Monday, January 25, 2016

The Slime in Politics





"All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia."  -George Orwell


I guess some things never change.   Though one wonders if Orwell's candid point above can vary in intensity throughout the ages.  It could certainly be argued that politics in America today is a gross display of  immense corruption that is being played out on a dumbed-down reality TV show with Donald Trump as its rising star.  Those who have any semblance of a conscience are in the minority and are now trying to weather the endless battering from the mindless hyper-partisans who seem to lack a conscience - the slime in politics.

So what does this endless battering from the mindless hyper-partisans look like?

I give you the action's of America Rising - a hyper-partisan PAC that is supposedly designed "to expose the truth about Democrats" and hold them "accountable for their words and actions."  Their goal is to "influence elections" by getting attention grabbing story lines printed throughout the media.  Seems like a noble cause, huh?  Holding politicians, of whatever stripe, accountable certainly is a good thing.  However, who is going to hold this PAC group accountable when they spread lies?  

In reality, this PAC resembles a B-grade political version of MTV's Jackass.  Who can say the stupidest shit and then hope it sticks so the media will print it.  And, yes, America Rising does lie.  Allow me to show you an example.

Many people working in the Colorado state capitol were fired up about the Denver Broncos upcoming AFC Championship game against the Patriots.  Wearing orange at work on Fridays during the football season is a tradition for many football fans in Colorado.  So it went for the football fans in the state legislature this past Friday.  



Now, here is where America Rising decided to chime in and create a lie about a politician they want to smear... I mean, hold accountable.   America Rising has been on the beat and waiting to pounce on state Senator Morgan Carroll who has announced she will be running against Rep Mike Coffman.  Unfortunately for the staff at America Rising, Senator Carroll hasn't coughed up any damning words for them to print.  So I guess desperation drove them to throw out this little hit piece: 




Is this what holding politicians is supposed to look like?  No, this is a smear tactic that belongs in the National Enquirer.  It's not politics; it's ad hominem.    

Senator Carroll was born and raised in Colorado.  Thus questioning her loyalty to Colorado by trying to falsely suggest she is a "secret Patriots fan" is nothing short of pathetic.  Do we even know if Senator Carroll is a football fan?  If she is not, do we expect politicians to fake their love for a game to soothe people's nativist urges?

Next, the hit piece turns into the blatant lie when America Rising's staff starts re-tweeting the lie that Senator Carroll is a Patriots fan.



And here...


The lie then gets spread by the "grassroots" right-wing sheriffs of #copolitics.



More... 

Yes, George, it is going to be a long year of listening to you and your hyper-partisan friends throw out a barrage of logical fallacies and lies.  People will then even get the pleasure of having to listen to them whine and demand that people address their smear campaigns in a serious manner.  




Do these people have a conscience?  Do they think spreading a lie about a person is a respectable thing to do?  Do they even know how to address the issues?  Or is logical fallacy their crutch to electoral victory?

Sadly, many of these same people delude themselves into believing that they are the honest people in politics.  They are far from it.  They are liars.

Do they want to talk issues?  Well, then maybe they should start engaging in honest discussions, rather than attacking the person.  Until then, it is perfectly appropriate to call them what they are: the slime in politics.



UPDATE:

And without fail, the toxic right-wing sheriffs of #copolitics jump into the mix a few hours after I posted this to defend the liars. 

George is now claiming it was all a joke, and that I should lighten up.  


No, George... why don't you take some responsibility, learn about integrity, and own up to the fact you are spreading lies.

Richard Turnquist, then comes to George's defense.  Richard apparently has no quarrels defending a liar through the use of (surprise!) ad hominem --- i.e., I'm just a "kid" and a #leftyfail.  Whatever, this kind of dishonesty is all too typical from the toxic right-wingers in #copolitics.   



More comically still is Richard just claimed he doesn't see any proof of his friend's lying?   See above screen shots for proof.  Maybe I should go and grab some more screen shots for this obtuse man to get the point. Though I doubt that is possible.  Hey, Richard... is it truthful to call Senator Carroll a Patriots fan based on not wearing orange last Friday?



Your truly,
Mark Olson

P.S. - I have no copy editor, nor do I swim in the donor pools who will give me money to shill for their interests.  Thus my perspective and any grammatical errors above are all mine.  
















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