Republicans Offer Dirty Tricks Instead Of Ideas.

27. September 2010 by admin.

Ever since Tricky Dick Nixon and his Watergate crew, the Republican Party has seemed fascinated with gaining unfair advantage through political stunts. For many years, the party and its allies have created a series of shadow groups as a way of getting around campaign finance laws. Such shadowy organizations as the Cato Institute, the Goldwater Group, American FreedomWorks, 60-Plus, American Enterprise Foundation, etc., etc. have all spent millions to attack Democratic candidates.

In 2004, Republicans used just such a group to put together the so-called “Swift Boat” commercial questioning Sen. John Kerry’s status as a bona fide war hero. In 2008, with the help of Fox Noise, they trotted out a series of accusations and false controversies about then-Senator Obama to upset his election chances. And, in this election cycle, Republicans have resorted to vilifying minorities such as Latinos and Muslims in an attempt to frighten voters.

The same kinds of tricks occur on the state and local levels, too. For instance, in Arizona, Republicans recruited homeless streetpeople to run as Green Party candidates in hopes of splitting the progressive vote. And, in my small community, Republicans placed signs next to the Democratic Election Headquarters, took photos of their juvenile handiwork (with apologies to juveniles) then removed the signs themselves and, accompanied by police and a reporter, accused Democrats of stealing them.

Although I’m sure there are a few, I can think of no such instances of Democratic tomfoolery.

If Republican candidates are so great for our nation, why do they have to resort to chicanery to win? Shouldn’t they be able to win elections based on ideas, instead?

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