’)For a while I’ve seen a dichotomy between elite liberal opinion makers and members of the wider progressive movement. I’ve thought again and again that what I was seeing was just a product of the noise machine, or perhaps a mild variance of a few degress that can be papered over. But I think I was wrong. The disconnect is real and serious. As evidence is this post from Ezra Klein in which he responds to the Republican attack on a twelve year old child as if this demonstrates something new, a new low for the right.
I have to ask: What have you been smoking? Where have you been for at least the last 20 years?
Attacking a child because the child’s family has a difference of opinion with the right on healthcare benefits is not an aberration for the right wing. It’s a Tuesday. This is what they do, this is how they operate, this is how they have attained power and wielded it like a sledgehammer for years now. This is not new. This is not a recent development.
These are the same people who accused Hillary Clinton of murdering a man, who say Bill Clinton is a rapist then make up “humor” skits about it. These are the people who called those against the war in Iraq pro-Saddam Hussein (Glenn Reynolds), said the left was a “fifth column” (Andrew Sullivan), called war veteran amputee Max Cleland an ally of Bin Laden, alleged that John Kerry’s war wounds for which he received a purple heart were self-inflicted, said Bill Clinton was a drug dealer, used racism to attack Michael Dukakis and on and on and on.
That anyone would be shocked that they would stalk a twelve-year old for political purposes displays a shocking amount of naivete about the same people who make Rush Limbaugh a top-rated talk show host. “Phony soldiers”, indeed.
You’ve got to ask why elite liberals don’t see what so many of us in the wider liberal moment have known for years. I once had a Kerry campaign operative tell me that in effect the people on Democratic Underground were much savvier about the way the conservative machine works – especially in the media – than the Kerry campaign staff was. And they reflected the sort of ideal ivory-tower view of these important political issues as simply wonkish policy matters to be worked out by serious people. Is it any wonder they were blind-sided by the Swift Boat liars and Fox News?
And in the campaign so far I see this same Pollyanna view of the right coming from the Obama, and to a lesser extent, the Edwards camps. Again the belief is simply by putting good feelings out, the left can beat the right. This is wrong, and this is why Democrats keep losing presidential elections or having them stolen because they’re closer than they should be. It’s also the reason why Sen. Clinton is getting so much support so far: even people who don’t line up with her policy positions see that she’s demonstrated the most mettle to go up against the right. The Clintons learned from their mistakes, but I don’t think the left in general has (hence the idea echoed by many liberal elites about how “unseemly” things were with the Clintons, ignoring that they fought in the environment as it was, not as they wished). They seem to have seen the past attacks from the right as temporary aberrations: surely they will regain their senses soon, right? No. It’s not going to happen. Wishing for it won’t make it so, and if you keep acting surprised at the latest Republican slime du jour, you’re always going to be on the receiving end.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be outraged by this stuff, and there’s a reason why their activities should be exposed, but don’t act as if it’s new or that they won’t get lower.
used racism to attack Michael Dukakis
Before anyone even tries: No, Al Gore did NOT bring up Willie Horton first.
Too many lies in this post.
Swift Boaters are not liars. You work for people that think that Dan Rather’s documents on the TANG were not fake.
Great post, Oliver. Anyone who is surprised by their attack on a 12-year-old hasn’t been paying attention. And that includes the DNC, who are perpetually blind-sided by Republican tactics.
Too many lies in this post.
Care to document them, or does writing them out entail reading? That would be too liberal.
I’d say it’s amazing what conservatives will say, but nothing about you surprises me. Not your cowardice, not your lying, not your violence against those without power, not your hatred of what it means to be an American.
Poor Nick T. Drinking the Kool Aid too long addled his brain.
Swift Boaters like John Kerry aren’t necessarily liars.
The conclusion on the 4 Rather documents was that they couldn’t be authenticated, not that they were fake. Besides which, they weren’t exactly the heart of the case against Bush. Let’s be real, Bush received special treatment because of his family’s political connections to get him into the TANG allowing him to skip a year+ waiting list and then got him a cushy assignment ahead of more qualified candidates. Couple that with his spotty attendence, and incomplete service record (incidently, who has incomplete service records?) it isn’t hard to guess that GW Bush continued receiving preferential treatment while in the TANG. Deal with it. At least he wasn’t 12 years old.
