Don't rebut their statements. Ask HOW? and WHY? and WHO?

[Maraya1969]

I just heard Cheney has started the 2006/08 campaign by saying that the US is safer because we went to war with Iraq. Another false statement that many people will listen to and repeat but not think about.

Ask them HOW are we safer? WHY are we safer? Please explain it to me.

If they say it is better to fight "them" over their ask how would "they" get over here? If they say the terrorists have not attacked us because we are over their ask them why they attacked England and what is the difference between us and England?

If they say "They attacked us first" Ask them "Who" attacked us?

They are starting their framing now and it is a vat full of lies. But they are easily squashed if you demand that they explain their false assertions further.

Be the cross examiner. All the lies come to the surface that way.

EDIT: to add. Questions must be asked in a sincere quiet way, not hysterical. Don't let your emotions get into it. If you ask sincerely then they will have a better chance of thinking sincerely - ie with reason.


Feel free to add any additional framing points here.

Peace

[Warpy]

1. Alas, that doesn't work

because all they do is restate the lie over and over again, as though that answered the question. I think they honestly think it does.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. We are safer cuz Katrina never happened, 43 million Amurkans

really aren't living without proper healthcare, our military really isn't stretched to the breaking point, our borders really aren't porous, your tax dollars are not frittered away on nobid contracts to friends of the vice vice, and Enron didn't rob America just because it could.... oh and that pension you were counting on.... better get a hot dog stand.

[malaise]

3. Actually Dems have failed to frame this one

the argument should be that the worst attack on US soil took place under their watch so the only solution is to get rid of them. There will be more attacks or threats of them if they become desperate enough to maintain power.

[abluelady]

5. That is So True

We need to change the way we talk. The first thing we should say is "it happened on Bush's watch; let's get rid of him." Makes sense to me.

[truedelphi]

4. Sadly they have destroyed the ability of their followers to reason

I tried the How and Why method of questioning on Local Hitler Youth
here at the local coffee stand.

It ends up being, "Well, what the bottom line is - either you
support the President or you don't" (Said with the type of venom suggesting
that you'd better be supporting "our" President, or there will be repurcussions)

[Maraya1969]

6. Teddy Roosevelt said supporting a policy that damages us is treason

Murtha just said that. It is good, I like it and I am going to say it too.

I think you are always going to get people who stubbornly refuse to THINK but if you ask enough people you will make a dent.

[truedelphi]

11. I'd really really like to believe that a dent can be made

This is one of those cases where the more people that could
prove me wrong, the happier I would be...

[Yoda Yada]

7. Yes, asking them questions IS the answer.

...it distracts them from the talking points that they have been given. They can only regurgitate what they have BEEN TOLD to say.

When Stephen Colbert asked the Congressman who wants to amend the Constitution to have the 10 commandments in all public buildings....he stayed completely on point....BUT....
when Colbert asked him to name the 10 commandments...he could only name three!(Colbert's question: Can you name the 10 commandments? The Congressman couldn't do it.)

When Rep. Louis Gomert (sp?) from Texas started spouting off disparaging remarks against John Murtha today....something about how we would be speaking Japanese or German if Murtha was in charge during WWII....Murtha got up and asked these QUESTIONS:

Were you in the Korean War? (Reply: "No")
Were you in the Vietnam War? (Reply: "No")
Were you in the Iraq War? (Reply: I've BEEN TO Iraq.)
No, I said were you IN the Iraq War? (Reply: "No") All of Murtha's questions got Gomert distracted from his talking points and he was at a complete loss.

Any question will do.....just get them off their talking points. (Some Republicans can "talk around" the question better than others. But just do what Murtha did and repeat the question without the Republican spin.)

[Maraya1969]

8. Saw that and it was great. Can we get this to the front page so people

will LEARN and share there their successes and thoughts on "HOW TO SPEAK TO A REPUBLICAN IF YOU HAVE TO"???

[Maraya1969]

9. Yoda I gave you credit for your first post on the next thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2683325&mesg_id=2683325

I am sorry. I thought I gave credit where credit was do by alas, my brain again.

I think what you wrote was great.

[ginnyinWI]

10. First, do not help the Republicans by saying "war in Iraq"

Saying "war in Iraq" is using a Republican frame. It's an occupation; there is no "war in Iraq" and we are not "in a time of war" any more than when Great Britain was struggling with the IRA. Al Qaeda is there because they can ONLY exist in a failed state; they cannot survive in a country that is up and running. That's why cannot thrive here, or in Great Britain, or in Spain even though they have carried out random attacks. They get snuffed out immediately.


True, the Iraqis are now in a civil war with each other, now that their despotic leader is gone, but that is a separate issue.


Now the Repubs are trying to re-invent the "war in Iraq" in time for the mid-term elections as a war against Al Qaeda, I think because more people now realize that it was Al Qaeda which attacked us on 9/11, and their former reasons are failing them. They trumped up Zarqawi and then killed him, and now are setting up a new guy--because if we are in a "War on Terror" we need an enemy to focus on.