The $87B LIE (needs a repuke style, on-point ASSAULT)

[nostamj]

This LIE should be ASSAULTED by every Dem surrogate appearing in any media (AND by LTTE and call-ins to radio etc.)

TALKING POINTS:

There were TWO bills.

Kerry voted for a bill which would have PAID for the $87B will a rollback of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

Bush threatened to VETO that bill.

Kerry voted against the final bill which placed the burden of repaying the $87B on your children and grandchildred...in protest because there was no possibility the bill would fail or that troops would not get the supplies.

PERIOD.

Kerry wanted to PAY for the bill.
Bush insisted on BORROWING to pay the bill so that tax cuts to his friends would be preserved.

[ClassWarrior]

1. We also need a capsulized version...

$87 billion to fund HALIBURTON - see this link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2122581#2122977

[Sparkly]

2. Right -- it was BOTH about how it'd be paid for, and how it'd be spent

and it was a protest about how the Chimp had used power given him by Congress up to that point, saying "no more trust."

[nostamj]

3. agree, BUT...

job #1 is to expose the smear and take the weapon away from them, THEN turn it on their greedy asses!

[ClassWarrior]

4. Agreed. But we can open the discussion with strategic use of "soundbites"

As in, when your Freeper acquaintance says, "Kerry voted against the $87 billion for the troops," you say, "You mean the $87 billion for Halliburton??"

That will likely lead to the discussion...

[nostamj]

9. even with Freepers...

wouldn't it be stronger to say:

Kerry wanted THIS generation to pay for THIS war and he wanted the wealthiest to make some sacrifice.

Bush wanted your CHILDREN and your CHILDREN'S CHILDREN to pay for this war while protecting the wealthiest from making ANY sacrifice.

tossing out Halliburton is not going to get them where they live (and die)

[ClassWarrior]

11. The problem is, Jeff, that REASONING with most folks doesn't work...

They don't want a long, footnoted, well-reasoned arguement. They hear buzzwords and respond to those: flip-flopper, serial liar, etc.

We really need to get good at the catch-phrase. Every Saturday Night Live fan knows the drill. A new catch phrase pops up on a skit - "Yoooo loook mahhhvelous!" - and by Monday morning, it's on everyone's lips.

We need to start doing this and doing it well. These buzzwords... catch phrases... memes... are what define the playing field in modern television-era American politics. We need to define the field on OUR terms, not theirs. See my tagline from Bill Moyers below.

[nostamj]

17. i totally agree...

so, to freepers:

YES, Kerry voted against the bill that will require YOUR kids to pay for this. He voted for the bill that would require some sacrifice from the ultra-wealthy.

you got a problem with that?

the text in my OP was more for Dem surrogates, LTTE, call-ins, etc.

[kentuck]

5. I just heard Bush say.....

in quoting why John Kerry did not vote for the $87 billion that Kerry said it was a "complex issue". Bush said, "there is nothing complex about supporting our troops..." (paraphrasing)

[AlinPA]

8. He used this line yesterday in MO and it was cheered wildly by his

idiots in the chosen crowd. This is a big problem for us. He could boil his speeches down to this and be very effective with uninformed voters. So we do have to do some damage control on this. Sorry to say, they are so damn good at simplifying everything for sound bites that it will play well for him.

[AlinPA]

10. After replying (above), my wife reminded me that Bush* people

have been running the "Kerry did not support the troops " ad on TV for about a month and did hurt Kerry that much (if at all) in polls.
Maybe it will get stale.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Why didn't Kerry address this in his speech on Thursday night?

That was the PERFECT platform for him to lay this lie to rest. Why didn't he? The repubs have been throwing that lie around for months. In ONE speech, Kerry could have stopped the lie in it's tracks AND make the repubs look like fools for lying about the FACTS of what REALLY happened. I don't get it.

[Catt03]

7. I thought it was the 20B tacked on for Iraq

that Bush did not want Irag to repay and Kerry wanted it to be a loan, not a gift since Iraq sits on bilions in oil.

Also, 60% of the public was against "giving" Irag the money.

I am confused. What part is Haliburton and what part if troop support? What is the breakdown?

[Bozita]

12. Hoping to hear about this on the Guy James Show later today

[nostamj]

16. if no one beats me to it...

I'll do it!

[Bozita]

18. Better call in early

This topic is crying for attention.

[UdoKier]

13. Yep, I've said that too. It's not something to run from...

...it's something to embrace, and beat them over the head with. Bush never met red-ink he didn't like. Bush wants your KIDS to pay for HIS war so the RICH can get a tex break - and on and on.

Kerry has been way too passive in standing up for his record, really.

[stopbush]

14. Kerry wanted to put his own money where his mouth was by

offering a pay-as-you-go bill that would have cost him - and other millionaires - a few bucks apiece, but bush wouldn't sign any bill that didn't give tax cuts to millioniares.

Instead, * would only support $ for the troops IF it included an additional $5000 in tax cuts for him and his millionaire buddies. No tax cut, no money for the troops. It was that simple.

Kerry thought that was wrong and voted against another handout of our troops' money to bush's millionaire buddies.

[Bozita]

15. kick

[Mz Pip]

19. Bush sent tthe troops without

proper equipment to Iraq. Now he wants to blame Kerry if they aren't properly equipt.

Just another example of Repugnant double talk.

MzPip
:dem:

[rumguy]

20. If Kerry doesn't stand up for his honor on this point, he may very well

lose the election.

[nostamj]

21. well, I don't think it's THAT dire

but, it MUST be addressed. it must be turned BACK on bush and his RICH repukes... the LIE hurts him and the cronyism hurts him if its pointed out that YOUR CHILDREN will pay the 87B because BUSH refused to pay for it by pulling back even a BIT of his tax cuts for the wealthy.