Scott Brown, the new Senator-elect from Massachusetts, won the special election there by running on a platform of tax cuts and opposing congressional health care reform even though he never laid out any plans to cut federal spending to balance out those cuts and he voted in support of a state-run health care plan as a state senator. In short, he ran on principles and populist talking points without actual ideas or plans for dealing with the problems this country faces. Yes, Martha Coakley also ran a horrible campaign and one of her problems was that she didn't know how to talk to American voters in the manner successful politicians on both sides of the aisle have perfected:
Brian's assessment of undecided voters is right on in my opinion. This is why President Obama has had so much trouble throughout his first year in office: He speaks to American voters as if they are rational thinking adults, and apparently they hate that (or just plain can't comprehend it). If the Republican party does well in the next election cycle it will be in part because they knew how to tell voters what they wanted to hear without putting forth any policy proposals other than tax cuts, torture and the status quo. And Americans will get the government they deserve for their inability to take politics seriously.
Friday, January 22, 2010
How Coakley Could Have Beat Brown
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17 comments:
He speaks to American voters as if they are rational thinking adults, and apparently they hate that (or just plain can't comprehend it).
I think it's the "can't comprehend it." Love the video. Perfecto.
Tell em any shit they want to hear. Right? If it means victory who am I to be Mr. Goody Two Shoes. This does remind me of a funny campaign story though. If you want me to relay it to you I will.
Gracias Leslie, it's from one of my favorite episodes.
I'm all ears, T101. If it's something you can't relate publicly you have my email address, otherwise please expound here at length, my friend.
Put it here, Truth.
We were working a primary against a group of assholes. Actually, my group was probably the assholes in this saga but if it's for a good cause, Jesus would understand.
Anyway, I'm canvassing known primary voting Democrats to support me against the inferior sap running against me. Get to the house of a well known prick. Always votes Democrat though. He said he was voting for the other guy cause he promised him a job. I said I'm not into that kind of deal making. We must be the party of integrity. He told me to go away.
I told the chief asshole about this guy and he said go back and offer him a job if we win cause the other guy can't deliver. We have lots of clout with the governor. Blago was governor and we had no clout with him cause we didn't support him in the primary. We were for a guy named Vallas from Chicago. I told the chief asshole that we couldn't get jobs for anyone. Hadn't been able to for years. The chief said fuck that. Just tell him what he wants to hear. He'll feel good and we can do whatever the fuck we want.
I went there the next evening and told him we had some jobs lined up if we win and he would get one of them.
My side won the election.
The happy side though is I did manage to get the guy a job. It was a temporary position helping disabled Veterans. He didn't last long though. But my integrity was intact. Thus, my moniker of Truth 101 remains the bastion of honesty.
Well, your heart was in the right place - right? ; )
He probably didn't last long because he really didn't want a job.
Good story.
Darn right, tnl. Those unemployed bastards never really want jobs... and they're not using your $3 donation for a cheeseburger either!
"Americans will get the government they deserve for their inability to take politics seriously."
Well said. Or written. Or typed. Whatever. I liked it.
Poor guy couldn't handle the job. You ever see a fat guy, usually smoking a cigar and driving around a government owned pickup truck? That was him or one of his clones. After he got laid off from that job I got him the temp jod helping old Vets get on buses and go to the store. Paid decent but he couldn't handle it physically and they had to let him go. He passed away about a year ago but believe it or not, he was thankful for the few months he had a paycheck. I never told him it was a coincidence and had nothing to do with me or anyone else trying to get him a job. It just kind of appeared and I said "Let'sive it to Tubby."
This is why I don't think that I could ever run for office, T101. It's not that I can't lie well, it's just that I don't want to and shouldn't have to if I'm the better candidate. I still think that our system is tragically broken and the more I learn about it the more I dislike politics.
Thanks, Steven. Unfortunately, it's only well-written because it's true.
Politics is like blogging or an easy chick. It's hard to stay away JBW. It's the stuff like I described that make it fun.
oneLbill: I don't think I meant to imply that at all. I was being tongue-in-cheek about this one guy based on how Truth described him.
Yeah, I was joking too. I like regurgitating extremist company lines from both sides of the political fence.
Word, T101. Admittedly every time I think I'm out, like a smoking hot abusive girlfriend, politics pulls me back in. Just our cross to bear, I suppose.
JBW: The reason you're not going anywhere is because you are just too good at what you do. Besides, you'd miss all the trolls.
Thanks, Leslie. I also have fun doing it and thankfully my place is relatively troll-free.
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