The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on “fear” of President Barack Obama and a promise to "save the country from trending toward socialism."
The strategy was detailed in a confidential party fundraising presentation, obtained by POLITICO, which also outlines how “ego-driven” wealthy donors can be tapped with offers of access and “tchochkes.”
The presentation was delivered by RNC Finance Director Rob Bickhart to top donors and fundraisers at a party retreat in Boca Grande, Florida on February 18, a source at the gathering said.
In neat PowerPoint pages, it lifts the curtain on the often-cynical terms of political marketing, displaying an air of disdain for the party’s donors that is usually confined to the barroom conversations of political operatives.
The presentation explains the Republican fundraising in simple terms.
"What can you sell when you do not have the White House, the House, or the Senate...?" it asks.
The answer: "Save the country from trending toward Socialism!”
... The small donors who are the targets of direct marketing are described under the heading “Visceral Giving.” Their motivations are listed as “fear;” “Extreme negative feelings toward existing Administration;” and “Reactionary.”
Major donors, by contrast, are treated in a column headed “Calculated Giving.”
Their motivations include: “Peer to Peer Pressure”; “access”; and “Ego-Driven.”
When people in positions of great power play footsie with those who advocate treason—or claim that the elected commander in chief is a bastard foreigner with no claim to the office—they are not just engaging in a lively debate. They are actively negating a fundamental principle of American politics: that the government, no matter how much you might disagree with its representatives, is of, by, and for the people.
Indeed, to a growing number of celebrity conservatives, this administration is no longer simply an adversary with whom you cross swords—it is an enemy you must destroy. In a paranoid culture, as Hofstadter recognized, the enemy is "thought of as being totally evil and totally unappeasable [and] must be totally eliminated." A government as villainous as the one portrayed on sites like WND (WorldNetDaily) cannot be debated or negotiated with, or even accorded the most basic respect. It must be vanquished.
Excellent article from Daniel Klaidman in Newsweek:
Jostling before the midterms has begun, and so too has the GOP's ritualistic hazing of Democrats on national security. At every turn Republicans are hammering the Obama administration for "capitulating" in the fight against terrorism. But their macho rhetoric actually sends a message of weakness: we can't try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in the same civilian courts that have convicted dozens of other international terrorists because Al Qaeda might attack New York. (When since 9/11 has New York not been a target of Al Qaeda?) Our criminal-justice system can't deal with a failed underwear bomber. The GOP assault may be smart politics, but in the long run it damages U.S. security by undermining our confidence and resiliency in the face of certain attacks to come.
... Americans are historically a tough lot. But the policies and rhetoric of the Bush-Cheney years, which set the tone for the current GOP attacks, are infantilizing: be very afraid, we're told, and let the government take care of you. The tough-guy bluster has led to a permanent state of anxiety—and a slew of counterproductive policies, from harsh visa restrictions to waterboarding. Our politicians rail about apocalyptic threats while TSA officers pat down toddlers at the airport. The irony is that many potentially lethal terror attacks—from United Flight 93 to Richard Reid to the underwear bomber—have been foiled by regular citizens. The aim of terrorists is to make people feel powerless and afraid. Un-fortunately, not every plot will be foiled. But if that's the standard we and our leaders set for ourselves, we are doomed to perpetuate dumb policies that flow from irrational fears. Just what the terrorists want.
This starts with a piece from the incredible Bob Cesca
Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney U.S. Air Force (Retired) thinks that we should strip search all 18-28 year old Muslim males at the airport.
Shameful. And how does he intend to discover who's Muslim and who's not? They don't wear special shirts that say "I'm a Muslim!"
What would happen is that anyone who's the slightest bit swarthy, black or middle eastern looking -- be they Italians, Spanish, Jews, non-Muslim Arabs, North Africans, or blacks -- will be summarily detained and strip searched at airports. And for how long does this continue? When does it end? Who will be wrongfully detained? But rewind a second here. The Underpants Bomber was an average-looking black man. McInerney is basically suggesting that all blacks in that age range be strip searched. All of them.
Adding... It goes without saying that the #tcot and teabagger crowds -- the Glenn Beck disciples who have been complaining all year about how the Obama administration is "attacking the Constitution" are all in favor of this kind of profiling. Suddenly they're not so interested in the Constitution. Cowards.
This is the problem. Where do we stop? My shoes? OK. Bodyscanners? OK. No blankets? OK. Sit for the last hour? OK. No GPS-enabled devices, like your cell phone? OK. Take off all your clothes if you fit a profile? Umm... maybe? Search the homes of anyone flying 72 hours before they depart? What? Wait.... they wouldn't do that.
Wouldn't they? Where does it stop? can you imagine 10 years ago what the outcry would have been if the government wanted to see you naked before you stepped on a plane? What would the reaction to bodyscanning have been then?
And yet... are we really unsafe when it comes to terrorism?
4 quotes:
"The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over" - Joseph Goebbels
"It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion." - Joseph Goebbels
voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country. - Joseph Goebbels
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither -Benjamin Franklin
I can't imagine what could possibly go wrong with government officials profiling and strip searching anyone who looks like this:
Obviously we know his affiliations now, but by the looks of him this could be a Christian man, an atheist man, a college student, a musician, a kid traveling home to see his family, a future president, a future scientist, a future doctor who cures cancer -- he could be an innocent American man with rights and liberties guaranteed under the Constitution.
But General McInerney wants the government to categorically label anyone who looks like this as a potential Muslim terrorist. And with such a measure, all progress on civil rights and civil liberties are summarily destroyed.
I wonder if the general ever suggested that we profile people who look like this:
Until now, every time Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was discussed on television, we'd get this picture:
The Drunken Ron Jeremy photo in which he's clearly borrowed a t-shirt formerly worn by an elephant.
But now that we're talking about bringing KSM to New York for trial and the Republicans are in full pissy pants frightened crybaby mode, they're using this photo:
Wild scary eyes in full evildoer regalia. HEEELP! This crazy bastard will be ordering egg creams and blowing up subways any second now! Just look at his scary grinning face! AAAAAH!
Boy, that seems familiar. Where could I have seen.... oh, yeah.....
By the way, when you have three guys normally referred to as far-right whackjobs telling you to knock off the fear-mongering, you might want to listen. It's like Paris Hilton telling you that you're acting like a skanky ho.
Former Republican Congressman and Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, have teamed up to urge the Gitmo detainees be taken to the U.S.
"The scaremongering about these issues should stop," Barr, Keene and Norquist wrote.
"Civilian federal courts are the proper forum for terrorism cases," they wrote. "Civilian prisons are the safe, cost effective and appropriate venue to hold persons in federal courts."
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