John Kerry: This is a tea party downgrade.

[Tennessee Gal]

Go John.

Tell it!

[XanaDUer]

1. That was this morning's highlight

nt.

[Tennessee Gal]

2. Bush's debt.

Two tax cuts. Two unfunded wars.

[GoCubsGo]

3. And, the baggers are spinning this furiously

Their apologists were all over my local fish wrap this morning, trying to deflect the blame onto the President and the Democrats. Sadly, many of the local yokels here are buying into that spin. It never ceases to amaze me how these people are willing to be pawns and dupes for the very people who want to rob them blind. Wish I could get the hell out of this place...

[XanaDUer]

4. Please tell me you edumacated them!

I try to when these conversations come up! It's not always easy, I know...

[GoCubsGo]

11. Not yet. I plan to write in to it myself.

I don't think many of them are capable of being educated, unfortunately. Believe me, I have tried.

[XanaDUer]

13. Yeah, been there, done that

So sad.

[Kurmudgeon]

26. Expect them to go silent then shun you.

I've had this discussion with some classmates on Facebook. Facts are like kryptonite to teabaggers.

[MBS]

31. Perfectly said. n/t

[PatSeg]

17. I take it you are originally from Chicago

I know how hard it is to adjust to the culture shock of moving to a right-wing zone. Its like being surrounded by "pod people" determined to assimilate you or if that's not possible, destroy you.

[TomCADem]

5. Cool, so far so good! No one is attacking Democrats yet. The Blame Is Being Squarely...

...placed on Republicans. We will see how long this lasts before the corporate media brainwashing kicks in.

[msongs]

6. did Obama veto this bill? did dems refuse to vote for it? NO? well, there is your truth nt

[Horse with no Name]

9. There is a HUGE disconnect here

Obama continued the Bush tax cuts, continued the wars and did NOT veto this piece of republican swill that was presented to him.

Where does the buck actually stop?:shrug:

[TomCADem]

15. Sweet! Keep It Up! I Like the Ignoring Of Tea Party Claims That A Default Ain't That Bad...

...Also, very good ignoring of how Republicans voted multiple times and filibustered against a tax cut bill that only applied to the middle class, and held the middle class hostage for tax cuts to the rich, thus putting Democrats in the position of hiking taxes on the middle class in the middle of a recession.

WONDERFUL! These is the awesome part of the corporate media narrative. Now, even the left manages to conveniently ignore the material facts in either blaming Democrats outright or at least saying that Democrats and Republicans are equally at fault.

Keep it up my darlings!

:rofl:

- Rupert Murdoch

[Horse with no Name]

19. I REFUSE to be one of those party hacks who rip one party apart

for doing something yet give it a stamp of approval when our side does the same thing.

I never said a default was the proper thing...but to my knowledge..a clean bill was never presented.

Obama said he would veto ANYTHING that didn't have revenue attached, yet he didn't.

He ALWAYS had the option of the 14th amendment. ALWAYS.

He had the option of settling this back when he extended the tax cuts of making this part of the deal. But he didn't.

This is piss poor governance...at it's very best. From day ONE with a mega political capital and a mandate that would have made George Bush blush...OBAMA chose the compromise and it has set the course for his Presidency. From that very first time when they beat him over the head with the olive branch, he should have taken the reins and set about his agenda and forced it. Republicans have destroyed the country with much much less than we had to work with--but when Obama threw the Liberals and Progressives out of the room--he marginalized himself.

Our government is one of checks and balances. Yeah we ALL know the republicans are a bunch of firebreathing idiots...it is the JOB of the Democrats to stop them. If they do NOT have the moral compass to do what is RIGHT--and doing the right thing is not ALWAYS politically advantageous--but they are there to SERVE our country...not to protect their political careers. THAT is their job.

I don't give ten flips who the talking heads would have blamed if he vetoed the bill and pulled the 14th Amendment scenario. I really don't. They would have blamed him...no doubt...BUT it was the RIGHT thing to do and the BRAVE thing to do and...IT WAS HIS JOB TO DO THE MOST RESPONSIBLE THING.
Now, the country is a fuckswell....and you know what? He signed, sealed and delivered it.
So, he was going to be blamed anyway.

[TomCADem]

20. Bravo! Nice Use Of Blaming Democrats, Giving Republicans A Free Pass and False Equivalency.

Great use of propaganda. I especially like the use of CAPS. And the false equivalency makes the writer sound so objective.

For example, "He ALWAYS had the option of the 14th amendment. ALWAYS." This sounds so authorative with the caps. And, it is pithy because it ignores that if President Obama decided to ignore the debt ceilng, it would have immediately created a constitutional crisis. Yes, the House may or may not have impeached him, but the immediate impact is that there would have been uncertainty regarding debt issued following President Obama's declaration. So, do you seriously think that the S&P would not have downgraded the US debt if President Obama acted unilaterally? And, who would have been blamed? Democrats for bypassing Congress.

So, bravo, with the use of caps you managed to simplify and attack Democrats and give Republicans a free pass. Very good.

Here are some extra tips on the use of propaganda:

Glittering Generalities: Propagandists employ vague, sweeping statements (often slogans or simple catchphrases) using language associated with values and beliefs deeply held by the audience without providing supporting information or reason. They appeal to such notions as honor, glory, love of country, desire for peace, freedom, and family values. The words and phrases are vague and suggest different things to different people but the implication is always favorable. It cannot be proved true or false because it really says little or nothing at all. The Institute of Propaganda Analysis suggests a number of questions we should ask ourselves if we are confronted with this technique: What do the slogans or phrases really mean? Is there a legitimate connection between the idea being discussed and the true meaning of the slogan or phrase being used? What are the merits of the idea itself if it is separated from the slogans or phrases?