“Too many lies in this post.
Swift Boaters are not liars.”
The Swift Boaters were liars and so are people like you who defend them.
No one on the left on this site believes you. The only real question is, do you believe what you are saying?
Josh Marshall has written eloquently about what he called the bitch-slap theory of politics, that when you slap your opponents hard and they get stunned, it sends a meta-message that you are hard and that your target can be slapped.
The correct message for Hillary Clinton to send out is, “well, it doesn’t matter whom the Republicans nominate, because whoever gets it, that’s the SOB with the glass jaw that I will crush and ruin with severe prejudice.” More artfully but that’s the message – she will bully and batter his ass into Depends-soaking submission. Not “we will have a meaningful dialogue about issues of important to thoughtful Americans.” More like “we are going to play Zeus with a lightning bolt and the GOP nominee’s face.”
Kickass post, Oliver. I’m linking up.
I would note that this is disturbingly similar to Maenadic rites, where, “The mysteries of Dionysus inspired the women to ecstatic frenzy; they indulged in copious amounts of violence, bloodletting, sexual activity, self-intoxication, and mutilation.”
In response to the hysterical Klein piece, I would challenge anyone to find evidence that Graeme Frost was “attacked” or “stalked” by mainstream conservative bloggers.
If anyone should be ashamed it is Harry Reid and the senate Democrats, who apparently went to some length to find just the right unassailable poor victim family to prop up as poster children for the SCHIP expansion.
But then as you say Oliver, it is a Tuesday; that’s simply what liberals do. They attempt to stifle debate and shame their opponents, not through meritorious arguments but through sob stories, whereby anyone who disagrees or questions their motives becomes an inhuman monster.
Curiously, I have seen no one on the Left, least of all Ezra Klein, clearly explain why the Frost family, and millions of others who earn 50% – 90% more per year than they do, are “the needy,” and should qualify for billions in government aid. I have yet to see anyone explain why poor cigarette smokers (the majority of which are lower or lower middle class) should buy the Frost’s health insurance.
The truth is, we need an open and honest public debate about the core issue of ‘neediness.’ If you don’t want to use the Frost family, fine. Here is another good place to start:
“I would challenge anyone to find evidence that Graeme Frost was “attacked” or “stalked” by mainstream conservative bloggers.”
Michelle Malkin not only went to their place of business and confronted tenants, she also went to their house and took an inventory of their personal property.
“who apparently went to some length to find just the right unassailable poor victim family to prop up as poster children for the SCHIP expansion.”
And your evidence that this family is in any way atypical or difficult to find is…?
Oh that’s right. Evidence is for liberals to provide. Wingnuts don’t need any and never have. They create their own reality.
“that’s simply what liberals do.”
Because no Republicans EVER use children as fronts for policy. Never. Ever.
“I have seen no one on the Left, least of all Ezra Klein, clearly explain why the Frost family, and millions of others who earn 50% – 90% more per year than they do, are “the needy,” and should qualify for billions in government aid.”
Actually, it’s been explained many, many, many times. Low and middle income families make too much money to qualify for medicare but too little to afford the extremely high cost insurance premiums for basic coverage. And some, those with pre-existing or risky conditions, can’t get health coverage at all.
It’s not “clear” to YOU because the needs of non-rich, non-white people falls outside the comprehension ability of douche bag conservatives.
So…Mikey, what you’re saying is that something should be gotten rid of if a few people abuse that something? Ok! Let’s ban all guns because some people abuse them.
…
What’s that? You’re full of shit? That’s fine too.
If anyone should be ashamed it is Harry Reid and the senate Democrats, who apparently went to some length to find just the right unassailable poor victim family to prop up as poster children for the SCHIP expansion.
Didn’t do a very good job of it, did they? Conservatives didn’t find any reason to consider the child “unassailable.” Conservatives don’t consider anybody “unassailable” except for other conservatives…and only then, until the point that they may wander from the herd an iota.
