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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJoe Walsh, former Republican, speaks for me
He was just on MSNOW addressing the stupid, inaccurate, but oh so typical R strategy for the midterms. In case you've been asleep for the past few days, their brilliant strategy is to call Dems "communists". That's it.
He was asked if it would work and his answer was it will work if the Democrats don't fight back. It will work if Democrats act like they're above it all and don't address it.
He then gave the recent examples of how easy it was for Rs to smear Dems with the "defund all the police" memes and more recently, with absurd claims about Dems supporting transgender surgeries in public schools, etc.
Acting like the public is too smart to believe this or getting into a highly academic discussion about the differences between various forms of government is not the way to fight back. Keep it simple. Call them liars. Call them desperate. Call them failures.
Moostache
(11,359 posts)1) "I'm sorry that my opponent does not respect you or the rule of law."
2) "The policies I support, and will vote for in your name, are for YOUR benefit and to provide a fair playing field."
3) "Free markets are not what make your life better FAIR and FREE Markets do."
Ferryboat
(1,292 posts)Trying to convince the opposition with facts hasn't worked in the past.
Best to point to everyday examples,
Such as postal service, fire department, library's etc.
senseandsensibility
(26,115 posts)because they are. Everyone knows he's a liar. So we need to state that upfront at the beginning of every response.
blm
(114,871 posts)Biden Counties Account for 70% of U.S. GDP
blm
(114,871 posts)Yet their media has convinced the general public that the opposite is true. Dont let them get away with it.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2020/11/17/biden-voting-counties-equal-70-of-the-us-economy-infographic/
Biden-Voting Counties Equal 70% Of The U.S. Economy
?fit=scale
Kid Berwyn
(25,630 posts)Kid Berwyn
(25,630 posts)It will work if Democrats dont fight back.
senseandsensibility
(26,115 posts)surgeries in the public schools to see where this will go. Of course those were blatantly untrue too. But Dems acted "above it all" as Walsh described it. No. That's doesn't work. At least point out that they are lying.
angrychair
(12,617 posts)The response has been to throw progressives under the bus by partnering with Republicans in attacking progressives...some Democratic consultants literally advocating for progressives being thrown out of the Democratic Party and their primary wins cancelled.
That seems to be the response so far.
Mossfern
(4,939 posts)Democrats don't control the legislature and win back the Presidency.
Think strategically ..... We need to keep our BIG tent with both progressives and more moderate democrats cooperating, not fighting with each other.
angrychair
(12,617 posts)We are winning primary elections. It's not a secret plot against anyone. We ran in primaries like any other candidate, just because progressives are winning against incumbents.
If incumbents are losing those elections, maybe they should have been listening to their constituents.
The only people fighting other Democrats are the moderates. Maybe they should stop talking and start listening more.
Mossfern
(4,939 posts)do they need to add the term "socialist" to their identity?
I think their policies are what's winning, not that description.
In the midterms we need to win with voters who don't typically vote in primaries. Yes, even Moderates and Independents.
kentuck
(116,211 posts)...and the Republicans have themselves superior to Democrats in the propaganda battles.
mdbl
(9,050 posts)senseandsensibility
(26,115 posts)That's part of it. But they also lie. We can speak their language too, but we can tell the truth.
xuplate
(267 posts)Ol Janx Spirit
(1,143 posts)...and trillionaires to run and ruin our lives.
It's not nearly good enough to just say you don't need to be scared of us--there are PLENTY of reasons to be scared of the opposition, but Democrats do not seem to be out there enough pointing out how much control the current Republican party has given to the handful of billionaires that most decidedly DO NOT have the interest of the public at heart.
It is NOT a choice between Democratic Socialism and Capitalism; it is a choice between having a society that functions on the most basic level for everyone and a society where you beg your billionaire overlord for the right to live this week after they've taken your job, destroyed your planet, and bought every election that might have made your life better.
senseandsensibility
(26,115 posts)and I want more of it. I was also want Dems to meet this lie about communism head on.
lame54
(40,478 posts)LymphocyteLover
(10,463 posts)ECL213
(473 posts)My wife was just at their house the other day and her dad was railing about how this is becoming a Communist country...while they live on Medicare...and Social Security...
Torchlight
(7,333 posts)No excuses. No justifications. No qualifiers.
The divisions within today's Democratic Party are real and I don't ignore them or pretend they don't exist. But the narrative from the right that these disagreements signal the party's collapse is exaggerated and designed to dominate the conversation. As the midterms approach, conservatives have every incentive to amplify Democratic infighting while deflecting attention from the elephants in the room: higher gas prices, higher grocery bills, and stagnant wages.
