And the term "kultursmog" to describe those belief sets that this type of thing panders to.Originally Posted by LDAHL
And the term "kultursmog" to describe those belief sets that this type of thing panders to.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Kultursmog and misdirection are the strategies of choice for an administration desperate to keep the focus off the economy. Provoke the Catholic Church into a confrontation over forcing them to buy contraceptives and abortifacients, and call it a “war on women”. Muse on how your son might have looked like a Florida shooting victim. Push the “Buffet Rule” as an appeal to class envy. Parade around with bin Laden’s head on a rhetorical pike a year after the fact. Raise the crucial issue of how Romney transported his dog in 1983. Now this cartoon pitch for government paternalism.
If you can’t run on your record, your choices are pretty much limited to besmirching your opposition and promising future benefits that someone else will need to pay for.
Class envy? Really? I'm not seeing it. Most of us are perfectly happy being middle class; I know I am. I just don't like feeling like part of a beleaguered breed, what with constant attacks on unions and the "profit uber alles" antics of the job exporters.
And President Obama's record looks a lot better than his predecessor's in terms of job creation, decreasing government growth*, attention to environmental issues, easing us out of pointless wars...His grace under constant partisan fire is awe-inspiring to me; his noting of the Seals' taking down OBL was in no way the "Mission Accomplished" grandstanding that ironically kicked off another eight years of war under George W. Bush.
*http://www.politicususa.com/rachel-m...overnment.html
+1
also, this piece looks a little like a take off on "Joe Republican": http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/...an.html#repete
Just curious, is "Obama for America", who copyrighted Julia, actually associated with or part of the actual Obama campaign?
Regarding the slide show proper, I didn't find it to be particularly accurate and thought it was somewhat insulting to the intelligence of the audience.
Hoping so too. It makes me squirm. I know many people who've benefited from social programs, many who never availed themselves of (many of ) them, and many who've abused them. This kind of one size fits all dumbing-down is just ick, no matter what side of the political fence it's coming from.
Yuck. I'll be voting for Obama, but I find that cartoon patronizing and annoying.
You know, I really wish I had another choice. So tired of politics as usual. The world is stretched thin; we need radical change now.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” -- Gandalf
I agree with that, but the real "ewww" factor for me is the unending flow of attachment to, if not absolute dependence on, government programs... from cradle to grave. The cartoon mentions no family save for her son, no friends or social networks, no community. Nothing beyond how the state will take care of her at every turn. If I was a Republican strategist that last thing I would ever do is let this one die. It is absolutely custom made for pointing out exactly what some on the right believe is Barack Obama's vision for the future. When you consider the source it's just bizarre.
"Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves." Eric Arthur Blair
I think this administration would prefer the culture wars arena to a debate over the economy.
What I found interesting was how narrow it all is. The focus on education was purely "getting Julia a good career". I mean ok this is the real world, the ability to train for jobs, etc. *IS* important in the world as it is. But really, that's all? The focus on education wasn't even preparing young people for the @#$# storm that is coming for them and the world they will inherit. Because oh boy have we got troubles .... you JUST MIGHT want some educated people for that ... um I'm just saying ...
Now as for whatever Obama may mean by education - federal involvement in education - I don't actually favor it particularly, it has risks. But it's just astounding whole social questions can be reduced to "what's in it for me?" The entire view of something with social benefits is reduced to that ....
Trees don't grow on money
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