A Thought About Romney's Poll Surge
It seems a little strange to me that everyone, from Fox News to Daily Kos, has bought into the narrative that Romney's surge in the polls was due to his performance in the first Presidential debate.
It's like everyone has forgotten about Citizens United, and the avalanche of dirty campaigning that is now engulfing large parts of the country. I know it is easy for people in New York or Los Angeles, say, who are only seeing a tiny share of this disgusting phenomenon, to lose track of it, but it is important to remember that debates have never had the kind of effect on polls that this one seems to have produced.
I suggested long ago that, following historical precedent, the bulk of the Republican smears and lies would be unleashed on the American people only in the last few weeks of the campaign, when it would be impossible for Democrats to counteract them. And I believe (though admittedly I don't have clear proof) that this is what is happening now. Endless repetition of Republican lies about Obama's apology tour, which never happened, about his stealing money from Medicare, about everything including his mother being a whore, are being dumped on the electorate in large parts of the country, and sad to say, those lies are having their effect.
It seemed impossible that the American people could have been stupid enough to elect someone as grossly unqualified to be President as Reagan or Bush; and yet they did (well, sort of, in Bush's case) and the result was a vast tipping of the economic playing field in favor of the rich, and the consequent near depression. Now, Obama's efforts, which averted that depression, are being presented as failure, and the American people could very well fall for the lies, and give power back to the Republicans, so that they can finish the job of destroying this country.
It's like everyone has forgotten about Citizens United, and the avalanche of dirty campaigning that is now engulfing large parts of the country. I know it is easy for people in New York or Los Angeles, say, who are only seeing a tiny share of this disgusting phenomenon, to lose track of it, but it is important to remember that debates have never had the kind of effect on polls that this one seems to have produced.
I suggested long ago that, following historical precedent, the bulk of the Republican smears and lies would be unleashed on the American people only in the last few weeks of the campaign, when it would be impossible for Democrats to counteract them. And I believe (though admittedly I don't have clear proof) that this is what is happening now. Endless repetition of Republican lies about Obama's apology tour, which never happened, about his stealing money from Medicare, about everything including his mother being a whore, are being dumped on the electorate in large parts of the country, and sad to say, those lies are having their effect.
It seemed impossible that the American people could have been stupid enough to elect someone as grossly unqualified to be President as Reagan or Bush; and yet they did (well, sort of, in Bush's case) and the result was a vast tipping of the economic playing field in favor of the rich, and the consequent near depression. Now, Obama's efforts, which averted that depression, are being presented as failure, and the American people could very well fall for the lies, and give power back to the Republicans, so that they can finish the job of destroying this country.
Comments
This time they know they need to suppress the vote as never before, (voter id laws, false infromation, billboards warning prison, destruction of registration), they need Billionaires telling their employees Vote Romney or be Fired, and they need to control all the vote counting.
So, it's not that the American people are stupid, it's just that Republicans are going to ensure only stupid conservatives get to vote.