Comments on: Politics by other means

By: Chapomatic » Email On Marines In Iraq

Chapomatic » Email On Marines In Iraq — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 04:18:52 +0000

[...] Update: I’m just too tired of E.J. Dionne’s uninformed, ridiculous opinions to take Dusty’s challenge up in the manner of the good Captain Lex. Let me be terse and say that a search on this site for “information warfare” or a look at Cori Dauber’s or Jason Van Steenwyk’s will get the point across. [...]

By: lex

lex — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 23:58:57 +0000

Maybe, Skip – I think the tactic was designed to forestall a vote on a worse bill put forth by the other side. The downside is that this becomes the new de facto line of resistance, and meanwhile the voices of defeat play race-you-to-the-bottom. Can’t win that way.

Think you’re on to something, Holly – it’s a kind of validation for their efforts over the last two years. Can’t blame them entirely though, the media plays what sells, and as a nation we’ve come to prefer our stories full of drama and disaster rather than the “patient accumulation of successes.”

By: Holly Aho, Soldiers Angel

Holly Aho, Soldiers Angel — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 22:09:37 +0000

I wanted to add something on the “polling figures showing that the decision to go to war is now disapproved by 57% of the populace”. I think the media likes to tout these numbers because it gives them a feeling of success. It’s not the war that’s failing, it’s a symbol of the media’s ability to persuade. After all, you’d hardly hear them saying, “Almost half the nation thinks we and our newspapers are full of crap.”

That’s just my two cents – polling equals people’s changed beliefs as the numbers rise or lower. Those changes are often based on the information they are receiving, and how credible they find it.

By: skippy-san

skippy-san — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:53:38 +0000

Couldn’t the wobblers be having genuine doubts? Especially as they are working through the budget right now and seeing how many of the war costs are being stashed in other parts of the budget, ( and thus being hidden from the total cost). Some of these guys are not wackos but folks with records solidly within the party…..
John McCain is doing a good thing and he has yet to not defend the president on the war, but he is acting….well, like a legislator.

By: badbob

badbob — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 16:59:56 +0000

I agree with fbl that Froggy’s post (Lex linked to it too)is bedrock. Especially the last para.

I ain’t a rabid partisan but all the obsfuscator’s “lies” are documented here:

http://www.gop.com/Default.aspx?s=video

This ain’t rocket science to figure out…

Lex, the wobblies have me concerned now..they are the ones who will sink the ship….simply no guts.

By: lex

lex — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 14:46:52 +0000

Well, Skip – it looks like the Senate Republicans are getting a little wobbly too.

Tom – I reckon I should have placed an irony tag somewhere about that “critical NM 2nd district” thing. Although every race is important, I didn’t really think of that one as critical…

Babs – thanks for the sentiments. And as for the other, well – they’s more money in it!