tidbit's blog

fear mongering

 abuse

So in a previous blog I was challenged by Jerry-75 with the following statement:

 "Not to be too argumentative, but I think that repubs do hold the marketing on fear mongering. PRove me wrong. Jerry-75"

Also in the same blog, bullet656 mentioned that the only fear mongering that he could think of that the Democrats do is possibly global warming.

I'd like to respond to both of these. I'm not "picking on them" in any way, shape for form. Both had good points and well thought out commentary. I'm merely answering the "prove me wrong" commentary via my own thoughts and opinions, while at the same time opening up the floor with conversations regarding the issue with my fellow golo'ers.  I'd appreciate NO Bashing please. I'm in a lot of pain this week and frankly not in a mood for ignorant bashing. Humor me please?

I'd like to point out up front.  This is not me attacking Democrats and ignoring Republican's nasty tactics.  The request made of me was to prove Jerry wrong and in doing so, I have to focus on the specific issue: Democrats and Fear Mongering. 

I do not take sides for Repubs or Dems. Both have some very nasty notible political habbits and neither are above reproach. One is definately NOT better than the other.  Having said this, here is my answer to Jerry-75.

The original post was an issue about Republicans and fear mongering via emails with inaccurate information.  My specific comment was that Republicans do NOT have the market cornered for this particular style of attack - fear mongering. 

When I sit back and look at the the politicians and their incompetance, one of the things that angers me the most happens to be something I see Democratic politicians do (but this generally won't mean I won't vote for them).

My personal opinion is that Democrats do share that corner with Repubs via the worst type of fear mongering I think any human being could do to another human: Racism.

Yes, I said Racism. Before someone gets their panties in a knot (which someone undoubtedly already does and won't even bother to read further) let me explain where I'm coming from.

I believe everyone would (conservative and liberal) agree that statistics and studies upon studies have proven that the poorest population of our country has proven to be primarily minorities?  If you don't, perhaps a visit to the publicly viewable census results would be the best place for you to start to re-educate yourself.

From the local officials all the way to federal officials, candidates on the Democratic party have repeatedily used fear mongering as a tactic against minorities to scare them away from voting Republican.

How? By telling them if a Republican is elected then they will lose all their assitance. How can they feed their children without it!

I can give you hundreds of examples (I am elated BTW to see Obama has not followed this trend of behavior YET). From radio commercials for Democrats running ads talking about men in white sheets and burning crosses to just flat out telling you that you won't get any more money from the government and giving you very descriptive images of starving children. If you haven't heard any of this yet, then clearly you are just plain ignoring it - which might be even scarier

The purpose of using this fear is to keep this particular group dependent on the government and the government's assistance. It guarentees a voter base.

By doing this, knowing that the majority of their target base are minorities, they are intentionally perputating a racial divide in this country and intentionally keeping mintories poor and in fear of losing their "public assistance". Not to mention by lying to them and keeping them in fear, it keeps them uneducated to some degree as well.

There is not a single republican candidate DUMB enough to completely remove any welfare or public assistance program. Not one. Not even Regan did that or wanted to.

NO ONE - Not one single conservative that has spoken on this board, run for office or that I have ever talked to or read about, has EVER EVER EVER said we want to just stop welfare programs at all. NOT ONE.

What we have said, is that we want to limit it. We want to help these people! WE WANT TO! Everyone needs help sometimes! But giving them a hand up and helping for a short time is FAR better than hand outs that become expected long term and people depend on them.

Keeping people depenedent and in the dark and essentially threatening them with fear of loosing it, TO ME is abosolutely the WORST thing you can do to anyone. And in MY EYES is nothing short of intentional racism in its worst form.

Worst - because this country LETS it happen.

And that is why I think that the Republicans do not have the market cornered on Fear mongering.

I think they share that corner very well with Democrats. I don't think one is better than the other. However, I'd make an argument that intentional racism and racial division FAR outweighs emails with lies that only some people read and even fewer believe.