CHICAGO, July 29, 2011—“Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counteract ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.” (Saul Alinsky)
It started under DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe. Howard Dean raised it to an art form. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is selling it nation wide. It is the Democrat’s Simpleton Strategy (DSS).
Here’s how it works. Make indefensible, non-factual, vile, stupid, irresponsible, reckless, or outrageous accusations against the opposition. Use militant and extremist language. Force your opponents to react and defend themselves. They look like simpletons as soon as they try, and the harder they try, the more foolish they look.
The purpose of DSS is to sow anger, hatred, and discontent. Its practitioners seek to create a poisonous and toxic environment while making the other side look silly. They know that enough people will believe anything they put out to force their opponents to respond. They know that almost any reaction makes the opposition look ridiculous.
DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz used this strategy when she said the GOP hates women. She used it again when she said the GOP was trying to bring back Jim Crow laws.
DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Image: AP)
The other day Schultz made the reckless and outrageous claim that the Republicans are trying to impose a dictatorship.
“This is not leadership. This is almost like dictatorship. I know they want to force the outcome … their extremists would like to impose. But they are getting ready to spark panic and chaos, and they seem to be OK with that. And it’s just really disappointing, and potentially devastating.” (Politico)
Nancy Pelosi told a reporter yesterday, “What we’re trying to do is save the world from the Republican budget. We’re trying to save life on this planet as we know it today.” Another inane irresponsible high octane statement.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., a master at PC speak, holds up a penny during a news conference on Capitol Hill (Image: Associated Press)
President Obama’s aides are running around claiming the GOP is going to ruin Christmas.
How do intelligent people respond to this nonsense? Claim that the Democrats hate everybody, that they beat their husbands and abuse their children? That they are trying to destroy Planet Earth? That they want to wreck Hanukkah?
The Democrats are engaged in rhetorical terrorism. Their attacks are impossible to refute, but they make great headlines and better sound bites. That is their sole purpose.
Democratic tactics use deep emotional insult: Accuse your opponents of hating women, gays, the environment, the poor, working families, immigrants, the elderly, children, farmers, people of color, and so on. Denigrate the opposition as extremists. Paint them as despicable, detestable and disgusting.
The biased and lazy media report without skepticism the outrageous statements fed to them by the DNC. They swallow them whole, then regurgitate them into the 24/7 news cycle, not checking that they are true or accurate.
The best defense against DSS is to play offense. Ignore it, ridicule it, demand facts. Keep on message. Control the conversation. Be positive, persistent, and optimistic.
If the media insist on a response (they will), use the “idiot” reply: “How can any intelligent person make such an idiotic claim? Or believe it?”
Laugh: “So and so should get a career as a stand up comedian instead of politics.” Demand an investigation: “We demand a full investigation into these reckless allegations and whomever is making them.” Turn the whole thing upside down: “Only someone with something to hide would make such a desperate statement.”
And then get on message: “Now this is what we propose …”
Never defend. Always attack. Attack with the issues. Attack with policy. Attack with the truth. Attack with a plan. Be positive and optimistic, and always, always attack.
Don’t be a simpleton. Only a simpleton would utter these DNC inanities, only a simpleton would treat them as serious, and only a simpleton would believe them. Force the media either to admit to believing these inanities, or make them pretend to be journalists, investigating the charges, then questioning the veracity and sanity of the people who make them.
This is not the time to play the DSS game. Too much is at stake.
This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities @ WashingtonTimes.com. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING TWTC CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
