The Issues are the Distraction

[Vox Moi]

What, exactly, is this election about? Reading the papers or watching TV, one might think it was about issues.
- The economy and 'jobs'
- Health care and 'entitlements'
- Taxation
Forget all that. The fact of Romney's candidacy and his success so far proves that 'issues' are just window dressing.
It may well be Obama's mistake to have tried to engage in issue-oriented politics while Romney uses 'issues' to deliver another message altogether. That is why all the flip-flopping and gaffes and just plain lying seem to do little to diminish his support. The message is 'Opposition to anything Obama' and anything not Republican. Content is unimportant and therefore the truth is irrelevant. Even the honesty and sincerity of the candidate makes no difference. Look the big attention-getters.
'You didn't build that'
'Obama sympathizes with terrorists'
'Obama removed 716 billion from Medicare'
These lies are not issues at all. They are meaningless statements of opposition, intended to justify votes in a cultural battle that will never be admitted to.
The changing demographics of America scare the White Right to death. 'They are taking over'.
"They' have no sense of responsibility, they want a free ride'.
Make no mistake about it: Romney's 47% video did not cost him that many votes among the rest of America, many of whom think that he was spot-on.
The fear and loathing of cultural change felt on the Right has nothing to do with pre-existing conditions or the fog of war in Libya. It is based on the realization that their America, both real and imagined, might have to be shared with 'them'.
Thank God for speaking directly to Republicans about abortion and thank the Republicans themselves for sharing their thoughts on immigration. The only two issues they address directly and honestly are costing them dearly and may save the election for the rest of us.

[lunatica]

1. In that case Obama will win

Because most Americans are not stupid. Most Americans are actually sane. The crazy ones are just louder.

[We People]

2. True, the GOP is running on memes and hiding/obscuring their true agenda

It's in governing that the issues will be enacted and the agenda will be more clear in hindsight. Whether they're the ones governing or not, Faux interprets everything for their viewers as their agenda is carried out. FNC has perfected the spin that allows them to put their horrible ideas into practice while manipulating viewers to blame the opposition for what is happening. In fact, they will just adapt the memes listed in the OP to fit the situation. Never is the GOP completely truthful about what they're doing, why they're doing it, nor do they really take ownership of the consequences.

We know how they are when they are in office. May they go down in crushing defeat at the ballot box.

[RevStPatrick]

3. What you are talking about is also a distraction.

It's all a distraction. All of it.
It's a distraction from the fact that we have been experiencing the largest shift of wealth in our history.
Mr. Obama is a distraction from that as well.

Serious question... has Mr. Obama done anything significant to slow down or stop that shift of wealth upwards? Maybe he will in his second term? I think we've all seen the charts and graphs and articles about how well the stock market, for example, is doing. There was piece yesterday explaining how Mr. Obama has done better for big business than any president in over a century.

So, you are being distracted as well. It's all about the wealth, and as much as I like the man and have hopes for his second term, Mr. Obama has helped those at the top more than the rest of us during his first 4 years...

[Democratopia]

4. It is allowed to happen because the media are not doing their job.

I am originally from Britain and have never seen just superficial coverage for an election as this one.

Where is the analysis, the scrutiny, the tough questions? Somebody like Mitt Romney could never get this far in Britain because just one of his blatant lies would be on the front page of every newspaper. He would be humiliated and would be roasted alive. As for the extreme views - people like Santorum, for example, saying homosexuality is a sin, he would be forced to resign. There is certain behavior that crosses the line of acceptability. That line is way too low in USA.

It is incredulous that even MSNBC allow Republicans to spout their lies and rarely challenge them. This is all very dangerous.