The GOP wants you terrified, because then you'll be easier to manipulate
Republicans are trying to scare you. ISIS/ISIL is coming to get you! Obamacare is going to set up Death Panels! Ebola! Immigrants! The Gays! God hates Democrats! The GOP hasn’t cranked the fear machine up this high since the days of Joe McCarthy and the “Red Scare.”
But this is a just a political tactic. Remember how the Ebola hysteria went away the next day after the mid-terms? It was probably just a co-incidence.
No, Republicans are just trying to scare Americans into thinking that the nation is safer when they’re in charge. And that’s bullshit. Sorry, that’s the nicest word for it.
“Satan is attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that has so deeply rooted in the American tradition.” ~ Rick Santorum (R-Pa), 2008
New York during the President Clinton years wasn’t a scary place. Even after the first attack on the WTC, nobody was frightened all the time. Concerned sometimes, yes, but nobody was carrying on like Lindsey Graham or Bill O’Reilly does these days. New Yorkers don’t scare easy regardless.
We were on top of things, people were well informed, and the media wasn’t nearly as fragmented as it is now. Fox News was but a gleam in Rupert Murdoch’s eye. Yes, newspapers leaned right and left, and always will, but cable news networks weren’t as blatantly partisan as they are now.
All New Yorkers knew who Osama Bin Laden was for years. He was in the papers all the time, and there were stories on him on the news shows. Everybody knew he was dangerous, and we also knew the government was trying to get him. Most Americans did.
Ignore right wingers who would forward that whole “Clinton didn’t do anything about Osama” theory. It’s bullshit. There is no nicer word for it.
When W. rose up, things started to fall apart quickly. Do you remember the turmoil the entire country was in during his inauguration? Bush couldn’t even get out of his car for all the protesters.
When 9/11 happened, all New Yorkers worth their salt immediately knew it was Bin Laden. They’d been waiting for something like this. There was no way Bush wasn’t informed about OBL, he just didn’t do enough about it. Insert conspiracy theory here as to why, but most believe W simply didn’t think anything would come of it.
Enter the post 9/11 era, the country becomes more deeply divided, and cops and soldiers with sub-machine guns are hanging out everywhere in NYC. Guess what? Seeing soldiers and SWAT teams everywhere absolutely does NOT make you feel safe. Quite the opposite.
And that’s how things were for a long time. The Bush years were nothing but that administration trying to scare everyone into not noticing what a monumental mess they were making of the world. Period.
“I can’t help but believe, just based on the way we’ve got all these nebulous excuses why not to have a travel ban, this president, I guarantee you, we’re going to find out, he has cut a deal with African leaders. They’re going to bring people in.” ~ Louie Gohmert (R-Tx), theorizing President Obama is going to import Ebola
Any of that scream-y scary propaganda that’s still around is continuing to be forwarded by right wingers. They haven’t changed their tune at all, because that’s what they think works for them. It’s why they desperately tried to turn Benghazi into something that it wasn’t.
I have no idea why those on the right wing that would help terrorists spread fear and division throughout this country for nearly two years weren’t strung up by their balls. Americans should be raking them over the coals for that bullshit. There’s no nicer word for it.
Instead, Fox News pundits like Bill O’Reilly are given a free pass to carry merrily along their fear mongering deceitful path. And Republicans are more than happy to follow that lead.
“Our strategy will fail yet again. This president needs to rise to the occasion before we all get killed back here at home.” ~ Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
As I write this, I’m sitting here in Brooklyn, where they busted a potential terror plot in my neighborhood before it happened. They got it. They were all over it. I never saw any of that under Bush, it was just that administration ringing the alarm whenever they wanted to remind us why we shouldn’t question them. Say what you will about Obama, but he isn’t predisposed to cowardly histrionics like Graham or John McCain.