Card Stacking: Propagandist uses this technique to make the best case possible for his side and the worst for the opposing viewpoint by carefully using only those facts that support his or her side of the argument while attempting to lead the audience into accepting the facts as a conclusion. In other words, the propagandist stacks the cards against the truth. Card stacking is the most difficult technique to detect because it does not provide all of the information necessary for the audience to make an informed decision. The audience must decide what is missing. The Institute for Propaganda Analysis suggests we ask ourselves the following question when confronted with this technique: Are facts being distorted or omitted? What other arguments exist to support these assertions? As with any other propaganda technique, the best defense against Card Stacking is to get as much information that is possible before making a decision.

[Horse with no Name]

21. Bravo! Great use of PROJECTION! There is only ONE propagandist here

and it isn't me!

Here is a mirror so you can adjust your rose colored glasses.

[TomCADem]

25. Excellent! You got it! Namecalling is a very powerful progaganda techique, but...

To really make it stick, you should accuse the person you are trying to discredit of being DLC or an Obamabot, which infers that you are being objective by comparison. On this board, you see a lot of pro-Democrat posters attacked as being Obamabots or DLCers. There is no need to explain what this means, it just provokes a visceral reaction.

The "rose colored glasses" reference needs work, because it works best when someone has offered a very positive description of an event or program, then you name call them and say they are seeing the world through "rose colored glasses" and it destroys their point without any analysis on your part.

So, keep it up! You are learning. :fistbump:

Name Calling: Propagandists use this technique to create fear and arouse prejudice by using negative words (bad names) to create an unfavorable opinion or hatred against a group, beliefs, ideas or institutions they would have us denounce. This method calls for a conclusion without examining the evidence. Name Calling is used as a substitute for arguing the merits of an idea, belief, or proposal. It is often employed using sarcasm and ridicule in political cartoons and writing. When confronted with this technique the Institute for Propaganda Analysis suggests we ask ourselves the following questions: What does the name mean? Is there a real connection between the idea and the name being used? What are the merits of the idea if I leave the name out of consideration? When examining this technique try to separate your feelings about the name and the actual idea or proposal (Propaganda Critic: Common Techniques 1).

[politicasista]

35. The Senator is getting blamed by some

(not all) Obama supporters on Twitter for helping create this mess with McCain. Go figure.

[TomCADem]

12. Woot! Go Corporate Media Narrative! False Equivalency!

The false equivalency propaganda technique. Democrats did not let the country go into default, so its just as much their fault as the Tea Party. The parties are equally to blame. At least Michelle Bachmann voted no and Mitt Romney would have voted no (albeit because it did not cut more).

Keep it coming with the corporate media narrative talking points!

Remember the rules are:

1. Blame Democrats outright.
2. Or, use false equivalency to give Republicans a free pass by saying the Democrats are just as bad.

Now, carry on.

- Karl Rove.

[TwilightGardener]

18. Yep. Now if a Democratic-controlled House had refused to raise

the debt ceiling unless certain demands were met, then I'd say the "Dems are too blame too!" bullshit was true. Blame them for allowing themselves to be painted into a corner, sure--but they can't be blamed for originating this fiasco.

[politicasista]

30. +1 n/t

[liberal N proud]

7. Axelrod just used the same term on Face the Nation

[Tennessee Gal]

10. Good. nt

[kentuck]

8. The Tea Party could do nothing without the Republicans supporting them.

Why let the Republican Party slide by blaming it on the "Tea Party"? True, they were the impetus behind it but the Republican leaders supported their ideas all the way.

[XanaDUer]

14. True that

They're all of one piece, frankly.

[politicasista]

29. Some truth there

The GOP and Tea Party w/the GOP groups are all rolled into one. Maybe you should call or e-mail his office and let them know.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

16. It's the "Young Guns" that are now running the country, the Washington Post said so:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

‘Young Guns’ played pivotal role in debate

It's great to be young and a puke congressman, I know this because the Washington Post has reported it, all our troubles are over now because the "Young Guns" are running Capitol Hill and have that evil doer Obama on the run.

[Dawson Leery]

22. That is the truth.

[Dawson Leery]

23. That is the truth.

[high density]

24. McCain then came on and said Obama never put forward a plan

I love this rewriting of history.

[Tennessee Gal]

28. Well, he did say Obama never put forward a plan "in writing."

Like that qualifier? I thought it was stupid cause everyone knows that Obama had a plan on the table and Cantor and Boehner walked out.

[City Lights]

27. IMO, it's a Grand Old Party downgrade.

The "tea party" isn't even a real party. They're all Republicans. I think it would be a mistake to allow the non-fleabagger Republicans to separate themselves from the fleabagger Republicans. A Republican is a Republican is a Republican. Period.

[politicasista]

32. They are all in one piece

Maybe you should call or e-mail his office to let him know that.

[graywarrior]

33. I saw him speak in Newburyport several months ago and he was basically

saying that the country was in danger due to those recently elected who REFUSED to compromise and had no idea how congress really works. He was angry then and he sounds really angry now.

[politicasista]

34. +1

:hi:

[graywarrior]

36. !

:hi:

[Scurrilous]

37. K & R

:thumbsup: