patriotism. In point of fact, the most productive way for Progressives to frame our goals generally is through an argument based on national security and patriotism.
To communicate with crazy people, you have to adjust your language. Rational is not a concern, and clinging bitterly to it will not be productive but only annoy them. Use terms they can understand, whether the usage makes actual sense or not. Speak in a calm voice, slowly but clearly, and keep it simple. This phrasing from Obama is a good start, actually very promising, and I hope he has sense enough to use it more often.
Obama can co-opt
the language all he wants as long as he gets the bills passed that benefit the people, meaning us.
Otherwise, it's meaningless flimflam, and he's no better than the crazies.