Injured children who feel fortunate for SCHIP programs? Fair game.
Kidnapping and abuse victims? Fair game.
Grieving mothers? Fair game.
Covert agents? Fair game.
It’s part and parcel the legacy of Atwater and Rove; the idea that conservative debate tactics are to bleed decency and compassion from oneself in order to make their points heard.
If somebody found a litter of kittens in a box with an old “Kerry 2004″ sticker on it, the usual conservative marauders would be calling for the kittens to be put in a sack and thrown in the river.
Apparently there is a serious intelligence deficit among liberal bloggers, who can’t tell the difference between questioning the decisions made by a father and “attacking” a child.
F. Halsey Frost is a big boy. If he is willing to let his family be used as political props, then he should be able to take some heat. The same thing goes for Democrats — if they are willing to play the helpless child card in order to stifle meaningful debate, then they should be able to act like adults.
Obviously this whole thing is about Democrats going ape because the helpless child card didn’t work.
“Low and middle income families make too much money to qualify for medicare but too little to afford the extremely high cost insurance premiums for basic coverage. And some, those with pre-existing or risky conditions, can’t get health coverage at all.”
Wow, that almost resembles an argument, megamoze. I’ll see if I can respond without name calling, although it may hurt the reading comprehension of this blog’s regular contributors.
See, the Frosts were an odd choice as spokespeople for SCHIP expansion because they already qualified for SCHIP benefits under the current system. President Bush’s veto of the $35 billion SCHIP expansion will have no effect on the Frosts, because they are already covered by the program.
The only reason to use the Frost family is to perpetuate the lie that President Bush and the Republicans want to permanently and completely end all federal SCHIP funding, in which case the Frosts would be out on a limb.
Therein lies the real problem — absolute lying Democrat propaganda. President Bush never vowed to destroy the program. He supported a modest $5 billion expansion. If the Democrats had given him an expansion that was at least in the same ballpark then he would have signed the bill.
Actually I see a very clever strategy here:
- House Democrats propose $50 billion SCHIP expansion
- President Bush says $5 billion
- Senate Democrats propose $35 billion as a “compromise”
- Bush still says no and vetos bill
- Democrats spread lie that Bush wants to entirely eliminate SCHIP
- Democrats use 12 year old to spread above lie
- Conservatives question whether the 12 year old’s family is really “needy”
- Democrats pull out one of their must trusty stereotypes of conservatives – “THEY HATE CHILDREN!!!”
See how this works? I shouldn’t have to tell you what is supposed to happen next: Democrats shame the mean, nasty, evil, child-hating Republicans into over-riding the Bush veto.
Here’s the real financial issue with the Frosts: they come from old Manhattan money. F. Halsey Frost’s father A. Corwin Frost (Grame’s grandfather) is a Princeton graduate and a resident of Manhattan’s posh Bronxville neighborhood, where he serves as chairman of the planning board. Corwin Frost’s father and grandfather were both prominent Manhattan architects. See, this is really not a poor family, at least from what I understand to be the traditional definition of poor. Thus, megamoze, you reasoning becomes a little squishy.
If F. Halsey Frost’s business does not provide enough income for the purchase of health insurance, then should the government pay for it, or perhaps is it the responsibility of the Frost family at large to see that all of their dependents are provided for? It is too much to ask for grandpa to help with health insurance for his grandkids?
Therein lies the true problem, which is that more and more people are looking to the government as “big daddy,” even in cases where the evidence seems to show that public assistance is not the last resort.
The Democrats want poor cigarette smokers and the elderly to pay for the SCHIP expansion — oh, don’t tell me that you didn’t know that part of the finding for the new, improved SCHIP is money diverted away from current subsidies that help pay for so-called “medi-gap” insurance plans for seniors?
So I would simply like for someone to explain why the funding sources for SCHIP are fair, and why families with the means to do otherwise should be encouraged to get on the government dole. And see if you can do it without calling me names.
Dipshit.
Democrats pull out one of their must trusty stereotypes of conservatives – “THEY HATE CHILDREN!!!”
Sterotype? Maybe. False? No.