ISIL is trying to get the USA over there to fight them. That’s what they’re all about. And Bill O’Reilly and the rest of the Christian zealots are screaming “Holy War“ and yeah, that’s scary. And reports were just released saying there’s an equal to greater chance of right winger domestic terrorism than an ISIL attack, and that’s scary.
And isn’t it funny how when the DHS identifies right wing terrorism as a legitimate threat, Republicans almost don’t fund the DHS? It’s probably just a co-incidence.
What isn’t scary is now America at least seems to have a President that isn’t prone to pounding a religious tome as the reason to invade the wrong country to create ISIL in the first place. And as long as ISIL is begging us to come fight them, it means they don’t have a realistic chance of coming to get us. Not to do the kind of damage that would induce the pants-shitting cowardice we’re seeing from the Republicans anyway. And the grown up in charge of the nation seems to realize that.
ISIL should be treated as a punch line. You have a greater chance of getting hit by lightning than getting beheaded by ISIS terrorists. Those of us looking to counteract the message of hate, terror, and fear should follow Saturday Night Live’s lead. Don’t cower from ISIS. Mock them!
So, yeah, we’re a lot safer now from terrorist attacks than we were under Republicans. Yeah, it’s relative, but if you really think America’s going to be invaded by legions of bloodthirsty terrorists, you’re a cowardly and spoiled whiny brat.
The biggest thing we have to worry about in the USA are crazy white men with guns, whether or not they’re cops. Isn’t it funny how Republicans don’t want to talk about that? It’s probably just a co-incidence.
America is supposed to be a world leader, and leaders don’t repeat mistakes, especially when they get countless people killed. It is poor military strategy to allow an enemy to goad you into a battle on a field of their choosing. If people are trying to scare or shame you into a fight, they do not have your best interests at heart.
Fear can be a tool used to control the stupid and the weak minded. Americans should be smart enough and courageous enough to see past and dismiss such immature playground tactics. If we can’t, then we don’t truly live in the Home of the Brave.
“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.” ~ President George W. Bush
But Hil(arity) avoids the dogma of the “Left”? PA-leez….
The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
H. L. Mencken
Most republicans dont even realise what they are supporting. They are to occupied by the fear mongering being instilled in their heads and so they become dummied up. Its so baffling watching middle class people support a party that is gonna RAISE their taxes so taxes for millionaires can be lowered for “trickle down” economics. Every younger republican i know-after taking a test to see which poliical party they relate to-are blown away by the fact that they lean much more democrat then republican. Yet ignorance shouldn t be an excuse. Be afraid. Be very afaid. Then vote republican. BOO!
i say just think for yourself America. I’m republican and not scared or stupid.Go back to basics!
The dumbs(dems) just want you go be quiet and accept all the stupidity and entitlement they dish out.
What can I say….just keep drinking the kool-aid…lol
When your government is threatened by the governed people, start a war. It’s a trick that has worked since the Romans. It is interesting that during the entire history of the Roman Empire, the doors of the Temple of Janus, always kept open in time of war, were only closed for a total of less than a decade. Fear makes conservatives out of liberals. Read a little ancient history to gain perspective then apply your reason to modern history.
Mr. Chad MacDonald I have read your entire article and really enjoyed it. I’m a ARMY VETERAN and damn proud of it, I read a lot of this crap on facebook and don’t like having my Country constantly being put down. OUR war HERO’S have died and bled way to much for their freedoms and rights. I very proud of being a life long Democrat. This does not make me less than a man. You managed to piss off a lot of folks all republicans. You keep helping to calm down America and maybe the VETERANS of this great nation will get the promises they deserve. Thank you again Mr. MacDonald. Keep up the great work.
The GOP has, for six years, daily, sought to discredit and obstruct any and everything that contribute to the idea that President Obama could be competent. Republican leadership has jumped up and down, waving their arms and shouting, as publicly as possible asserting that he is “other” than us, traditional Americans and their primary goal was to impair his efforts to succeed.
Having suffered their slings and arrows for so long, how can we accept their cries now?